USA > Missouri > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Missouri > Part 58
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Missouri; Mrs. Stella Wright, Billings, Oklahoma; Jesse D., at home with his parents; Mrs. Lillie Conner, Knob Noster, Missouri; Mrs. Bettie Edmondson, Greenridge, Missouri; Leamon, Redrock, Okla- homa; Mrs. Mary Lyle, Knob Noster, Missouri: Mrs. Beulah Dunham, Knob Noster, Missouri; Mrs. Maud Wheeler, Knob Noster, Missouri; and Della May, who died in childhood.
In 1863, John T. Stevens came to Johnson county with his father. He recalls how excited he was when he heard in the distance the cannon at Boonville, Missouri. There were but few settlers in this county in those early days and practically the entire county was open prairie. Mr. Stevens has often broken sod, driving a yoke of oxen. He has fre- quently seen, when a youth, herds of deer, flocks of wild turkeys, and thousands of prairie chickens in Johnson county. With the coming of settlers the wild game disappeared and the railroad, telegraph, tele- phone, and other modern inventions brought rapid changes to the new country, all of which Mr. Stevens has himself witnessed. He is now the owner of four hundred three acres of fine farm land, one hundred eighty acres of which were purchased by his father, Absalom Stevens, when he came to Johnson county more than fifty years ago. Mr. Stevens has one hundred fifty acres of land in pasture and devotes much of his time and attention to stock raising.
Mr. Stevens relates that one of the colony of settlers, with whom the Stevens family came to Missouri, brought with him a "mill stone" and with it erected a mill at a large spring. which they discovered in Moniteau county,-an old fashioned water mill. At the same place, there was later erected a cotton gin.
Dr. Ira A. Roberts, a prominent dental surgeon of Warrensburg. is a native of Iowa. He was born in 1860 in Clark county, Iowa. a son of Harvey Newton and Caroline (Spry) Roberts. Harvey Newton Roberts was born in Ohio, son of James Roberts, Jr., who was a prominent farmer of Ohio. James Roberts, Jr. was a son of James Roberts, Sr., who was a native of Scotland, and a veteran of the War of 1812. In early manhood Harvey Newton Roberts went from Ohio to Hartford, Iowa, where he was united in marriage with Caroline Spry, daughter of John Spry, who had moved from Ohio to Iowa. To Harvey N. and Caroline Roberts were born the following children: James O., Lawrence. Kansas; Dr. Ira A., the subject of this sketch;
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Ulysses Grant, who died in infancy; Mrs. Cora Cott, deceased; Theron O., who resides in Canada; Mrs. Lillian V. Schuler, Chicago Heights, Illinois; Mrs. Lois E. Phillips, Lawrence, Kansas; and Mrs. Hallie N. Monroe, Ottawa, Kansas.
In 1867 the Roberts family moved from Iowa to Missouri, where they remained two years, and in 1869, went to Miami county, Kansas. Two years later, the father entered land from the government in Sum- ner county, Kansas, and there the family moved in 1871. Harvey N. Roberts spent the few remaining years of his life on this farm in Sum- ner county. He died in 1877. His wife is still living and is making her home at present with her daughter, Mrs. Schuler, of Chicago Heights, Illinois.
Dr. Ira Roberts received his early education in the public schools of Miami and Sumner counties, Kansas. He attended the university at Ottawa one year, and at the age of seventeen years was obliged to leave school, on account of the death of his father, and assume charge of the farm and help care for the younger children. For eleven years, he was engaged in farming on the home place. In 1888, he began life for himself, breaking "native sod."
In 1889, Ira A. Roberts was united in marriage with Edith May Sabin, a daughter of Isaac Adams Sabin, and Esther (Abbott) Sabin, who both were born in Spencer, New York and lived there until they were married. In 1856, Mr. and Mrs. Sabin removed from New York to Minnesota, where they proved up on a government claim of one hundred sixty acres. Soon after they moved to Wisconsin, where Mr. Sabin taught school several years. While living in this state three daughters were born to them: Carrie A., now Mrs. Carrie Collins, of Manhattan, Kansas: Edith M., the wife of the subject of this sketch; and Grace, who died in infancy. Mr. Sabin was well known in educa- tional circles, as he taught school in nine states of the Union, and was engaged in this profession for the remarkable period of fifty-four years. Much of this time he taught in high schools, or held the position of city superintendent of schools. He died in 1913 and his wife in 1895. Mrs. Edith Roberts, as well as her sister, Mrs. Collins, was educated at the State Normal School of Whitewater, Wisconsin and later moved to Oxford, Kansas, where she taught school several years.
To Ira A. and Edith M. Roberts have been born the following
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children: Gertrude Amy, who graduated at the Warrensburg State Normal School in 1912, taught school in Redlands, California, attended the University of Redlands two years, from which she graduated in 1916, married Elmer L. Setterlund, a young Baptist minister, and is now living in Rochester, New York, where Mr. Setterlund is taking a seminary course ; Agnes Constance, who graduated at the Warrens- burg State Normal School in 1914 and has been teaching since that time in a public school for Mexican children in Beaumont, California; Donald Judson, who graduated at the Warrensburg State Normal School in 1915, and joined the regular army soon after war was de- clared with Germany in April, 1917, and he now is in training at Nogales, Arizona, a member of the fife and drum corps, Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry; and Dwight Lester, who graduated at the War- rensburg State Normal School in 1917, and holds the position of prin- cipal of the Foster ward school in Warrensburg. who in 1916 married Mary Gladys Cramer, of Syracuse, Missouri. Both Donald J. and Dwight L. were members of the Normal School band and orchestra for several years.
Mrs. Roberts has ever been her husband's faithful helper, and the greatest source of inspiration. She has assisted her husband in the dental office for a number of years. Quite recently Mrs. Roberts graduated from the School for Dental Hygienists, at Rochester, New York, where she took a course in "mouth hygiene," and is now devoting much time lecturing on the care of children's teeth.
Dr. Roberts is a graduate of the Kansas City Dental College, in the class of 1896, and in 1906 did post-graduate work at the Chicago College of Dental Surgery. In 1916 he graduated from the Interna- tional School of Orthodontia. Dr. Roberts began the practice of den- tistry at Omaha, Nebraska. From Omaha he moved to Jefferson, Iowa. where he remained eleven years. He came to Warrensburg from Jef- ferson in 1908 in order to educate their children in the Warrensburg State Normal School, and has since been engaged in the practice of his profession in this city, where he has a large practice.
Politically, Dr. Roberts is affiliated with the Prohibition party. He is a worthy and highly valued member of the Baptist church, of which he is a deacon. He has taught the men's bible class in the Sun- day School for a number of years. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts are num- bered among Johnson county's best and most progressive citizens.
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Elmer Eugene Williams, the efficient and industrious merchant of Robbins, Missouri, is the only son of a well-known and respected, early family of Johnson county. He was born in Aullville, Lafayette county, in 1885, the son of Thomas Eugene and Minerva (Stewart) Williams, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Williams reside one and a half miles southwest of the town of Robbins on a farm, which has been their home since 1891. They are the parents of four children, three of whom are now living: Elmer Eugene, the subject of this review; Nettie Maude, who died in infancy ; Mary Ola, at home with her parents; and Alma Leota, at home. The two girls are both graduates of the Warrensburg State Normal School and are now teaching school.
Elmer Eugene Williams is a graduate of the Warrensburg Business College with the class of 1908. He was a student of the Warrensburg State Normal School two years. After leaving school, Mr. Williams engaged in farming on his father's place for six years. In 1913, he purchased the J. F. Jordan general store in Robbins, which mercantile establishment he has ever since been successfully conducting. Mr. Will- iams enjoys a large patronage and his neatly-kept store is well stocked with all the staple goods necessary for country trade. He is peculiarly fitted for his chosen work, possessing quiet, pleasing, courteous man- ners, strong personality, and excellent business judgment. It is not at all difficult to predict a brilliant business career for this promising young merchant.
March 4, 1913, Elmer Eugene Williams and Lee Ora Taylor. the daughter of John W. and Julia Ann Taylor, were united in marriage. Mrs. Williams was born in 1890 on her father's farm in Warrensburg township. John W. Taylor was born in 1839 and died March 23, 1913. Interment was made in Liberty cemetery. Mrs. Taylor was born in 1842 in Hazel Hill township. Since the death of her husband, she has been making her home with her children, of whom there are nine: Ollie T., William, Ella. Jettie, Dollie. Amos C., Anna. Ada H., and Lee Ora, the wife of Mr. Williams, of this review. To Mr. and Mrs. Williams has been born one child, a daughter, Frances Charlene.
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Eugene Williams are fine. enterprising. young citizens of Johnson county and they are very popular in their commun- ity, where the Williams family has long been considered one of the best and most substantial families in the township.
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John W. Shepherd, a well-known and highly esteemed farmer and stockman of Washington township, is one of Johnson county's pioneers. He was born in 1848 in Marshall county, West Virginia, a son of John and Amanda (Sockman) Shepherd. John Shepherd was a son of Nathaniel Shepherd, a native of West Virginia and Amanda (Sock- man) Shepherd was a daughter of Henry Sockman, also of West Vir- ginia. They came to Johnson county, Missouri from West Virginia in 1865 and settled on a farm of one hundred acres of land, located four and three-fourths miles from the present city of Knob Noster.
One of the first pupils to attend the Prairie Home school was John W. Shepherd. He recalls among his classmates and schoolmates, William Clark, Mrs. William Clark, and John McDonald. The school "master," as he was called, was Fred Boyd. As a boy, John W. Shep- herd often attended the Pleasant Grove Cumberland Presbyterian church, which was one of the first to be built in Washington town- ship. "Uncle Jack" Whitsett and "Uncle John" Morrow were two of the earliest pioneer preachers, and it was the latter preacher, who organized this church in 1853. William Gerry. Mr. Knapp, and Mr. Means were among the first officers of the church. They were elders and N. B. Shepherd, brother of the subject of this review, was church clerk for many years. People would come for miles and miles. on horseback, to attend this church and the congregations were always large. They listened to the preaching with the greatest interest and respect. Great and enthusiastic revivals were held at Pleasant Grove in those early pioneer days.
In 1893, John W. Shepherd was united in marriage with Emma Dunham, daughter of Robert M. Dunham, who came to Missouri from Indiana in 1868. To John W. and Emma (Dunham) Shepherd have been born two children: Mrs. Alice Rhea McConnely. Lamonte, Mis- souri and Claude M., who resides at home with his parents. Both Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd are valued and consistent members of the Presby- terian church. Mrs. Shepherd is interested in the poultry industry and devotes much time to the raising of Plymouth Rock chickens, of which she has a splendid breed. She has been remarkably successful. The box house, which was the Shepherd home for many years, has been replaced by a handsome. substantial residence. which is surrounded by numerous farm buildings, making a very pleasant and convenient country home. The Shepherd place comprises one hundred twenty-
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four acres of land, forty of which are in grass land. Mr. Shepherd is engaged in stock raising, raising Poland China hogs and Red Polled milch cows. The large, fine trees in the yard at the Shepherd home were planted when the family first came to Johnson county more than a half century ago.
The Shepherd family is one of the oldest in the annals of this country. They settled in the colony of Virginia prior to the time of the French and Indian War, the last struggle of which began in 1756. Their place of settlement was later called Shepherdtown, in honor of the family. The great-great-grandfather of John W. Shep- herd was a veteran of the Revolutionary War. He settled in Brooke county, West Virginia, after the war had ended, and on the plantation in that state was born Nathaniel Shepherd, the grandfather of the subject of this review. N. B. Shepherd, the brother of the subject of this review, served in the Civil War with the union army for three years. He is now making his home with John W. Shepherd.
The social conditions in Johnson county were good in the early pioneer days, when the Shepherd family came to make their perma- nent home here, even if the life was hard and not particularly bright. The young people were not without simple amusements, like house- raisings, corn-husking parties, and social gatherings for spinning. quilting, and apple-paring. On these occasions there was much gen- uine fun. There was much open land and Mr. Shepherd often helped break sod, driving a yoke of oxen. Wild game abounded and in those days there were a number of pools, in which there was an abundance of fish. The soil, which was so rich in the early days, has been worn out, and Mr. Shepherd believes that clover must be planted and farms converted into pasture land in order to conserve the soil. He is pur- suing this course.
John W. Shepherd has been the school director in his district for several years. He is a member of the Democratic party.
Francis L. Sibert, an honored and respected pioneer of Johnson county, Missouri, is a member of one of the oldest and best families of Missouri. He was born in Page county, Virginia in 1834. son of George W. and Mary (Long) Sibert, the former, a son of Francis Sibert, Sr. and the latter. a daughter of Isaac Long, of Virginia. Francis Sibert. Sr. was a saddler by trade, a scholar, and a linguist. He was widely known for his ability to speak fluently several different
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languages and for his splendid mental powers. He was born in 1760 and though but a lad of fifteen years, he served with his father in the Revolutionary War. His father died in the service. The son's death occurred in 1850, when he was ninety years of age. George W. Sibert, son of Francis Sibert, Sr., and father of the subject of this review, moved from Page county, Virginia in 1851 to Cooper county, Missouri and there spent the remainder of his life. In 1865, Francis L. Sibert went to Lawrence, Kansas. In 1874, he came to Missouri and in 1876 to Johnson county and settled on a farm in Washington township. The Sibert place, upon which Mr. Sibert has lived forty-one years, except- ing two years spent in Kansas City, comprises four hundred acres of splendid farm land.
In 1876, Francis L. Sibert was united in marriage with Laura Thatcher, daughter of Dr. J. P. Thatcher, who represented Pettis county in the state Legislature several terms. To Francis L. and Laura (Thatcher ) Sibert were born five children: one died in infancy George P., Knob Noster, Missouri: Edwin F., Knob Noster, Missouri; and J. Walter, Knob Noster, Missouri, all operating the home place; and Mrs. Lavena Culp. Kansas City, Missouri. In 1906, Mrs. Sibert died. For many years, Mr. Sibert has been the school director in his district. His sons are largely engaged in stock raising and have converted most of his fine farm into pasture and grass land, seeking in this way to conserve the soil. Mr. Sibert, Sr., is a worthy member of the Methodist church, as was also Mrs. Sibert.
George W. Sibert, father of Francis L. Sibert, was one of the leading and most influential men in Missouri, in his day. He had been a prominent man of affairs in his old home in Virginia and before coming to Missouri had earned wide recognition by securing the pas- sage of the first railroad bill in the state Legislature of Virginia, where he was a representative from Shenandoah county. He was the author of the bill and it was through his efforts and influence that the bill became a law. His son, Francis L. Sibert, is a worthy descendant of splendid and exceptionally gifted ancestors. He possesses a well-trained mind and remarkable memory. Mr. Sibert is gifted with exceptional conversational powers and it is a pleasure to hear him relate the many interesting incidents, which occurred in pioneer days, with which his memory is stored. He is one of Johnson county's most highly valued citizens.
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W. T. Gibson, a prominent and successful farmer and stockman of Jefferson township, is one of Johnson county's most prosperous and respected pioneers. He was born in 1847, the only child of James, Jr. and Margaret Gibson, of Boone county, Kentucky. James Gibson, Jr. was a son of James Gibson, Sr., who was a well-known and highly esteemed farmer in Kentucky, of Scotch Irish descent. Margaret (Current) Gibson was of German descent. James Gibson, Jr. moved with his family from Kentucky to Missouri in 1853 and settled on a large farm in Saline county, a place which Mr. Gibson entered from the government. In 1857 he purchased four hundred acres of land in Jefferson township, Johnson county from Thomas Owsley and two years later the Gibson family moved there. At that time, the Owsley home was considered the finest in this part of the state. It is a well- constructed house of two stories, with spacious rooms, large. airy hall- ways, and open fireplaces. The lumber for its construction was obtained at Boonville and hauled from there, a distance of sixty miles. This residence bore the distinction in those early days of being the last house on the road from Windsor to Warsaw in Benton county. The completion and opening of the house was celebrated with a magnifi- cent ball, when all the elite from the entire countryside were present, the gentlemen most elegantly clothed in homespun broadcloth, hightop boots with spurs, with long hair and well-developed beards, while the costumes of the maidens beggar all description. The almost empty rooms. 18 x 18 feet in dimensions. furnished an abundance of room in which to "trip the light fantastic toe"-and it was certainly tripped.
The first teacher of W. T. Gibson was Joe Goodwin. Another instructor, whom he had in his boyhood days, was Palmer Smith. Among his schoolmates he recalls the Goodwin. Patrick. McDonald, and Cooper children. He completed his education at McKendree Col- lege at Lebanon. Illinois and after leaving college, returned to his father's farm and engaged in the pursuits of agriculture. He vividly recalls the period of the destructive grasshoppers in 1874 and 1875 and the too frequent prairie fires, which he helped fight until ready to drop from exhaustion.
In 1873. W. T. Gibson was united in marriage with Elizabeth Ford. the daughter of George W. Ford. of Kentucky. To W. T. and Elizabeth (Ford) Gibson have been born six children: Alice Georgia, wife of Pemberton Cooper; James, who is deceased; Perrin, a farmer,
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Jefferson township; Mary; and Jessie, wife of Howard Hart, Windsor Missouri, a former teacher, a graduate of Warrensburg State Normal School, of Pratt Institute, who completed a course in art and taught art among the wealthy people of New York City for years. Mr. Gib- son is the owner of more than a thousand acres of land and is exten- sively engaged in stock raising, having most of his splendid stock farm in grass land and pasture. He has, at the time of this writing, sixty head of Shorthorn cattle and seventy head of hogs. The place is well improved and equipped to care for stock, on a large scale. Mrs. Gibson has had remarkable success in raising chickens and she has complete charge of the poultry industry on the Gibson farm. Both Mr. and Mrs. Gibson well merit all the success they have attained.
When Mr. Gibson came to Johnson county, the country was new and most of the land was open prairie and virgin sod. Driving a yoke of oxen, he has often broken the sod on his father's farm. Wild game was in abundance. The wild geese frequently destroyed entire corn- fields. In spite of the hardships, the young people enjoyed themselves immensely, for there were parties and dances to attend the whole year round. Everyone, who possibly could, attended church, many coming from a great distance on horseback. Mr. Gibson remembers several of the pioneer preachers, among them, Reverends B. F. Lawler. Cald- well, B. F. Goodwin, McCary, and Robert Harris.
J. L. Cooper, descendant of one of the most honored pioneer families of Missouri, is a prominent stockman of Jefferson township. where he owns a splendid stock farm of two hundred forty acres of land. He was born in Johnson county, Missouri in 1873. His father was the son of Henry Cooper, a widely known and prosperous stock- man of Jefferson township. Henry Cooper was born in Kentucky and was of Irish descent. He came to Missouri in 1832, riding bareback a two-year-old colt. Henry Cooper was at that time a youth fourteen years of age and the same year he walked barefoot through the frost many miles in order to get leather with which to make himself shoes. For many years, he "bached" with "Uncle Dick" Pettis. Henry Cooper began life in Missouri, practically penniless, but by practicing economy his industry was rewarded in time by the accumulation of a small fortune. He was at one time the owner of fourteen hundred acres of the best farm land in Johnson county. In 1850. Henry Cooper was united in marriage with Nancy Stiles, the daughter of Dennis Stiles,
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a well-known and influential farmer and honored pioneer of Missouri, who came West in an early day from New Jersey. To Henry and Nancy (Stiles) Cooper was born the father of the subject of this re- view. Both Mr. and Mrs. Cooper were highly valued members of the Christian church. The Cooper residence was undoubtedly the finest in the vicinity of Windsor within a circuit of many miles. The lumber for its construction was hanled from Boonville. It was an imposing structure, splendid and stately in appearance, with open fireplaces both down and upstairs, the house consisting of two stories, an unusual feature in those early days, when the log cabin of two rooms and a "loft" was the rule. Henry Cooper was politically a Democrat and he always took an active and interested part in civic affairs. He was a predominant factor in the upbuilding and in the early history of John- son county.
J. L. Cooper attended the public schools of Johnson county and early in life began working for himself on the farm. He is now the owner of a fine stock farm, which is entirely grass land and Mr. Cooper devotes his whole attention to the raising of stock. At the time of this writing he has eighty head of Duroc Jersey hogs and forty head of Black Polled Angus cattle. He is also owner of two splendid stal- lions, "Peter Hall," a pacer and "Lee Duff." a trotter. The Cooper stock farm is well-watered and improved. The home is a nice country residence surrounded by a beautiful lawn.
In 1901, J. L. Cooper was united in marriage with Laura Hodges, the daughter of Silas Hodges, of Kentucky. To J. L. and Laura (Hodges) Cooper has been born one child, a son, Henry. Mr. and Mrs. Cooper are highly valued among Johnson county's best and most substantial citizens.
J. O. Sutherland, representative from Johnson county in the Forty- ninth General Assembly of the state Legislature of Missouri, is one of the most prominent and influential stockmen of this section of the state. He was born in 1871 in Johnson county, son of Judge D. L. and Eliza- beth Sutherland. D. L. Sutherland is a son of Uriah Sutherland, who was a prosperous farmer in St. Clair county. Missouri. Judge Sutherland moved from St. Clair county to Johnson county in 1869 and settled in Jefferson township on a small farm of forty acres, where he engaged in farming and stock raising. He was a capable, industrious, enterprising young man and by practicing economy and good business judgment,
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after a few years of privations and hardships began to prosper. At one time Judge Sutherland was owner of twenty-eight hundred acres of the best farm land in Missouri, for which he paid by hard toil, as the Scrip- tures command "by the sweat of the brow," never making one cent in speculation. He is a man of genial disposition and kindly manners, whom to know means to respect and admire, and he has countless friends in Johnson county. He served at one time as judge of the county court in this county. In 1909, he and his wife moved to Windsor, Missouri. Judge D. L. Sutherland and his sons, E. E. and R. G., are at present engaged in stock raising, having the largest herd of Black Aberdeen Angus cattle in this part of Missouri. To Judge D. L. and Elizabeth Sutherland have been born seven children: J. O., the subject of this re- view: L. B., Windsor, Missouri; Mrs. Margaret Botts, Mangum, Okla- homa : S. H., Windsor, Missouri; Mrs. Edna Ruffin, Windsor, Missouri; E. E., who is associated with his father in stock raising on the farm near Windsor, Missouri; and R. G., who is also associated with his father in stock raising.
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