History of Johnson County, Missouri, Part 101

Author: Cockrell, Ewing
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Topeka, Kan. : Historical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1234

USA > Missouri > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Missouri > Part 101

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

1108

HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY

for several years. Dr. W. L. White is a graduate of the University of Michigan. His health failed and he was obliged to abandon his chosen profession and to spend his time out of doors. Accordingly, he pur- chased more than three hundred acres of land in Indiana and engaged in farming and stock raising for many years. Later, he traded this place for a stock of hardware, which in turn he traded for a farm of one hundred sixty acres of land in Johnson county, Missouri, and in 1881, came West to make his home on the farm for which he had traded. Doctor White specialized in the raising of Poland China and Berkshire hogs and became very successful and prosperous. For years, he was owner of a high-bred pacing mare, valued at more than a thousand dollars. Recently, the doctor divided his land among his children and he is now spending the close of his long life of usefulness in comfort and carefree ease.

In 1865, Dr. W. L. White was united in marriage with Anna Par- sons, in Indiana. To this union were born two children. Within a few years after her marriage, the mother died and Dr. White remarried, his second wife being Mary Hall, and to Dr. W. L. and Mary (Hall) White were born four children, two of whom are now living: Mrs. Minnie Andrews, Centerville, Missouri; and Lindley N., a well-known farmer of Centerview township. Dr. White is now eighty-five years of age, but he is as alert mentally as many men a score of years younger than he. He is one of Johnson county's most respected and valued citizens.

Reverend J. T. Holloway, the highly respected and well-known pastor of the Centerview Church of the Brethren and progressive farmer and stockman of Centerview township, is a native of Illinois. He was born in 1855, a son of John and Mary Holloway, honored pioneers of Johnson county. John Holloway was born in Tennessee, a son of Nathan Holloway, who was also a native of Tennessee and of Scotch and Ger- man lineage. When his son was still but a child, Nathan Holloway moved to Kentucky and, in that state, John Holloway was reared and educated. In early manhood, he left Kentucky and located in Illinois, coming thence to Missouri in 1867, settling in Johnson county. Mr. Holloway rented land and for many years was engaged in general farm- ing. He was always active in church work and served as janitor of the Knob Noster Church of the Brethren (Dunkard) for several years. When he first came to Johnson county, John Holloway resided in a small

1109

HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY

house of two rooms, which was the Holloway home for nearly two years, and then the family moved to a larger and more comfortable residence, a house of the primitive, log-cabin type. In those days, the land was virgin soil and crops were easily produced in abundance. Mr. Hollo- way is now at the advanced age of ninety-two years. He makes his home with his son, J. H., on the farm north of Knob Noster.

Reverend Holloway attended the country schools of Johnson county and he recalls among his teachers: Professor T. J. Summers, George Gallaher, J. H. Harter, and Miss Clara Leash. He remembers several pioneer preachers, whom he knew in his boyhood days, and four men in this connection stand out prominently, namely: Reverends S. S. Mohler. John Mohler, "Uncle Andy" Hutchinson, and Bear. Mr. Hol- loway's early companions in the days long past were Amos Wampler, T. J. Summers, Benjamin Summers, Jacob Wampler, and the Thorn- ton boys.

The first church established in Johnson county by the Dunkards was the Mineral Creek Church of the Brethren. A second one was soon after organized north of Knob Noster, Missouri. In the early days, services were frequently held in the homes and in connection with church work "singing schools" and prayer meetings were conducted in the cabin homes of the early settlers. Church services were largely attended then. People in that day were not so absorbed in money- making and seemed to have more time for church work. Reverend Holloway has been pastor of the Centerview Church of the Brethren for twenty years and during his pastorate here he has done splendid work all over the county and many churches are rejoicing as the result of his efforts. He is recognized as a most forceful speaker and evangel- ist and recently held a series of revival meetings at Clearfork Church of the Brethren, which greatly strengthened this congregation. Rev- erend Holloway has never accepted a salary as compensation for his church work. He believes that a man should support himself inde- pendently of his church and then he will more probably preach the whole Gospel.

Practically all his life, Reverend Holloway has been interested in farming and stock raising. In 1886, he purchased a tract of land com- prising forty-five acres and during all the ensuing years has been labor- ing in the endeavor to improve the soil by the use of fertilizer and crop rotation and he has succeeded. Reverend Holloway has always rented

IIIO

HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY

a farm of one hundred sixty acres in addition to farming his own place and is extensively engaged in raising Poland China hogs and other stock.

In 1882, Reverend J. T. Holloway and Lenna Strausburg, daughter of Jacob Strausburg, who settled in Johnson county in the early sixties, were united in marriage. To this union have been born four children, who are now living: Reverend Jacob H., Leavenworth, Washington; Mrs. Grace Rich, Centerview, Missouri; Mrs. Maud E. Cunningham, Centerview, Missouri; and Mrs. Clara Houx, Centerview, Missouri.

When Reverend Holloway came to Johnson county with his parents fifty years ago, one could travel from the Holloway home to Warrens- burg, a distance of ten miles, following a straight line across the open prairie. The Holloway boys, driving yokes of oxen, were often employed in breaking sod. J. T. Holloway used to have a plow which would cut to a depth of twenty inches. The customary method of planting grain in the olden days was to drop seed corn in every third furrow. Cattle paths led in all directions and these were usually taken for roads. The pioneer settler was privileged to go anywhere on the unfenced prairie and cut all the hay he desired and Reverend Holloway has many times harvested hay in immense quantities from the open fields. He has also had his experiences with the ever-dreaded prairie fires. Rev- erend Holloway is a pioneer citizen of Johnson county, worthy of much honor and consideration.

H. A. Stitt, an honored pioneer of Johnson county, a highly respected and prominent retired farmer and stockman and school teacher of Rose Hill township, is a native of Ohio. Mr. Stitt was born in 1839 in Fayette county, a son of James and Catherine Stitt, both of whom were members of good, patriotic, colonial families. James Stitt was a son of William Stitt, a native of France, who came to America with his parents, when he was a child. William Stitt was a drummer boy in the Revolutionary War. Mrs. Stitt was a daughter of James Menary, a veteran of the War of 1812. In 1802, James Stitt moved with a colony from Newark, New York, overland to Ohio and settled there. He filled the office of judge in his county in Ohio for a period of many years. Mr. Stitt was a public-spirited citizen and a man of honor, who was very influential in his community.

Mr. Stitt, whose name introduces this sketch, attended school in his native state. He graduated from high school in Ohio and then

IIII

HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY

engaged in teaching school. He had taught school three years before the Civil War broke out. During the war, he left his school work and enlisted in the conflict. Mr. Stitt served under General Grant through- out the long struggle. In 1866, Mr. Stitt came to Warrensburg, Mis- souri. One of his first acquaintances was Senator Francis M. Cockrell, who welcomed him to the little Western town. Senator Cockrell had been almost financially ruined by the war and Mr. Stitt recalls that at that time the Cockrells were in very straightened circumstances. In partnership with J. C. Roach, H. A. Stitt entered the mercantile business in Warrensburg and for several years was one of the leading merchants of this city. He moved to a farm, a tract of land comprising eighty acres in Rose Hill township, which he purchased in 1872. Mr. Stitt then engaged in teaching school and farming. He was employed as teacher in the school at Rose Hill for five consecutive years and for many years taught in the district schools of the township. He became a stockholder in the Bank of Latour in 1883 and for several years was the assistant cashier of the bank.

To H. A. and Mrs. Stitt have been born three children, who are now living: Ned, Latour. Missouri; Mrs. Alice McNeal, Mullen, Nebraska; and Bessie, Latour, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Stitt and their son and youngest daughter reside in Latour. The Stitts are worthy and valued members of the Presbyterian church. In former days, Mr. Stitt was considered one of the best singers in Warrensburg and at the time of his residence in this city was chorister of the Warrensburg Presbyterian church. He and his wife have often gone to church in their farm wagon and in crossing creeks the water often ran into the bed of their vehicle. There were no roads in those early days and he and Mrs. Stitt were once lost out on the open prairie.

Mr. Stitt was well acquainted with Reverend J. H. Houx, one of the most beloved of the pioneer preachers, and Leonard Renick, the well-remembered colonel of the Confederates. He states that social conditions were excellent in Johnson county when he was a young man. He came to Warrensburg a stranger, but the residents were kindly dis- posed toward new comers and they cordially made H. A. Stitt feel that he was one of them and welcome in their midst. All were glad to give assistance in times of need in those days. For more than fifty years, Mr. Stitt has been one of Johnson county's invaluable citizens.

John Colster, a well-known and successful farmer and stockman of

III2

HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY

Centerview township, one of Johnson county's most substantial citizens, is a "self-made" man. Mr. Colster is now owner of a fine stock farm, comprising two hundred forty acres of very productive land, and the day has not long past when he was well pleased to obtain employment, at eight and ten dollars a month pay. He was born in 1853 in St. Charles county, Missouri, a son of Barney Colster, who was of German descent. Both his father and mother have long since been deceased.

Early in life, when he was scarcely more than a child, John Colster was placed upon his own resources and obliged to work at any sort of labor he was able to do and to secure. He often was employed in hard work, for which he received from eight to ten dollars a month in re- muneration. At the age of sixteen years, he obtained work hauling hay to the market in St. Louis, Missouri, for which he was paid twenty-five dollars a month and the "month" meant both day and night time.

Even in childhood, Mr. Colster betrayed propensities for thrift and from the beginning of his active career in life he has practiced constant industry and economy. In due time, he began to prosper and to accumu- late a competence. In 1880, Mr. Colster came to Johnson county and located in Centerview township, where he purchased a farm of one hun- dred sixty acres of land in 1901, to which he has added during the past sixteen years, and now owns a tract comprising two hundred forty acres, as above mentioned. This place is nicely improved with numerous large farm buildings and a comfortable residence and the land is sup- plied with an abundance of water. Mr. Colster is pursuing all the best and most progressive methods of soil improvement known to well- informed agriculturists. He harvested fifty tons of hay, one thousand five hundred seventy bushels of wheat, five hundred thirty bushels of oats, and had one hundred twenty-five acres of the farm in corn land, in 1917, and planted ninety acres of his place in wheat. At the present time, Mr. Colster has one hundred head of hogs and fifty head of cattle. He buys and feeds cattle extensively each year. There are several horses and mules on the farm and from four to six mule-colts are raised annually.

In 1873. John Colster and Mary Cavanaugh were united in mar- riage. Mrs. Colster died within a few months after their marriage. In 1877, Mr. Colster was again married, his second wife being Margaretta Bellman. To this union have been born sixteen children, twelve of whom are now living: Mrs. Elizabeth Brisco, Holden, Missouri; John.

III3

HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY

Jr., Holden, Missouri; Al, Columbus, Missouri; Mrs. Dora Lohe, Cen- terview, Missouri; Robert, Centerview, Missouri; Mrs. Emma Crew, Holden, Missouri; Mrs. Maggie Penson, Holden, Missouri; Fred, Henry, Ida, Nicholas, and Charles, all of Centerview, Missouri. Of this re- markable family, six of the children composed three different pairs of twins. Mr. and Mrs. Colster deserve much praise and honor for the splendid manner in which they have reared their large family, each member fitted to assume a responsible and respectable station in life. The Colsters are consistent members of the Catholic church. Mr. Colster is keenly interested in civic and political matters and an active Democrat.

T. J. Bradbury, a successful farmer and stockman of Jackson town- ship, is one of the citizens of Johnson county whose career proves that energy and industry are the paths to true prosperity and that wealth is undesirable unless obtained by honorable, legitimate methods. Mr. Bradbury was born in Pennsylvania in 1859, a son of Daniel Brad- bury, who was a member of a prominent and patriotic colonial family: Daniel Bradbury was a son of Thomas J. Bradbury, whose entire life was spent in New York. He was a son of A. Bradbury, a veteran of the Revolutionary War. The history of the Bradburys in America has been traced back to two brothers of the Bradbury family in England, who immigrated to America in the sixteenth century and from whom the American branch of the family has descended. The mother of T. J. Bradbury, the subject of this review, was a daughter of Jared Phelps, who was also a son of a veteran of the Revolution of 1776.

The educational training received by T. J. Bradbury was such as is embraced in the studies taught in the public schools of Pennsyl- vania and in a private academy of that state. Mr. Bradbury left his native state and located in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1881. He was employed by the Kansas City Smelting & Refining Company until 1898 and one year later he came to Johnson county and settled on a farm of eighty acres of land in Jackson township and for the past eighteen years has been engaged in farming and stock raising. Mr. Bradbury is devoting more attention each year to the dairy business and, at the time of this writing, in 1917, he has a large herd of fine Jerseys. He is raising Poland China hogs and has thirty-five acres of the farm in corn and fourteen acres in wheat. Mr. Bradbury is an intelligent, pro- gressive agriculturist and by studying the soil and its adaptability to

III4

HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY

different crops never fails to make his well-cultivated acres yield large returns . He is an enthusiastic advocate of crop rotation, clover grow- ing, and of the utilization of all the barnyard manure.

In 1883, T. J. Bradbury was united in marriage with Clara Paul, daughter of George Paul, of Kansas City. To this union have been born four sons: Daniel B., Robert, Guy, and Thomas J., Jr., all of whom are at home with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Bradbury are doing all in their power to rear their boys properly that they may take honorable and responsible stations in life and kept the Bradbury name the symbol it has always been of honor, honesty, industry, and morality. Mr. Bradbury takes a pardonable pride in the untarnished record of his family, in the fact that not one blot has ever been on the family escutcheon. His own life, which has been singularly free from mistakes and faults, might well be emulated by his boys. The agricul- tural interests of Jackson township are represented in this volume by no more enterprising man than the highly respected citizen, the subject of this sketch.

R. E. Martin, a member of a well-known and influential pioneer family of Johnson county, Missouri, is one of the prosperous and pro- gressive farmers and stockmen of Jackson township. He was born in 1863 at the Martin homestead in Johnson county, a son of Joseph M. and Eliza (Hunter) Martin. R. E. Martin's paternal grandfather came to Missouri in a very early day and entered one hundred sixty acres of land from the government, a tract which was located in Johnson county. Joseph M. Martin came later and just in time to enter a tract of land from the government. He and Mrs. Martin came West imme- diately after their marriage and they with all their earthly posses- sions had plenty of room in the one-horse cart in which they came to Johnson county. Mr. Martin was poor, very poor-he had not one dollar capital-and during the first hard years while he was trying to get a start in the new Western home he had to work as a hired laborer by the day in order to obtain food for his ten little ones. He built a small log cabin on the farm and there all their children were born. Joseph M. and Eliza Martin were the parents of the following children : Mrs. Jane Star, of Kansas; J. P., of Oklahoma; Isaac, Liberty, Mis- souri ; R. E., the subject of this review; and Reverend Monroe, a promi- nent pastor residing in Pittsville, Missouri. Death has broken the fam-

III5

HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY

ily circle and five of the family of ten children are now deceased. The mother, Eliza (Hunter) Martin, was a daughter of David Hunter, an honored pioneer of Johnson county. In this most modest and humble way, the Martins began life in this county. In after years, when Mr. Martin had accumulated a comfortable competence, was the owner of two hundred acres of the choicest land and a pleasant country home, his financial rating in the business world assured, Mr. and Mrs. Martin were want to look back in retrospection to the days spent within the four walls of their primitive dwelling as among their happiest expe- riences-for then the family circle was unbroken. The record of Joseph M. Martin is that of a man of energy and ambition who began life in the West under the embarrassing conditions which poverty entails and by his own unaided efforts struggled upward from a lowly position to one of high standing in the community, a citizen honored and respected by all who knew him.

During his boyhood, R. E. Martin attended the school held at Pleas- ant Grove school house and there obtained a good. practical education. He recalls his first instructor, Mr. VanAusdol, and one of the pioneer preachers, whom he frequently heard in his youth, Reverend Smith, an olden-time Baptist minister. Mr. Martin's first investment was in a few calves, which did well and were sold at a reasonably good profit. From his father's estate. R. E. Martin inherited forty acres of land and to this he has added and is now the owner of one hundred acres. He resides at the old homestead of the Martins. Mr. Martin has never lost his youthful interest in livestock and now has on his farm high- grade Shorthorns and ninety head of Poland Chinas. He owns a brood sow which in three and a half years has produced eighty-nine pigs- a record hard to equal. Mr. Martin has had excellent success in general farming and in the autumn of 1917, harvested sixteen hundred bushels of oats, thirty tons of hay, and in addition had seventy acres of the farm in corn.

R. E. Martin and Alice Hedge were united in marriage. Mrs. Mar- tin is a daughter of Joshua Hedge, a prominent citizen of Johnson county. To Mr. and Mrs. Martin have been born four children, three sons and one daughter: Fred: Lena, who is now married; Manard; and Ivan, all of whom reside near Pittsville, Missouri. Mr. Martin has been suc- cessful in all his undertakings far above the average and he and Mrs.

III6

HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY

Martin are planning and looking forward to the time when they shall retire from active farm work and quietly and contentedly pass their declining years in the society of their children and friends.

All things considered, farming is the only reliable source of a nation's true prosperity and the only known calling that assures a cer- tain return for the necessary expenditure of time, muscles, and brain. There are no strikes, bread riots, or trade unions in agricultural sec- tions. No farmer or stockman receives orders from a delegate to "walk- out" and as age comes on the yeoman who has always done his best, as has Mr. Martin, can retire to a comfortable home surrounded with all the necessaries of life and in a village, town, or city near his farm spend the eventide of life in complacent peace and happiness. Mr. and Mrs. Martin have well merited all the success which has come to them and they are numbered among the county's most highly valued citizens.

R. H. Rowland, one of the progressive and prosperous farmers and stockmen of Jackson township, is a member of a sterling pioneer family of Cass county, Missouri. Mr. Rowland was born in Cass county in 1869, a son of Med and America (Parker) Rowland, to whom were born seven children, four now living: Mrs. Ella Burgin, Lonejack, Missouri; W. J., Otis, Colorado; R. H., the subject of this review; and O. K., Pleasant Hill, Missouri. In 1893, R. H. Rowland left the homestead in Cass county and moved to Johnson county, locating on the farm in Jack- son township where he has since resided.

In 1890, R. H. Rowland and Minnie Wood, daughter of John R. and Sarah A. Wood, well-known and highly respected early settlers of Missouri, were united in marriage. John R. Wood was a son of James F. Wood, a pioneer of 1837. To Mr. and Mrs. Wood were born three children : Mrs. Mattie Date, Odessa, Missouri; James, Muskogee. Okla- homa; and Mrs. R. H. Rowland, the wife of the subject of this review. R. H. and Minnie (Wood) Rowland are the parents of nine children, eight of whom are now living: Mrs. Anna Turnbow, Pittsville, Mis- souri: Mrs. Jessie McKey, Pittsville, Missouri ; J. B., E. H., Pearl, Nina, Robert, and Geneva, all at home with their parents.

The Rowland farm in Jackson township comprises two hundred well-improved productive acres of land. In the autumn of 1917. Mr. Rowland had twenty-two acres of the place in corn and planted twenty- seven acres in wheat. He harvested one thousand bushels of oats. three hundred ninety bushels of wheat, and twenty-five tons of hay. At the

III7

HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY

time of this writing, Mr. Rowland had on the farm a large number of Red Polled cattle, Poland China hogs, and fifty head of Oxford sheep.

Those who know R. H. Rowland personally have the most implicit confidence in him as a neighbor, citizen, and friend. They state that he is a gentleman, a man of a high sense of honor and unassailable integ- rity. He has endeavored to live an upright, clean, moral life that he might be of benefit to his fellowmen and his life be worthy of imita- tion. Mr. Rowland fully realizes the grave responsibilities devolved upon him by the presence of the young people in his home. He is exceedingly fond and proud of his boys and girls and is endeavoring to rear them properly. He and Mrs. Rowland are giving the maximum of time and attention to the education and home training of their chil- dren in the hope that they may become useful members of society. Should misfortune befall the parents and their present goodly store of this world's goods be taken from them, the children of Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Rowland will still have the most precious inheritance of all-a good name.

W. M. Wolfenbarger, a late prominent resident of Jackson town- ship whose life was devoted to the pursuits of agriculture, was one of the successful and enterprising men of Johnson county, a citizen worthy of especial mention in a work of this character. Mr. Wolfenbarger was a native of West Virginia. His ancestors were early settlers in that state and wealthy planters. W. M. Wolfenbarger was a son of John Wolfenbarger, who was engaged in farming in West Virginia until just before the outbreak of the Civil War, when he moved with his family to Missouri and settled on a farm near Odessa. He was a man of great industry and with the assistance of his sons cleared and improved and developed his tract of land until in due time he was the owner of one of the most valuable farms in his township. He was not only one of the leading citizens of his community but also one of the most forceful factors in all that concerned the material improvement of the county. At the homestead of the Wolfenbargers near Odessa, W. M. Wolfen- barger spent his boyhood days. Reared on the farm, his early life was much like the life of the average youth in the country. each day spent in assisting his father and attending to the duties which fall to the lot of the boy on the farm.

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

History of Johnson County, Missouri, Part 101

Author: Cockrell, Ewing Publication date: 1918 Publisher: Topeka, Kan. : Historical Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1234

Author: Cockrell, Ewing
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Topeka, Kan. : Historical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1234