USA > Missouri > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Missouri > Part 68
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At the age of twenty years, Mr. Sanders began life for himself. He early became interested in farming and stock raising and often drove hogs from Lonejack to Dresden, a distance of sixty miles, taking a week to make the trip. For forty-five years Mr. Sanders has made
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a specialty of breeding saddle horses. In 1893 at the World's Fair at Chicago in the breeders' class he received first premium on horse. and colt shown from Missouri and second premium on horse and colt entered in the world contest. "Young Mitchell" with four of his colts won the premium at Chicago. With "Sallie Mitchell," Mr. Sanders started the "Quarry City Stock Farm." This farm comprises nine acres of land within the city limits of Warrensburg, Missouri and twenty-five acres adjoining. "Rex Moore," No. 3829, now heads the herd. He took first money at the Missouri State Fair in 1916, he and his colts. Mr. Sanders has thirty head of registered saddle horses and all but two are chestnut color. He has always been partial to saddle horses and has developed the Denmark breed, which he believes to be the best type of the class. Mr. Sanders has refused thirty-five hundred dollars for "Rex Moore," whose sire was "Rex McDonald," undisputed champion of the world.
In 1870, S. Y. Sanders was united in marriage with Plutina Winfrey, the daughter of Isaac and Mary (Easley) Winfrey, of Jackson county, Missouri. Isaac Winfrey is now deceased and his widow resides in Warrensburg, Missouri. To S. Y. and Plutina (Winfrey) Sanders have been born the following children: Mamie, who is the wife of Nicholas M. Bradley, a prominent attorney of Warrensburg, Missouri; Herbert W., a civil engineer, residing in Chicago, Illinois; three children died in infancy ; and Thomas W., who died at the age of twenty-one years at Kirksville College, where he was a student.
Mr. and Mrs. Sanders reside at the "Quarry City Stock Farm," located on East Grover street in Warrensburg. This place was pur- chased from Nicholas M. Bradley in 1898 and the abstract shows that at one time the seven acres where the house now stands were sold for three sheep. Mr. Sanders has lived in Jackson and Johnson counties, with the exception of one and a half years when Order No. 11 was in force, for sixty-seven years. Few, if any, residents of Johnson county know more about the early days than he. He was well acquainted with William Quantrill, Bill Anderson, the James boys, Youngers and many others who were members of Quantrill's famous organization. During the stirring days of the Civil War, he frequently gave aid to Quantrill's men and knew considerable of their whereabouts and opera- tions which was not generally known to others. Mr. Sanders pos- sesses a fine library and many valuable pictures and both reflect his
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keen interest in horses. Mrs. Sanders' father resided near Chapel Hill College when Senator Francis M. Cockrell was a student there. Mr. Winfrey always manifested the deepest interest in the young man, loaning him books and helping him in every way he could. Senator Cockrell never forgot the friend of his youth and was always grateful for the help and encouragement received in the Winfrey home.
John Frank Wells, Sr., a prominent and well-respected farmer and stockman of Centerview township, is a native of Ohio. He is a son of Timothy E. and Mary E. Wells, and was born September 10. 1849.
Timothy E. and Mary E. Wells were the parents of five children, as follow: Ellen, wife of Captain W. R. Thomas, of the One Hun- dred Fifth Illinois Volunteers, Company A, resides at Oakland City, California; Mary Eliabeth, wife of C. M. Chase, living at Linden, Ver- mont ; Abigail Jane, wife of Andrew Kinney, East Orange, New Jersey; John Frank, subject of this review; and one child died in infancy. The Wells family is of Welsh descent. Timothy Wells served in the Civil War as quarter-master of the One Hundred and Fifth Illinois Infantry. After the war had ended, he went to Kansas, in 1867 and homesteaded and purchased three hundred twenty acres of land in Cherokee county. Three hundred fifty tons of hay were burned in 1869 by a prairie fire and the large herd of cattle, which Mr. Wells had successfully cared for during the summer, starved to death. He had tried his best to sell them, but there was no demand for cattle in those days as now. Six thousand dollars worth of beans were destroyed by the same fire and discouraged and almost financially ruined, Mr. Wells moved with his family from Kansas to California, where he lived for several years, and lived later for many years with his son in Missouri. He returned to California and became an inmate of the Sol- diers' Home at Santa Monica, where he died. Mrs. Wells died Septem- ber 21, 1879.
In 1877. J. F. Wells came to Johnson county, Missouri, and took possession of a farm of three hundred thirty acres of land in Center- view township, given him by his uncle, James S. Waterman, which has been his home ever since. He had been engaged in the mercantile business in California but since he acquired the farm. Mr. Wells has devoted his entire time to farming and stock raising, in which vocations he has met with well-merited success. He has employed all the latest and most progressive methods of soil improvement and has raised fine
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grade Duroc Jersey hogs and good cattle on this place, but recently he has given the management of the farm to his three sons, Stanley, George, and Frank, and is spending the closing years of his life in quiet, carefree ease.
In 1879, J. F. Wells, Sr., was united in marriage with Nellie E. Baird, daughter of George W. and Elizabeth Baird, and to this union have been born six children: J. Stanley, on the home farm; Mrs. Flor- ence Graham, Centerview, Missouri; George Robert, Centerview, Mis- souri; Mrs. Alice E. Stevens, Bringhurst, Indiana; Nellie and John F., Jr., at home with their parents. The three sons are in partnership with their father in the business of farming and stock raising. Stanley and George are married their wives being sisters, daughters of F. M. Engel. Frank, as he is familiarly called, is unmarried and lives with his parents. Mrs. Wells' grandfather, James Baird, spent his life in Adams county, Ohio. His son, George W., came with his family to the West in 1860 and located in Leavenworth county, Kansas. He was a very intellectual and versatile man, a graduate of Ohio University, and owner of a line of steamboats working between St. Paul and New Orleans. He was captain of one of the steamboats, prior to coming West. In Kansas, he started a nursery in connection with his farming interests and later entered the mercantile business there, becoming very successful and prosperous as a farmer, horticulturist, and merchant. In 1867, Mr. Baird moved to Johnson county to enter the nursery business in this state, but after four brief years of struggle against failing health he died in 1871. Mrs. Wells attended school in Johnson county at Scroggs school house, where two of her daughters have since taught school. Her first teacher was Professor Robe. Later, she completed her edu- cation in an academy in Kentucky. She recalls the days when the county was thinly settled and the land open prairie. One night, in her girlhood days, a spark from a switching engine on the railroad started a prairie fire which spread all over the surrounding country and did great damage. Mr. Wells remembers the first steam mill in this part of the country, which was located on Devil's branch and was the gather- ing point for the settlers for miles away. Many changes have taken place in Johnson county since the Wells family and the Baird family settled here. From open prairie, abounding in wild game, the land has been developed into splendid, fertile stock and grain farms and busy. flourishing villages, towns, and cities. Mr. and Mrs. Wells have nobly done all in their power to aid in this marvelous growth.
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Jesse R. Ozias, a capable and industrious farmer and stockman of Centerview township, is a member of one of Johnson county's fine pio- neer families. He was born in Johnson county, October 21, 1866, a son of Jacob A. and Lavina R. Ozias, who were among the first settlers of Centerview township. They came from Ohio and traded the buggy in which they came for a small tract of land and the father engaged in farming and stock raising. He prospered from the start and became a very wealthy landowner, having at one time a farm comprising one thousand acres of land in Johnson county. Jacob A. Ozias dealt exten- sively in hogs and wheat. He died in 1911 and the widowed mother makes her home with J. R., the subject of this review. A more compre- hensive sketch of the family appears in connection with the biography of Mrs. Lavina R. Ozias, given elsewhere in this volume.
In the public schools of Centerview. J. R. Ozias obtained his pri- mary education. He was afterward a student in Gem City Business College, Quincy, Illinois. After completing his school work, he bought a farm of one hundred eighty acres of land, which he sold within a short time and went to Colorado, where he remained several years. On his return to Johnson county, he was placed in charge of his father's farm and has ever since continued giving his time and attention to farm- ing and stock raising on the homestead. He now owns and manages more than four hundred acres of land, one hundred twenty acres of which are in grass. This season, of 1917. he had fourteen hundred bushels of wheat. one thousand bushels of oats, and harvested eighty tons of hay. In addition, Mr. Ozias had one hundred acres of his farm in corn. The handsome residence on the farm was built in 1892 by the father. Jacob Ozias. It is a structure of twelve rooms and modern throughout. The farm is well supplied with farm buildings and is splendidly equipped for handling stock and grain. In 1916. J. R. Ozias built a huge silo, having a capacity of three hundred eighty tons, con- structed of solid, reinforced concrete, ninety feet high and with a water tank holding eight hundred barrels of water on top. thus giving an . exceptional pressure. A stairway, which is easily climbed, leads to the top of the silo, where one may get a splendid view of the surrounding country. This is one of the best silos in Johnson county.
Mr. Ozias is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Politically, he is a Democrat. He is well maintaining the Ozias reputation, established years ago by his father, and is highly respected among the good, substantial citizens of the county.
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Mrs. Lavina R. Ozias, the widely-known and honored widow of the late Jacob A. Ozias, is one of Johnson county's bravest pioneer women. She and her husband came to Johnson county, Missouri, in November, 1857, in a buggy, which vehicle they traded on a tract of land here. At that time, the Hobson and Graham farms were the only fenced places in the county near their tract of land. They returned to Ohio and resided until 1866, when they came back to Missouri to make their permanent home in Centerview township, on the farm for which they had traded their buggy. Mr. Ozias built a one-room house and, as they could afford to do so, added to it later. Small as was their home, it became the center of the social life of the community and many happy times were spent within its four walls. Mr. Ozias was fond of company and enjoyed gatherings of all kinds, so the little cabin became the popular meeting place.
Jacob A. Ozias and Mrs. Ozias had made the trip from Cincinnati to St. Louis, Missouri, by boat and from St. Louis drove through to Johnson county. After making his first payment on the farm, fortune seemed to smile on all his undertakings and he became very prosperous and influential. He was the owner at one time of more than a thousand acres of land and all were acquired through industry, economy, and enterprise. Mr. Ozias raised stock extensively, specializing in hogs. He was widely known as a successful wheat producer also. In his native county, Preble, in the state of Ohio, Mr. Ozias had established a name for himself as being a young man of strict honesty and high ideals and this reputation he continued to maintain to the end of his life. He died in 1911. His widow is now making her home with her son, J. R., on the home place. Mr. Ozias was a gentleman of kindly, charitable, generous spirit and there are many men and women in the county today who recall with gratitude how he willingly and cheerfully came to their assistance, when they were in straightened circumstances and were about to lose their homes.
Mrs. Ozias was born June 16, 1837, in Maryland and is a daugh- ter of Jesse Royer, who moved to Ohio in 1853. She is now past the eightieth milestone in life. It is a delight to hear her tell incidents and experiences of her pioneer days in Johnson county. She has wit- nessed many prairie fires and has seen tribes of Indians passing their home, but the red men were always friendly. Warrensburg was then the only town and Holden has not been thought of, not to mention the
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towns and villages that now dot the map of Johnson county. Mrs. Ozias is a bright, alert. intelligent woman, possessing a wonderful memory for one of her advanced age. It is with great pleasure we pause to honor one who labored and did without much, that we deem so abso- lutely necessary, in the long ago, in order that the coming generation "might have life more abundantly." She is a lady in all that the word implies, one worthy of the highest regard and consideration.
Arthur W. Ozias, a prosperous and prominent farmer and stock- man of Centerview township, is a son of one of the best pioneer fami- lies of this part of Missouri. He was born in 1869, son of Jacob .A. and Lavina Ozias, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume.
In the public schools of Centerview, Arthur W. Ozias received his early education. Later, he was a student in McPherson College in Kansas and in business college at Lebanon, Ohio. After leaving college, he engaged in farming on his father's place, of which he had charge until 1899, when he was given by his parents a farm of one hundred sixty acres of land, to which he added by purchase the Stoner farm of twenty-seven and a half acres, which was formerly owned by his uncle. Mr. Ozias has constantly increased his acreage and is now the owner of a splendid stock farm of three hundred fifty-four acres of valuable land in Johnson county. He is chiefly interested in stock raising, having at present one hundred fifty head of Poland China hogs and a large herd of Shorthorn cattle, but he devotes some time to gen- eral farming and this past season harvested seventy tons of hay, twelve hundred bushels of oats, four hundred bushels of wheat, and had one hundred forty acres of his farm in corn. He is an enthusiastic advocate of crop rotation. He uses an adaption of the Norfolk system of rota- tion, corn, wheat, clover. His place is abundantly watered. There are plenty of farm buildings on the Ozias farm and all are kept in excellent repair. The residence is a handsome, modern, brick structure of eight rooms conveniently arranged.
In 1904. Arthur W. Ozias and Blanche B. Seip, daughter of J. H. and Susan B. Seip, were united in marriage and to this union have been born two sons: Arthur W., Jr., and George W. Mrs. Ozias' father settled in Johnson county after the close of the Civil War and became an extensive landowner in Centerview township. He owned four hun- dred acres of valuable land, which he divided among his four children. Mrs. Arthur W. Ozias is a graduate of the Sisters of Charity Convent,
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Holden, Missouri, and a very intelligent and energetic woman. She takes a keen interest and much pleasure in her part of the farm work, the poultry industry, and has annually several hundred Plymouth Rock chickens. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ozias are held in the highest esteem in their community and they are numbered among the county's best and most valued citizens.
William Truman Sprague, who has been a resident of Johnson county, Missouri for forty-one years, is a pioneer worthy of the greatest consideration and esteem. He was born in Macon county, Illinois, November 27, 1838, the son of Henry Harrison and Katharine (Kirk- patrick) Sprague, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of Ohio. Henry Harrison and Katharine Sprague were the parents of the following children: Lewis M., Scotland county, Missouri; William T., the subject of this review; Mrs. Mary Martin, Clark county, Mis- souri; Luther, who was a Civil War veteran, serving in Company A, Second Missouri Cavalry, a former resident of Warrensburg, Missouri, who died in Nebraska; Mrs. Celestia Freelove, Memphis, Missouri; Milton, Crawford, Nebraska; Augustus, who resides in Kansas; Mrs. Livona Watson, who resides in Nebraska; and Henry, who resides in Nebraska.
William Truman Sprague was reared and educated in Scotland county, Missouri. When the Civil War began he went to Lewis county and at Memphis, Missouri enlisted under Captain Dawson with Com- pany A, Second Missouri Cavalry, with whom he served one and a half years, re-enlisting at Athens, Missouri. In a skirmish near Lancaster, Missouri, Mr. Sprague was shot in the left foot, the bullets entering the instep, one of which bullets remained in his foot for fifty-three years. It was removed in 1915. Mr. Sprague was mustered out at St. Louis in 1865, having served faithfully throughout the war.
After the war, Mr. Sprague returned to Lewis county, Missouri, where he remained ten years. He then moved from Lewis county to Johnson county, locating on a farm comprising forty acres of land in Jefferson township, which land he purchased for ten dollars an acre. He afterward increased his holdings by purchasing one hundred sixty acres. Mr. Sprague sold this farm in 1910 and moved to Warrens- burg. He had resided on the farm in Jefferson township thirty-four years.
March 15, 1866, William Truman Sprague and Margaret Sproat.
WILLIAM TRUMAN SPRAGUE.
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born September 10, 1849, the daughter of William and Mary Sproat, of Williamstown, Missouri, were united in marriage. William Sproat died in 1906 and his remains were interred in New Church cemetery in Jefferson township. Mrs. Sproat now makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. William Sprague. She was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania in 1828 and is still enjoying good health at the advanced age of eighty-nine years. To William Truman and Margaret (Sproat) Sprague have been born the following children: Mrs. Clara Kimzey, Warrensburg, Missouri; Mrs. Estell Greim, Warrensburg, Missouri; Mrs. Alma Saults, the wife of Dr. H. A. Saults, of Valley City, Missouri; Albert E., Springfield, Missouri; Mrs. Leota Corson, Windsor, Mis- souri. Estell Greim, the husband of the second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sprague, went to Kansas in 1879 and homesteaded one hundred sixty acres of land near Wichita, nineteen miles south of Leoti, and when he had proven his claim, he returned to Johnson county. Mr. and Mrs. Sprague have been residents of this county since 1876.
When William Truman Sprague's father came to Scotland county, Missouri and settled near Memphis, their nearest neighbor was an uncle, Luther Stevens, who lived two and a half miles away. Mr. Mor- gan lived ten miles from the Sprague home and the next nearest neigh- bor was Mr. Glascock, fifty miles away. The flour of the Sprague's was exhausted and the father returned to Illinois for provisions. He became ill while away and for six weeks was unable to return. In the meantime the family were suffering from lack of food and were using bran for flour. Mrs. Sprague, a noble, brave, pioneer mother, walked to the home of Mr. Morgan, ten miles away, and informed him of their condition and he promptly responded to her appeal by sending to the Sprague home two bushels of meal and a side of bacon, which food lasted until the father's return.
Joe Simmerman, a leading merchant of Greendoor, Missouri, for the past twenty-six years, is a prominent citizen and successful farmer and stockman of Centerview township. Mr. Simmerman, while a native of Illinois, is a member of a highly respected Johnson county pioneer family. He is a son of W. T. and Margaret Simmerman. W. T. Sim- merman was born in Virginia, a son of Thomas Simmerman, who was born in Virginia in 1793. Thomas Simmerman came from Virginia to Missouri in the early part of the nineteenth century and settled on a tract of land comprising one hundred twenty-four acres located in Colum-
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bus township. He prospered well in the new Western home and became widely known in Johnson county as an enterprising and successful farmer and stockman. Mr. Simmerman died in February, 1874 and his son, W. T., born in Missouri, remained on the home place for sev- eral years continuing the work his father had begun. W. T. Simmer- man spent some time in Illinois and a part of one year in Johnson county, Kansas, after which he returned to Johnson county, Missouri, in 1866, and purchased eighty-six acres of land in Centerview town- ship, to which he later added forty acres, thus forming a valuable stock and grain farm of one hundred twenty-six acres, near Greendoor, Mis- souri. Mr. Simmerman was the popular and efficient postmaster of Greendoor for twelve years. He was ever active in politics, being an influential member of the Republican party, and at one time was elected justice of the peace of Centerview township, but refused to accept the office. W. T. Simmerman had a host of friends in Johnson county. He was known and admired for his honorable business dealings and strong moral character not only in this county but even beyond its confines. Mr. Simmerman died April 24, 1905. His widow still survives her husband and is now making her home with her son, Joe, the subject of this review, who was born March 20, 1865.
The first school Joe Simmerman attended was a private school taught by his cousin, Miss Isabel Renick. Mr. Simmerman was born just at the close of the Civil War, in 1865, and in his childhood there were as yet few public schools established in Johnson county. At a later time, John W. McGivens was employed as teacher of the public school of which Mr. Simmerman was a pupil. He personally knew Reverend Pitts, in whose honor Pittsville was named, and Reverend J. H. Houx, Peter and Thomas Cobb, and Finis King, effective pioneer preachers of Johnson county in the early seventies. When Mr. Sim- merman was a youth, much of this county was open prairie and pasture land. Wild game abounded and he tells an interesting story of how he assisted in netting quail in those days of the long ago. He states that netters always obeyed an unwritten law of quail hunters, namely: to turn loose a male and female from every covey they captured.
In 1890, Joe Simmerman and Mattie J. Hinkle, daughter of John Hinkle, a resident of Johnson county for many years, were united in marriage and to this union has been born one child, a daughter. Beulah, who is now Mrs. Middleton of Rural Route 3, Warrensburg, Missouri.
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In addition to his mercantile interests in Greendoor. Mr. Simmer- man owns a farm of one hundred twenty-six acres of land and is engaged in raising stock extensively and in general farming. Ile is at present interested in Poland China hogs and Durham cattle. Mr. Simmerman keeps pure-bred animals and is the owner of a splendid pure-bred Dur- ham male. The farm is supplied with plenty of water and farm build- ings. This past season of 1917, twenty acres of the place were in corn and four hundred sixty bushels of oats and sixty-four bushels of rye were harvested. Mr. Simmerman is a very intelligent and profi- cient farmer and stockman as well as a successful and prosperous merchant.
S. F. Warnick, a well-known and respected citizen of Centerview township, is a son of a prominent pioneer family of Johnson county. Mr. Warnick is one of Johnson county's own boys. He was born here in 1856, son of R. N. and Amanda Warnick, well-remembered early settlers of Post Oak township. R. N. Warnick was a son of James Warnick, Sr., a native of Tennessee, who moved from that state to Missouri in 1836. Amanda (Oglesby) Warnick, the mother of S. F. Warnick, was a daughter of Talton Oglesby, an honored pioneer of Johnson county. To R. N. and Amanda (Oglesby) Warnick were born ten children, only three of whom are now living: S. F., the sub- ject of this review; E. N., Warrensburg, Missouri; and Mrs. Della Denton, Parsons, Kansas. R. N. Warnick was a capable and pros- perous farmer and stockman, a very successful citizen. He was for many years an influential member of the Democratic party and for eight years was probate judge of Johnson county. For several years prior to his death, Mr. Warnick filled the office of justice of the peace of Post Oak township. He was an active worker in the Cumberland . Presbyterian church and for many years a highly regarded and valued deacon. His death in 1896 has been long lamented in Johnson county. Mrs. Warnick preceded her husband in death four years. She died in 1892.
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