USA > Missouri > Jackson County > History of Jackson County, Missouri > Part 41
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY
Mr. Cruwell is a Union veteran of the Civil War. He enlisted in the United States Reserve Corps in 1861, and served for three months, and during the remainder of the war he served in the State militia.
Mr. Cruwell has been three times married. His first marriage oc- curred in 1866, and was with Sophia Hagenbush, who died one year later, in Franklin County, Missouri. In 1870 he was married to Sophia Showen- girt, who died in 1878. He was married the third time, in Osage County, to Louisa Meyer, who died in 1917. Mr. Cruwell has one daughter and three sons : Andrew, a farmer, living near Blue Springs; Benjamin, Ernest, living on the home place; Emma is the wife of Nicholas H. Phelps, deputy marshall of Jackson County.
Mr. Cruwell voted twice for Abraham Lincoln, and has voted for every Republican candidate for President since the close of the Civil War. He is a member of the Methodist church, and is affiliated with the Grand Army of the Republic.
Caldwell Chiles .- There is something in the life of every successful man which distinguishes him as different from the ordinary run of hu- man kind. The late Caldwell Chiles, member of the pioneer Chiles family of Jackson County, is remembered as a lovable and generous character, whose faults, if any, were an unwonted generosity and kindness to those with whom he came into contact. He is called by those who were intimate with him, "The Prince of the Chiles Family," because of the fact that his purse was ever open to assist the needy. He never turned away a friend or acquaintance who sought his assistance in time of need, and he was always found in the forefront of movements tending to the general good of all the people.
Caldwell Chiles was born in Jackson County, on the old Chiles home- stead in Fort Osage township, June 28, 1840, and died May 18, 1900. He was a son of Joel Franklin Chiles, and was descended from Lieut .- Col. Walter Chiles, who emigrated from England to Virginia aboard his own vessel in 1638. His grandfather, John Chiles, was born in Virginia, and moved to Kentucky during the early settlement of that State. His uncle, Joseph Ballinger Chiles, born in Clark County, Ky., went from Jackson County, overland to California in 1843, spending the balance of his life there; so that without the scope of one life time, his immediate family spanned the American continent by migration and settlement, arriving at the shores of the Pacific ocean far in the van of the pioneer host.
Reared to young manhood in Jackson County, when the Southern
CALDWELL CHILES.
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states seceded from the Union, Caldwell Chiles joined the Missouri Militia and was in several engagements which were fought during the early part of the war to preserve the neutrality of Missouri, and prevent the coercion of the Confederacy. He received his baptism of fire at the Bat- tle of Lexington. The effort to preserve Missouri as a neutral State proving hopeless, he went South and joined with his comrades under Gen- eral Price, and he was sworn into the service of the Confederate Army. He was a member of Langhorne's troop, Colonel Shank's regiment, Gen. Joe Shelby's brigade. Private Chiles repeatedly declined promotion, and served faithfully to the end as a common soldier. At Helena, Ark., he suffered a broken leg as a result of being hit with a rifle ball, and was taken prisoner. Immediately after his recovery he made his escape from prison, and rejoined his comrades.
He participated in General Price's expedition through Missouri in 1864. The route of march led past his home, where he stopped for a brief visit and received the ministrations of his mother and sisters. A few days later he sat on his horse under fire at the Battle of Westport, and there partook of food given him by relatives who lived in the vicinity of the battle field. It is a strange thing that history records these men as "Raiders and invaders," in the land of their birth, and under the very roof trees where they were born. Captain Langhorne once made the re- mark that "Colly" Chiles was one of the best soldiers he ever knew, as "he never got hungry, tired or cold." This remark was strongly de- scriptive of his entire life and character. He was quiet, steadfast, cheer- ful, and uncomplaining. At the close of the war he returned to his old home, and resumed his occupation of farmer and stockman. With the exception of a few years spent in farming in Grayson County, Texas, with his brother, William G. Chiles, he lived the remainder of his days in his native county.
Caldwell Chiles amassed a considerable fortune, and his affairs were so conducted as to be of help to others as well as of benefit to himself. Many of his old neighbors owe their success to his assistance, given not in a spirit of patronizing charity, but given with the desire to render a mutual benefit.
As in the great war in which he offered his life in the beginning of his manhood for his people-his kinsman of the South-so also in his after years he was constant and faithful to his own. His best efforts were always readily and willingly put forth for the improvement and up- lifting of his community, and his great influence and achievements were
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highly valued and appreciated by his friends and neighbors. However, he always avoided publicity and public honors, preferring to expend his efforts for the public good in his own, quiet, unobtrusive way.
Calvin D. Lowe .- The "Best Forty in Jackson County" is the general opinion of the farm owned and operated by Calvin D. Lowe, of Sniabar township. The Lowe "Forty" is located three miles northeast of Blue Springs, and is one of the richest and best improved tracts in Missouri. The place is improved with a handsome farm residence, fronted by a lawn, shaded by locust trees, and is equipped for general farming. This place has an orchard, consisting of an acre of bearing trees and fruit of all kinds, which produces a good income. Any man with energy and indus- try can make a good living on 40 acres of Jackson County land, and Mr. Lowe has proved the truth of the assertion. He feeds all of the grain grown on the place to livestock, and thus markets the output of his farm on the hoof, the most economical and the most productive way of farm- ing. Mr. Lowe purchased his farm in 1910, at a cost of $150 an acre, re- modeled the residence, and has otherwise improved the place until it is easily worth $300 an acre, but it is not for sale.
Calvin D. Lowe was born in Pike County, Missouri, Dec. 31, 1863, and is a son of Calvin V. Lowe, a Jackson County pioneer, concerning whom a full account is given in connection with the sketch of John Lewis Lowe in this volume. While Calvin V. Lowe was an old time resident of Jackson County, the reason of his son's birth in Pike County is explained by the fact that when Order No. 11 was issued during the Civil War, Cal- vin V. Lowe removed with his family to Pike County, and there re- mained until the war was over, and it was safe to return to Jackson County.
C. D. Lowe was reared to manhood in Jackson County, and his home was adjacent to the town of Blue Springs, where the family located in 1881. He attended the Eureka district school during his boyhood days, and began doing for himself when he became of age. He worked for his father on the wage and share system until he attained the age of 43 years, and in 1906 he began farming on his own account. He resided on the home place and cared for his aged mother until 1910, when he bought his present place.
Mr. Lowe was married in 1907 to Lulu Dillingham, daughter of Collin J. Dillingham, of Blue Springs, Mo.
He is a Democrat, and is a member of the United Presbyterian Church.
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY
Luther O. Johnson, farmer and orchardist, Sniabar township, is one of Jackson County's most successful agriculturists. His fine farm of 147 acres, located four miles northeast of Blue Springs, is a valuable one, and is well improved. The Johnson orchard consists of 60 acres of bearing trees, 40 acres of which were set out about 18 years ago, 20 acres were planted 15 years ago, and a number of acres are planted to young trees. This orchard has had the best of care, and has been scientifically sprayed each season. The apple crop was sold on the trees in 1919 for $5,500. Mr. Johnson has recently purchased an additional tract of 22.5 acres from the Williams estate, and he has also invested in an improved tract of 20 acres, near the Milton farm-land which is very high priced and valu- able. He has been offered $1,000 for his bargain since he purchased this place.
L. O. Johnson was born April 9, 1856, on a farm located within three miles of his present home place. He is a son of David and Frances E. (Cook) Johnson, both natives of Virginia, and early pioneers in this county. David Johnson was born in 1825, and was killed during the Civil War, in 1863. While attending to his own business during war time, he was taken prisoner by Federals, who acted upon prejudiced information, given by a former tenant of his, taken with other prisoners to Chicago, where his death occurred.
At the time of his death there were 15 living children in the family. However, the elder Johnson was a man of means, and the family was left well provided for; all were reared to maturity, and nine are still living, as follow: Henry, resides with his son, Thomas, in Jackson County ; Car- roll, residing near Buckner, Mo .; Harvey, lives at Grain Valley, David, lives in Texas; Lee, resides in Oak Grove; Luther O., of this review; Banner, lives in Kansas City; Mrs. Susan Vaughn, lives in Oklahoma; Mrs. Augusta Hinkston, Independence, Mo .; and Mrs. Lucy Bostwick, William, Larken, Thomas, Mary and Sarah are deceased. The mother of these children died in 1887, at the age of 65 years.
When 28 years of age, L. O. Johnson began farming on his own ac- count. He cared for his mother during her old age, and when it came. time for him to own a farm of his own, he purchased 117 acres from the estate from the heirs with borrowed money. Upon this tract he resided for two years, and in 1886, he bought 122.5 acres near Buckner, borrow- ing money from Neal, Chiles with which to make the investment. In 1892 he bought 80 acres of his present home place, set out his orchard, and has been steadily accumulating land since.
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Mr. Johnson was married in 1884 to Miss Naomi Johnson, a native of Jackson County, and a daughter of Larken Johnson. The children born to this marriage are: Rufus and Clifton C. Rufus Johnson lives on a farm adjoining the home place, and is a farmer. He married Stella Phillips.
Corp. Clifton C. Johnson was born March 1, 1890, served in the World War with the American forces in France. He left home for the training camp July 5, 1918, and took part in some of the bitterest fighting on the Western Front in France, fighting in the Argonne forest and St. Mihiel. During the latter engagement his pack was shot to pieces and he nar- rowly escaped death a score of times. He was honorably discharged from the service and arrived home Sept. 22, 1919.
Mr. Johnson is a Democrat. He is well informed, progressive, enter- prising, and is rated as one of the substantial and well to do citizens of Jackson County, who has made good.
John S. Cogswell .- "Fairside," the home of John S. Cogswell, con- sisting of 10 acres, splendidly improved, adjoining the fair grounds, just east of Independence, is noted for the pure-bred Duroc-Jersey hogs which are bred and sold on the place. Mr. Cogswell has been a breeder of swine since 1884, when he began breeding Poland China hogs. He changed to the breeding of Duroc-Jerseys in 1917, and has built up a reputation which extends throughout the country. He keeps from 75 to 100 head of fine stock on the place at all times, and has annual sales, at which the product of his skill as a breeder brings good prices. He has sold hogs to buyers in all parts of the United States, some of which have brought $200 per head. The leader of the Cogswell herd of Durocs is "Jackson Orion Boy," which cost him $650, and for which he has been offered $1,000.
John S. Cogswell was born in Jackson County, Dec. 5, 1867, on a farm between Buckner and Sibley, in Fort Osage township. During his boy- hood days he used to go to mill at Sibley, riding an old gray horse, and carrying a sack of grain so large that when it happened to slip from the horse, he was unable to put it back in place. Mr. Cogswell recalls that the mill men would run the bran out into the Missouri River, thus wast- ing a product which is now very high priced.
William M. Cogswell, his father, was born in Kentucky, Feb. 22, 1822, and died June 5, 1901. He married Anna Brown, who was born in Vir- ginia, in 1842, and died in 1886. She was a daughter of John S. Brown, who came to Jackson County in the early thirties. William M. Cogswell
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served in the Mexican War in Colonel Doniphan's regiment, and also served in the Civil War, under Gen. Jo. Shelby. William M. Cogswell was a son of James Cogswell, who was also a pioneer in Jackson County, and who brought his slaves with him when he made the trip from Kentucky to Missouri to find a new home in this, then sparsely settled, country. Both Mr. Brown and Mr. Cogswell became large land owners and were prominent in the affairs of Jackson County.
The Cogswell place was located near Bone Hill, and for a number of years the elder Cogswell filled the office of justice of the peace, winning a great reputation for his ability to settle disputes and threatened legal cases out of court. It was his policy as justice to bring disputants to- gether, find a middle ground upon which they could agree, and then persuade them to settle their differences.
Both parents of John S. Cogswell are buried in Buckner cemetery. The remains of John S. Brown are interred in the burying ground of Greens Chapel, while those of James Cogswell are interred in the family burial ground on the old Cogswell homestead. The children born to Wil- liam M. and Anna Cogswell are as follow: William M. has been assistant overseer of the county farm for the past 15 years; Mrs. Mollie Penning- ton, deceased; John S., of this review; Mrs. Sallie Duncan, deceased ; Mrs. Lizzie Fein, lives near Buckner; Joseph, a farmer near Buckner.
John S. Cogswell received his schooling in the Cogswell school house, and began earning his own way when 18 years old. When 14 years old he worked out for 50 cents a day, and his working hours were from day- light until dark. Mr. Cogswell recalls that this was the hardest work he ever did in his life, and it is only natural that he has little sympathy for the tendency of labor in these times to do a minimum amount of work in short hours for the greatest amount of pay. He began farming on his own account when 20 years of age, and purchased his first farm in Fort Osage township in 1901. He bought another place in 1902, sold this and then bought 75 acres in the Salem neighborhood in 1905. For this farm he paid $139 an acre, at the time the highest price hitherto paid for Jackson County farm land. He sold this farm for $225 an acre, and it has since been sold for $250. Mr. Cogswell removed to his present place, adjoining Independence, in 1916.
Feb. 3, 1892, he was married to Miss Miriam J. Barnes, who was born in Platte County, Missouri, March 5, 1869. She is a daughter of Eldridge and Buena Vista (Patton) Barnes, both natives of Georgia. They came to Jackson County in 1871. Mr. Barnes was a soldier in the
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Confederate Army during the Civil War, and now makes his home at Oak Grove. He was born in November, 1838. Mrs. Barnes was born in 1849, and died in 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Barnes were the parents of the follow- ing children: A. H. Barnes, Kansas City, Mo .; Mrs. Miriam J. Cogswell, of this review; Cora died at the age of eight years. By a second mar- riage with Mary Frances Sites, Mr. Barnes is the father of two children: Robert, Kansas City, Mo., and Roy, Oak Grove.
The children born to John S. and Miriam J. Cogswell are: Melva, wife of Joe T. Doyle, Clinton, Mo., mother of one child, Maxine Jo; and John E. Cogswell, aged 18 years, a senior in high school.
Mr. Cogswell is a Democrat. He and Mrs. Cogswell are members of the Christian church, and he is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias.
Edgar Goodloe .- The dairy farm of Edgar Goodloe, situated in Blue township, 12 miles southeast of Independence, on the Woods Chapel rock road, is one of the best improved farms in Jackson County. This farm consists of 79 acres, and maintains a herd of 30 head of Jerseys, Short- horns and Holsteins. The milk product of the dairy is sold in bulk. It is stated, on reliable authority, that this farm is the scene of a historic inci- dent during the days of the Border War. The Quantrell raid upon Law- rence, Kan., is said to have had its inception în the yard of this farm, when a number of men under Quantrell's leadership met in the darkness of night and planned the details of the invasion and subsequent raid.
Edgar Goodloe was born Oct. 15, 1886, on a farm just across the road from his present home. He is the son of James W. Goodloe, who was born Aug. 6, 1846, and died Dec. 14, 1909. James W. Goodloe was a son of Lilburn Goodloe, a pioneer settler of this county, who entered and cleared considerable land in Jackson County. From the time he attained the age of 14 years, James W. Goodloe was reared in this vicinity, and upon attaining his majority, he married Miss Belle Porter, a daughter of Hugh Porter, of Blue Springs. Mrs. Belle Goodloe was born in 1863, and makes her home with her son, Edgar. Two sons were born to James W. and Belle Goodloe, namely: Everrett Goodloe, living in Kansas City, and Edgar Goodloe, of this review.
The place which Mr. Goodloe is farming is the home place of his parents, upon which he has erected a number of improvements, such as a neat residence to supplant a large, old brick house, which had been built by one of the early owners of the land. The Goodloe dairy is well equipped with labor saving machinery, such as a milking machine, etc.,
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and is conducted in a sanitary and economical manner. Two hours time suffice to milk 26 cows.
Edgar Goodloe attended the ward school of Kansas City, Central High School, and the Kansas City Business College. He established his dairy in 1917. He was married on June 5, 1910, to Miss Clara Inlow, of Blue Springs, a daughter of William and Martha Inlow. The children born of this union are: Martha Belle, born Aug. 5, 1913 ; Mary, born Nov. 29, 1914; Vera, born Dec. 31, 1915; Edgar, born April 23, 1919.
Mr. Goodloe is a stanch Democrat. The Presbyterian church is the place of family worship. He is affiliated with the Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons of Blue Springs, and is a live, progressive and enterprising citizen.
Theodore Pressly .- Situated at the forks of the two main roads, 10 miles southeast of Independence, is one of the most attractive farm homes in Jackson County, owned by Theodore Pressly. The Pressly farm con- sists of 118 acres of valuable farm land. The place is devoted to general farm, stock raising and dairying. Mr. Pressly owns a herd of 23 head of cows, five of which are pure-bred Jerseys.
Theodore Pressly was born in Boone county, Indiana, June 7, 1871. He is a son of J. T. and Julia A. (Wiley) Pressly, natives of Indiana. J. T. Pressly was a Union veteran of the Civil War. He resided in Indiana until 1875, and then made the trip to Nebraska, where he homesteaded land in Kearney County, taking up a soldier's claim of 160 acres of farm land, and also filing on a tree claim of 160 acres. He erected a sod house which was the first home of the family on the plains of Nebraska. This was later supplanted by a frame house. In 1884, he sold his land in Nebraska and removed to Howell County, Missouri. He resided in Howell County from November, 1884, to March, 1896, when he moved to Kansas City. He was twice married. His first marriage was with Julia Ann Wiley, who bore him the following children: William Roy, of Corsicana, Texas; Edwin K., Dalls, Texas; Theodore, of this review; Albert, St. Clair County, Missouri; Ora, living on a farm north of Blue Springs; Wiley G., Mt. Washington, Mo .; Mrs. Lora Alice Leonard, living in Colorado ; John T., Jr., lives in Arizona. The mother of these children died on Jan. 19, 1892. Sometime later John T. Pressly married Margaret Boyd, who bore him four children: James A., Mary, Leona and Emmett.
The first school which Theodore Pressly attended was a little sod house on the Nebraska plains. He later attended school in Howell County, Missouri. In 1892 he began making his own way in the world, and has
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achieved one of the distinct successes in Jackson County. In 1903 he purchased his present farm. Practically every improvement has been placed upon the Pressly place by the present owner, and Mr. Pressly is still building with an eye to the future, and he is imbued with a desire to produce one of the finest places in Jackson County.
Sept. 22, 1897, Theodore Pressly and Emma Mary Ricketts were united in marriage. Mrs. Emma M. Pressly was born in Wilson County, Kansas, and is a daughter of Jeremiah Clay and Nancy Ricketts, the latter of whom makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. Pressly. Three children have been born of this marriage: Pearl, John Lee and Hadley.
Mr. Pressley is a Republican, a member of the Christian church, and is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias at Blue Springs.
Frank P. Chiles .- The most extensive live stock producer and feeder in Jackson County is, without doubt, Frank P. Chiles of Fort Osage town- ship. Mr. Chiles has been a stockman since early manhood and has achieved a success in his business which is remarkable. To successfully produce and feed live tock for the markets in large numbers requires a knowledge of stock above the average, business acumen and ability of a high order, and daring to proceed on a large scale. Mr. Chiles has these qualifications and has made good. His home farm, consisting of 750 acres near Buckner on the Lexington road, is equipped for the purpose of handling large numbers of cattle and hogs and is adapted to the produc- tion of corn, being mostly bottom land of high fertility. Three concrete silos store forage for the winter feeding and a large residence sets on the hill side. In addition to this farm Mr. Chiles owns 1,000 to 1,200 acres in Bates County, one and a half miles east of Drexel. During his career he has fed more hogs and cattle than any other man of his age in Jackson County. Mr. Chiles' operations call for the feeding and marketing of from 1,000 to 1,200 head of hogs and from 300 to 800 head of cattle annually. He keeps from five to six men in his employ the year around.
Frank P. Chiles was born in Jackson County, July 6, 1870, and is a son of the late Henry C. Chiles, one of the best known citizens of the past decade in Jackson County and who was a son of Joel Franklin Chiles, one of the first pioneer settlers of this county. A biography of Henry C. Chiles appears in this volume as does that of Joel Franklin Chiles, the first of the family to locate in this county in pioneer days.
Mr. Chiles was educated in the public schools and attended Wood- land College when it was in charge of Prof. George Bryan. He began his career as a stockman under his father when but a young man and has
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the satisfaction of having accumulated all that he possesses through his own efforts. He is essentially a self made man.
Mr. Chiles was married in 1897 to Miss Beall Hudspeth, of Jackson County, a daughter of Joel Rufus Hudspeth, a sketch of whom appears in this volume. The children born to this union are: Richard, Sarah, Frank P., Jr., Henry Clay and Annabel.
Richard Chiles, the soldier of the family, was born in June, 1899. He graduated from the Buckner High School and is a student at the Mis- souri State University. In June, 1917, he enlisted, the day after his graduation from high school, in the tank corps of the National army and was among the first to be sent to France where he participated in the hardest fighting on the Western front, taking part in the Battle of the Argonne Forest and was awarded the Croix de Guerre for bravery in bat- tle. He was discharged from the service on May 1, 1919 and is now study- ing at the State University.
Miss Sarah Chiles is a student at William Woods College, Fulton, Mo.
Mr. Chiles is a Democrat but has little time for political matters. He is a member of the Christian church and is well and favorably known throughout Jackson County as a successful and enterprising citizen.
William B. Howard .- The accomplishments of the late William B. Howard, of Lees Summit, will long be in evidence. Builder of a large estate, founder of a prosperous town, liberal in his donations to public and religious enterprises, Mr. Howard was a man worth while to his adopted county. William B. Howard was born March 10, 1821, in Jeffer- son County, Kentucky, and died at his home at Lees Summit, July 13, 1896. He was a son of John Howard, of Maryland, who was of English descent. His paternal great-grandfather was the nearest heir to the Duke of Norfolk, England, but forfeited all rights to the dukedom by immigrat- ing to America. John Howard moved to Kentucky in 1800, with the van- guard of the hardy pioneers who paved the way for the development of what was then known as the "Dark and Bloody Ground." He married Annie C. Bullitt, of Jefferson County, Kentucky. She was a daughter of Col. Alexander Bullitt, of Virginia, who was a Kentucky pioneer, and wlio served as president of the first constitutional convention of his State. Mr. Howard settled within nine miles of the present city of Louisville. His children were: William B., of this reviey; Helen M., deceased; Mrs. Anna C. Courtney, of Louisville, Ky.
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