History of Johnson County, Missouri, Part 71

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

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY

baby boy would some day be president of the United States. Time and history have proven that the African prophet was not far amiss, in his prediction. "Uncle Jube" carried Miss "Lizzie," then a tiny child, on horseback to witness the wedding of General Cockrell.

Horseback riding was the customary mode of traveling, when the Fulkerson sisters were girls, and they have in their girlhood been prac- tically all over this part of the state, on horseback. They remember when the prairie was covered with many different kinds of flowers, which the young people delighted in gathering. They have witnessed the breaking of virgin sod and the burning of the tall prairie grass in order to prevent the ever feared prairie fires and they used to go in a wagon drawn by yokes of oxen to attend church.

The present solid prosperity enjoyed by the residents of Johnson county is attributed almost wholly to the pioneer settlers. In the early days of settlement, when there was little to welcome the stranger and much to discourage the sturdy, self-reliant men and women who came to make new homes in the "western wilderness," there came the Fulkersons and Cockrells to cast their lot in with hardy, intrepid pio- neers, whose fearless, independent spirit has caused cities, towns, and villages to rise and fertile farms to be where once the wild beast and still wilder man roamed in utter ignorance of that which was soon to supplant their forest home. Reuben B. Fulkerson was a typical pio- neer, a' man of strong personality and, though deprived of educational advantages in his youth, his keen observation, range of reading, con- tact with the world, and intimate touch with nature, stored his mind with a fund of valuable knowledge. He did much to aid the growth and development of Johnson county.

Adam Fickas, one of the late honored and brave pioneers of John- son county, Missouri, was born July 17, 1799 in Virginia. He was the son of Adam, Sr. and Eve Fickas, both of whom were natives of York county. Pennsylvania. Adam and Eve Fickas were united in marriage in Pennsylvania and from that state moved to Virginia, thence to Hen- derson county, Kentucky, their little son, Adam, Jr., accompanying them to Kentucky. On their plantation there, both the father and mother died, the mother in 1814 and the father two years afterward.

In the autumn of 1818, Adam Fickas, Jr. and his sister came from Kentucky to Missouri, riding a pack-horse. They located in Boone county, where they remained nearly six years. In early manhood. he

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was united in marriage with Susan McDonald, who was born in the state of New York, but reared in Kentucky. Susan ( McDonald) Fickas was the daughter of Joseph McDonald, a prominent citizen of Kentucky in the early days. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Adam Fickas moved to Indiana, where they resided for one year, when they returned to Missouri and Adam Fickas entered a large tract of land from the government, upon which they settled. At the time of their marriage, all the possessions of Adam Fickas would not have been worth more than fifty dollars, consisting of a dog, ax, and gun. But he possessed some things of which no amount of money could measure the value- industry, courage, pluck, and endurance. For three years, all the meat that was consumed by the family, he obtained by hunting. Black bear, deer, wild turkeys, prairie chickens were to be found in abundance and Mr. Fickas was a hunter of established reputation. On his hunting expeditions, he often experienced many thrilling adventures. . He never tired of relating of one encounter with a wounded bear. Mr. Fickas had wounded the animal, but not seriously, just enough to enrage the beast, which turned upon one of his dogs and was hugging it to death. With all the cunning and quiet alertness of the man of the forest, Adam Fickas softly crept up behind the bear and with one blow from his knife, the dog's life was saved.

The land, which Mr. Fickas entered from the government, cost him from twelve and a half cents to twenty-five cents an acre for the greater portion of the tract, although a part cost three dollars an acre. The Fickas estate comprised thirteen hundred acres of land, most of which was improved. at the time of his death. He and Susan ( McDonald) Fickas were the parents of thirteen children: Levi, Jacob, James, Mar- tha, Mrs. Ann Prosser. Mrs. Sarah Sanders, Adam, Jr., Mrs. Mary Beardsley, and Melinda, and four children died in infancy. The nine children above named were all living in 1882, but death has since broken the family circle, of the members of which but few now remain. The mother died in 1875. October 31. 1875 Adam Fickas was again married, his second wife being Elizabeth Bowman, who was born in Indiana and reared in Johnson county, Missouri. In 1895, his death occurred at the age of ninety-five years. Elizabeth ( Bowman) Fickas was a member of the Dunkard church. Adam Fickas always remained true to his belief as a member of the Primitive Baptist church, of which he was a valued and worthy member and liberal sup-

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porter. He built one church in Johnson county at his own expense, the structure costing him. more than a thousand dollars, which for pioneer times was an enormous outlay. Mr. Fickas was ever held in the highest esteem in this county, for which he did so much.

Charles H. Beall, a late, well-known merchant, painter, and agri- culturist of Elm, Missouri, was one of the honored and respected pio- neers of Johnson county. Mr. Beall was a native of Missouri and a worthy representative of one of the state's first families. He was born in 1858 in Carroll county Missouri, a son of Brutus and Lucy A. Beall, who came to Carroll county before the outbreak of the Civil War. The Bealls came from Indiana to Missouri and they returned to the old home in Indiana before the Civil War and there remained until its close, when in 1874 they again came West and settled on a farm of two hundred acres of land in Johnson county. On this place, the father and mother spent the rest of their lives. There, the children were reared and at Lincoln school, held near the Beall home, they were educated in the common branches. Until he was twenty-three years of age, C. H. Beall, the subject of this review, remained at home with his parents assisting his father with the work on the home place in Johnson county.

In 1883, the marriage of C. H. Beall and Eliza Jones, daughter of Daniel S. Jones, a pioneer of Johnson county of 1858, was solemnized. Mrs. Beall is one of ten children born to her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel S. Jones, six of whom are now living: Jonathan D., deceased ; Hamilton C., Warrensburg, Missouri; Mrs. Mary Rose, Holden, Mis- souri : Martha, Kingsville, Missouri; Elizabeth, who died in infancy; Susan, Kingsville, Missouri; Dan T., deceased; Samnel W., Kingsville, Missouri; Mrs. Eliza (Jones) Beall, the widow of the subject of this review and Charles W., deceased. To C. H. and Eliza (Jones) Beall were born four children, three of whom are living: Samuel W., Kings- ville, Missouri; Mrs. Effie J. Morris, Salisbury, Missouri; and Bonnie B., the widowed mother's companion in the home at Elm, Missouri. Samuel W. Beall married Bertie Wagoner and they are the parents of one child, a daughter, Beatrice. He is the owner of a farm in John- son county. Mr. C. H. Beall died August 30, 1916 and since his death Mrs. Beall has continued to conduct the mercantile business at Elin, Missouri and she has the farm rented. She and Miss Bonnie are com- fortably residing at their pleasant home in Elm.

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In addition to his farm labors, C. H. Beall was engaged in paint- ing and conducting a general store at Elm. He purchased ninety-eight acres of land in Jackson township and all his life was interested in farming and stock raising. He was a clear-brained, strong-willed, pub- lic-spirited citizen, who took great pride in the prosperity and growth of his township and county. Mr. Beall was one of the "boosters" whose spirit and determination secured the splendid High School building at Elm and he assisted in its erection. He and Mrs. Beall opened their home to the teachers and students of Elm High School and did all in their power to make the school a success. The loss of Mr. Beall has been deeply felt and keenly lamented in Johnson county.

Mrs. Eliza (Jones) Beall obtained her education at Lincoln school- house. Her first instructor was Milo Martin and later instructors, Edward Evers. Dan Jones, Dr. Wallace, and Dr. Williams. She recalls the pioneer preachers, who often visited at the Jones' home, among whom were Reverends Ziba Brown, Crowe, and Newton Cobb. Mrs. Beall remembers that, in her girlhood, horseback riding was the prin- cipal mode of traveling and she used to go every place horse back. The socalled "literary societies" were the leading social events of her youth and she has had many happy times attending the meetings. Stock ran at large over the vast tracts of land then unfenced and wild game abounded. A brother of Mrs. Beall kept the family larder bountifully provisioned with meat obtained on hunting expeditions.

Everything that has life, all things that are, have stamped upon them an inevitable end. The rock-ribbed mountains of the ages had a beginning and in the course of centuries come to be level plains. The king of the forest, the majestic oak, was once a tiny acorn, then a delicate shoot, anon a tree capable of withstanding the fury of the tempests, but it soon will fall and moulder back to the elements from which it sprang. As with the hills and oaks, so with man. Human life is but a span, a few days-and then it is no more. Born, lived a while, and died-thus in brief is told the life story of earth's children. C. H. Beall, the subject of this memoir, was once a potent factor 'in the world of activity. For many years, he was one of Johnson county's busy, enterprising men. He performed his daily duties uncomplain- ingly and did the right as he saw and understood the right and he made the world better for his presence. Now he sleeps the sleep of a good, just and honest man.

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James Simpson, in whose honor Simpson township was named, was a native of Virginia. In 1832, he came to Johnson county, Mis- souri with his widowed mother, his brothers and sisters, and a numer- ous company of slaves. They entered a large tract of land, comprising six hundred eighty acres of land, from the government and on this farm the mother and son resided all the remainder of their lives. Mrs. Simpson was a highly valued and worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal church and the Simpson home was the favorite stopping- place for the pioneer preachers. James Simpson always took an inter- ested part in civic affairs and his opinion on all matters pertaining to agriculture was greatly respected. He was one of the leaders in the movement for a county fair and in the breeding of high grade stock. Long before the railroad had penetrated the prairie lands of Missouri, Mr. Simpson returned to Kentucky to purchase pure bred stock, both horses and cattle, which he brought to Johnson county. At one time, he served as justice of the peace and was ever afterward known as Squire Simpson. Squire Simpson was a typical country squire, keeping a pack of greyhounds and enjoying a deer chase with the utmost zest in those days when the forests abounded in wild game. Politically, Squire Simpson was a Democrat. He was a firm advocate of temper- ance and the Good Templars was the only order of which he was a member. He was never married.

In 1861, both mother and son died and the Simpson homestead was sold, part of the farm being purchased by Mrs. Hannah Lynn, who paid six thousand dollars for six hundred acres, and the remainder, eighty acres, was sold to John H. Davis. The following families are of Simpson extraction: Brown, Ramsey, Young, Shepherd, Collins, Foster, Herndon, Roberts, Roach, Hamley, Cheatham, Offutt, Profit, Mulkey, and Colburn. But there is not one person now living to per- petuate the name of Simpson. William Simpson, the only brother, of James Simpson, was murdered in Kentucky by a thief, who was trying to steal his money. James B. Simpson, the only nephew of James Simpson, Sr., was a captain in the Confederate army during the Civil War and when the war closed conducted a hotel in Warrensburg. His death occurred near Columbus a few years afterward.

John E. Stewart, a successful farmer and stockman of Hazel Hill township, was born March 28, 1858 in Hazel Hill township, Johnson county, a son of Benjamin M. and Jane (Barker) Stewart. both of

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whom were natives of Kentucky. Benjamin M. Stewart was born in Logan county, and in the state of Kentucky was reared, educated, and married. He moved to Missouri, a few years after his marriage with Jane Barker, driving a team of thoroughbred horses through from Kentucky. This team was one of the best ever brought to Missouri and, before the horses had been acclimated, winter came and they almost froze to death. There was no good barn for them and fre- quently the family's bed clothing was used to blanket them. Mr. Stewart purchased a farm of forty acres, located in Hazel Hill town- ship, a place owned by James M. Devasher, and one mile northeast of Hazel Hill Mr. and Mrs Stewart spent the remainder of their lives. To Benjamin M. and Jane (Barker) Stewart were born four children, who are now living: Mrs. Margaret Ellen Gibson, Simpson township, Johnson county ; George H., who is engaged in mining at Leadville, Colorado; John E., the subject of this review ; and Mrs. Annie Austin, Fayetteville, Missouri. Both father and mother are now deceased. Mrs. Stewart died in 1901 and burial was made in Liberty cemetery.

In the public schools of Fayetteville, Missouri. John E. Stewart received his education. At the age of twenty years, he began life for himself, engaged in farming on the home place. Mr. Stewart has lived all his life in Hazel Hill township. In 1884, he purchased his present country home, a place comprising ninety-seven acres of land formerly owned by William Walters, and later increased his holdings by pur- chasing a tract of one hundred twenty acres. The Stewart farm now comprises two hundred seventeen acres of land one mile southwest of Fayetteville. At one time, this place was well timbered, but most of the timber has been removed. Judge Trapp originally owned the Stewart farm, which is practically all upland, well-watered, and nicely improved, and on it Mr. Stewart is raising fine cattle, hogs, horses, and sheep. At the present time, he has twenty head of cattle, nearly fifty head of hogs, and one hundred head of Shropshire sheep. Annually, he sells the old sheep and keeps the ewe lambs. Fifty acres of his place are in pasture, thirty-five acres in hay, and the balance in oats and corn. The farm is well equipped for handling stock. The resi- dence was built in 1887. It is an attractive, comfortable structure of two stories and six spacious rooms.

In 1878, John E. Stewart was united in marriage with Mamie Irwin and to them were born two children: George Eldon, Lafayette

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county, Missouri; and John Cleo, Kansas City, Missouri. Three years after marriage, the mother died. In 1898, Mr. Stewart was married to Adelia A. Rice, the daughter of J. E. and Huldah A. Rice, who are now residing in Camden county, Missouri, the former at the advanced age of eighty years. J. E. Rice was born in Morgan county, Missouri and Mrs. Rice is a native of Ohio. They are the parents of eleven children, all of whom are now living, the youngest being past thirty years of age: Mrs. Mamie Malcom, Benton county, Missouri Mrs. Bettie Overton, Benton county, Missouri; Charlie, Cass county, Mis- souri; David Samuel, Fox Valley, Oregon; Grace Beatrice, Climax Springs, Missouri; Mrs. John E. Stewart, the wife of the subject of this review; William Archibald, Camden county, Missouri; Mrs. Effie Allison Brown, Camden county, Missouri; Tressie Ola, Climax Springs, Missouri: Dr. James Wesley, who is serving with the Red Cross in France; and Mrs. Julia Wood, Benton county, Missouri. To John E. and Adelia A. Stewart have been born seven children: Harley Overton, Glenn, Eva Jane, John Edward, Jr., Rice Allison, William Wilshure, and Eugene Andrew. Mrs. Stewart's father, J. E. Rice, is a veteran of the Confederate army, with which he served for three and a half years. Both the Stewart and Rice families have long been highly respected and widely known in this state and Mr. and Mrs. John E. Stewart are held in the highest esteem in Hazel Hill township, where Mr. Stewart has resided for nearly sixty years.

Samuel M. Dalhouse, one of Johnson county's most intelligent agriculturists and the owner of one of the beautiful country homes of Hazel Hill township, is a member of a well-known and respected pio- neer family of Hazel Hill township. He was born in 1861 in Grundy county, Missouri, a son of Samuel F. and Martha (Swetnam) Dal- house, who settled in Johnson county in 1867 on a farm of eighty acres of land, in Hazel Hill township, a part of the Collins land. Samuel F. Dalhouse was born in Augusta county, Virginia, March 17, 1828 and came to Missouri from Virginia and first located in Grundy county, coming later to this county. Mr. Dalhouse was widely known as a prominent and prosperous stockman and wheat grower in the early days. To Samuel F. and Martha Dalhouse were born six children, who were as follow: Samuel M., of this review; Mrs. Mary Virginia Burchfield, the wife of the popular salesman of autos and musical instruments, of Warrensburg, Missouri; Mrs. Anna E. Kemper, the

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wife of James A. Kemper, one of the leading attorneys of Indepen- dence, Missouri: Charles E., who died in infancy; Thomas J., a farmer and stockman of Lafayette county, who married Minnie Dobbs of Chattanooga, Tennessee: and Mrs. Sophia Blanche Russell, the wife of Winfrey B. Russell, one of the progressive merchants of Warrens- burg. In 1899, Mr. and Mrs. Dalhouse moved from the farm to War- rensburg and there the father's death occurred in March, 1903. He was at that time owner of nearly one thousand acres of land. At the age of seventy-five years, he was still active and alert. Mr. Dalhouse was a big-hearted, kind, forceful character, a man well esteemed for his thrift, economy, and steadfastness of purpose. The widowed mother. who is a native of Bath county, Kentucky, now makes her home in Warrensburg, Missouri. She was born in 1841 and has just recently passed the seventy-sixth milestone in life. Mrs. Dalhouse is one of Johnson county's noblest and most estimable, elderly women. a lady worthy of the highest honor and respect.

Samuel M. Dalhouse attended the Coleman district school and later, Spalding's Commercial College at Kansas City. He remained with his parents until he was twenty-seven years of age. In 1895, Mr. Dalhouse purchased his present farm home, a place embracing one hundred sixty acres of land, formerly known as the Thomas W. Glover place. All the improvements now on the farm have been placed there by Mr. Dalhouse and this is one of the best improved farms in Hazel Hill township. The residence, an attractive structure of six rooms, was built in 1913 and the large barn in 1900. There are numerous farm buildings-sheds, cribs, granary-and the place is always well kept. Mr. Dalhouse is devoting his time to general farming and stock raising. Probably the most delightful feature about the Dalhouse place is the beautifully shaded lawn. There are eight different species of trees growing in the yard.

In November, 1888, Samuel M. Dalhouse and Annie Mckay Yancey were united in marriage. Mrs. Dalhouse was a daughter of Stephen L. and Catherine Yancey, of Lafayette county. Mr. and Mrs. Yancey came to Missouri from Virginia in 1866. Both are now deceased and their remains rest in Mt. Tabor cemetery. Mrs. Dalhouse died at the age of thirty-three years, leaving four little ones, three of whom the father has reared to maturity and educated: Geal, the wife of Lucius Wilson, of Hazel Hill township: Clare, the wife of John J.

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Ramsey, of Columbus township; Virginia, who is at home with her father; and Annie Mckay, who died at the age of thirteen years. The mother's death occurred in 1897. The father deserves much praise and respect for the splendid manner in which he has done his duty in regard to his motherless children and he may well be proud of his girls, to whom he has been both father and mother the past twenty years, for no better family can be found in Missouri.

Orl Stillwell, the Ford auto agent of Warrensburg, Missouri, is one of the brave clan of honored pioneers of Johnson county, a Civil War veteran, and at the age of seventy-three years the youngest, most active, most progressive man in Missouri. He was born February 22, 1844 in Knox county, Ohio, the son of E. and Mary (Hamrick) Still- well, the former a native of Maryland and the latter of Virginia. The mother died in 1857 and Mr. Stillwell moved from Ohio to Missouri, locating first at Georgetown in Pettis county, where he remained sev- eral years, coming to Warrensburg during the war, in 1864. Mr. Still- well opened a dry goods store in the old town of Warrensburg with a branch store in Rockville, Missouri, on the Osage river, and to the latter store he shipped goods on flatboats. At one time he had a large invoice of goods on the way to Rockville, when the low stage of the Osage river prevented him from going further by water and Mr. Stillwell was obliged to haul the articles the rest of the way. The delay and a heavy drop in prices caused him a loss of more than eight thousand dollars. Mr. Stillwell was a great admirer of Francis M. Cockrell and the senator was one of the most valued customers of the Stillwell store in the old town. The death of E. Stillwell occurred in 1910 in Warrensburg and his remains were interred in the Warrensburg cemetery.

Orl Stillwell received his education in the public schools of Knox county, Ohio and Pettis county, Missouri. He enlisted in the Civil War in 1861 at Georgetown, Missouri and served with the Union army throughout the war. Orl Stillwell was a member of Company C. serv- ing under Major Montgomery. He was in the battle of Pearidge on Wilson creek and fifty-one other engagements. Mr. Stillwell was in the service fifty-two months and during that time took active part in fifty-two battles. He was at Vicksburg twice; Jackson, Mississippi, twice: with General Sherman on his march to the sea; and with Banks on the Red river expedition. Mr. Stillwell was mustered out and honor- ably discharged at New Orleans, Louisiana at the close of the war. After

ORL STILLWELL.

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the war had ended he remained for three years on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico working in the employ of a New York lumber company. He worked on the first iron hull vessel that operated on the gulf.

Mr. Stillwell returned to Warrensburg about 1867 and assisted his father in the store and he has been connected with all sorts of mercan- tile affairs since that time. For twenty years he was employed at the water works at Pertle Springs. Orl Stillwell is the pioneer automobile man of Johnson county. When he entered the automobile business there were but seven cars in the state. He sold the first Ford car in the county to Dr. W. E. Johnson. This machine was a red one and is still in good running condition. It is a model R, roadster. Mr. Still- well's place of business is located at 109 West Culton street in War- rensburg. Prior to entering the automobile business, he was engaged in the hardware business in Warrensburg.

January 2, 1867, Orl Stillwell was united in marriage with Sarah Patterson, the daughter of Francis and Mary (Ginn) Patterson, of Washington county, Ohio. Mrs. Sarah ( Patterson) Stillwell was born in Washington county, Ohio near Marietta. Her father was a native of Washington county. He enlisted in the Civil War in 1861 in the Forty-second Ohio Infantry and served two years when he was taken prisoner in 1863 and sent to Andersonville, where he died. Mary (Ginn) Patterson was born in Maryland. Her father was a cousin of the Ginns of Baltimore, the widely known book publishers. Mrs. Pat- terson was born in 1824 and died in 1907 in Warrensburg. Her remains were interred in the Warrensburg cemetery. Mrs. Stillwell is the only living one of the three children born to Francis and Mary (Ginn) Pat- terson, who were as follows: Mrs. Orl Stillwell. the wife of the sub- ject of this review; Mrs. Susie Parmeter, who died in Morgan county, Ohio; and Mrs. Carrie Flinn, who died in West Virginia. Sarah (Pat- terson) Stillwell came to Warrensburg with her widowed mother in 1867 and after the daughter's marriage the mother continued to make her home with Mrs. Stillwell. To Orl and Sarah ( Patterson) Stillwell has been born one child, a daughter. Mattie, who is employed as clerk at Shepard's Dry Goods Store in Warrensburg.

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History of Johnson County, Missouri, Part 71

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