History of Lewis, Clark, Knox, and Scotland counties, Missouri. From the earliest time to the present, together with sundry personal, business and professional sketches and mumerous family records, Part 102

Author: Goodspeed, firm, publishers, Chicago (1886-1891, Goodspeed Publishing Co.)
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: St. Louis, Chicago, The Goodspeed publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1308

USA > Missouri > Scotland County > History of Lewis, Clark, Knox, and Scotland counties, Missouri. From the earliest time to the present, together with sundry personal, business and professional sketches and mumerous family records > Part 102
USA > Missouri > Lewis County > History of Lewis, Clark, Knox, and Scotland counties, Missouri. From the earliest time to the present, together with sundry personal, business and professional sketches and mumerous family records > Part 102
USA > Missouri > Clark County > History of Lewis, Clark, Knox, and Scotland counties, Missouri. From the earliest time to the present, together with sundry personal, business and professional sketches and mumerous family records > Part 102
USA > Missouri > Knox County > History of Lewis, Clark, Knox, and Scotland counties, Missouri. From the earliest time to the present, together with sundry personal, business and professional sketches and mumerous family records > Part 102

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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KNOX COUNTY.

one of the mostinfluential men of the county. He is extensively engaged in farming, and in 1887 raised the largest crop of wheat in the county, which he has done several times before. He is also extensively engaged in stock raising and dealing, and owns some of the finest horses in the United States. In the spring of 1850 he went to California, where he remained three years work- ing at his trade, but then returned to Knox County where he has since resided, and is now one of the most esteemed and honored citizens, having a large circle of warm friends, by whom he is greatly admired and respected. He is an active and public- spirited citizen, and a liberal subscriber to all public enterprises of a worthy character. Until the late war he was a Whig in politics, but since then has been a Democrat.

Cornelius M. Coe, a prominent citizen of Knox County, was . born in Loudoun County, Va., in 1822, and is a son of David J. and Elizabeth C. (Skinner) Coe, the former a native of Virginia, who died in 1823, and the latter a native of the same State, Prince William County, dying in Knox County, Mo., January 10, 1847. At the age of twenty-three our subject left the home of his parents, having married May 1, 1845, Elizabeth W. Collins, daughter of George C. and Anna (Shelton) Collins, natives of Ohio and Kentucky, respectively. Mrs. Coe was born April 16, 1827, in Kentucky, and lived with her parents until her marriage, which was blessed with eleven children, seven only living: David J., Mary A. (wife of Robert Johnson ), Cornelius M., Medley S., Maxcy B. (wife of John Ray, ) Annie, H. (wife of George Cailiff) and Nancy E. (wife of Sherman Oliver). After his marriage Mr. Coe settled upon some land he had pre- viously entered, upon which he lived until the spring of 1850, when he moved to the place where he now resides, which he had entered in 1849. He was the first settler upon the prairie dis- trict in which he lives, and himself and wife were the second couple married in Knox County. In politics he has always been a Democrat but was strongly opposed to secession. He has held the office of justice of the peace for sixteen years, and gained a reputation for honesty and benevolence. Both Mr. and Mrs. Coe are worthy and active members of the Christian Church, and are greatly interested in all laudable public enter- prises.

Jacob Coffman, an enterprising farmer of Knox County, was born in Randolph County, in what is now West Virginia, Decem- ber 20, 1832, and is a son of Michael and Elizabeth (Hertzog) Coffman, and a descendant of a German family. His father was born in Frederick County, Va., in 1801, and died in Harrison County, W. Va., in 1864. He went to Randolph

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County with his parents when three years old, where he married and lived until our subject was seven or eight years of age, and then went to Harrison County. While young he learned the blacksmith's trade, which he followed in connection with farm- ing all his life. He died suddenly of heart disease. Our sub- ject's mother was also of German descent, but born in Randolph County, Va., in 1804, and died in Taylor County, W. Va., in September, 1885. She and her husband were members of the Missionary Baptist Church for many years, of which church Mr. Coffman was a deacon. Our subject is the fourth of eight children, of whom five are living. His early educa- tional advantages were limited, but being of an observant nature, and by judicious reading, he has become a well-informed man. While young he worked upon his father's farm and in his shop, and became a good mechanic, but started farming on his own account while very young. In 1866 he sold his property in Harrison County, W. Va., and came to Knox County, Mo., where he has since resided. In 1852 he married Sarah A. Harr, a native of Taylor County, W. Va., and born in 1834, and to this marriage eleven children have been born-four sons and seven daughters, four of the latter now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Coff- man are worthy members of the Missionary Baptist Church, and in politics Mr. Coffman is a Democrat, but he has never sought nor held office. Mr. Coffman is a self-made man, and by industry, good management, and the help of his faithful wife, is now com- fortably fixed with this world's goods.

W. F. Cook, ex-county judge, and a well-to-do farmer of Knox County, is a native of the same, and was born January 27, 1843, and is the fifth of a family of twelve children born to Richard V. and Margaret A. ( Waugh ) Cook, natives of Maryland and Virginia, respectively, who were reared in their native States, and married in Washington City. Soon after they immigrated to Missouri, and settled within the limits of what is now Lewis County. At the expiration of three years they removed to the present site of Edina, where the father cleared a small tract of land, and raised corn upon the spot where the courthouse now stands. After the town began to be built he moved one mile and a half west, pur- chasing a tract of 160 acres, where he lived until the spring of 1849, when he moved to Adair County. There he lived upon a farm for five years, but in the fall of 1854 returned to Knox County, and purchased and located upon a farm five miles north- west of Edina, where he spent most of his time until his death May 5, 1884; the mother died July 15, 1881. The father was an active and industrious man, and although he had lost consider- able property by becoming security for his friends, at the time of

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his death owned a farm of 320 acres. He was a remarkably honest man, and was never engaged in a law suit. Being an early settler of this vicinity, he naturally was identified with the early history of Knox County, and assisted in building the first log schoolhouse, and the first log church of the county; his death was mourned by a large circle of friends and neighbors. Our subject was principally educated in Knox County, attend- ing school at Edina, and at the age of nineteen was well fitted for the profession of teaching. He remained with his parents until he was twenty-three years of age, and then taught in Knox and Adair Counties until thirty-three years old .. In the spring of 1862 he enlisted in Company E, Twenty- first Missouri Infantry, at Edina, and immediately proceeded to St. Louis, where the troops were quartered at Benton Barracks. After a week's time the regiment was ordered to Cairo, Ill., but after a short time proceeded to Clinton, Ky., and from there to Memphis, Tenn., where they were stationed about three months, during which time they were on garrison duty. They then went to Vicksburg, Miss. After a day or two they started on a raid to Meridian, but before reaching that place were engaged in several skirmishes; they then returned to Vicks- burg and there joined Bank's army. They then went to Nash- ville and participated in the battle at that place; at its close they pursued Hood for about fourteen days, and finally arrived at Eastport, from where they returned to Cairo, where our subject received an honorable discharge in the spring of 1865. The winter of 1862-63 was principally spent at Clinton, where they also did garrison duty. After our subject was discharged, he returned home, and resumed the occupation of teaching. When thirty- three years old he married, and settled upon a farm seven miles north of Edina, where he remained a year, and also taught school one term. He then moved to an adjoining farm which he had purchased, where he remained until the spring of 1883, previously teaching his last term of school. He then purchased a farm in Section 23, Township 62 north, Range 12 west, upon which he moved, and has since engaged in farming. Mary A., daughter of Jonathan and Frances ( Wood) Hinchcliffe, was born in South Kingston, R. I., in 1851, and came to Missouri with her parents, when a child, where she was united in marriage, in Edina, to our subject, March 4, 1873. Five children have blessed this union: Bessie, John, Richard and Maggie (twins), and Charles. Mr. Cook now owns a farm of 100 acres of land, well improved, and under a high state of cultivation. He has been an able instructor and good disciplinarian, and now that he is engaged in agricultu- ral pursuits is meeting with moderate success, and is considered

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BIOGRAPHICAL APPENDIX.

an excellent citizen. As an acknowledgement of the respect with which he is regarded by the community, in 1881 he was ap- pointed county judge, to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Judge Robert Smith, and in 1882 was elected to fill the same position, which he did satisfactorily, until the close of a second term. He is a stanch Democrat, but is not an aspirant for political office. He and his family are united with the Roman Catholic Church.

Richard Cornelius, a substantial farmer of Knox County, was born November 10, 1821, in Clark County, Ky., and is the eldest of four children of Isaiah and Elizabeth (Haynie) Cornelius, natives of England and Kentucky, respectively, and married in Clark County, Ky., where the father located when a young man, having spent his younger days in Pennsylvania, where he came with his parents. When our subject was five years old they moved to Henry County, Ky., where the mother died in 1827. The father was again married, and lived in Henry County until 1857, when he settled on a farm in Monroe County, Mo., where he died in 1866. By his second marriage he had six children, five of whom are living. He was a shoemaker by trade, but spent most of his life teaching, preaching and farming. He was a well educated man in spite of no school advantages, attaining his culture by his own efforts. He was once a minister of the Baptist Church, but afterward joined the Christian Church, and preached the doctrines of that society until his death. Our sub- ject received his education at the common schools of Henry County, Ky., and at the age of nineteen started on an exploring tour through Illinois and Missouri. At the end of six months he returned to Henry County, where he engaged in carpentering. He then attended school about three months, and afterward taught eighteen months. In February, 1845, he came to Marion County, Mo., and there "farmed on shares " two years. After a year's sickness he began bridge building, and eighteen months later taught school again for six months in Marion County. He then engaged in mining in California until May, 1854, when he returned to Henry County, Ky., remaining until August 10, 1854, when he returned to Marion County, Mo., and shortly afterward came to Knox County, where he bought the farm now owned by Lewis Rout, situated in Fabius Town- ship. May 31, 1855, he married Mary Catherine, daughter of Luke and Elizabeth (Parker) Adams, and a native of Marion County, Mo., born May 20, 1834. Three children blessed this un- ion : Charles, Betsey and James L. Mr. Cornelius now owns a fine farm of 360 acres, which was in a crude condition when he pur- chased the land, but which is now highly improved and culti-

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vated, and is the result of the good management and industry of himself and wife. He is a Republican, and cast his first presi- dential vote for Gen. Taylor in 1848. Before the war he was a Whig, and although in sympathy with Republican principles, believes in voting for the man and not the party. Himself, wife and children are worthy and active members of the Chris- tian Church. He is a representative farmer and stock raiser of Knox County, and an eminent citizen.

Charles Cornelius, the present vice-president of Oak Lawn College, was born in Knox County, Mo., June 5, 1858, and is a son of Richard and Mary C. (Adams) Cornelius, the former a native of Henry County, Ky., born in 1823, and the latter a na- tive of Marion County, Mo., and born in 1833. Our subject lived upon the farm with his parents until twenty years of age, attending school through the winter months, and occupied upon the farm in the summer. At the age of twenty, with the pro- ceeds of a crop he had raised, he attended Oak Lawn College, at Novelty, Mo., during 1878-79, and then returned to the farm, and thereon employed his time in the summer, teaching in the winter. In the fall of 1884 he attended the Missouri State Normal School, and graduated from there in 1847, with high honors. Immediately after graduation, he secured a position as

principal of public schools at Glenwood. After the close of his school he returned to college, and graduated, after taking the complete course, ranking fourth in a class of twenty-five, after which he became vice-president of Oak Lawn College, which position he is filling very efficiently. August 17, 1887, he was united in marriage to Belle Evans, a teacher, and a graduate of the collegiate course at Oak Lawn College. This lady is a daugh- ter of George and Charlotte Evans, and she and her husband are among the most cultivated and intelligent people of the county.

J. B. Cort was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., but was principally reared in Adams County, Ill. He was united in marriage to Miss Susan Ogg, a daughter of Joseph Ogg, of Westmoreland County, Penn., and in 1872 immigrated to Marion County, Mo., where he engaged in farming and stock raising. A few years past he bought an equal interest with his nephew, L. D. Cort, in Forest Spring. In 1862 J. B. Cort lost his wife, by whom he has two children: Orlando (married) and Charles O. He now lives with his son in Marion County, Mo., where he owns a fine farm in connection with his sons. L. D. Cort was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., and is of German descent. He spent most of his youth in Adams County, Ill., where he received his education. In 1875 he went to Palmyra, Marion Co., Mo., where he engaged in the hardware and grocery business

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BIOGRAPHICAL APPENDIX.

for several years. While in Marion County he married Miss Smith, a member of a prominent family in that county, and by her has had one child-Albert Cort. L. D. Cort served one year in the late war. He is a Democrat. He owns an equal in- terest in Forest Spring, which property is valued at $5,000. The water of Forest Spring has effected some remarkable cures, such as scrofula, dyspepsia, and all chronic cases. The water was analyzed by Prof. J. F. Martin, president of Society Physi- cians and Surgeons, Joplin, Mo., as follows: Sodium chloride, .07; sodium sulphate, .08; sodium bicarbonate, .16; potassium sul- phate, .14; calcium bicarbonate, 4.12; magnesium bicarbonate, .27; Iron, .06; alumina, .02; silica, .31; magnesium -.

Hon. Louis Francis Cottey, of Edina, a prominent lawyer and Democratic politician of Knox County, is a son of Ira D. and Sarah (Eads) Cottey, and was born in Knox County, March 31, 1846. His father was a native of Kentucky, and belonged to one of the pioneer families of that State; his mother was a native of Virginia, and the daughter of a Methodist minister. Our subject worked upon his father's farm until he was nineteen years of age, and having but few educational advantages up to this time, and being of an ambitious and studious disposition, his one desire was to attend school. His parents were in moderate circumstances, and, unable to render him much assistance in ob- taining a schooling, Louis determined to obtain his educa- tion without the aid of his family, and by his own efforts and the practice of rigid economy he succeeded in obtaining an education and profession. He finished his education at Central College, Fayette, Howard Co., Mo., from which institution he graduated in 1868. He then taught school for two terms, read law un- der Gen. Doniphan, at Richmond, Ray Co., Mo., was there admitted to the bar at the June term of the circuit court, in 1871, and settled in Edina.

In 1872 he was elected county superin- tendent of schools, and held the office for two years, practicing his profession more or less at the same time. In 1875 Mr. Cottey was elected to the constitutional convention, as one of the mem- bers from the Twelfth Senatorial District; being at the time not twenty-nine, he was the youngest member of that body. Young as he was, he did so much valuable work in that convention that at its close he moved the preparation of the address to the people of the State, which address no doubt did more than any- thing else to familiarize the public with the character of the con- stitution. He modestly waived the right to be the chairman of the committee appointed to prepare that address. In 1876 our subject was sent by his Democratic constituents to the Lower House of the General Assembly, and officiated as chairman of

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KNOX COUNTY.

the Committee on Claims, and was also a member of several other committees. In 1878 he was elected to the Upper House, and in the first session of the Senate was made chairman of the same committee that he presided over in the Lower House, and was the author of the so-called "Cottey bill," which had for its ob- ject the putting of the bonded litigation of the State in the hands of the State courts, an act which attracted general public attention throughout the State. In the second session of the Senate he became chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means. He was a faithful and zealous worker in the three Gen- eral Assemblies of which he was a member, and made a note- worthy and highly commendable record. Mr. Cottey was a dele- gate to the Democratic State Conventions that nominated Govs. Phelps and Crittenden, and is now, as then, a stirring and ener- getic canvasser in the interests of his party. As a lawyer Mr. Cottey has stood well from the start, possessing a love of justice, and being well versed in the law. He is far above the average attorney as an advocate, is as true as steel to his clients, and is making a marked success in his profession.

William M. Cottey, a resident of Knox County, was born here in 1844, and is a son of Ira D. Cottey. [See preceding sketch. ] William M. was reared upon his father's farm, in Fa- bius Township, now Bee Ridge, and received such education as the then new country offered. During the late war he served a few months in the militia. At the age of twenty-four he was united in marriage to Mary A. Inman, a native of England, and daugh- ter of James and Harriet Inman, also of England, but now resi- dents of Adams County, Ill. Mr. Inman is a wagon-maker by trade, but makes farming his principal occupation. Shortly after marriage our subject's fortune consisted of only 30 swine, 3 cows, 2 horses, a wagon, etc., amounting in all to sum of not over $800. He settled upon Jeddo Township, Knox County, as the place for his home, and by hard labor and good management, and the assistance of his faithful wife, he is now in possession of 260 acres of good land, well stocked, a beautiful residence, good outbuildings, a fine orchard, etc. The 25th of March, 1887, was the nineteenth anniversary of Mr. Cottey's marriage, and to his union five children have been born, viz .: Rosa M. (seventeen), Ernest W. (fourteen), L. Gertrude (ten), Bertha M. and Wilmer L. (twins, one year old). In politics Mr. Cottey is a Democrat, and is regarded as a prominent citizen and farmer of Jeddo Township. Mr. Cottey realized early in life that this world was not his permanent abiding place, and when in his thirteenth year made a profession of religion, and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Since which time he has tried to exemplify his

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profession by his life, and has filled the offices of steward, class leader and Sunday-school superintendent, having been superin- tendent of the Salem Sunday-school since its organization in 1873.

Ira D. Cottey, of Hurdland, Mo., was born in Knox County, Mo., March 21, 1856, and is a son of Ira D. Cottey. [See sketch of Hon. L. F. Cottey. ] Our subject grew to manhood in his native State, and received his education at the State Normal School, at Kirksville, Mo. He lived upon the farm until the spring of 1882, when he engaged in the lumber business at Knox City, which he successfully conducted until July, of the following year, when he removed to Hurdland, and embarked in a similar business, also opening a hardware store, and has since managed both very successfully. He has the only exclusive hardware bus- iness in the town, and controls the entire lumber trade in this region. Mr. Cottey has always been a stanch Democrat in poli- tics, and has taken an active interest in local political affairs, but has never aspired to office. On August 11, 1885, he was ap- pointed postmaster of Hurdland, a position he fills in a faithful and efficient manner. He is a member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church South, and is recognized as one of Knox County's enterprising and successful business men.

Dr. Millard F. Crawford, the senior member of the firm of Drs. Crawford & Brown, was born in Warsaw, Hancock Co., Ill., Novem- ber 21, 1855, and is a son of Harrison P. and Margaret Crawford, natives of Kentucky. Millard F. accompanied his parents to Mis- souri in 1857, where he was reared to manhood in Knox and Scot- land Counties. He lived six years in Kirksville, where he was ed- ucated at the State Normal School. In 1876 he began the study of medicine, reading with Drs. Barnett & Crawford, the latter being his brother. He attended the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Keokuk, Iowa, and graduated from that institution in 1878. He commenced to practice at Hurdland the same year, and has remained there ever since, having met with good and well-deserved success. September 1, 1881, he married Melissa C. Payne, a native of Knox County, by whom he has had two children: Claude C. and Lillie May. The Doctor is a Republican, and is recognized as a practitioner of extraordinary ability.

Madison B. Critchlow, sheriff of Knox County, Mo., was born in Henry County, Ky., May 13, 1854, and is a son of Thomas and Martha (Nevill) Critchlow, both natives of Kentucky. The father immigrated to Tippecanoe County, Ind., in 1855, and ten years later came to Missouri, where he now resides, in Sedalia. The mother is not living. There are six living children: Hattie, wife of Daniel Swalley, of Wichita, Kas .; Madison B .; Lucy J.,

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KNOX COUNTY.

wife of Isaac Ohlwiler, of Ouray, Colo .; Llewelyn, of Lincoln, Neb .; Charles, of Ouray, Colo., and Lewis, of same place. Our subject lived upon the farm with his parents until 1873, when he came to Edina, where he secured a good education at the public schools by his own unaided efforts. He was in the employ of John Kelley, conducting his hotel successfully for two years, and in 1882 was elected marshal and constable of Edina, serving two years, and in the fall of 1884 was elected sheriff, re-elected in the fall of 1886, and is now discharging the duties of that office in a faithful and efficient manner. In September, 1887, he assumed the management of the Kelley Hotel, at Edina, which he has refitted and refurnished, and which is a first-class house, now enjoying a good and well-deserved patronage. January 13, 1884, he married Kittie Sandknop, a native of Lee County, Iowa, by whom he has two children: Walter F. and Mary Co. In politics Mr. Critchlow has always been an unswerving Democrat, and as such was elected to the offices he has filled so satisfac- torily, and is recognized as one of the reliable officials of this county.

Wilford Cunningham, a prominent citizen of Benton Town- ship, Knox County, was born in Harrison County, Ind., Decem- ber 26, 1826, and is the son of Robert and Rachel (Moyers) Cunningham. The father was a native of Hamilton County, Ohio, born in April, 1805, and was of Irish descent. He died in Knox County, Mo., in March, 1885. He was a boatman in his youthful days, and made many trips to New Orleans. This was before many steamboats were on the Mississippi River. He was also engaged in the saw mill business, but the latter part of his life was passed on the farm. He moved to Harrison County, Ind., with his parents, when but nine years of age, and remained a resident of that county until 1851, when he came to Knox County, Mo. After the war he held the office of register for one year. He was a Union man, and took an active part during the late war, and freely expressed his opinion. He was shot at while in his own house, and the same time his son, the brother of our sub- ject, Robert M., was killed. The boy at this time was about six- teen years of age. The mother of our subject was born in Shen- andoah County, Va., in August, 1805, and was of German descent. She is now living, and is a resident of Knox County, Mo. Her father came to Harrison County, Ind., during the early settle- ment of the country, and her mother died when she was quite young. Her father was a member of the United Brethren Church, of which she has been a member for the past forty years. Our

subject is the eldest of nine children, six now living. He received the rudiments of an education in Harrison County, Ind.,

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History of Lewis, Clark, Knox, and Scotland counties, Missouri. From the earliest time to the present, together with sundry personal, business and professional sketches and mumerous family records, Part 102

Author: Goodspeed, firm, publishers, Chicago (1886-1891, Goodspeed Publishing Co.) Publication date: 1887 Publisher: St. Louis, Chicago, The Goodspeed publishing co. Number of Pages: 1308

Author: Goodspeed, firm, publishers, Chicago (1886-1891, Goodspeed Publishing Co.)
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: St. Louis, Chicago, The Goodspeed publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1308