USA > Missouri > Jackson County > History of Jackson County, Missouri > Part 42
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W. B. Howard was reared on his father's farm in Kentucky, and was educated in the common schools. He made a visit to Missouri when a
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young man and purchased 220 acres of land in 1842. Feb. 8, 1844, he was married to Maria D. Strother, of Bardstown, Ky., a daughter of John D. Strother. April 1, 1844, Mr. Howard located on a farm in Blue town- ship, cleared the land of timber, and erected a home. In 1850 he moved to a point within five miles of Lees Summit, and purchased a tract of 833 acres, consisting of prairie and timber land. Four hundred acres of this land was fenced and improved, with a log cabin. In 1854 he erected a large residence, which is still standing, and increased his acreage. During the Civil War he was harassed by bushwhackers, and was arrested in October, 1862, by order of Colonel Pennock, Federal officer in command at Independence, and he was placed in jail. After one month's durance he was released on $25,000 bond and permitted to go to Kentucky. His wife at this time was in poor health, and she died in Kentucky, Feb. 16, 1865, leaving the following children: William Bullitt, born May 10, 1846, died in 1851; and Anna Strother, born Feb. 18, 1848, married George F. Lee, and resides in Louisville, Ky. Upon his return to Jackson County, Mr. Howard found his farm run down, grown up with brush and shrubs, and found that the house had been partly burned. However, throughout the war, when other places had been burned to the ground, the Howard home had had protection. He persuaded some neighbors to move into his home, and proceeded to again place his farm in cultivation, and soon re- habitated the estate.
Mr. Howard became owner of a large estate of 2,300 acres. In Octo- ber, 1865, he laid out the town of Lees Summit, intending to give it the name of Strother, but the engineer in charge named the new town, as it is now called. Lees Summit has grown to be one of the important and thriv- ing towns on the line of the Missouri Pacific Railway, and is an important livestock center and shipping point. Mr. Howard gave to the city, Howard Park, consisting of 20 acres, and built thereon a half-mile racing track, 60 feet in width, and also a quarter mile track, 40 feet wide. He also donated lots to the churches of the city, which he founded. He was one of the founders of and a director of the Bank of Lees Summit. Nov. 20, 1884, he removed to Lees Summit and from that time until his death, he was thoroughly identified with the life of his town.
Sept. 19, 1867, Mr. Howard was married to Mary C. Jones, who bore him children as follow: Maria E., born July 6, 1868, wife of John R. Ransom, police commissioner of Kansas City, and mother of three chil- dren, Kathryn, John and Elizabeth Ransom; Robert M. Howard, born Sept. 17, 1870, living on the old homestead, married Irene Taggart, who
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died Sept. 1, 1919, leaving one son, William Howard; Mrs. Mary Bullitt Browning, Lees Summit, born Aug. 5, 1873, mother of two sons, Howard and Phelps; Thomas C. Howard, a sketch of whom appears in this vol- ume; Florence C., born June 7, 1879, wife of O. H. Dove, Kansas City, and she has one son by a former marriage, George Peake; William B. Howard, born May 26, 1887, married Ella Collins, and resides at Lees Summit.
The mother of the foregoing children was born in Howard County, Missouri, in 1843, and departed this life in 1910. She was a daughter of William C. and Elizabeth (Jones) Jones, natives of Virginia and Ten- nessee, respectively, who came to Missouri in 1840. During the Civil War, William C. Jones went to Idaho, and died at Fort Laramie in 1863. Prior to her marriage, Mrs. Mary C. Howard taught school. She was a woman of fine education.
Mr. Howard was active in the Democratic party, but never sought political preferment, the only office which he ever held being that of treasurer of the school board for a number of years. In filling this office, he was enabled to further the cause of education in his home com- munity. He was steward of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, for 50 years, and taught the bible class for a number of years. He was widely known for his liberality and progressiveness, and is remembered by those who knew him as a kind and just man-successful in business. As a stockman, Mr. Howard was one of the builders and developers of Jackson County.
Thomas C. Howard, farmer and stockman, and owner of 360 acres of land in Prairie and Blue townships, on the Woods Chapel highway, within nine miles of Independence, was born Nov. 19, 1875, on the Howard home- stead. He was reared and educated in Jackson County, and attended the public schools of Lees Summit. Mr. Howard has always followed farming and stock raising, and is now operating a dairy in connection with his farm.
Thomas C. Howard was married Oct. 9, 1901, to Miss Nellie Hocken- berry, a daughter of Joseph and Mary Hockenberry, of Jackson County. Two children have been born to this marriage: Elizabeth, aged 17 years, a graduate of the Lees Summit High School, and now a student in the Christian College at Columbia, Mo .; and Thomas, Jr., aged nine years.
Mr. Howard is a Democrat, and is a member of the Christian church. He is affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Lees Summit.
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William T. Helm, farmer and orchardist, located four miles east of Independence, in Blue township, has one of the finest orchards and pret- tiest farmsteads in this section of Missouri. The Helm farm consists of 67 acres, 23 acres of which are devoted to orchards. The Helm orchard is 17 years old, and produces Johnathans, Grimes Golden, York Imperial, Black Twig and Mammoth apples, which command a ready sale at good prices. The output of these orchards will range from 2,500 to 4,000 bushels annually, and is sold to local dealers, and consumers of Independence and Kansas City.
William T. Helm was born Aug. 17, 1860, in eastern Jackson County, and is a son of James Thomas Helm, a native of Jackson County, who lost his life in August, 1862, at the Battle of Lone Jack, while serving with
. the Confederate forces during the Civil War. He was a son of Hiram Helm, a native of Kentucky, and early pioneer of Jackson County. At James T. Helm's death two children were left fatherless: William T., of this review, and George Helm, born April 19, 1862, who died Oct. 3, 1914.
James Thomas Helm was a son of Hiram Helm, a native of Kentucky, who was one of the pioneer settlers of Jackson County. In early man- hood J. T. Helm married Matilda Corn, who was born in this county, a daughter of John Corn, in 1841, and departed this life Jan. 13, 1914. She was married the second time to Thomas Stayton. Three children were born to this marriage: Col. Ed. M. Stayton, Christopher Stayton, and one child who died in infancy.
W. T. Helm resided with his mother and grandfather after his father's death for 11 years. She then married Thomas Stayton, with whom he lived four years. He then operated his grandfather's farm for two years. When Thomas Stayton died, W. T. Helm located on the Stayton home place, with his mother, in 1877. He purchased a farm, east of his present farm, in 1882. He sold his first place at the time of the great land boom, and in 1886, he purchased his present home place, upon which he has placed all of the existing improvements.
Mr. Helm was married in 1882, to Dora Hedges, who was born in Jackson County, a daughter of the late John A. Hedges and Serilda Hedges, the latter of whom is still living, at the age of 83 years, at Adams Station.
The children born to W. T. Helm and wife are: Homer, Bruce, Nina and James. Homer is farming in Jackson County, is married, and has two children, Vilma and Gladys. Bruce is farming on the home place, and is his father's mainstay. Nina is the wife of George Liddell, living on Spring
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Branch road, and is the mother of four children, Ruth, Mary D., William and Nellie.
Mr. Helm is a Democrat, a member of the Presbyterian church, and is fraternally affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Lodge No. 76, of Independence.
Ambrose C. Milton, farmer and stockman, and member of one of the most prominent of the old families of Jackson County, was born near Lees Summit, July 22, 1872. He is a son of the late Benjamin Milton, a sketch of whom appears in this volume of Jackson County history in connection with that of R. F. Milton, brother of the subject of this review.
When four years of age Mr. Milton removed to Virginia with his par- ents, and remained in that State until 1884, when he returned to Jackson County, and engaged in farming. Coming of a family of hustler and energetic men who have, without an exception, made good in their native county, he has been a successful farmer. Mr. Milton is cultivating 110 acres of land, owned by J. H. Milton, his brother, and is owner of a tract of 15 acres adjoining.
In connection with his farming operations, Mr. Milton has done con- siderable construction work throughout Jackson County, in the employ of the county. He was married in 1911 to Miss Jessie Drummond, a native of Missouri, and a daughter of D. J. Drummond. Three children have blessed this marriage: Leroy Ambrose, Helen Virginia and James Franklin.
Mr. Milton is a Democrat and takes a good citizen's interest in civic and political matters. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Modern Woodmen of America.
John L. Hilburn, a prosperous and enterprising farmer and stock- man, of Blue township, and owner of 110 acres of well improved land, upon which he has resided since 1901, is a native of Boone County, Mis- souri. He was born in 1855, and is a son of Elias and Sarah (Zumwalt) Hilburn, who were of Irish and German ancestry, respectively. Elias Hilburn was born and reared in Missouri, and died when his son, John L., was but a child.
Reared in Boone County, John L. Hilburn naturally followed the vo- cation of his forefathers, and became a tiller of the soil. He came to Jackson County in 1899, and during the first few years of his residence in this county, he rented a farm near Independence. He then came to his present place, and has placed practically all of the existing improve- ments on the farm. His residence and farm buildings are built upon the
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solid rock on the ridge overlooking the valley of the Little Blue, and the natural beauty of the location lends itself to the attractiveness of the home surroundings. Mr. Hilburn has spent over $5,000, improving his residence and buildings on "Rock Hill," the name of his place. In the spring of 1916 he erected a pretty, modern residence, valued at $5,000, with all improvements and conveniences to make life comfortable. Here he and Mrs. Hilburn are living, while his son lives in the old home.
Mr. Hilburn was married in 1890 to Miss Pearl Short, who was born in Jackson County, but was reared in Indiana. Three children have blessed this marriage: Roscoe J., Lloyd Rufus and John David.
Roscoe J. Hilburn was born on Thursday, Nov. 30, 1893, was married on March 8, 1916, to Miss Hazel Seevers, and has two children, Roscoe, Jr. ,and Virginia Arvilla.
Lloyd Rufus and John David Hilburn are at home with their parents.
Mr. Hilburn is a Democrat. The family church is the Baptist. Mr. Hilburn is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Lodge No. 3, Inde- pendence.
Edward Conboy, Jr., farmer and stockman, Blue township, is a native son of Jackson County. His father was one of the best known of the old settlers of this county, and one of the most successful in his day. The elder Conboy began his career in Jackson County as a worker on the railroad, serving as construction foreman on the Missouri Pacific railroad for a number of years. Edward Conboy, Jr., was born Jan. 15, 1874, on the farm adjoining the home place, and is a son of the late Edward Conboy.
Edward Conboy, the elder, was born in Ireland, in 1832, and died in April, 1916, at his home in Jackson County. He was married in Ireland, to Johanna Howard, who was born in 1854, and died in February, 1912. The Conboys emigrated from their native land in 1868, came to America, and for the first three years resided in New York State. In 1872, Mr. Conboy came west and located at Little Blue, where he was employed on the Missouri Pacific Railroad as foreman of the construction and repair crew. He was industrious, economical and ambitious. Being a true son of the soil, it was his ambition to become a land owner, and he very soon invested his savings in a farm. A small farm did not content him, how- ever, and he increased his acreage to a total of 400 acres, which is now owned by his heirs, and operated by his sons, Edward and John Conboy.
The children born to Edward Conboy and wife are: Edward, of this
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review; John, residing on the home farm; Theodore L., a carpenter, living in Independence; Kate and Agnes, at home.
Politically, the late Edward Conboy was a Democrat, as are his sons. He and his family were all members of the Catholic church. He was liberal in his support of his church, public-spirited, progressive, took ad- vantage of the opportunities which presented themselves to him, and made good in the land of his adoption. His sons, Edward, Jr., and John, are worthy sons of a good father.
George B. Milton, farmer and stockman, and owner of 80 acres of good farm land, in section 19, township 19, range 49, Blue township, was born in Weston, Mo., his parents having removed from Jackson County to Buchanan County because of Order No. 11 during the Civil War. Mr. Milton was born Aug. 18, 1864, and is a son of the late Benjamin Milton, a sketch of whom appears in this volume in connection with that of R. F. Milton. In 1876 the family went to Virginia, where George B. Milton re- mained until 1882. Upon his return, he first entered the employ of Wil- liam Leary, at Buckner, Mo., for three months. He then engaged in railroading, and was in the employ of the Missouri Pacific Railroad Com- pany until 1886. In that year he went to San Diego, Calif., and for two months was employed on a bee ranch. He again engaged in railroading, and was employed on the California Southern Railroad, with headquar- ters at National City, Calif. He was transferred to San Bernardino and thence to Barstow, where he was advanced to the post of hostler in the roundhouse, and for two years worked under Charles Daniels. His next promotion was to the post of switching engineer, a post which he held until the railroad worker's strike of 1894. In that year he returned to Jackson County, and farmed for one year. In 1895 he went to Leadville, Colo., and for the next six years he engaged in railroading. After his marriage, in 1901, he came back to Missouri, and after three months em- ployment on the Great Western Railroad, he engaged in farming. Mr. Milton purchased his farm in 1903.
Aug. 21, 1901, at Leadville, Colo., Mr. Milton was married to Miss Ada McAllister, who was born at Port Jervis, N. Y., Sept. 25, 1867. Mr. and Mrs. Milton then took a honeymoon trip to Buffalo and eastern points. She is a daughter of John and Mary Elizabeth (Beck) McAllister, the lat- ter a native of New York. John McAllister was born in Glasgow, Scot- land. In 1870 he located at Suffolk, Va., where he operated a sawmill and a large farm for the next six years. In 1876 the family returned to Port Jervis, N. Y., and after the mother's death, the future Mrs. Milton went
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to Leadville, Colo. All of the children of the family were married except a younger brother, Charles, who being in poor health, went to Leadville, secured a position, and then sent for his sister to keep house for him. Later, after the Miltons had come to Jackson County, Charles McAllister came to Kansas City and was employed in a Kansas City freight office until his death from typhoid fever in 1905. He died at Mrs. Milton's home. The McAllister children were: George, who died at Port Jervis, N. Y .; Mary Branch, deceased; Archibald, Denver, Colo .; Augustus, New- ark, N. J .; John, the eldest of the family, died of typhoid fever; Howard McAllister became an engineer at the age of 19 years, and is now living at Port Jervis, N. Y., and a son, Dr. Lester McAllister, served with the National Army in France; Carolina, was the second child born in this family. John McAllister was born Sept. 26, 1822. Mary E. Beck Mc- Allister was born Sept. 30, 1827.
The children born to George B. and Ada Milton are as follow: Char- lotte, born in Leadville, Colo., May 20, 1902, is a senior in Independence High School; Howard, born Sept. 26, 1906, is in the seventh grade of Pleasant Grove school; Robert Franklin, born May 6, 1909, is in the fourth grade.
Mr. Milton is a Democrat, and is a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and the Knights of Pythias. Mrs. Milton is a member of the Baptist church.
George W. White .- The late George W. White of the Blue Springs neighborhood, was a citizen of true worth, industrious, honest, and enter- prising. He was born in Virginia, Jan. 28, 1860 and died July 11, 1893, while still a young man. He was a son of Benton and Martha (Scott) White the former of whom was wounded in battle during the Civil War in 1862 while serving with the Confederate forces. He died soon after receiving his wounds. The widow and five children four sons and a daughter came to Missouri in 1871 and made a settlement in Jackson County. These children are as follows: John White, a farmer, near Blue Springs; Louis, of Blue Springs, Mo .; George W., of this review; Mary White died at the age of 18 years; William was accidentally killed wnen 24 years old, by a falling tree, while cutting timber. Mrs. Martha White, mother of the foregoing children died on May 20, 1889.
Feb. 27, 1883, George W. White was united in marriage with Miss Sallie L. Stayton, a member of an old pioneer family. After their mar- riage Mr. and Mrs. White settled on the old Stayton home place. This farm served as their home for four years, when they then sold it and on
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REV. JAMES G. DALTON.
ARTHUR STAYTON.
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Feb. 14, 1887, bought the present White home place near Blue Springs. The original home place consisted of 78 acres, to which in 1909, Mrs. White added 76 acres, making a total of 154 acres.
Since her husband's death Mrs. White has ably managed her farm, reared her family and even added to her possessions. Few women, con- fronted with the task of going ahead with the conduct of a farm, children to rear, and business details to look after, have done better than Mrs. White. The children born to George W. and Sallie White are as follows: Henry Clay and Hugh George; and Grover S., deceased. Henry Clay White was born Nov. 17, 1884 and resides on the other White farm. He is in the employ of Jackson County. He married Beulah Lowe and has one child, Ruth Duvall. Hugh George White was born July 1, 1890 and is operating a service truck for Jackson County. He served six months in the National army and was in training at Camp McArthur, Texas.
Mrs. Sallie L. (Stayton) White was born July 22, 1867, on the old Stayton home place. She is a daughter of Arthur (born Aug. 15, 1823, died Dec. 31, 1874) and Harriet Ann (Rule) Stayton. Arthur Stayton was first married to Delilah Wells, who died Sept. 20, 1846. He was a son of John Stayton, a native. of Tennessee, who first went to Kentucky in 1828 and the following year came to Jackson County, Mo., thus becoming one of the first pioneers of this county. He was accompanied by his wife and ten children: Christopher; Rachel, later Mrs. Noland; Kate; Thomas; Arthur; Drusilla, who became Mrs. Saunders; Moses; Andrew; Samuel ; and Martha, who became Mrs. Stout. John Stayton settled on the Kiger road and entered 700 acres of government land. He brought but two slaves with him. He built a small brick house of two rooms where he made his home during the remainder of his days. John A. Stayton and his family lived amid the most primitive conditions, but prospered as the years passed and members of this fine old family occupy prominent places in the civic and industrial life of Jackson County at this day. John Stay- ton and his wife Susan were of the sturdy pioneer type who left their imprint upon the early life of the county and left descendants who are honored members of society.
John Arthur Stayton was born July 8, 1795 and died Dec. 5, 1850. Mrs. Susan Landes Stayton was born July 8, 1798 and died Feb. 7, 1853. They were married Aug. 7, 1815.
Arthur Stayton was reared to young manhood amid pioneer surround- ings and was first married to Delilah Wells, who bore him two children:
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Drusilla, deceased; and Mrs. Eliza Montgomery of Blue Springs, Mo. In 1855, he was married to Harriet N. Rule, who was born in Ray County, Mo., in 1836 and died Jan. 18, 1916. She was a daughter of Rev. Thomas Rule, a primitive Baptist minister of Kentucky, who came from Ray County, to Jackson in 1836 and was prominently identified with the affairs of this county in the early pioneer days. Tradition says that he assisted in laying off the town plat of Kansas City with a grapevine which served in lieu of a surveyor's chain. The children born to Arthur and Harriet Stayton were as follows: Clarissa, died at the age of 18 years; Thomas resides near Lees Summit; Arthur died at the age of 18 years; Mrs. Susan Martha Johnson, a widow near Blue Springs; Mrs. Sallie Lee White, of this review; Christopher Landes, near Blue Springs; David Clayton, a farmer living west of Blue Springs.
After his marriage, Arthur Stayton made his home in a log cabin on 40 acres of the old Stayton homestead. His first home was a brick house of two rooms which he built in 1862, to which he added a large addition in 1870. When Order No. 11 was issued during the war between the states he took his slaves and went to Texas where he left them. Mrs. Stayton bought a team of oxen and went with Landes Stayton to Audrain County, meeting her husband at Lexington when he was on his way to Texas. Arthur Stayton increased his holdings to 240 acres and prospered during the iong years of his life. He was a Democrat and was liberal in his donations to the cause of religion.
The White home place is one of the pretty and attractive farmsteads in Jackson County. Mrs. White is deserving of much praise and credit for the able manner in which she has managed her affairs during the past 25 and more years. She is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church.
The White home place near Blue Springs is historic ground because of the fact that it was an old time camping ground of travelers and early set- tlers who were coming into the country. The original Blue Springs from which the town took its name are located on the place.
Mrs. White has an interesting relic in the way of a genuine old time walnut chest, hand made, in a remarkable state of preservation, brought by her grandparents from Tennessee and made in 1830. This chest formerly had a false bottom in a small drawer or box in one end which served as a hiding place for valuables and money. It was carried away by her parents when Order No. 11 was issued and brought back.
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Rev. James Grigsby Dalton, late pastor of the Little Blue and Pleasant Prairie Cumberland Presbyterian churches, was born in Greenbrier County, Va., June 7, 1824 and died at his country home in Sniabar town- ship, April 9, 1910. When he was 15 years old he came with his parents, Richard and Mary (Renick) Dalton to Missouri. His father was a native of Albemarle County, Va., and the mother of Rockingham County. They made the journey to Missouri by wagon taking two months on the road, arriving at Lexington. Richard Dalton walked the entire distance from Virginia to Missouri. The father purchased 200 acres of unimproved land in Johnson County. He developed his farm and died in 1842 at the age of 72 years. At his death he left a family of five sons and three daugh- ters. His wife died in 1857.
J. G. Dalton remained at home until he had attained his majority and then began teaching school. In 1847 he became a member of the Cumber- land Presbyterian church and began to preach, delivering his first sermon in Shiloh church in Johnson County, on the first Sunday in May, 1848. He united with the Presbytery Oct. 1, 1847 and was licensed to preach in the same month. He was ordained April 1, 1852 by the Lexington Presby- tery near Dover, Lafayette County. He spent five years in the circuit work in Johnson, Henry, St. Clair and Lafayette Counties, with 28 appoint- ments. The territory being thinly settled, he preached almost entirely in private homes and occasionally in a school house or court house. Dur- ing the summer, from July to October, he was engaged in camp meeting work and at each meeting had from 25 to 100 conversions. At a meeting held in Johnson County, after an exhortation by Uncle Jake Crow, over 100 penitents came forward. Uncle Jake established the Little Blue or the Lobb church, three miles north of Blue Springs. In 1842 a great re- ligious revival took place resulting in the establishment of a number of churches. In 1854 Mr. Dalton took charge of the Cumberland Presby- terian church, the Little Blue or the "Lobb" church, as it is now known. The same year the congregation erected a frame house of worship. After the Civil War he served as pastor of the Pleasant Prairie church, formerly the Bone Hill church. He was the regular pastor of the Little Blue church for over 50 years, of Pleasant Prairie church for 40 years and for 15 years was pastor of the Chapel Hill church. He organized the Cumberland Presbyterian church at Blue Springs and had charge of it for two years.
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