History of Johnson County, Missouri, Part 92

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

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Laura Gilliland Boisseau, the mother of Oscar G. Boisseau, was born in Johnson county. She was the daughter of Abel Gilliland and Catherine (Stewart) Gilliland. Abel Gilliland was a native of east Ten- nessee. He was born near the junction of the French Broad and Hol- stein rivers. His parents were Isaac Gilliland and Rachel (Horn) Gilli- land. Isaac Gilliland died in Tennessee and his widow and her family

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came to Johnson county in 1829. She located at what is known as the village of Rose Hill, where she resided till her death about 1850. Abel Gilliland settled in Columbus township, where he continued to reside till his death, January 29, 1880. In 1840, he was married to Catherine Stewart, a native of Wilson county, Tennessee. She was the daughter of Abner Stewart, an early settler of Post Oak township.

All of Mr. Boisseau's immediate ancestors lived in Johnson county and came here at a very early day. His four grandparents, Benjamin W. and Sybil A. Boisseau, Abel and Catherine Gilliland, and five of his great-grandparents, Henry and Susan Duncan, Abner and Nancy Stewart, and Rachel Gilliland, lived and died in this county.

Oscar G. Boisseau spent his early life on his grandparents' farm in Columbus township, attended the country school, one term in the public schools of Holden, then in September, 1890, entered the State University at Columbia, where he remained two years, did not com- plete the academic course but did secure a diploma from the commer- cial department, taking the work in that department given at that period.

In 1892, he went to Aberdeen, South Dakota, where he remained for the next two years. Later, he was engaged in newspaper work in Nebraska, Minnesota, and Michigan.

He returned to Johnson county in 1899. He spent the next year on the old farm in Columbus township. August 10, 1900, he opened a real estate office at Holden, Missouri, and continued in that vocation till 1915, when he retired from the realty business and now conducts a loan agency.

In 1904, Mr. Boisseau was elected mayor of the city and was twice re-elected, retiring from that office in April, 1910. During his adminis- tration the franchise of the Holden Water Company expired. After considerable negotiation, the city purchased the plant for eighteen thousand dollars.

The system was somewhat run down and bonds were issued for thirty thousand dollars to pay for the plant and make a number of extensions and improvements. In 1915, he was chosen a member of the city council, where he served till 1918, when he was again called upon to serve the city as mayor. He is now occupying that place.

Mr. Boisseau is a life-long Republican. He has served on the various campaign committees of his party. He was elected a member of the County Central Committee in 1900, serving till 1908, again chosen in

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1912, and is still a member of that body. In 1914, he was its chair- man. He was selected a member of the Congressional Committee in 1904, serving till 1908; secretary of the Congressional Committee from 1908 to 1912; and chairman of same from 1914 to the present time. Made a member of the State Committee in 1910, retiring in 1914. From 1915 to 1917. he was secretary of the Association of Young Republicans of Missouri and president of that organization in 1917-18.

Mr. Boisseau devotes part of his spare time to the study of history. The study of Missouri and Johnson county presents an attractive and interesting field to him. He is a member of the State Centennial Com- mittee, which has charge of the one hundredth anniversary of the admis- sion of the state. He is a member of the State Historical Society, the Missouri Historical Society, Missouri Valley Historical Society, and the following state societies: Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Oregon, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana. Tennessee, North Carolina, Illinois, Michigan and Vermont.

May 18, 1908, Mr. Boisseau was united in marriage with Miss Jen- nette M. Smith, daughter of William C. and Elizabeth Wilson Smith. William C. Smith was one of the first attorneys to locate in Holden. He served the city as mayor for seven years.

Mr. and Mrs. Boisseau have resided since their marriage at the corner of First and Market streets, Holden.

William G. Hartnell, farmer, sorghum manufacturer, and poultry fancier of Post Oak, was born in Cornwall, England, on October 11, 1863. He accompanied his parents to Canada in 1867 and when he was fifteen years of age he moved with his parents to Michigan and resided in that state for twenty-six years. In 1904, he removed to British Columbia, Canada, and there engaged in the lumbering busi- ness with his two brothers. He remained in British Columbia until 1909, at which time he came to Johnson county, Missouri, and pur- chased one hundred sixty acres of land in Post Oak township, upon which he has added several improvements. One year after buying this farm, he erected what was the first dome roof in this section of the country, his own idea, for which he obtained patents in Canada as well as in the United States. This barn was fifty-two feet in diameter and had a total height of fifty feet. It contained a silo that had a capacity of one hundred twenty tons of silage. The mow in the barn

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would contain seventy tons of loose hay and the barn itself, sheltered and comfortably housed forty head of cattle. The roof of the barn was entirely round, or circular, and could be seen for many miles. It was one of the best-built barns in the state of Missouri. This valuable building was destroyed by fire on December 10, 1911, after which Mr. Hartnell held a sale and disposed of his dairy cattle, thus practically quitting the dairy business, although he has had several pure-bred Jer- sey cows on his farm, as well as a male that was from high-class prize- winning stock.

In the year 1913, this enterprising citizen began experimenting in the manufacture of cane sorghum, and it is in this industry that his inventive genius has held full sway and partial success, at least, has crowned his efforts. During 1913, he harvested thirteen acres of cane from which he made his first output of sorghum. In 1915, he manu- factured twenty-four hundred gallons of splendid sorghum. The first year, he had but a small grinder and the entire plant was operated by a hired threshing machine. He had had no former experience in the business. At present, his plant is made up, as follows: A twenty-five horsepower boiler; the largest cane crusher in this section; and a steam engine to operate it that could easily maintain a grinding capacity of three hundred gallons daily.

Mr. Hartnell uses the steam system, having steam pipes in the various vats and so arranged that the scum can easily be removed with the minimum amount of labor. From the crusher, the juice is pumped up into the second floor of the plant, where it enters the settling tanks, where much of the refuse is removed. From here, it enters the simmer- ing pans and these pans, or vats, heat the juice to almost a boil, and much of the scum is removed in these pans. From the simmering pans, the juice next enters the main boiling pans, which are kept con- stantly boiling to full capacity, and it is in these pans that the remaining refuse and foreign matter is removed, and the juice prepared for the evaporator. The evaporator, as well as the pans, is controlled by valves and can be heated to just the desired point by simply turning a valve. From the evaporator, the finished product enters the cooler and flows to the desired tank or directly into barrels, as may be desired.

This plan was evolved by Mr. Hartnell and all boiling and caring for the finished article is arranged for in his concrete plant. which is fireproof, having concrete floors and windows sufficient to admit an

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abundance of light. While his plant was built in 1917, he is already laying plans for a new and much larger plant, one that will have a capacity sufficiently large to accommodate his neighbors who have grind- ing to be done, as well as a large acreage for himself.

Mr. Hartnell and his sons did the cement work in their cement factory, as well as the pipe fitting, boiler fitting, and, in fact, very little outside help was required in the building of the factory and what help that was hired was common labor in doing the cement work in the second story of the plant. His new factory will be built in Post Oak, midway between his two farms and more conveniently located for custom work, for shipping, as well as for receiving coal to operate his modern factory. Mr. Hartnell has lately purchased a farm in Henry county, of one hundred sixty acres, one-half mile south of his new factory.

William Hartnell & Sons' famous sorghum of quality has in the past season of 1917 been shipped to over a third of the states in the Union, one customer having placed five orders in less than five months, and this from far-away Oregon. Mr. Hartnell is also engaged in the poultry business extensively and raises White Leghorns, having more than seventeen hundred, at this writing. A modern brooder house has been erected in which all chicks are cared for until of sufficient age "to rustle" for themselves. Some two hundred laying hens are usually kept that are high quality birds, the kind that lay eggs that the best mar- ket demands.

Mr. Hartnell was married to Polly Baxter on July 21. 1887, and to this union have been born children as follow: Willard L., at home : Elmer L .. of Flint, Michigan; Euda Campbell. of Fellows, California; Kate Harclerode, of Fellows, California: Grant, of Fellows, California; Jesse J., Pearl. John, and Orin, all at home. The mother of these children was born in Ohio in 1865 and departed this life on June 2. 1916. She was a good and worthy woman whose loss has been sadly felt by those who knew her.

Since he was nine years of age, Mr. Hartnell has been a mem- ber of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and has been a minister of this denomination since 1901. He is a promi- nent and active member of the Post Oak church.

J. J. Davis, a well-known and successful farmer and stockman of Post Oak township, is a member of one of the first pioneer families of Johnson county. He was born in Johnson county in 1867, son of Rob-

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ert I. and Mary A. (Helterbrand) Davis. Robert I. Davis was a son of a prosperous farmer of Tennessee. Long before the Civil War, Mr. and Mrs. Robert I. Davis came to Johnson county, Missouri and settled on the farm in Post Oak township, now owned by their son, J. J., the subject of this review. The old Davis home was a rude, log cabin, one of the primitive homes of pioneer settlers. In this log cabin, J. J. Davis was born. He recalls the large open fireplace, where all the cooking was done and beside which the family gathered in winter time, spending their evenings telling stories while the mother would spin, knit, or fashion clothing for the children. Mr. Davis' house is on the site of the old homestead.

Mr. Davis recalls hearing his aunt relate how, when she was a girl, she used to go to church carrying her shoes in her hands and when near the church sit down and put them on. When all the clothing was made by the mother and the father in the home, it was appreciated highly by the owners, who, knowing how difficult it was to obtain, tried their best to save it as long as possible.

During the Civil War, Robert I. Davis was obliged to go to St. Louis, Missouri, and there remain throughout the war. Mrs. Davis was left in charge of the farm and bravely and nobly she fought against adver- sity in the effort to keep their little home and the children well cared for, until the day when the father should return. Few pioneer women endured more hardships and privations, but Mrs. Davis was a wonder- fully cheerful, little woman of great determination and never for a moment shirked responsibilities, which would have staggered a strong man. She and a neighbor, Nan Morris, would take the wagon and go for supplies to Sedalia, Missouri.

After the war had ended, the father returned to the farm and again assumed charge of affairs. He became very prosperous and in his day was a prominent and influential citizen of Johnson county. His death occurred in 1875. Of the six children born to Robert I. and Mary A. Davis, only two are now living: J. J., the subject of this review; and Mrs. Emma Stout, of Warrensburg, Missouri.

J. J. Davis attended the public schools of Johnson county. "Dave" Mohler and John Wennick were two of his early school teachers. Mr. Davis often heard two of the first pioneer preachers, "Uncle Billy" Cald- well and Reverend A. M. Cockrell. People enjoyed going to church in

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those days and young and old always attended, many riding on horse- back for miles across the open prairie.

J. J. Davis recalls going after the cattle for his mother. In those days, stock had unlimited range and they would often wander far across the open prairie. The Davis lad had a dog, "Cap," which was inval- uable in aiding in bringing the cattle home. "Cap" never failed to find the stock. He would listen for the bell of the leader and when Mrs. Davis told him to go for the cows, "Cap" would be off and always bring them back.

In 1892, J. J. Davis and Gertrude Downing were united in mar- riage. Gertrude (Downing) Davis is a daughter of John and Eliza Downing, of Lafayette county, Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Davis have been born three children: Ernest, Chilhowee, Missouri; Edgar, at home; and Marian, at home. Mr. and Mrs. Davis resided on the home farm of the former after their marriage and it is still their home. Mr. Davis is the owner of one hundred eighty-nine acres of good farm land, forty acres of which are rich bottom land, never failing to produce a large crop. He has gathered as many as eighty bushels of corn to an acre. He has fifty acres of corn in 1917, which made fifty bushels to the acre. More than one hundred acres of the Davis farm are in grass land. Mr. Davis devotes most of his time to stock raising, producing on this place high grade hogs, crossed between a Poland China male and Duroc Jersey sows, and fine beef cattle of the Aberdeen Angus breed. He has planted bluegrass on that portion of his farm, which has been culti- vated for eighty years, and it is his opinion that many farmers in Mis- souri would prosper more if they would sow all ridge land in grass and devote it to stock raising.

Mrs. Davis is an expert with poultry and at the time of this writing in 1917 has a large flock of fine Brown Leghorns. She prefers this breed because of their splendid laying quality and she has found them, by actual experience, to yield large profits.

Mr. Davis is a man of unusually high character. Both he and Mrs. Davis have been for twenty-four years members of the Providence Bap- tist church and they are numbered among Johnson county's best and most highly valued citizens.

Lee Barnett, one of Johnson county's fine, young citizens and most energetic agriculturists, was born in 1872 in Washington township, Lafay- ette county, son of James Monroe and Esculania (Evans) Barnett.

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James Monroe Barnett was born in December, 1843 in Lafayette county, Missouri. the oldest of fourteen children born to Absalom Davis Bar- nett, who came to Missouri from Kentucky about 1839 or 1840. At the time of the excited rush to the gold field in California in 1849, Absalom D. Barnett made an overland trip to that state, going across the plains and mountains and returning by way of the Isthmus of Panama across which he walked, and New Orleans. He had a gold nugget of unusual size, which he displayed to a group of men in New Orleans and some person in the crowd kept it. From New Orleans he went to St. Louis, thence to Lexington, and then back to the farm in Lafayette county, no richer materially then when he had left. His death occurred in 1880 and interment was made in the cemetery at Mount Hope. James M. Barnett spent his entire life, practically, in Lafayette county. He enlisted in the Civil War and served throughout the conflict with "Fight- ing Joe" Shelby and General Price. He was only seventeen years of age at the time of his enlistment. After the war closed, he returned to the farm and the remainder of his life was spent in the pursuits of farm- ing and stock raising. In the early seventies, he farmed in Vernon and Cass counties for several years. Esculania (Evans) Barnett was born in 1856 in Lafayette county, a daughter of Levi and Narcissus (Christian) Evans, who came to Missouri from Kentucky, where they had resided near Bowling Green. To James Monroe and Esculania Barnett were born five sons, all of whom are now living: Lee, the sub- ject of this review; Robert P., who recently disposed of his interests in the home place in Lafayette county, selling to his brother, Samuel J., and the former now owns a farm near Chilhowee: William Fran- cis, who resides on a farm near Mt. Tabor church; Samuel J., the pres- ent proprietor of the Barnett homestead in Lafayette county; and Dr. James J., a prominent dentist of Joplin, Missouri. The father died at the homestead in November, 1881. Burial was made at Mt. Tabor ceme- tery. The mother died in 1908.

Lee Barnett received a good common-school education in the pub- lic schools of Lafayette county, after which he attended the Warrens- burg State Normal School for one year. Until he was twenty-six years of age, he remained on the home farm, engaged in the work of gen- eral farming and stock raising. In 1898, he purchased his present home, a farm of one hundred sixty acres of land located fifteen miles northwest of Warrensburg and eleven miles from Mayview, a place

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entered from the government by Daniel Atkinson, who at one time owned several thousand acres of land in this section of Missouri. Mr. Barnett has his farm now nicely improved, having but recently built a splendidly equipped barn and improved the residence, a home of un- usually neat appearance, and installed a windmill, which pumps water from a well two hundred fifty feet in depth. The Barnett farm is exceedingly well watered, having four wells and an excellent cistern. Mr. Barnett is justly proud of the woven wire fencing enclosing his place, having used more than six hundred forty rods of four-foot wire. Twenty-five acres of the farm are in wheat, twenty-five acres in oats, forty acres in corn, and the balance in pasture. Mr. Barnett usually keeps from twenty to twenty-five head of horses, several mules, from twelve to fifteen head of cattle, and from sixty to one hundred head of hogs. He has a registered Shorthorn male at the head of the lierd of cattle.

In 1905, Lee Barnett and Gertrude West were united in marriage. Mrs. Barnett is a daughter of Henry C. and Julia A. (Poole) West, of Lafayette county, one of Missouri's most highly respected. promi- nent, and worthy families. The father of Henry C. West was one of the honored pioneers of that county and Ephraim Poole, father of Mrs. Henry C. West, was also one of Lafayette county's brave, early set- tlers. Charles Poole, a son of Ephraim Poole, was a Confederate vete- ran. Henry C. West was a dauntless Confederate soldier, serving under General Price throughout the war. To Mr. and Mrs. West were born ten children, five girls and five boys, six of whom are now living, all energetic, substantial, excellent citizens of their respective communi- ties, men and women of highest standing socially and financially: James E., who is the proprietor of a valuable farm near Odessa in Lafayette county, Missouri; Thomas E., who now owns and resides on the West home place near Odessa in Lafayette county, Missouri; Herbert C., a successful and influential farmer in Cass county, Missouri; Mrs. David P. Hurr, of Rock Island, Texas, the owner of a large ranch in Texas; and Mrs. Robert M. Anderson, who owns and resides on a farm near Mayview, Missouri; and Mrs. Lee Barnett, the wife of the subject of this review. Henry C. West departed this life on June 6, 1907. Mrs. West had preceded her husband in death several years. She. died December 28, 1902. Both mother and father were laid to rest in Elm

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Grove cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Henry C. West were beloved citizens of Lafayette county and they have been keenly missed by the imme- diate family circle and by a host of friends . Mr .and Mrs. Barnett are splendid and very popular young people who are enthusiastically work- ing hard to improve their nice country place. No citizens in Johnson county are more deserving of success and are more highly esteemed than Mr. and Mrs. Lee Barnett.

E. K. Steele, capitalist, former president of the Farmers & Com- mercial Bank of Holden, Missouri, was born in Holden, May 24, 1874, a son of the late William Steele, merchant and banker. William Steele was born in Scotland, February 10, 1846. When nine years of age he accompanied his parents to Canada in 1855. He was reared to young manhood in the Dominion and in 1870 he immigrated to Missouri, locating in Holden, where he purchased a grocery store which he con- ducted for eight years. In 1878, he disposed of his store and entered the grain business, which he followed for two years. In 1881, he organ- ized the Farmers & Commercial Bank of Holden and continued in the banking business until his retirement from active life. Mr. Steele was a very successful citizen who made a success of his various ventures and took an active and influential interest in the affairs of his home city, serving for a number of years as a member of the Holden School Board. His death occurred in December, 1915.

William Steele was married in 1873 to Miss Mary F. Kennedy, of Canada, and to this union were born three children: E. K. Steele, subject of this review; Mary M .; and James H.

E. K. Steele was reared and educated in Holden, receiving his edu- cation in the public schools of his native town. He began his career as clerk and general utility man of his father's bank in 1890. From this position he was promoted to the post of assistant cashier and became cashier of the bank in 1905. In 1916 he succeeded his father as presi- dent of the Farmers & Commercial Bank but resigned his position in June of 1916. Since this time, he has been looking after his extensive property interests in Holden and Kansas City. He is financially inter- ested in the Mutual (Bell) Telephone Company and has banking inter- ests which are considerable. He is connected with the Farmers & Com- mercial Bank as a director.

Mr. Steele is a Democrat in politics and has served as a member of the Holden School Board. He is fraternally affiliated with the Benev-

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olent and Protective Order of Elks of Warrensburg. He has also served as city councilman and has always taken a keen and influential interest in promoting the affairs of his home city.

Mrs. Mary J. (Mints) Bunn, one of Warrensburg's most highly respected and esteemed women, was born in Pensacola, Florida, a daughter of Robert Washington and Sarah Elizabeth ( Miller) Mints. Mrs. Bunn has long been a resident of Warrensburg, to which city she came with her husband, W. H. Bunn, in 1874. Since his death, in 1912, she has made her home with her son, Thomas Jefferson Bunn, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume. Mary J. (Mints) Bunn was reared, educated, and married in Pensacola, Florida.

In 1868, W. H. Bunn and Mary J. Mints were united in marriage. W. H. Bunn was born in Ohio in 1835 at Xenia. He enlisted in the Civil War at Paris, Texas, in 1861, serving in the Tenth Texas Cavalry throughout the war. He took an active and prominent part in the battle of Little Blue, serving under General Price, and during this con- flict two horses were shot from under him and he, himself, was shot in both legs. Prior to that, Mr. Bunn was dangerously wounded at the battle of Manassas Junction on July 21, 1861, and left on the battlefield in the belief that he was dead. At Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1865, W. H. Bunn was paroled from service and in 1868 he was mar- ried, as stated in a preceding sentence.

In 1874, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Bunn came to Warrensburg. Prior to that time, Mr. Bunn had been engaged in the queensware business at Pensacola, Florida. He had thus been engaged previous to the war, his place of business being located in Paris, Texas. After coming to Warrensburg, he entered the real estate business, his office being over the Peoples National Bank for more than thirty years. W. H. Bunn was very prominent in civic affairs and one of Warrensburg's leading and most widely-known citizens. For a number of years, he was a member of the city council and was city police judge. Under both administrations of President Cleveland, he was appointed United States revenue collector, his office being in Kansas City, Missouri. After his term in this office had expired, Mr. Bunn again assumed the duties of police judge. About two years prior to his death, on August 7, 1912, he retired from active business. He was a highly valued mem- ber of the Knights of Pythias and the Ancient Order of United Work- men. Interment was made in the cemetery at Warrensburg.

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History of Johnson County, Missouri, Part 92

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