History of Johnson County, Missouri, Part 80

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

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY

age, she and her mother emigrated from Germany and came to America, locating in Hepler, Kansas. The mother died in Crawford county, Kansas near Hepler and interment was made in the cemetery there. To K. G. and Anna Katherine Tempel have been born three children: Frieda, Katherine, and Albert. All the children are at home with their parents.

The county court of Johnson county appointed K. Gottlieb Tempel superintendent of the County Home and granted him the lease of the farm March 1, 1909 and at intervals of two years since that time has renewed the contract, by which Mr. Tempel agrees to provide food and care for the inmates of the County Home in return for the use of the farm, the county furnishing clothing, bedding, light, and fuel. As a general rule, the lease system has nothing to recommend its adop- tion, not even economy, but with Mr. Tempel in charge, this institu- tion is one of the rare exceptions. The farm consists of eighty-four acres of land, valued at eighty-four hundred dollars and with the improvements the County Home is valued at the lowest estimate forty thousand dollars. Ten acres of the farm are in oats, ten acres in corn, and the balance in pasture. At the time of this writing, there are twenty-five inmates in the County Home, nineteen of whom are white and six colored people. The Home is supplied with city water, electric · lights, and steam heat. There are thirty-five rooms in the building, four bathrooms, and a chapel, containing an organ, and a library. The library was presented by Mr. Young, of Chilhowee, Missouri, for the benefit and pleasure of those inmates, who enjoyed reading. The men and the women, the white and the black people, are separated. The men occupy the west side and the women the east side of the Home and each inmate has a separate room. They do not even meet at the dining table, but dine separately.

The Tenth Biennial Report of the State Board of Charities and Corrections of Missouri makes the following concise statement of the conditions found at the County Home of Johnson County under the management of K. G. Tempel, February 28, 1916:

"Building. A large two-story, brick, well planned and beautifully located. Only a short distance from town. Modern in all respects. Institution has library for those who care to read.

"Management. Institution was scrupulously clean. Management excellent in every department."

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Mrs. Tempel deserves much praise and commendation for she cer- tainly is doing her part exceedingly well in keeping the County Home clean, neat, and comfortable. All the inmates are well cared for and the food is always good, clean, properly cooked, and nicely served. Mrs. Temple was well trained in the art of domestic science in her mother's home and no graduate of a course in domestic art can sur- pass her in skill or knowledge of the best management of household duties. She is a most intelligent, industrious, conscientious lady, an ideal woman for the position she fills. The men and women in the County Home are indeed fortunate.

Mrs. Fanita (Baldwin) Houts, the esteemed and highly respected widow of the late O. L. Houts, a prominent attorney of Warrensburg, one of the most able members of the bar in this section of Missouri, is a member of one of the best and most intellectual families that came to Missouri. She was born in Warrensburg, Missouri, daughter of Roderick and Elbertine (Tabor) Baldwin, the former, a native of Delaware county, New York and the latter, of Wilson, in Niagara county, New York.

Roderick Baldwin the father of Mrs. Fanita Houts, was a graduate of Hamilton College, New York. He enlisted in the Civil War, in Niagara county, serving in Company E, Third New York Heavy Artil- lery, of which company he was captain. This company afterward became Company E, One Hundred Thirty-first Light Infantry, a part of the Army of the Potomac. Mr. Baldwin was wounded three times in skirmishes. He was first wounded June 16, 1864 in a conflict at Petersburg, Virginia, the wound being inflicted by a piece of shell which struck him in the side. June 21, 1864, he was injured seriously by a minnie ball, in a struggle south of Petersburg, but he did not leave the field. In the same engagement, he was wounded the third time, the last injury being a dangerous wound in the side, and he was carried from the battlefield. It was at Petersburg that General Grant wasted ten thousand lives in trying to carry it by assault, and then settled down to siege operations and on July 30 a great mine was sprung under the Confederate works, for a moment an open road into the rear of their position, when the Confederates, rallying, were able to drive back with great slaughter the assaulting column and the bloody affair of "The Crater" cost Grant four thousand lives without any com- pensating advantage. Wounded dangerously as he was, Roderick

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Baldwin was one of the favored and fortunate few, who came through this campaign. For several months, Mr. Baldwin was confined in the hospital at Washington, D. C. He afterward served as a member of the staff of General W. W. Morris, holding the position of judge advo- cate in the Army of the Potomac. In January, 1865, Roderick Bald- win was appointed to the position of clerk in the office of the War Department of the United States, which position he filled until April, 1867. Though physically still very weak, Captain Baldwin was able to ride at the head of his company when the troops passed in review at Washington, May 23 and 24, 1865.

In 1869, Roderick Baldwin was united in marriage with Elbertine Tabor in the state of New York. To them were born two children: Mark, who is now a prosperous ranchman in western Kansas; and Fanita, who is the subject of this review. Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin came from New York to Warrensburg, where he purchased a tract of land in John- son county. For several years, Roderick Baldwin was the prosecuting attorney of Johnson county. He served two terms as mayor of War- rensburg and for seven years was a member of the Warrensburg school board. In 1870, Mr. Baldwin became editor and proprietor of the "Warrensburg Standard," which paper afterward became known as the "Standard-Herald." He was the owner and publisher of the "Warrens- burg Standard" at the time of his death September 23, 1894. Roderick Baldwin was one of Johnson county's leading citizens and influential men of public affairs. He was a member of the Republican State Execu- tive Committee for many years and was at one time a candidate on the Republican ticket for the office of state superintendent of public instruc- tion. He gave his active and most earnest support to the Warrensburg State Normal School, in which he was keenly interested. Mr. Bald- win planned and built the Marcus Youngs place, which is now owned by Clinton J. Rucker, a sketch of whom is found elsewhere in this volume containing a brief description of the beautiful suburban home. The handsome residence was located on a small tract of land, of twenty acres adjoining Warrensburg on the north, and the land was laid out as a park. This is undoubtedly one of the most elegant homes in John- son county and the taste shown in achieving the lovely landscape can not be excelled. Mrs. Roderick Baldwin died in 1907.

Fanita (Baldwin) Houts, the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Rod- erick Baldwin, is a graduate of the Warrensburg State Normal School.

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For eleven years prior to her marriage, she was engaged in teaching school, ten years in the city schools of Warrensburg and one year in the city schools of Kansas City, Missouri.

In 1904, O. L. Honts and Fanita Baldwin were united in marriage. O. L. Honts was born and reared in Warrensburg. He was a son of George Wilson and Elizabeth (Cooper) Houts, both of whom are now deceased. They were pioneers of Johnson county, owning a splendid farm of choice land, in this county, which the father had entered from the government. Mr. and Mrs. Houts were highly valued and respected citizens of this community, long considered one of Missouri's best fami- lies. The son, O. L., received his early education in the city schools of Warrensburg and was an alumnus of the State University at Columbia, Missouri, and of Ann Arbor University in Michigan. He was a gifted attorney, possessing a well-trained legal mind and keen insight. He was ranked very high among the most able lawyers of Missouri. Mr. Houts was always intensely interested in politics and at one time was a member of the Republican State Executive Committee. He was mar- ried in 1883 to Effie Afton Hale, daughter of Henry C. and Tacy (Bunn) Hale. She was a woman of unusual intellectual attainments and rare per- sonal charm. Her death occurred in 1897. She left one child, a son, Hale who is now practicing law in Kansas City. Mr. Houts' death on April 2, 1912 was deeply and widely lamented in this section of the state, where he was ever held in the highest esteem. Besides his widow, O. L. Houts left two young sons, Roderick Lee and Wilson . The mother and her two boys reside in Warrensburg at 305 South Holden street.

John L. DesCombes, engineer and superintendent of the buildings and grounds of the Warrensburg State Normal School, was born in 1867 in Post Oak township. Johnson county, Missouri. He is a son of Thomas L. DesCombes, the oldest child born to his parents, Charles L. and Martha (Wash) DesCombes, a native of St. Louis county, Mis- souri, and Sallie V. (Bell) DesCombes, a native of Cooper county, Mis- souri. Charles L. DesCombes was born January 6, 1806, in the canton of Neuchatel, Switzerland. He was of French lineage, son of David L. DesCombes, who emigrated from Switzerland and came to America, and he with his family settled in St. Louis county, Missouri. The death of David L. DesCombes occurred in St. Louis county.

In 1820, the DesCombes family left the Alpine country and set sail from Holland for the land across the Atlantic. The vessel upon

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which they came to America passed the shores of Greenland, through the Hudson Bay, and anchored at the mouth of the Nelson river. They had been three months on the ocean voyage. In Canada, the settlers landed and the family of David L. DesCombes followed the river until they arrived at Winnipeg and from that place went on up the Red river of the North to the wilderness of northern Minnesota. Slowly and pa- tiently they had worked their way against the current of streams, across lakes, and over portages, when they were obliged to pull their boat across a "carry." Trials and difficulties grew thick about them. In the dense forest, they had reached the next body of water, but had not accom- plished their full purpose, when they decided to remain where they were for three months and for two bitterly cold winters and one summer the DesCombes family merely existed. From the savages, dried buffalo meat was procured and in the winter time fish were obtained from the river after the ice was cut to a depth of from six to eight feet. Wild herbs were found in abundance in the summer. Discontented, they determined to risk the journey farther into the country in the hope of bettering their now destitute condition. Brave, undaunted, hopeful, David Des- Combes started with his family again in 1823 upon the dangerous way through the forest, traveling often by land and seldom by water, when they reached St. Peter's river, where the father built a canoe from a large tree, which he cut down, and in this frail bark they at last arrived, tired, desolate, and in a starving condition, at Fort Snelling. A loaf of bread was given young Charles and at the sight of the food he clapped his hands with delight and cried happily, "Thank the Lord! Here is bread once more !"

After remaining at the fort until they had fully recuperated, the DesCombes family came to St. Louis county, Missouri, where they set- tled. April 6, 1837, Charles L. DesCombes was united in marriage with Martha Wash and to them were born the following children: Thomas L., who was reared to maturity in St. Louis county and was married to Sallie V. Bell and to them was born John L., the subject of this review ; Mary L .; Adelia A .; Charles E., who enlisted in the Civil War and served in the Confederate army under General Francis M. Cockrell; William F., Virginia E .; Rachel R .; Martha Day; John N .: Susan Rand; and Eugene. Charles L. DesCombes was a devout member of the Pres- byterian church, becoming a member in Switzerland. and always re- mained true to his belief. Martha (Wash) DesCombes had been reared

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in a household that firmly stood for the belief of the Methodist Episco- pal church, South, of which she became a member in Virginia in 1832. In 1850, Mr. DesCombes made an overland trip to California. This was the time of the excitement over the discovery of gold in the mill- race on Captain Sutter's land about one hundred miles northeast of San Francisco, when people rushed to the gold region from all settled parts of the United States, when farmers, carpenters, storekeepers, professional men left their work to seek the golden treasure. The diffi- culties and dangers in crossing the plains and the desert region were many and the bones of human beings, horses, oxen. were strewn along the entire route. Charles L. DesCombes reached his journey's end safely and after a short time spent in California returned home by way of the Isthmus of Panama and New York City. In 1856, he moved with his family to Post Oak township in Johnson county, where he owned five hundred acres of land. On this farm, both he and his estimable wife died. Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. DesCombes were honest, indus- trious, highly esteemed citizens, pioneers worthy of the greatest honor and respect.

Thomas L. DesCombes, who at the present time is residing in Lee- ton, Missouri, and Sallie V. (Bell) DesCombes were the parents of the following children: John L., the subject of this review; Mrs. Annie E. Holt. of Warrensburg, Missouri; Mrs. Mary Ellen Swigert, of Leeton, Missouri; William T., who resides in Leeton, Missouri; Henry C., of Warrensburg, Missouri; Eugene F., Leeton, Missouri; and Mrs. Sallie E. Katherman, Warrensburg, Missouri.

In the district schools of Johnson county, John L. DesCombes received his education. His boyhood days were spent as are the days of the average lad on the farm. At the age of twenty years, he learned the blacksmith's trade, working as an apprentice with Ellert & Clark, of Shawnee Mound in Henry county, Missouri. Until 1898, John L. DesCombes was engaged in blacksmithing. At that time he began to study the machinist's trade and from 1901 until 1907 was employed by the Bowen Coal Company of Windsor, Missouri, as master mechanic. Mr. DesCombes moved from Windsor to Warrensburg in 1909 and for several years conducted a machine shop in this city until 1915 he was appointed engineer and superintendent of the buildings and grounds of the Warrensburg State Normal School, a position which he is filling at the time of this writing, in 1917. His work requires that he attend

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to the needs of the buildings of the normal school, to the heating, light- ing, cleaning, and to care for the grounds. Mr. DesCombes is "on the job" every day in the year-and many of the nights. He is an excel- lent, careful conscientious workman and a mechanic of marked ability.

September 5, 1888, John L. DesCombes was united in marriage with Nora Elliott, daughter of Samuel H. and Carrie Y. Elliott, both deceased. Mrs. DesCombes was born in Calhoun, Henry county, Mis- souri. To John L. and Nora (Elliott) DesCombes have been born ten children, who are now living, and one, who died in infancy. Lonna L., the proprietor of "The Auto Shop" of Warrensburg, Missouri. a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume; Lloyd E., Springfield, Ohio; Mrs. Virginia C. Thompson, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Russell D., Springfield, Ohio; John Herbert, who died at the age of two years; Donald Ray and Doris May, twins, at home with their parents; Arlie Ines, at home; Eugene George, at home; Ruth and Ruby, twins, at home.

John M. Garvey, a prosperous and prominent farmer and stockman of Warrensburg township, has had one of the most remarkable and noteworthy careers of any man in Johnson county. He was born January 4, 1858, in Iowa, son of Charles Thomas and Sarah (Mark) Garvey. Charles Thomas Garvey was born in North Carolina. In early man- hood, he went to Iowa and from that state came with his wife and children to Missouri in 1877 and after a very short time in this state, moved on to Kansas, returning to Missouri in 1878 and settling at Shawnee Mound in Henry county where his death occurred several years later. Sarah (Mark) Garvey died at Louisburg, Kansas. Both father and mother were interred in the cemetery at Leeton, Missouri. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Thomas Garvey, of whom John M., the subject of this review was the first born, the chil- dren being as follow: John M., the subject of this sketch: Charles Franklin, deceased; Flint Roy, of Seattle, Washington; Mrs. Ellen Jane Ritter, who resides in Oklahoma; Thomas, deceased; James, deceased; William Wilbur, of Chilhowee, Missouri; George Frederick, who resides in Louisburg, Kansas. Another child was born and died in infancy.

At Ashland, Iowa, John M. Garvey received his education. He began life for himself at the age of nineteen years and did much to assist his parents after he had left home. He came to Johnson county, Missouri, with his parents, September 24, 1877, moving from the house where he. was born.

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He first lived at Shawnee Mound, and then a little while in Kansas, and returned to Johnson county in October, 1878. He went to his uncle, John Garvey, and chopped wood, attended to chores, and to the stock that winter for his board. After that, he helped Thomas DesCombes dig a well, and he bruised his hand so badly it was a long time getting well. Doctor Ward attended to it and Mr. Garvey at first did not have even the money to pay the fee of one dollar. but afterward went to work and paid it. He worked for J. W. Brooks and at odd jobs until October 11, 1880, when he went to work for W. P. Millner, receiving fifteen dollars a month. He worked for Mr. Millner exactly eight years, until October 11, 1888. On October 13, 1888, he moved to the farm of H. C. Hale and has been there ever since.

February 17, 1883, he was married to Rebecca Dillsaver, of Allen county, Ohio. Mrs. Garvey is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Dill- saver, both of whom are now deceased. Mrs. Garvey has helped make and save every dollar they could. Mr. Garvey has chopped many a load of wood by moonlight and then hauled it to the woodpile the next night. There he would chop it, and his wife would carry it onto the porch. At other times, after his day's work was done, he would go horseback several miles to the little mill run by James Elder on Tebo creek for a sack of meal, get back at eleven o'clock at night, and be ready for work the next day.

One peculiarity of Mr. Garvey's is that he likes to make things come out even. He used to keep a diary and knows exact dates. He worked even eight years for Mr. Millner. Once, he received a due bill from John Lee for a bucket of eggs. The next time he went in with another bucket of eggs he asked for a sack of flour and handed in the first bill. The eggs and the bill together just paid for the sack of flour, and Mr. Lee remarked that he must have had it all figured out before he left home.

Mr. Garvey saved and bought his first land. thirty-nine acres, on February 24, 1888, while still working for Mr. Millner. Since then he sold the thirty-nine acres and bought the Daly place of ninety-five acres, bought one hundred seventeen acres more, then forty acres more, and, on March 1, 1914, bought thirty-seven acres more. This makes two hundred eighty-nine acres of good land that Mr. Garvey has bought and all the time he has worked for other men. He also built a barn, 41 x 49, in 1906, and, in 1917. is building an attractive bungalow, and

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he is sparing no expense to make it comfortable and convenient.

October 13, 1918, Mr. Garvey will have worked and lived on Mr. Hale's place for thirty years. On his own farm, he gives special atten- tion to stock raising, has his whole farm in grass and keeps forty to sixty cattle on hand. His farm is named "Bear Creek Valley Stock Farm" and was so registered February 8, 1908.

To John M. and Rebecca Garvey have been born four children: Bertha May, the wife of Frank Taylor, of near Holden, Missouri; Car- rie Ellen, the wife of James Adam Fickas, one of the rural mail car- riers, of Warrensburg, Missouri; Clarence Clayton, who married Lillian Meredith and resides near Warrensburg, Missouri; and Erma Mable, who is at home with her parents.

Without one dollar, John M. Garvey began life in Missouri. He not only by hard labor maintained himself but assisted his parents also and paid all their funeral expenses. Today, he has the satisfaction of having worked all his life and prospered, and being still able bodied and vigorous.

Peter Howell Culp was born in 1857 in Gentry county, Missouri. son of Johnson and Luvina (Cate) Culp who were the parents of eight children, only two of whom are now living: Peter Howell, of this review; and John P. Culp, Cement, Oklahoma. Johnson Culp was born in Ran- dolph county and when seventeen years old moved to Gentry county, Missouri. He was a son of Peter Culp, Sr., a native of South Carolina, who came to Missouri in a very early day, probably sometime in the twenties or thirties, when the Indians occupied the country. He lived to a noble, old age and died in Gentry county. The parents of Luvina (Cate) Culp were originally from Tennessee. They settled in pioneer days in Clay county, Missouri, and when she was a small child moved to Gentry county and there she was reared. educated, and married. Johnson Culp's death occurred in 1902 in Gentry county and Peter Howell Culp, with the widowed mother, moved to Johnson county on a farm in Hazel Hill township, where the mother died in June, 1904. Inter- ment was made in Gentry county by the side of her husband. Johnson Culp was a man worthy of the highest honor and respect. He endured bravely and cheerfully countless hardships incidental to the Civil War and nobly cared for his widowed mother and provided for all his family. Two of his wife's brothers served in the Union army and one was killed in a skirmish near Lonejack. He was buried at Holden, Missouri.

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One brother of Mrs. Johnson Culp served throughout the war in the Confederate army.

After receiving a good common school education in the public schools of Gentry county, Peter Howell Culp engaged in farming. Until he was twenty-two years of age, he remained with his parents and since that time has been farming for himself, wiht the exception of two years, when he was engaged in the livery business. In 1902, he pur- chased his present country home from Theodore Stockton. A part of this farm, which comprises three hundred twenty acres of land, was entered by the Stocktons from the government. There are two sets of improvements upon the farm. The splendid silo, of which Mr. Culp may well be proud, was erected by him in 1914. He, with the assistance of his two sons, Charles E. and John F., is developing the place into a dairy farm and they now have sixty head of cattle and are milking twenty-eight cows at the time of this writing, in 1917, and will soon increase to thirty. Milk from the Culp dairy is delivered twice daily in Warrensburg. Mr. Culp is also engaged in general farming and fifty acres of the place are in corn, seventy-five acres in hay, and the balance in pasture.

In 1877. Peter Howell Culp and Margaret N. Branham, of Gentry county, were united in marriage. Mrs. Culp is a daughter of Jonathan Branham, a native of Indiana, who moved to Gentry county, Missouri, in a very early day. Margaret N. (Branham) Culp was born in Gentry county, Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Culp have been born four sons: James, who died when eleven years old; Charles E., who is associated with his father in the dairy business on the home farm: Harry J., a farmer and stockman residing near Greendoor, Missouri; and John F .. on the home place with his parents. All the Culp family are interested in the success of their dairy and are doing everything in their power to make and keep it strictly sanitary and up to date. Mr. and Mrs. Culp are highly respected and esteemed in their community and they are enrolled among the county's most valued citizens.

Isaiah Jacoby, proprietor of "Maple Grove Farm," the first regis- tered farm in Johnson county, Missouri, was born in Marshall county, Indiana, July 22, 1855. He is a son of Elias and Margaret (Schaaf) Jacoby, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Germany. Elias Jacoby was born October 8. 1815, at Schuylkill, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and Margaret (Schaaf) Jacoby was born January 9, 1819.

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History of Johnson County, Missouri, Part 80

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