USA > Missouri > Jackson County > History of Jackson County, Missouri > Part 54
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Mr. Wilson is a Democrat and a member of the Presbyterian church. He has a broad acquaintance, and is one of the well and favorably known men of Jackson County.
James A. Dark, now living retired at Lees Summit, has been identified with Jackson County for more than 50 years. He was born at Pine Hill, Ontario, Canada, son of Edwin and Caroline Herron Dark, and was one of 10 children born to them, as follows Eliza Ann, married Jerry Wood and is now deceased; William C., deceased; Henry lives in Blue township, Jackson County; James A., the subject of this sketch; John M., Prairie township; Hannah married M. W. Dunnington, Drexel, Mo .; Elizabeth mar- ried S. C. Munns, and resides near San Jose, Calif .; Thomas E., deceased ; and two children died in infancy.
Edwin Dark was born in England, Feb., 1822, and in 1833 when 11 years of age, he went to Canada with his parents. He remained in Can- ada until 1862 and after spending some time in Iowa and Missouri, he came to Jackson County in 1866 and with his family settled on a farm
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in Prairie township, where he bought 180 acres of land, 40 acres of which was timber. Here he was engaged in farming until the time of his death Sept. 6, 1876. He was a Democrat and member of the Baptist church. His wife was also a native of England, born in 1824, died Feb. 9, 1900.
James A. Dark spent his active career in farming and stock raising in Jackson County and in 1903 he retired and since that time has resided at Lees Summit. He owns a good farm of 80 acres of land in Prairie township.
James A. Dark was married March 30, 1876, to Josephine Hart Ritter, who was born in Linn County, Kan. and came to Jackson County from Texas with her parents in 1867. To James A. Dark and wife have been born the following children: William, a sketch of whom appears in this volume; Mary Dora, married H. H. Doudna, Prairie township and Charles D., Kansas City, Mo. Mr. Dark is a Republican and a member of the Baptist church.
William H. Dark, of. Prairie township, is well known throughout Jackson County as an extensive farmer and successful breeder of Short- horn cattle. Mr. Dark is a native son of Jackson County, and was born in Prairie township, Jan. 22, 1877. He is a son of James A. and Josephine (Ritter) Dark, a sketch of whom appears in this volume.
William H. Dark was reared on the home farm in Prairie township, and attended the district school. He became familiar with farming in early life, to which he has devoted himself to the present time, and has met with success. He now owns 230 acres of land, a part of which Mrs. Dark inherited from her father's estate. Mr. Dark has made extensive improvements on the place, including a fine modern residence, which he built in 1911. He carries on general farming and stock raising, and for the past five years has been a breeder of Shorthorn cattle, and has some very fine stock of this strain on his place.
Mr. Dark was married Nov. 26, 1903 to Miss Clara Leinweber, a native of Mason County, Ill., and a daughter of Martin and Katherine Lein- weber. A more extensive history of the Leinweber family appears in this volume in connection with the sketch of John Leinweber, who is a brother of Mrs. Dark. To Mr. and Mrs. Dark have been born five chil- dren, as follows: Leonard E., Mabel Lorene, William M., James A., and Evert E., all of whom reside at home with their parents.
Mr. Dark is a Republican and a member of the Baptist church. He is a stockholder in the Citizens Bank of Lees Summit and widely and favor- ably known in Jackson County.
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Levi V. Tudor, a successful dairyman of Prairie township, who is also a breeder of Jersey and Shorthorn cattle, was born in Ross County, Ohio, March 27, 1855. He is a son of Miles C. and Mary (Thorp) Tudor, who were the parents of 13 children as follows: John, deceased; George W., deceased; Milton, resides in Colorado; Levi V., the subject of this sketch; Thomas, deceased; Mary, married Ed Constable, Lees Summit, Mo .; Ed- ward, Independence, Mo .; Hannah, married Henry Davis, Lees Summit, Mo .; Daniel, deceased; Charles, Greenwood, Mo .; Mrs. Ida Sollers, St. Joseph, Mo., and two died in infancy.
Miles C. Tudor was a native of Virginia and when a small boy, re- moved to Ohio with his parents. He was the son of William Tudor and the Tudor family is of English extraction. In 1869, Miles C. Tudor came to Jackson County, Mo., and bought 120 acres of land, three miles east of Lees Summit, for which he paid $50 per acre. He operated this place for 15 years, when he sold out and moved to Lees Summit and spent the re- mainder of his life there. He died in 1901 at the advanced age of 84 years. Mary (Thorp) Tudor, his wife, died in 1899, at Lees Summit.
Levi V. Tudor was 14 years of age, when he came to Jackson County, Mo. with his parents. He received his education in the district schools and since he was 18 years old, he has shifted for himself. He began as a farm hand and later operated rented land and his first investment was two lots in Lees Summit. About that time he was married, built a home in Lees Summit, and began operating a farm near Lone Jack, which was owned by his father-in-law. He sold his Lees Summit property and in- vested in teams and farming implements. In 1898, Mr. Tudor purchased his present place, which then consisted of 80 acres, at $25 per acre. He sold 40 acres of this place and later added 20 and is now the owner of 60 acres of valuable land which is well adapted to general farming, as well as the dairy and stock business. His place is well improved, including a modern residence, which he built in 1912. He has been in the dairy busi- ness for the past 17 years. He has 22 head of milch cows and his place is equipped with modern dairy fixtures and he uses modern methods. He has his own cream separator and utilizes the skim milk to a profitable advantage by feeding a herd of hogs, which is always maintained on the place. He is also successful as a breeder of Jersey and Shorthorn cattle.
March 1, 1895, Mr. Tudor was united in marriage with Miss Emma Henderickson, a native of Indiana and a daughter of Rev. John Henderick- son, who was a Baptist minister. The Henderickson family went to Kan- sas in the pioneer days of that state and John Henderickson entered 160
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acres from the government, where the town of Lincoln Center, Kan. now stands. In 1866, they came to Jackson County, when Mrs. Tudor was a young child. To Mr. and Mrs. Tudor have been born four daughters, as follow: Mamie T., married Charles Muckey, Prairie township; Minnie Ruth, married Weller Talley, Lees Summit; Georgia A. and Katie, both reside at home with their parents.
Mr. Tudor is a Democrat and a member of the Methodist church.
Samuel H. Stock, proprietor of 160 acres of Missouri River bottom land, near Levasy, Fort Osage township, is a native of Warren County, Mo. Mr. Stock was born March 3, 1867, and is a son of Frederick and Louisa (Fosse) Stock, both of whom were natives of Germany. Fred- erick Stock was born in 1823, and died in 1911. His wife, Louisa, was born in 1830, and died in 1905. The elder Stock was twice married. He emigrated from Germany to America in 1846, with his first wife, who died some time after the birth of his first child, August, deceased. He was married to Louisa Fosse in Warren County, and to this marriage were born children as follows: Paullina Meyer, Blackburn, Mo .; Minnie, deceased; Henry, a retired farmer, of Levasy, Mo .; Mrs. Johanna Peters, who died at Henderson, Neb .; Samuel H., of this review; Charles, de- ceased. Frederick Stock sold out his holdings in Warren County in 1892, and came to Jackson County, where he owned a farm. He died at the home of his son, Henry Stock.
Samuel H. Stock was reared to young manhood in Warren County, and came to Jackson County in 1889. He rented a farm during his first year, and then bought 70 acres, where his son now lives. There were no improvements on this farm but a small shack, and Mr. Stock went to work and erected the existing improvements on the place. He purchased his present home place in 1903, the year of the great flood, when the Mis- souri River bottoms were under water from the overflow. He has erected a cattle barn and a milch cow barn, and made other good improvements on the place.
Two immense walnut trees in the front yard are a feature of the Stock place. It is probable that they are the largest trees of the kind in this part of Missouri, of immense girth and wide spreading branches they present an imposing sight to the tree lover.
Mr. Stock was married in 1890 to Laura Schaberg, born in Warren County, a daughter of John W. Schaberg, who came to Jackson County in 1884, and died here in 1910, aged 76 years. His wife, Lucetta (Dreimeyer) Schaberg, was born in 1840, and died in 1908.
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SAMUEL H. STOCK AND FAMILY.
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The children of Samuel H. and Laura Stock are: John, born Oct. 4, 1892, lives a half mile north of the home place; Mrs. Ella Schropshire, born Oct. 6, 1894, lives three miles northwest; Walter, born Sept. 20, 1897; Julia, born Oct. 28, 1902. John Stock has one child, Mae Pearl.
Mr. Stock is independent in his politics, and votes for the man, re- gardless of his political party. He is a member of the Evangelical church of Levasy. He has decided ideas about patriotism and love of country, and believes emphatically that the sentiment of no American citizen can be divided between two countries. He is in favor of one language for Amer- icans, and that the American language-one flag, one set of ideals, and those should be the ideals of America, the land where he has reared a family, and where he has accumulated a competence.
Hartman Hoke, a well known farmer and stock raiser of Prairie town- ship, although a native of Pennsylvania, has spent the greater part of his life in Jackson County. He was born in Franklin County, Pa., Dec. 24, 1863. His parents were William and Harriet (Dickhout) Hoke, both also natives of Franklin County, Pa. They were the parents of 12 children, eight of whom grew to maturity as follows: Hartman, the subject of this sketch; George, Van Buren township; Jennie, married Robert Gillette, Independence; Jacob, Vale, Mo .; Charles, resides on the home farm in Prairie township; Sherman, deceased; Everett lives on the home place also and Benjamin, Prairie township.
William Hoke was born in Franklin County, Pa., 1841, and his wife was born in the same county in 1843. The family moved from Pennsyl- vania to Ohio in 1865, and in 1881 came to Jackson County, Mo. and set- tled on a farm and both parents spent the remainder of their lives here. The father died in 1904, and the mother survived him about 15 years, departing this life in February, 1919.
Hartman Hoke attended the public schools in Ohio and after coming to Jackson County, was a student in the Lees Summit public school. He has made farming his life occupation, beginning his independent farming operation on rented land in 1886. In 1900, he bought his present place which consists of 80 acres of well improved land. He has been generally successful in his undertakings and is a stockholder and one of the directors in the Citizens Bank of Lees Summit.
Mr. Hoke was married June 9, 1887 to Miss Della Norvell, a native of Jackson County, Mo. She is a daughter of Benjamin F. Norvell, whose wife bore the maiden name of Mary Ann Risk. They settled in Jackson County about 1866, and here the father followed farming and stock rais-
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ing. To Mr. and Mrs. Hoke have been born the following children: Grace, married H. Fowlks, and died leaving one son, Howard Fowlks; Mrs. Mamie A. Browning, deceased; Fred, deceased, and William F., now in the Rolla School of Mines at Rolla, Mo.
Mr. Hoke is a Democrat and attends the German Reform church. He is widely and favorably known in Jackson County and the Hoke family stands high in the community.
James D. Thomas, a well to do farmer and stockman and progressive citizen of Prairie township, is a native of Virginia and a descendant of old Virginia stock. He was born near Scottsville, Va., May 11, 1858, and is a son of R. V. and Christian E. (Bragg) Thomas, who were the par- ents of the following children: John, who now resides in Virginia ; James D., the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Sarah E. Bragg, deceased; and Robert J., who resides in Jackson County, Mo.
R. V. Thomas was born in Virginia, where he was engaged in farming and spent his entire life in his native state. He was born in 1809 and died in 1890, thus reaching the ripe old age of 81 years. He was a son of William, who was also a native of Virginia and spent his entire life in that state. He was a farmer by occupation. Christian E. (Bragg) Thomas, mother of James D. Thomas, was a native of Virginia, and spent her entire life in that state. She was born March 24, 1832 and was a daughter of John Bragg, whose wife bore the maiden name of Griffin. They were both natives of Virginia. The Thomas family suffered much hardship and many privations during the Civil War in Virginia. They were stripped of all they had in the way of sustenance, on frequent occa- sions by the soldiers and were left absolutely destitute.
James D. Thomas received a limited education in the district schools and grew to manhood in his native state. In 1888, he came to Jackson County. Here he began as a farm hand and later began to operate rented land. When he settled in Jackson County, he had a wife and one child and his entire capital consisted of $50.00, but he was industrious and am- bitious and by hard work and close attention to the details of his farm- ing operations, he has made good. In 1907, he bought his present place in Prairie township. He has made improvements and now has one of the valuable and improved farms of 120 acres in that locality.
Mr. Thomas was married Dec. 23, 1885, to Miss Gazelle Beal of Alber- marle County, Va. She is a daughter of Winfield S. and Permelia (Kidd) Beal, natives of Virginia. To Mr. and Mrs. Thomas have been born eight children: Grace, married Lee Templeton, Henderson, Col .; Waverly, a
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farmer and stockman, of Van Buren township; Mrs. Emma Van Dyke, Prairie township, Jackson County; James, Prairie township; Inez, mar- ried H. Kreger, Prairie township; Elmer, Kansas City, Mo .; Ralph, resides at home and Alfonso, also resides at home with his parents.
Mr. Thomas is a Democrat, a member of the Methodist church, and belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America. He is public spirited and a representative of Jackson County's best citizenship.
Robert Emery Ritter, a prosperous farmer and stockman and the owner of a well improved farm of 186 acres, is a member of one of the pioneer families of Jackson County. He was born on a farm in Prairie township, June 14, 1880, and is the son of John Luther and Rebecca (Osborn) Ritter.
John Luther Ritter was also a native of Jackson County, born in 1852, a son of Henry and Martha Ritter, and was one of nine children born to his parents. He was 13 years old when the Civil War broke out and the Ritter family, like many others in this section, left the scenes of carnage and devastation incident to the war and went to Texas and dur- ing their stay there for three years, life was a struggle for existence and they endured many hardships. Mr. Ritter, when a boy, made his own shoes out of furs and horse collars out of straw. At the close of the war, the family returned to Jackson County and here John Luther Ritter en- gaged in farming. He broke prairie with ox teams and worked hard, and finally success came. His first home was a log cabin which in time was succeeded by a more pretentious dwelling. At the time of his death, May 7, 1905. he was well-to-do and the owner of 260 acres of land. He was a prominent Mason and a member of the Baptist church and one of the organizers of that denomination in this locality. He was a Demo- crat and took a keen interest and a prominent part in political affairs and was frequently a delegate to his party conventions. His wife was a native of Iowa, born at Cedar Point, Jan. 1, 1850 and died Aug. 1, 1915. They were the parents of three children, as follow: Bert, resides at Mt. Wash- ington, Mo .; Robert Emery, the subject of this sketch; and Harry of Prairie township. The mother was first married to Charles Williams and two children were born to that marriage; Henry Williams and Bud Marion Williams, deceased.
Robert Emery Ritter spent his boyhood days on the home farm and attended the district school. At the age of 24, he began farming on rented land and in 1913, he bought 66 acres of land, which is a part of
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his present farm of 186 acres. He has made extensive improvements and has a well kept and productive farm.
June 26, 1904, Robert Emery Ritter was united in marriage with Emma Katherine Leinweber, a native of Mason County, Ill., and a daugh- ter of Martin and Katherine Leinweber. For a more complete history of the Leinweber family, see sketch of John R. Leinweber, which appears in this volume. Mrs. Ritter is the owner of 160 acres of land, which she inherited from her father's estate.
Mr. Ritter is a member of the Baptist church and is a Democrat. He holds membership in the Modern Woodmen of America and is a progressive and public spirited citizen.
James F. Harris, one of the well known farmers and stockmen of Prairie township, is a representative of Jackson County's very earliest pioneer families, who have been identified with this section of Missouri since 1830. William Harris, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, came here from Virginia with his family. James F. Harris is a native son of Jackson County, and was born on a farm in Sniabar township, July 5, 1856. He is a son of John H. and Louisa (Bridges) Harris, who were the parents of four children, as follow: Mrs. Betty Hutchings, a widow, residing in Kansas City, Mo .; James F., the subject of this sketch; Effie, married D. D. Shawhan, Cass County, Mo. and William, deceased. After the death of the mother of these children, John H. Harris married Louisa J. Powell, of Blue township, Jackson County, and to this union six chil- dren were born, as follow: Mrs. Mattie McCloud, Monegaw Springs, Mo .; Mrs. Edna Canada, Van Buren township; Alpha, married Joe Thomas, Van Buren township; Fred, Van Buren township; May, married Charles Hendricks and they reside near Lee Summit; and Rosa, married N. Corder, Prairie township.
John H. Harris, the father of James F., was also a native of Jackson County. He was born in Blue township, about three miles south of Inde- pendence, July 20, 1843. He was a son of William and Rhoda Harris, who were natives of Patrick County, Va., and settled in Jackson County, in 1830. William Harris was among the very first settlers in this sec- tion. He had the second deed recorded which was placed on record in Jackson County. There are many descendants of William and Rhoda Harris in this country, and the Harris family very appropriately holds the family reunion each year. These reunions are held regularly on the second Sunday of September, which are largely attended by the numerous mem- bers of this pioneer family. The attendance ranges from 300 to 600 mem-
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bers of the family. There are about 718 relatives who are descendants of William Harris. The family of Harris reunion was organized by James F. Harris, May 6, 1911, and he was elected chairman of the organization at that time and has since served in that capacity.
John H. Harris, father of James F., was one of the widely known and successful farmers and stock breeders of Jackson County. In fact, he was one of the pioneer stock breeders of this state. He was a breeder of Chester White hogs, Shorthorn cattle, Cotswool sheep and jacks and jennies. He frequently made exhibits of his stock at fairs and stock shows of the country. He was the owner of the jack which won the first prize in the two year old class at the World's Fair and second prize at the grand sweepstakes. Mr. Harris raised two jacks which won the first and second prizes at the Worlds Fair at Omaha, Neb.
John H. Harris had an interesting career, filled with experiences and incidents of early day life in the west. During the Civil War and just before Order No. 11 went into effect, he went west across the plains and settled on the south Platte River, about 80 miles from Denver. He was engaged in carrying the United States mail by stage coach from Atchison, Kan., to Sacramento, Cal., at the time that the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians went on the warpath. When the Sioux Indians were advancing on Camp Sanborn from the direction of Denver, Mr. Harris, with 18 or 20 other men, crossed the Platte River, where they converted an adobe house into a fort, making port holes in it and took their positions to defend them- selves against the Indians. Mr. Harris' family and four other families were in the improvised fort. He was elected captain and after the Indians were turned back, he went to Denver with his family, where he remained about two months, when he returned to Atchinson, Kan., with a freight- ing outfit, bringing his family with him. He bought a span of mules at Atchison and returned to Jackson County with his family. Here he en- gaged in farming and stockraising and met with a considerable degree of success and at the time of his death, Sept. 23, 1918, he was worth about $70,000. His land was divided between his children, who received 80 acres each.
James F. Harris was reared on his father's farm in Jackson County and thus became familiar with farming and stock raising at an early age. He attended the public schools and has made farming the principal occupation of his life. He is now the owner of 80 acres, which was a part of his father's homestead, and he is successfully carrying on farming and stock raising. Mr. Harris was married October 7, 1880, to Miss Lizzie J.
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Hackler, a native of Jackson County, born June 5, 1862, near Hickman Mills. She is a daughter of Martin and Elizabeth (Jennings) Hackler, natives of Virginia. Martin Hackler was a Confederate veteran of the Civil War, serving under Gen. Sterling Price and was twice taken prisoner by the Federals. He served for six months in the prison at Westport. He was a very early settler in Jackson County, coming here in 1834. He was twice married and to his first marriage seven children were born, all of whom are now dead. Mrs. Harris is one of four children born to his second marriage. To Mr. and Mrs. Harris have been born three children, as follow: Mrs. Ruth Fristoe, Sniabar township: Carl. Kansas City, Kan .; and John H., Jr.
Mr. Harris is a member of the Methodist church and is a Democrat. He has been a member of the Knights of Pythias, at Lees Summit, for over thirty years. He is one of Jackson County's leading citizens and is widely and favorably known.
Columbus T. Fowlkes, a successful farmer and stockman of Prairie township, has been identified with Jackson County and its development for over 50 years. He was born in Surrey County, N. C., Jan., 1847, and is a son of Charles G. and Amanda (Toliver) Fowlkes, to whom were born the following children: Columbus T., the subject of this sketch; Patience F., married E. Cole and is now a widow, residing in Allegheny County, N. C .; Rebecca C., married Cyrus Bullock, and is now a widow residing at Shawnee, Okla .; Tabitha, married E. Sturgill and is also a widow, residing in Allegheny County, N. C .; Phoebe E., Allegheny County, N. C .; William, a Baptist minister, Allegheny County, N. C .; Sarah A., married Jesse J. Waddwell, Allegheny County, N. C .; Charles S., Stoning- ton, Colorado ; Amanda A. Genevra, married J. T. Evans and lives in Mary- land and one child died in infancy.
Charles G. Fowlkes, the father, was born in Carrol County, Va., July 2, 1822, and died in North Carolina in 1914. He was a physician and re- ceived his medical education in the Cincinnati Medical College. He prac- ticed in Virginia for a number of years and later went to North Carolina where he continued the practice of medicine and spent the remainder of his life. He was a successful and skilled physician. He was the son of William Fowlkes, of White Sulphur Springs, Va.
Amanda M. (Toliver) Fowlkes, mother of Columbus T., was also a native of North Carolina, born Feb. 22, 1824, and died in 1905. She was a daughter of Charles Tolliver, a native of North Carolina, who was a son. of John Toliver, also a native of North Carolina, who lived to be 103 years
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old. The Toliver family came from Italy and were founded in America by two brothers, George and Charles Toliver, who were expelled from that country by the Catholic authorities on account of their religious convic- tions. They came to this country at a very early date and there are many descendants of these two brothers in the United States.
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