History of Johnson County, Missouri, Part 59

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

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J. O. Sutherland is a graduate of the Warrensburg State Normal School. After leaving college, he engaged in the vocation of farming, giving particular attention to stock raising, in which pursuit he has been remarkably successful. He is now the owner of one thousand acres of splendid farm land. most of which is grass and pasture land. He buys and sells annually many hundred head of cattle, selling particularly all his cattle in the St. Louis market. The Sutherland stock farm is one of the best equipped for caring for large herds of stock in this section of the state. It is well improved with large, well-constructed barns, two capacious silos, constructed of concrete, and a concrete water-tower, from which water is pumped to supply both the residence and the stock barns.

In 1894, J. O. Sutherland was united in marriage with Etta Elbert, the daughter of L. J. and Mary E. Elbert, pioneers of Henry county, Missouri. To J. O. and Etta (Elbert) Sutherland have been born three children, all of whom reside at home with their parents: Elbert L., who was a student for two years in the Missouri State Agricultural College; Annie E., and J. Logan. Mr. Sutherland possesses a fine library of books dealing with agricultural subjects and he and his son, Elbert L., keep well abreast the times and are exceptionally well informed on all the latest knowledge pertaining to the particular phase of agriculture in which they are especially interested.

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In 1916, J. O. Sutherland was elected representative from Johnson county to the Forty-ninth General Assembly of the state Legislature of Missouri. It was chiefly due to his influence and efforts that the Work- man's Compensation Act passed the House of Representatives, however failing of passage in the Senate. He was a member of the committee on agriculture and assisted in the formation of the Johnson County Farm Bureau. He is politically a member of the Democratic party and is one of the most popular citizens in this state. Mr. Sutherland resides near Windsor, Missouri. The Sutherland home is one of Johnson county's most beautiful country residences. It was built in 1912 and is an eight- room structure, modern throughout and nicely furnished, one of the homes of which this county is proud.

J. E. Hall, of Warrensburg township, was born in 1853 in Franklin county, Missouri. He is the son of Abner and Mildred ( Bourn) Hall, the former, a native of North Carolina and the latter, a native of Vir- ginia. Abner Hall was born in 1797 and in the early thirties, came to Missouri, settling in Franklin county. Mildred (Bourn) Hall came to Franklin county from Virginia, when she was fourteen years of age. Abner Hall and Mildred Bourn were married in Franklin county and there all their children were born and reared: Benton, who died in early youth; Caroline, who died in 1863; Nannie, the wife of William H. Wegman, of St. Louis, Missouri ; R. M. Johnson, who is now deceased ; Honore, who died in childhood; and J. E., the subject of this review. The father died in Franklin county in 1863.

J. E. Hall attended the public schools, established after the Civil War, in Washington, Franklin county. With his mother, he came to Johnson county in 1867 and March 10, 1868, they settled on the farm, which is now the home of Mr. Hall. The home place originally com- prised one hundred twenty acres of land, but Mr. Hall at present owns ninety-five acres and is engaged in general farming and truck gardening He raises garden vegetables, melons, and strawberries. Thirty acres of his farm are in pasture. When Mr. Hall came to Johnson county with his mother in 1868, practically the only roads were cowpaths. In driving from their home to Warrensburg, they came through a dense wood or forded Pertle Springs. Farms were not generally fenced in those days and wild game, turkey, deer, and prairie chickens, could be found in abundance. The mother died in 1904 and burial was made in the cemetery near Warrensburg, known as the Dunkard cemetery.

In 1875. J. E. Hall and Mary Alice Ayres were united in mar-

J. E. HALL.

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riage. Mrs. J. E. Hall is the daughter of Samuel and Jane Ayres, of Warrensburg, Missouri. The Ayres family came to Johnson county in 1870 from Pennsylavnia and settled one mile west of the Hall home- stead. Samuel and Jane Ayres were the parents of the following chil- dren, who are now living: Clarence, of Kansas City, Missouri; Vance, who resides near Los Angeles, California; and Mrs. Celestia Lewis, of Hemmit, California; and Mrs. J. E. Hall, the wife of the subject of this review. To J. E. and Mary Alice Hall have been born four chil- dren: Byron, who died at the age of thirty years; Warren, who is a motorman in the employ of the street railway company at St. Louis, Missouri: James, Jr., who resides at home with his parents; and Lee. who resides in Warrensburg township. The parents of Mrs. Hall are now deceased.

At the World's Fair at St. Louis in 1904, strawberries raised by Mr. Hall on his farm in Warrensburg township received prizes in ten leading varieties. The berries were sent to Mr. Goodman, secretary of the State Board of Horticulture, who displayed them. Fifteen of the Maximas variety of berry filled a quart box.

J. E. Hall is an exceptionally fine horticulturist, possessing some very excellent ideas, which he is successfully putting in operation on his farm.

W. F. Goodwin, a prominent and highly respected farmer and stockman of Jefferson township, is a son of one of the noblest pioneers who came to Missouri. He was born in Johnson county, Missouri. December 6, 1852, son of Reverend B. F. and Elizabeth Goodwin. B. F. Goodwin was born in 1821 in Kentucky and was reared and edu- cated in that state. He attended school in one of the primitive log schoolhouses, of Kentucky. To reach it. the children followed a "blazed" path through the forest. The schoolhouse had a stick chim- ney, clapboard roof, a greased paper widow, and puncheon floor. In- side. the puncheon benches were placed around three sides of the room and on the fourth side was a fireplace. The "master" sat in the center of the room and called the pupils to him to "say their lessons." The older pupils had a puncheon bench, or rather shelf, on which to write, but the small children had no shelf. for of course they could not write. They had to study their "a-b-c's" all day long and after that learn to spell. The primitive schools of Kentucky were what were known as "loud schools." When the children were told by the teacher

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to study their spelling lessons, every child in the room would take his book and shout "1-a la, d-y dy, lady; s-h-a sha, d-y, shady," and so on through the entire lesson. If the noise became too great, the teacher would rap on his puncheon desk and say, "Silence," and the uproar would become a little less. Unless a scholar was very bright and apt at learning, he learned but little in those olden times. B. F. Goodwin was an exceptionally bright young man and soon learned all that the "master" could teach. He was always studious and a deep, religious thinker and in early maturity entered the ministry as a Baptist preacher. He was of Welsh lineage. In 1845, he came to Missouri. Three years after coming to this state, he was elected to the office of justice of peace, which position he filled from 1848 until 1854 with the greatest satisfaction to his constituents. Reverend Goodwin is one of the best-remembered of the early pioneer preachers, a man whom all the settlers knew and loved. He was welcomed in every home and even the poorest pioneer was glad to share all he had with him. Wher- ever he went, Reverend Goodwin was listened to with the greatest respect and attention. He possessed a winning personality and was a natural leader of men and his life was not lived in vain, for many men and women in Johnson county were uplifted and made nobler by his teachings and inspired by his exemplary doctrines and life. His death in 1893 was the source of universal regret in Johnson county.

W. F. Goodwin was a student at the Warrensburg State Normal School two terms, in 1874 and 1875. He assumed charge of his father's farm in 1882 and has ever since been engaged in agricultural pursuits. He is at the present time owner of two hundred forty acres of land, which are well improved and watered. Eighty acres are in pasture land and Mr. Goodwin devotes much time to the raising of Poland China hogs, Shropshire sheep, Jersey and Shorthorn cattle. The Goodwin home was built in 1884 and is one of the pleasant, comfortable, country homes of which Johnson county is proud.

In 1882, W. F. Goodwin was united in marriage with Ida Sullivan, the daughter of James Sullivan, of Kentucky. James Sullivan was the son of Horace Sullivan, a prominent citizen of Kentucky. To W. F. and Ida (Sullivan) Goodwin has been born one child, a daughter, Vivian.

Sixty-five years ago, W. F. Goodwin was born in this county and he has literally grown up with the country. When he was a youth,

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there was much open land and as a boy, hie has frequently caught fish, which were to be found in abundance in the pools that then existed in all parts of the county. He recalls the many deer chases in which he participated in the days just after the Civil War. He remembers all the hardships the Goodwin family endured as the natural conse- quence of war and early pioneer life and how nobly and uncomplain- ingly his father and mother endured all the privations, hopefully look- ing forward to brighter. happier days. Little by little, life in the new country began to change and as the people could travel about more conveniently it became easier to sell that which they raised and buy what was needed and no longer did they have to make everything for themselves. The coming of the railroads, telegraph, telephone. and other modern conveniences brought rapid changes to Johnson county, and all these have been witnessed by Mr. Goodwin. The brave, true lives, such as the Goodwins', lives spent in toiling for the upbuilding of the county and state, have made this beautiful country possible and they are deserving of the greatest honor and praise.

W. A. Garrett, a well-known and esteemed stockman of Jefferson township, is the son of an honored and respected pioneer of Johnson county, Missouri. He was born in 1848 in Johnson county, son of J. W. and Ann T. Garrett. J. W. Garrett was the son of James Garrett. who came to Missouri in 1843 from Maryland, where he was born on the plantation owned by his father. James Garrett purchased three hundred twenty acres of land in Johnson county and engaged in farm- ing and stock raising, becoming one of the most prosperous and influ- ential citizens of his day in the county. His mother, Amy (Sims) Garrett, and his father, who was a veteran of the Revolutionary War. lived and died in Maryland. J. W. Garrett, the son of James Garrett, was engaged in the manufacture of tobacco prior to the Civil War. After the war, he became interested in farming and stock raising and devoted his entire attention to the pursuits of agriculture. He enlisted in the Civil War, serving with the Confederates under Major Cockrell. He participated in the battle of Lonejack, where his brother, Robert, was killed. Several years prior to the war, he was united in marriage with Ann T. Perry, the daughter of William T. Perry, who came to Missouri in 1837 and was one of the first settlers in Johnson county. The death of J. W. Garrett occurred in 1882.

In 1871, W. A. Garrett was united in marriage with Alice D.

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Walker, the daughter of Wyatt Walker, a Virginian, who came to Mis- souri in 1869. To W. A. and Alice (Walker) Garrett were born the following children: Mrs. Ivy Munday, Windsor, Missouri; Mrs. Edna Powell, Leeton, Missouri; Daisy C., Windsor, Missouri; Mrs. Lennie Kavanaugh, Kansas City, Missouri; Robert L., Windsor, Missouri; and Mrs. Nellie Reynolds, Leeton, Missouri. In 1888, Mr. Garrett built the handsome residence, which is their present home. Mrs. Garrett died in January, 1913.

In 1875, Mr. Garrett purchased his grandmother's farm, consisting of two hundred sixty acres of land in Johnson county. He has since increased his holdings and is now the owner of three hundred twenty acres of fine farm land, most of which is in grass. Mr. Garrett devotes almost his entire attention to stock raising, dealing largely in Red Polled cattle and Duroc Jersey hogs. The Garrett stock farm is espe- cially valuable, due to a deposit of coal underlying the place at a depth of sixty feet-a vein of perhaps more than five feet and of a splendid grade. The farm is well watered, having an overflowing natural spring. This spring furnished water for many of the early pioneers in the days gone by.

Almost seventy years ago, W. A. Garrett was born in the cabin home of his father on Johnson county. He has witnessed many changes in this country since the days of his boyhood. When he was a lad, there were no roads and very few fences, practically all the country being wide, open prairie. The settlers traveled by direction and they obtained their supplies at Boonville or Lexington. Mr. Garrett hauled the lumber, with which to build their home, from Lexington, when the family first came to Johnson county. An old log cabin. the oldest house in Missouri, perhaps, is still standing on the farm now owned by W. A. Garrett. He recalls with much pleasure the days of his youth, the "good, old days" of the long ago. Mr. Garrett states that the young people were not shy of simple pleasures and amusements and enjoyed themselves immensely at house-raisings, corn-husking parties, spinning, quilting, apple-paring "bees," and country dances. The social conditions were the very best and there was not to be found an inhospitable family in all the country. To travel on horseback was the invariable rule and everyone. who could possibly go, attended church, many men and women coming on horseback from long dis- tances. Mr. Garrett remembers a pioneer preacher, having the same

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name as his own, who preached the doctrines of Christianity in the good-old fashioned way at Old Sardis. Among some very valuable relics of the olden times, which W. A. Garrett has in his possession. are a skillet, a crane, and parts of a very primitive loom, the last men- tioned having been brought to Missouri in the earliest days from North Carolina.

J. W. Russell, a prosperous farmer and stockman of Jefferson township and stockholder in the First National Bank of Windsor, Mis- souri, is one of Johnson county's most valued pioneer citizens. He was born in 1845 in North Carolina, son of William A. and Ann ( Wiley) Russell, the former, a son of Alexander Russell, who died in Ten- nessee, to which state he had moved from North Carolina, and the latter, a daughter of William and Mary Wiley, of North Carolina. William A. Russell moved with his family to Missouri in 1868 and settled in Johnson county, where he purchased in 1870 one hundred twenty acres of land in Jefferson township and engaged in farming. To William A. and Ann ( Wiley) Russell were born four children: J. W., the subject of this review Mrs. Lou Garrett, Windsor. Missouri : . A. C., Windsor, Missouri; and Mrs. Elizabeth Medley, deceased.

In the "subscription schools" of North Carolina, J. W. Russell received his education. He came to Missouri with his parents in 1868 and recalls vividly the conditions of the country at that time. All the county south of the present town of Bowen was unfenced, sod land. Hunting and fishing were important occupations, rather than pas- times, in the early days. Deer, wild turkeys, prairie chickens, and wild geese were to be found in abundance and the pioneer settlers were never in want of meat, though there might be a dirth of other pro- visions. Mr. Russell often attended in his youth the old fashioned "singing schools" which he states one can never forget if he had once been present. Clothing was all made in the home and as a boy, he often watched the making of garments from the time the wool was cut from the sheep until they were ready to wear. His father washed the sheep and the mother carded and spun the wool, after he had cut it off. and she wove and colored it. all in the home, then made the cloth into clothes. There was always much that the children could do. The shoes were made in the homes of the early pioneers, the father making them for the entire family, until later a shoemaker traveled from cabin to cabin, making shoes for all. It was difficult to

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provide shoes for all the family and often the little children, who were obliged to go barefooted, had to remain indoors all winter. Even grown people had to be economical with their shoes and Mr. Russell has often seen young ladies and men walk to church barefooted, carry- ing their shoes with them and when near the church stop to put them on. That was an excellent plan, especially if there were pools or streams to wade on the way, and it was the best way to save shoes. Among the first pioneer preachers, whom Mr. Russell remembers, were Reverend Joseph Warder, a Primitive Baptist minister, Reverend Will- iamı Caldwell. a Missionary Baptist minister, and Reverend Dry. He also remembers two early day school teachers: J. H. Scott and A. W. Roberts.

In 1875. J. W. Russell was united in marriage with Lillian Garrett, the daughter of James W. Garrett, who came to Johnson county, Mis- souri,, in 1843. To J. W. and Lillian (Garrett) Russell have been born three children, who are now living: Mrs. Emma Myers, Bowen, Mis- souri; Adrian, Los Angeles, California; and Mrs. Elva Silvey, Pratt, Kansas. They built their first home in 1877 and in 1895 Mr. Russell rebuilt the residence, which is one of the beautiful homes of Johnson county a large, handsome structure of imposing appearance. The Rus- sell place is well improved with two well-constructed barns and numerous farm buildings in keeping with the well-kept surroundings. Mr. Russell is a member of the Primitive Baptist church and has been clerk of the church for many years. He is also clerk of the Mt. Zion Association.

J. W. Russell is a public-spirited citizen and takes keen interest in civic affairs. For several terms he was justice of peace in Johnson county. Besides his home near Bowen, Missouri, he is owner of valu- able property interests in Windsor, where he is also one of the stock- holders in the First National Bank. He is a man of pleasing personality, courtly manners and kindly spirit and has countless friends in Johnson county, where his home has been for almost a half century.

George Franklin Moseley, Esq., an honored pioneer of Johnson county and justice of peace for the past twenty-five years, now residing in Jefferson township, was born in 1838 in Christian county, Kentucky. He is a son of William C. and Louisa H (Shelton). Moseley, the former, a son of John Moseley, a well-known farmer in Kentucky, and the latter, a daughter of Beverly B. Shelton, who moved to Missouri from Ken- tucky in 1851. Mr. and Mrs. Moseley came to Missouri with their

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family in 1860 and settled in Johnson county, where William C. Moseley had purchased a farm in 1859.

The first stick to be found on the farm, on which the Moseley family settled. was placed there after they came. Practically all the county was open prairie and the land was covered with tall, coarse grass. The cattle of the early settlers were permitted to roam freely over the unlimited grazing territory. In his youth, Mr. Moseley could see plenty of deer, wild turkeys, and prairie chickens. The wild game was in great abundance and none of the pioneers ever wanted meat. Supplies were secured at Knob Noster. It was a great event when the esttlers began to get mail regularly. At first, the letters were brought twice a month and, later, once a week by men on horseback. They carried little horns, which they blew loudly as they came into town and all the people would flock out of their cabins to meet them. The mail was placed in a large box and each person would look over all the letters and take those which belonged to him. There were no public schools in Johnson county when Squire Moseley came here. All the children, who attended school, went to "subscription schools," which were held in log houses, having puncheon benches and floor. Among the first teachers, whom he recalls, were Paschal Henshaw and Miss Mellie Peters. Mr. Moseley was one of the men who worked hard to secure the free school and for years was clerk of Brushy district in Johnson county. The churches were even more primitive than the schools and for a long time meetings were held in the rude log cabin homes. The preacher was a pioneer and hunter just like the rest of the settlers. Mr. Moseley remembers Reverends Frank Goodwin, "Uncle Billy" Caldwell. McCary and Whit- sett. Families came in wagons, drawn by a yoke of oxen, to hear the preaching, to which all listened with the greatest respect. Squire Mose- ley possesses an unusually retentive memory and besides recalling the land conditions, the early mails, the first schools, and churches, he has a vivid recollection of some of the many hardshhips through which all the settlers passed. One of the ever-dreaded evils was the prairie fire and, countless times. G. F. Moseley and Robert Wall were called upon to aid in fighting the oncoming flames. Those were the exciting times in the olden days.

In 1861, G. F. Moseley was united in marriage with Mary J. Mose- ley, daughter of George W. Moseley, who was one of the first settlers of Johnson county, coming to this section of the state in 1852. To G. F.

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and Mary J. Moseley have been born four children, who are living: John W., Calhoun, Missouri; Mrs. Sarah H. Payne, Windsor, Missouri; George W., Sedalia, Missouri; and Oscar O., Windsor, Missouri. Squire Moseley is owner of sixty acres of land, which he has rented. He is living retired in Jefferson township, where for the past twenty-five years he has been justice of peace. When Judge Cockrell was prosecuting attorney of Johnson county, he had many cases in Squire Moseley's court, and he has ever been one of his most highly valued friends. For more than a quarter century, Squire Moseley has been in public life and he has innumerable friends and acquaintances in this part of the state. He is a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, of which he has been steward and trustee for many years.

On the Moseley place near Knob Noster is standing an old log house, which he built in 1866 and which was the Moseley home for many years. This cabin is an interesting reminder of the days long past.

Albert Crawford Fitch, proprietor of "Hilldale Stock Farm," which is located one-half mile east of Columbus, Missouri, is one of the pro- gressive, intelligent, up-to-date farmers and stockmen of Johnson county. He is a native of this county. Mr. Fitch was born December 25, 1868 in Columbus township, a son of James Madison and Martha (Davis) Fitch, the former, a native of Kentucky and the latter, of Mis- souri. James Madison Fitch came to Johnson county, Missouri, from Kentucky in 1866 and settled on the farm where he now resides. Martha (Davis) Fitch was a daughter of William Davis, a native of North Caro- lina, a well-known and prominent pioneer of Columbus township. Mrs. William Davis was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. McFarland, of Tennes- see. Mrs. Davis was born in Tennessee. Mrs. Fitch died about Novem- ber 21, 1895. To James Madison and Martha Fitch were born seven children, who are now living: C. G., a farmer of Centerview township. Johnson county; Forrest, of Centerview township, Johnson county : James E., who resides in Texas: Mrs. Mahala Phillips, of Centerview township: Mrs. Nellie Mosby, of Columbus township: Mrs. Anna Faulk- ner, Lafayette county, Missouri: and A. C., the subject of this review.

In the Wolden district school A. C. Fitch obtained a good common- school education. At the age of twenty-two years, he began life for himself, engaged in farming and stock raising in Columbus township. He purchased his present farm in 1902. "Hilldale Stock Farm" was formerly owned by William Houx. a pioneer of Johnson county, who

MR. AND MRS. ALBERT CRAWFORD FITCH AND FAMILY.

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settled here in the early thirties. The original farm comprised but one hundred fifty acres of land, to which Mr. Fitch has since added and now "Hilldale Stock Farm" embraces three hundred five acres of val- uable farm land in Columbus township. The place is abundantly watered and is generally conceded to be the best stock farm in the township. Mr. Fitch has added many improvements since he became the owner and the farm has now three good residences and five splendid barns on it. A new barn has just been completed. 40 x 50 feet in dimensions and eighteen feet to square, with a concrete foundation, boxing of walnut and frame of white oak, and the post supports all set in concrete. Mr. Fitch usually keeps from seventy-five to one hundred hogs on the farm, sixty head of Shropshire sheep, some of which are registered, and forty head of cattle, besides a herd of calves. A number of the cattle are registered Durhams. Mr. Fitch has thirteen acres of the place in alfalfa and he had already cut it three times last year, of 1917, and at the time of this writing, had harvested fifty-five large loads from the small field. He thinks that alfalfa is a splendid paying proposition. "Hilldale Stock Farm" is conveniently located on the Columbus and Warrensburg road.

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History of Johnson County, Missouri, Part 59

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