History of Johnson County, Missouri, Part 85

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

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David C. Surber, the well-known and respected justice of the peace of Rose Hill township, is a native of Kentucky. He was born in Lin-

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coln county in 1869, son of Alfred and Mary L. Surber. Mr. and Mrs. Surber were the parents of eleven children and since the death of Mr. Surber in 1897 the mother and two sons, John and David C., have con- tinued to reside on the home place to which they came in 1877. A biography of Mrs. Mary (Stigall) Surber giving a more comprehensive sketch of the Surber family appears elsewhere in this volume.

At Doak school house in Rose Hill township, David C. Surber obtained his education. While he was a schoolboy, Lute Umstadt, James Moore, and Caleb Barton were employed as teachers of Doak school. Mr. Surber has heard many of the pioneer preachers among whom he recalls: Reverends Givens, Osborn, and Limbaugh. David C. Surber was reared on the farm and he has spent most of his life engaged in the pursuits of agriculture. Until 1907, he was farming on the home place. At that time he entered the employ of Hooker Elmore, who owns lumber yards at Holden and Medford and for the past ten years Mr. Surber has been engaged in the lumber business at Medford. In 1915, he was elected justice of the peace of Rose Hill township and he is filling this office also at the time of this writing, in 1917. Squire Surber has given and is giving the best of satisfaction as justice and he is considered one of the most valued men of the community.

The lumber yards at Holden and Medford are well supplied with lumber, paints, hardware, and all things needed in the lumber busi- ness. Within the last year, practically all lumber supplies have nearly doubled in price. Mr. Surber transacts the business of justice of the peace in the office at the lumber yard at Medford. He is a gentleman of kindly, genial manners, a citizen of Johnson county of genuine worth. Mr. Surber is unmarried and makes his home with his widowed mother on the farm in Rose Hill township.

C. H. Harris, Jr., a capable and industrious farmer and stockman of Rose Hill township, is a native of Johnson county. He was born in 1861, a son of C. H., Sr. and Lucinda (Barton) Harris. The Harris family is one of the first families of Johnson county.

Amid the scenes of pioneer life and reconstruction, C. H. Harris passed the days of his youth. He attended school in that part of Cass county, which was afterward made a part of Johnson county. When a lad he frequently went to Holden for provisions and on the way would pass but three homes. Trails and directions were relied upon

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in traveling for there were very few roads in the county until many years later. Traveling was dangerous in those days, but in proportion to the population there was much more of it done then than now. Everyone attended church and all the social gatherings and visiting were universally enjoyed.

In 1889, C. H. Harris, Jr. was united in marriage with Hulda B. Givens, daughter of Alec and Mary Givens, honored pioneers of John- son county, coming to this section of the state in a very early day from Kentucky. To Mr. and Mrs. Harris were born two children a daugh- ter, Laura Gertrude. who was one of the county's valued school teachers: and a son, Alec Hutson, who died in infancy. Mrs. Harris died in 1894 and Miss Laura is keeping house for her father. Mrs. Harris was a highly regarded and worthy member of the Presbyterian church, as is Mr. Harris.

The Harris farm in Rose Hill township comprises one hundred thirty-one acres of land, abundantly watered, well located and nicely improved. This past season of 1917 Mr. Harris had forty-eight acres of his place in corn, yielding a fine crop.

Politically, Mr. Harris is a Democrat. He is a member of the Odd Fellows and one of Johnson county's best and most trustworthy citizens.

J. C. Harris a progressive farmer and stockman of Rose Hill town- ship, is a member of a well-known and respected pioneer family. He is a son of C. H., Sr., and Hulda (Collins) Harris. The paternal grand- father of J. C. Harris settled in Johnson county many years prior to the Civil War. His mother was a daughter of a family that came to Missouri from Kentucky in the earliest days. C. H. Harris, Sr., was a capable and enterprising stockman and became very well-to-do, own- ing at one time two hundred twenty-three acres of choice farm land in Johnson county. Mr. Harris was an active Democrat and one of the most reliable and earnest of men. He always worked for the interests of the Cockrells whom he held in the highest esteem. C. H. Harris, Sr., died in 1880. He was a citizen of Johnson county highly valued for his sterling integrity and high sense of justice and honor and his loss to the good citizenship of the county has been long deeply deplored. Mrs. Harris had preceded her husband in death many years before.

In the public schools of Johnson county, J. C. Harris obtained a good common-school education under the instruction of "Jim" Taylor.

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In early youth, Mr. Harris began working for himself and the first money he ever had was made by "hiring out." He began loaning money, on a small scale of course, and with this as a basis made a business deal whereby he acquired his present fine country home. The Harris farm embraces one hundred twenty acres of land on which Mr. Harris is raising good grade cattle and Poland China hogs.

In 1880, J. C. Harris was united in marriage with Ella Duncan, daughter of Captain Lee Duncan and to this union were born two sons: Charles L., Gunn City, Missouri; and Joseph A., Gunn City, Missouri. Mrs. Harris died and in 1889 Mr. Harris remarried. Mrs. J. C. Harris is a daughter of Alec and Mary Givens who came from Kentucky to Johnson county in a very early day. To J. C. and Mary E. (Givens) Harris has been born one child, a daughter, Mary Belle, who is now the wife of H. O. Smith, of St. Louis, Missouri.

When J. C. Harris was born in Johnson county in 1851, this sec- tion of Missouri was very sparsely settled. In his boyhood days, he was often called upon to assist in breaking sod and he used yokes of oxen in this work, often plowing with four yokes of oxen at a time. Wild game abounded and the present flourishing city of Holden was then a very small place. The early settlers traveled along trails and by direc- tion as the roads in the county were not built until in the eighties.

Mr. Harris is one of Rose Hill township's best and most careful farmers. He keeps close watch on his soil and on the gullies and ditches, which he fills as soon as they are discovered. He is an enthusiastic advocate of the use of fertilizer. He and Mrs. Harris are widely known and esteemed in Johnson county.

M. R. Snyder, a prosperous and influential farmer and stockman of Rose Hill township, is a member of one of the first families of Henry county, Missouri. He was born in 1866, a son of Rudolph and Mary Snyder, both of whom were born in Germany and emigrated from the old country in youth. They were the parents of four children who are now living: Mrs. Mary Aeker, Weaubleau, Missouri: J. D., Lowry City, Missouri; M. R., the subject of this review ; and J. F., Browning- ton, Missouri. Rudolph Snyder was a wealthy stockman of Henry county, where he owned extensive land interests. He died in 1889. The mother is also deceased.

In the public schools of Henry county, M. R. Snyder obtained his education. He was born and reared on the farm in that county and in early manhood began life for himself engaged in the vocations of

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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY

farming and stock raising. In 1893, Mr. Snyder came to Johnson county and purchased one hundred twenty acres of land located in Rose Hill township, which tract is a part of his present farm of three hundred ten acres. The Snyder place is well located and nicely improved, being well equipped for handling stock. Sixty acres of the farm were in corn this past season, of 1917. In 1898, Mr. Snyder built a handsome resi- dence, a house of eight rooms, which is their present home.

In 1891, M. R. Snyder was united in marriage with Anna Schlabach, daughter of Joseph and Barbara Schlabach of French lineage. To this union have been born four children : J. L., Ada, Helen, and Elizabeth, all of whom are at home with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Snyder have a host of friends in Johnson county, where they have made their home for the past twenty-five years. Politically, Mr. Snyder is a Republican. He is a valued member of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he has been steward for several years.

John A. Thompson, a well-known and respected farmer and stock- man of Centerview township, is a son of a well-remembered and hon- ored pioneer family. He is a son of Josiah and Elizabeth Thompson and was born in 1850. Allen Thompson, grandfather of John A., was a well-to-do farmer of Pennsylvania and from that state, Josiah Thomp- son came with his family and settled on a farm in Centerview town- ship, Johnson county, Missouri, in 1867. He was a minister of the United Presbyterian church and in the early days organized a church of this denomination in Johnson county, and in his belief died in 1907. John A. Thompson has living one brother, George, whose home is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In 1850, in Washington county, Pennsylvania, John A. Thompson was born. He was reared in that state and at the age of seventeen years came with his parents to Missouri. For some time, he was a student at Lincoln Institute at Greenwood. Early in life he began farming and stock raising, pursuits in which he has ever since been interested and engaged. He now resides in Centerview, where he owns several town lots and a nice, comfortable home, but on a small tract of land south of town he is still raising stock. Mr. Thompson devotes most of his attention to hogs and to growing alfalfa. Reverend Josiah Thompson, father of John A., introduced alfalfa in this part of the coun- try. For the past twenty years, Mr. Thompson has been a resident of Centerview.

In 1873, John A. Thompson was united in marriage with Virgie

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Porter, daughter of Samuel Porter, of Ohio. To this union have been born three children: Labertha, the wife of Mr. Graham, of Center- view, Missouri and the mother of one child, a son, Porter; and Mary, the wife of Mr. Porter, of Jefferson City, being the only two now living, of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Thompson.

Interesting reminiscences are stored in the remarkable memory of Mr. Thompson and he talks in an entertaining way of the days gone by, when there were vast tracts of unfenced and unbroken land in Mis- souri and cattle were permitted to roam over the wide prairie. Oxen were used to aid in breaking sod and one often saw a yoke of oxen and a team of horses hitched together. Wild game abounded and travel was difficult because of the lack of any roads. The trails at time became impassable. For the first two or three years after his family had moved to Missouri, young John A. spent many lonely hours. Settlements were so very far apart that he had few young friends or acquaintances at first, but later there were many social gatherings to attend and his youth was spent more happily. For a long time the Thompson family lived in a house of two rooms, which the father built when he first came to Johnson county. Reverend Josiah Thompson and "Uncle Jacky" Whitsett were prominent among the early preachers. Centerview was then only a "half-switch," with not one building. Of the first families who came to this county from the East at that time there now remain but representatives of two, the Ozias and the Repp families.

Mr. Thompson is an intelligent, industrious citizen, a man who has done much to aid in the upbuilding and improvement of his township and county.

B. D. Mckay, a successful and prosperous farmer and stockman of Rose Hill township, is a native of Wisconsin. He was born in 1861, a son of George and Jessie (McDonald) Mckay both of whom were of Scotch descent. Mrs. McKay was a daughter of James McDonald; an emigrant from Scotland who settled in Wisconsin in the early days. B. D. McKay has in his possession the naturalization papers taken out by his father, in which it is prominently designated that he promised especially "to be loyal to the United States against Queen Victoria of England." George Mckay emigrated from Scotland in 1836 and located first in Illinois. His first work in America was on a canal. He and his three brothers settled on adjoining tracts of land in Wisconsin

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and Mr. Mckay owned the first building having a shingled roof in the township. He sold his interests in Wisconsin in 1878 and moved to Johnson county Missouri, purchasing a farm in Rose Hill township, where he died one year later, in 1879. Mrs. McKay survived her hus- band thirty-six years. She died in 1915.

For six years after his father's death, Mr. Mckay continued to reside on the home farm in Rose Hill township, engaged in general farming and stock raising, and then he moved to Holden, Missouri. His only brother, who was employed in teaching school in Johnson county for several years, is now located on a ranch in Arizona. Mr. Mckay has three sisters living: Mary A., who resides in Nebraska; Jessie, Tama City, Iowa; and Mrs. Amanda Coleman, Latour, Missouri. Mr. Mckay states that when he and his brother were young lads, they were often put to work cutting hay out on the open prairie. He recalls the time in Johnson county when a buggy was unknown and has attended funerals when there were horses and wagons, used as automobiles are now. Cattle ran at large over the prairie and it was no small or easy task to "drive up" the cows in the evening.

In 1888, B. D. Mckay purchased one hundred sixty acres of land in Rose Hill township and in 1907 built a handsome residence, a house of nine rooms, and a large barn. Later, Mr. McKay added a feeder to the splendid improvements then on his place. The farm is now well equipped with numerous farm buildings and supplied with an abundance of running water. Mr. Mckay has equipment for one hundred head of cattle and a large herd of horses. He has at present, in 1917, one hundred four head of Shorthorn cattle and seventy head of Poland China hogs. He harvested one hundred fifty tons of hay this past season of 1917 and planted twenty acres of the place in wheat last autumn. The McKay farm now comprises four hundred acres, two hundred forty acres owned by B. D. McKay, nad the remainder owned by other members of the family.

In September, 1915, B. D. Mckay and Emma E. Iirle, of War- rensburg, were united in marriage. Mrs. McKay is of German descent. Politically, Mr. Mckay is a Democrat. He is a worthy and consistent member of the Catholic church. Both Mr. and Mrs. McKay are highly regarded in their community and they are numbered among the county's valued and substantial families.

Thomas P. Murray, a widely-known and prosperous farmer and

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stockman of Columbus township is a member of one of the fine old pioneer families of Johnson county. Mr. Murray was born in 1852 on his father's country place in Johnson county, a son of W. W. and Margaret A. (Rice) Murray. W. W. Murray was a son of Urial Mur- ray, of Irish lineage, a native of Tennessee, who came to Johnson county among the very first settlers. Urial Murray was born in 1773 and he was a typical Southern gentleman, kind, hospitable, and prosperous. He was the owner of more than a thousand acres of land in this county and a well-known stockman. He devoted most of his attention to speculating in mules and in the years following his coming West became very wealthy. At the time of the rush to the gold field, newly discov- ered in California, Urial Murray left his farm and sought the golden treasure. This was in 1849. Mr. Murray did not share the fortune of the thousands who died on the way-rather the misfortune-but lived to return home with a large pouch filled with gold. Thomas P. Murray still has in his possession as a valued relic this old leather bag which formerly belonged to his grandfather. The elder Murray raised hemp extensively and became very well-to-do and prominent. Before the time of Warrensburg, when the county court was held at Colum- bus, Urial Murray was elected county judge, among the first to fill this office. He died in 1853 and his loss to the good citizenship of the county was universally mourned.

W. W. Murray, the father of the subject of this review, was born in Missouri in 1824. He was given a most thorough education, considering his time. He attended school in Lexington, Missouri, and was a graduate of Chapel Hill College. In 1847, W. W. Murray and Margaret Angeline Rice, daughter of Pleasant Rice, the first settler of Johnson county, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume, were united in marriage. Margaret Angeline (Rice) Murray, daughter of Pleasant and Verlinda Ann (Ray) Rice, was born April 7. 1829, the first white child born in Johnson county. Margaret A. (Rice) Murray was a strong, sturdy child and very attractive to the Indians, who haunted the neighborhood, to whom the little white girl was something of a marvelous mystery and several times she was stolen by them. To W. W. and Margaret A. Murray were born six children, two of whom are now living: Thomas P., the subject of this review; and Bettie P., Holden, Missouri.

Thomas P. Murray attended school which was held in the neigh-

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borhood of the Murray home. His first instructor was Miss Dora Morrow and later he was taught by Mr. Griffith and John McGivens. Mr. Murray recalls several of the early-day preachers, among whom were "Uncle Bob" Morrow, Reverends Albert Moore and Prather. In early manhood, Mr. Murray began life for himself at the old homestead, engaged extensively in stock raising. He now owns two hundred seven acres of valuable land, which are well improved and watered. He harvested this past season of 1917, seven hundred bushels of wheat and six hundred fifty bushels of oats, in addition to having seventy acres of the farm in corn land. Mr. Murray planted eighty acres in wheat last autumn. He is raising Poland China hogs. There is a coal mine on the farm and from eight to ten thousand bushels of coal are taken out annually. During the busy season, from two to five men are daily employed in the mine. Mr. Murray's two sons, Nicholas and Porter, have the active supervision of the farm work and they are making a splendid success of stock raising and farming.

In 1877, Thomas P. Murray was united in marriage with Sallie Fulkerson, daughter of John H. and Henrietta (Ewing) Fulkerson, and to this union have been born eight children: Finis E., Holden, Mis- souri; Mrs. H. M. Fortney, Holden, Missouri: Mrs. Angeline P. Prather, Odessa, Missouri: Mrs. Ethel A. Simonds, Crosstimbers, Mis- souri; Mrs. Lucy Lee Miller, Pittsville, Missouri; William P., Holden, Missouri; John H., Holden, Missouri; and Nicholas F., Holden, Mis- souri.

Sixty-five years ago, Thomas P. Murray was born in Johnson county. He has always lived here and during the past half century has witnessed the innumerable changes which have come with time, growth, and progress. He remembers when there were three houses only between his father's home and Holden, a distance of ten miles. Prairie chickens, wild turkeys, and deer abounded and Mr. Murray recalls that once in his boyhood days he saw at one time deer, turkeys, wild geese, cranes, ducks, and prairie chickens. Mr. and Mrs. Murray have long been highly regarded by the best families of Johnson county and enrolled among the township's most worthy and estimable citizens.

W. T. Browning, a representative of a sturdy pioneer family of Johnson county, Missouri, is a citizen of Columbus township, who is honored and respected by all who know him. Mr. Browning is a native of Kentucky. He was born in 1848 in Adair county, a son of William

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D. and C. A. (Atkinson) Browning. William D. Browning was a son of John Browning, a native Virginian who in early colonial days moved from his plantation home in Virginia to Kentucky and in that state reared and educated his family of children. The name Browning sug- gests English origin and, though the lineage of W. T. Browning has not been traced to his first known ancestors, there is much probability that this particular family of Brownings is connected with the family in England that produced the famous poet, Robert Browning. William D. Browning, the father of W. T. Browning, the subject of this review, was born in Virginia. During the Civil War, his eldest son, J. J., had an opportunity to visit the birthplace of his father and he experienced no difficulty in finding the old Browning homestead, for the home was still standing though almost completely hidden from view by a dense growth of pines. At that time, the old corn rows on the plantation could yet be plainly discerned. William D. Browning had been excep- tionally well educated for one of his day. He was a student in college at Richmond, Virginia, prior to his marriage with Miss Atkinson. In 1852, he came with his wife and children to Missouri and first located in Jackson county. Two years later the Brownings moved to Johnson county and settled on a farm of two hundred acres of land, which Mr. Browning purchased from the Greer estate. He engaged in farming and in addition taught music in this and adjoining counties. To William D. and C. A. Browning were born four sons, who are now living: J. J., Kansas City, Missouri; D. B., Lela, Noble county, Oklahoma ; W. T., the subject of this review; and W. W., Plainview, Texas. Father and mother have long been deceased. Their genial social qualities won for Mr. and Mrs. Browning a large number of friends in the West and Mr. Browning's honorable business dealings established for him an enviable reputation in commercial circles. Measured by the stand- ard of dollars and cents his success in life was above the average of the early settlers, while in the essential qualities of upright manhood and the requisites of intelligent and progressive citizenship, William D. Browning held rank with the best and most enterprising men of John- son county.

Mr. Millspaugh was employed as teacher at Coleman school house in Johnson county, when the boy. W. T. Browning, entered upon his school career. Miss Maggie Geter was afterward one of Mr. Brown- ing's instructors, while he was attending the same school. Mr. Brown-

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ing relates many interesting and amitsing experiences of his boyhood days. As a youth, he was frequently sent to the Hall mill, which was located on Blackwater, and would be obliged to wait over night for his grist. The county was largely open prairie and there were no roads but trails led in all directions. Wild game could be found in abundance. He recalls the first circus that came to Columbus, with its calliope, elephant, and monkeys. The Browning lad attended the performance and saw for the first time an elephant. For him, the steam calliope possessed a peculiar fascination. In his own words, the effect the music had upon the impressionable child, is summed up, "It set me crazy!" The Brownings used to attend church in a wagon drawn by oxen. W. T. Browning raised three excellent crops with the sole assistance of old "Bill," ploughing single. With an ox-wagon, Mr Browning used to go to Lexington for supplies. It required three days to make the trip. At one time, he sold bacon in the Lexington market for two cents a pound. The night that the first train on the Missouri Pacific railroad was run in Johnson county, Mr. Browning was out hunt- ing with a band of hunters. These are only a few of the delightful reminiscences, with which the remarkable memory of W. T. Brown- ing is stored.

In early manhood. Mr. Browning began life for himself engaged in farming and stock raising. He saved five hundred dollars from his earnings in sawing timber, farming, and stock raising and then left Missouri and went to Texas. In that state, he remained several months and in 1871 returned to Johnson county, where he has made his home continuously since. Mr. Browning is now owner of two hundred fifty- eight acres of land, well watered and nicely improved. The Browning residence is a pleasant country home, a house of seven rooms. The past season, of 1917, Mr. Browning had forty acres of the farm in corn and he harvested twenty tons of hay.

In 1874, W. T. Browning and Ida V. Hook, of Lafayette county, Missouri, were united in marriage and to this union have been born four sons: E. G. and O. L., both of whom reside on ranches in Montana ; W. M., Glasgow, Montana: and T. A., Kansas City, Missouri. Several years after the death of his first wife, Ida V. (Hook) Browning, Mr. Browning was married to Anna E. Stanton, of Andrew county, Mis- souri, and to them have been born five children, three sons and two daughters: W. S., A. B., Mrs. Pattline Rider, W. R., and Mrs. Ruth E.

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History of Johnson County, Missouri, Part 85

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