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 120

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 120
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 120
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 120
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 120

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).

Joseph Miller, farmer, was born in 1847 in Scotland County, Mo., where he has since resided. He acquired his education at Mount Pleasant College, Iowa, and began life for himself at the age of twenty-two. He has been occupied almost ever since in farming and general stock dealing, and his estate now embraces 403 acres, besides which he also owns other tracts of land. He was married, in 1873, to Angeline, a daughter of Jefferson Lock- hart, a native of Virginia, and has had the following children: Mary M., Helen (deceased), Wesley L. and Joseph W. She died August 5, 1883, and his next marriage occurred, in 1884, to Vir-

ginia I. Lockhart. Their only child is Palmer W. Our subject and his wife hold to the faith of the Methodist Church, while his political principles are Democratic. He was the seventh of ten children born to Joseph and Mary A. (Waltman) Miller, natives of Virginia. After marriage the parents moved to La Grange,

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and afterward to our subject's home. About ten years ago they moved to Warsaw, Ill., where they afterward died. The father was originally a Methodist, and assisted in organizing the first class in Scotland County, but in later years he was a prominent Presbyterian. Excepting seven years in merchandising at La Grange, he followed farming and stock raising. He was proba- bly the first justice of the peace of his locality, and also served fifteen years as postmaster at Prospect Grove. The family were of German descent.

W. L. Mills, a prominent farmer in Jefferson Township, was born February 15, 1816, in Wayne County, Ky., moved to Mon- roe County, Mo., in 1827, and to what is now Scotland County in May, 1836, settling six miles northeast of Memphis. He began life a poor boy of sixteen years, and is a self-made man. He owns a nicely improved farm two miles south of Memphis, where he resides. This farm contains 195 acres, and he also has 160 acres in another tract. He was married, August 7, 1851, to Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Smith, formerly Johnson. To them eight chil- dren have been born: Joseph H., Benjamen F., Ada and James A. (deceased), Caleb F. (deceased), Doci M. (deceased), Charles S. (deceased) and Alice Josephine (deceased). Mr. and Mrs. Mills are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mr. Mills is a Democrat, although in early life he was a Whig. He is an Odd Fellow, and served in the Missouri State Militia, Com- pany I, during the late war. He was the fifth of seven children of Caleb W. and Erzilla (East) Mills, natives of Virginia, and Wayne County, Ky., respectively. Caleb W. was justice of the peace for several years, and served some time as constable, and was also a soldier in the War of 1812. He was one of the best medical practitioners of his day, a graduate of a medical college, and otherwise well qualified to practice that profession. He was killed at the "Mountain Meadow Massacre," Utah. He was born about 1788, and was a son of John Mills. His wife was a daugh- ter of the Rev. Finus Ewing, who was one of the founders of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Erzella Mills was a daughter of North East.

J. C. Montgomery, a prominent farmer and stock raiser in Jefferson Township, was born in 1842, within three miles of where he has since resided. He was reared on the farm, and began life for himself in moderate circumstances at the age of twenty- five, and what he is now worth is the result of his industry and good management. He owns a nicely improved farm of 240 acres where he resides, and also owns land in other parts of the township. In 1868 he married Miss Almira Holman, a daughter of George W. Holman, a native of Kentucky. Six children have

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blessed this union, viz .: George H., Luther T., Lydia A., Clar- ence, Gertrude and Nettie. Mrs. Montgomery died in April, 1885, and Mr. Montgomery has since married Miss Melissa Hug- gins, daughter of John B. Huggins, a native of Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. The former is a Democrat, and is the fourth of the six children of Harvey and Nancy (Smith) Montgomery, natives of Rhea County, Tenn., who moved to Scotland County, Mo., in 1842, where Harvey Montgomery lived and died. He was a successful farmer and influential citizen, a very active mem- ber of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and was highly respected by his friends and neighbors. His wife having died Mr. Montgomery was married a second time to Mrs. Scottie Smith, to which union five children were born. Mr. Montgomery was a son of John Montgomery, a native of Ireland. Mrs. Nancy Montgomery was a daughter of John Smith.

David F. Monticue, a prominent man of Scotland County, was born in Pennsylvania, December 31, 1832, the youngest of ten children born to Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Boone) Monticue, natives of Maryland. The parents located permanently, soon after their marriage, in Westmoreland County, Penn., and they had been in Beaver County but a short time when their deaths occurred. Their moderate circumstances compelled all the family to work for their subsistence, so that David received but little education, and remained at home until after his majority. On leaving home he went to Lawrence County, Penn., and was married during the following year, and devoted his attention to his father-in-law's farm for the next ten years. In 1865 several families came to Scotland County, and it was then that he located where he now resides. His estate now consists of 360 acres of some of the best land in the county, upon which he erected a handsome dwell- ing in 1870. He was married, January 25, 1855, to Rebecca J. Campbell, the only child of William and Margaret (Morrow) Campbell. They have had twelve children, of whom the follow- ing are yet living: Ellen, Rebecca A., Susie, James, Frank, Wil- bert C., Jessie, Eva and Rena. Margaret E. (deceased August 29, 1883), was married to Frank Harris; the remaining two were deceased in infancy. Our subject and his wife changed from the Covenanter Church of their Pennsylvania home to that of the United Presbyterians, on coming to Missouri. Our sub- ject has been road overseer, school director, and in Pennsylvania held the office of assessor. He is a Republican.

Eugene P. Moore, editor and proprietor of The Memphis Dem- ocrat, was born in Wayne County, Ohio, October 6, 1844, the son of Gen. David Moore, of Canton, whose sketch appears elsewhere.

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Our subject came to Missouri in 1850, and was reared in Clark County. He was educated at a college in Warsaw, Ind. During the early part of the war he served under Gen. M. E. Green, in Missouri, for a time in the Sixteenth Mississippi. After the war he taught school some, and began the study of medicine, but dropped the latter in 1870. The following year he was associ- ated with Maj. Leflet in the publication of The New Era, at Pal- myra. Soon after he was made enrolling clerk of the Senate, and after serving in the Twenty-seventh General Assembly he served two years in the land register's office. In March, 1873, he married Sophie Johnson. Two years later he bought out his former partner, and converted his paper into The Marion County Democrat, which he continued at Palmyra for seven years. In 1881 he became city editor of The Morning Commercial Tele- gram, of Toledo, Ohio, and was afterward in the same capacity on The Evening Post, of that city. Later on he became manager of the Railroader Job Printing Company for one year. His next occu- pation was managing editor of the Fort Worth (Tex. ) Democrat, and soon after had a similar position on The Sandusky (Ohio) Daily Journal, with which he was connected during the noted Frank Hurd campaign. He bought his present paper in March, 1887, which he has ably conducted. His first wife died in 1877, and in March, 1883, he married Maggie L. Rush, of Palmyra. Annie K. is the only daughter living by his first marriage, and by his second are the following children: Sinona, Eugenie and Frances. Our subject is a Democrat. He is a member of the K. of P., and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

J. F. and J. H. Morgan were born in Sangamon County, Ill., February 1, 1831, and January 28, 1833, respectively. They are sons of Joseph K. and Jane D. (Carneal) Morgan. The father was a native of North Carolina, from which State when a youth he went to Kentucky and married. His wife was born in Vir- ginia, but had come to Kentucky when about five years old. After their marriage they lived in Kentucky but a short time, then went to Illinois. About 1833 they 'came to Scotland County, among its first settlers, and located near Arbela, and afterward on the farm owned by C. Clough. They died here February 11, 1855, and February 7, 1869, respectively. Our subjects were both educated at home, and upon becoming of age, entered land which they have since sold. August 31, 1854, J. H. Morgan was married to Susan Step, a native of Clark County, and a daughter of William and Nancy Step, who located in Clark County in 1837. After marriage Mr. Morgan located upon the farm where he now lives. They have had thirteen children. Those now

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living are John F., Andrew C., Nancy E., Louisa J., Nancy A., Amanda C., G. W., Marion, Jasper H. and an infant. J. F. Mor- gan lives with his brother. In June, 1861, he enlisted in Com- pany I, Twenty-first Missouri Infantry, and served for twenty- two months, participating in the battles of Athens, Corinth and Shiloh. He was discharged in March, 1863, on account of dis- ability, and is now an honored member of Arbela Post, G. A. R.

Capt. James W. Morris was born in Worcester County, Md., September 29, 1826, and is the son of Philip and Mary (Hall) Morris, also natives of Worcester County, Md. The father was born in 1837, of Irish descent, and died when fifty-five years of age. He began in early life to follow the sea, and made many voyages to different countries. The mother was of English descent, and died in Scotland County, Mo., when eighty-one years of age (July 13, 1872). Her father and four brothers were sea captains, and when not on a voyage the former taught navigation. The mother of our subject was a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church for over sixty years, and by her marriage became the mother of seven children, only three now living. Our sub- ject began his education in Maryland, and finished in Missouri. He was eleven years of age at the time of his father's death, and the following year the family moved to Hannibal, Mo., where they lived for two years. They then spent some time in Shelby County, after which they moved to the wilds of Scotland County. In 1849 our subject crossed the plains to California, where he was engaged in mining, and was also engaged as a packer on the Trinity River. He also made trips to Oregon, and other States and Territories. The adventures of Capt. Morris while in Cali- fornia would alone make a volume. This venture proved suc- cessful, and he returned to Scotland County, Mo., in 1854, by way of Nicaragua and New York. The 14th of September, of the same year, he married Miss Martha Talbott, a native of Pen- dleton County, Ky., born February 1, 1824, and the daughter of Peter and Martha Talbott. This marriage was blessed by the birth of five children, four now living: Annie, Ella F., John T. and Jennie. James T. died December 6, 1881, when in his twenty-third year. Our subject purchased the farm on which he is now living, but later engaged in merchandising in Memphis, Mo., which he continued until the breaking out of the late war, when he moved back to his farm, and has continued there ever since. During the early part of the war he was made lieutenant, but was afterward promoted to the rank of captain of Company I, of the State militia. Before the war our subject was a Demo- crat, but since then he has been a supporter of the Republican party. He is a good man, and a prominent and influential citi-

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zen. His wife and three daughters are worthy members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, of which he is a ruling elder, in Pleasant Hill Congregation, Kirksville Presbytery, Missouri. Jasper E. Mount. [See sketch of McCandless & Mount. ]

John B. Mudd, prosecuting attorney, was born in this county October 23, 1855, the son of Benjamin F. and Catherine (Med- ley) Mudd, whose sketch will be found elsewhere. Our subject was reared in his native county, and educated at Unionton Acad- emy, and the Kirksville State Normal. He then taught school about five years, and during this time had read law in a desultory manner. In 1879 he entered the law office of McKee & Smoot, and was admitted in 1881, after about three years' practice with Mr. Pettingill. He was elected to his present position in 1884, and two years later was re-elected without opposition, and has since served efficiently. He was elected by the Democratic party, of which he has always been a follower. He is a member of the F. & A. M., and of the I. O. O. F. societies. He was married, December 23, 1877, to Hilda J., a daughter of Endy- mion Hall. Their children are Luna A., Martha E., Frank H. and Gwen.

George S. Myers is a native of Scotland County, Mo., born February 14, 1840, the son of Thomas S. and Martha A. (Buskirk) Myers, whose sketch will be found elsewhere. Our subject was early trained to the farming and the saw mill business with his father, and secured a good common-school education. His first venture in mercantile life was at Greensburg, Knox County, in April, 1860. The same year he built a distillery in Schuyler County, with his brother, but was prevented from operating it by the war, and in 1863 returned to Memphis. He drove a team of oxen, and chopped and hauled wood, all winter. In the fall of 1863 he began merchandising in Memphis, and in 1876 removed his business to Wichita, Kas., and met with excellent success. His present large dry goods business was opened after his return in 1880. He carries a line of clothing, hats, shoes, notions, etc., with his dry goods, and is also extensively engaged in grain deal- ing. April 10, 1860, he married Nancy E. Huston, who was born in the same cabin as our subject. Their children are Joseph H., Lillian, Maggie J. and Clara. Our subject is a Democrat, and is a member of the I. O. O. F .; he and his wife hold to the faith of the Baptist Church.

McCandless & Mount, dealers in hardware, stoves, tinware, agricultural implements, and agents for Nichols & Shepard's threshing machines. This firm has been established since 1880. The senior member, Robert S. McCandless, is a native of Pendleton County, Ky. He was born September 16, 1850,

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and came to this county with his father in 1857. The fol- lowing year they came to Memphis, and resided here on a farm until 1866. They then went to Schuyler County, where the father died the following fall. The mother survived him until February, 1884. The parents' names are Mitchell M. and Priscilla (Orr) McCandless, and were natives of Ken- tucky. Their children living are our subject, Elizabeth (the wife of J. Thompson), George H., Louisa (the wife of W. D. Guinn), Herschel V., Rosella (the wife of W. Davis), James W. and Perry (deceased). Mr. McCandless engaged as clerk in 1865 for the first time, and continued in this and in Schuyler Counties until 1879, when he engaged in the grocery business in Allerton, Iowa, and the following year embarked in his present business. He was married in 1870 to Helen L. Purmort, a native of Essex County, N. Y. Their children are Roberta and Helen. He is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the A. O. U. W. The junior member, Jasper E. Mount, was born in Oldham County, Ky., July 17, 1847, the son of Jasper and Sarah E. Mount, natives of Indiana and Kentucky. The father died in 1852, in Oldham County, and the following year the mother came to Memphis, and lived there until 1870. After seven years on a farm in Clark County she moved to her present home in Chase County, Kas., in 1877. Her children living are Lucy A. (the wife of J. Standiford), Jasper E. and Walter E. Mr. Mount secured a good education in this county, and was a pedagogue for seven years, together with his farming. His first venture at merchandising began in 1877, in Memphis. He was a member of the firm of Crook & Co., proprietors of the New York Store, for two years; and spent 1879 in Kansas. He returned in 1880, and engaged in their present business. They have the best stock of goods in their line in Memphis, and control a large county and city trade. Mr. Mount was married, February 18, 1881, to Lin- nie B., a daughter of Judge D. B. Cooper. He is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the I. O. O. F.

Edwin R. McKee, lawyer, was born in Knox County, Ill., August 31, 1844, the son of Thomas and Maria (Rice) McKee, natives of Harrison and Crawford Counties, Ind., respectively. The father's family were Kentuckians, of Irish descent, while the mother was of Welsh stock, of Pennsylvanian ancestry. The father was born in 1810, and in 1830 came to Knox County. He was a farmer, but since the war has been a broker and real estate dealer. He has been police magistrate of Galesburg for the last twenty-four years. The mother was born in 1814, and has had thirteen children, their names being Rachel (the wife of J. French, of Iowa), Eliza J. (the wife of John Tate, of Iowa),

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Catherine (the widow of W. Howey), Helen (the deceased wife of F. Sears), Isabella (deceased), Ann (the deceased wife of I. Hardenbrook ), Sarah (the wife of H. Vance, of Arkansas), Han- nah (deceased), Margaret (deceased), Lucinda (the wife of G. Wallace, of Kansas), Thomas Alex. (who is in mercantile busi- ness in Galesburg, Ill., ) and Daniel (deceased ), and our subject, the seventh child. He was reared in his native county, and educated at Western College, Iowa, and Lombard University, at Galesburg, Ill. While at the latter place he read law, and after graduation entered the law offices of well-known practitioners, of Galesburg. In 1866 he came to Clark County with certificates from his pre- ceptors, and was admitted to the bar at Old Waterloo. . He prac- ticed some, and taught school in the country and at Athens until 1867, when he came to Memphis. In December, 1868, he mar- ried Frances A., a daughter of Hon. N. F. Givens, of Clark County. He practiced two years at Memphis, and in 1869 began practice at Waterloo, and also practiced at Kahoka until 1875, serving as prosecuting attorney of Clark County for over two years. Since then he has been at Memphis, meeting with well- deserved success. Especially as an advocate and criminal law- yer has he gained for himself an enviable reputation. Since 1883 he has been associated with J. M. Jayne. His children are Hattie M., Thomas N. and Edwin R. He is an unswerving Democrat. He is a Knight Templar, and a member of encamp- ment of the I. O. O. F. In 1861 he enlisted in Company K, First Iowa Infantry, and served until discharged; he was wounded in the battle of Wilson's Creek, where Lyons fell.

Crawford McWilliam, an old and prosperous farmer and stock dealer of Scotland County, Mo., and a resident of Miller Township, was born near Belfast, Ireland, February 29, 1828. He is the son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Crawford) McWilliam. The Mc William and Crawford families are descendants of Scottish ancestors. Samuel McWilliam was born in County Antrim, Ire- land, in the year 1800, and died there in 1882. He was a pros- perous farmer. The mother of our subject was also a native of County Antrim, Ireland, born in 1801, and died in her native county April 19, 1872. Both were devoted members of the Presby- terian Church. During the Irish rebellion, in 1798, both families (Mc William and Crawford) were Royalists. Our subject is the eldest of six sons and one daughter. He received a liberal edu- cation, and in 1849 came to the United States, making a visit of eighteen months to an uncle living in Belmont County, Ohio. He then returned to Ireland, and married Elizabeth Moore, of County Antrim, born March 30, 1830. To this marriage were born eight children: Eliza, Samuel, William A., Mary, Thomas,

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John, Crawford and Maggie. After his marriage our subject and wife returned to America, and settled in Van Buren County, Iowa, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits. Six years later he removed to his present place of residence. He now owns a large tract of improved land, and pays particular attention to raising and dealing in live stock. During the late war he was commissary sergeant in the Home Guards. Mr. McWilliam is an honored citizen, an ardent supporter of Republican princi- ples, and he and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. James Proctor Nesbit, county clerk, was born in Doniphan, Kas., September 18, 1860, the son of Robert T. and Marian M. (Knott) Nesbit, natives of Kentucky. The mother is a sister of Gov. Proctor Knott, of that State. The parents moved to Kan- sas in 1859, but eight years later returned to Marion County, Ky., where they now live. Our subject grew up in Kentucky, and was educated at the Indiana State University, at Blooming- ton, in 1878-79. He came to Memphis in June, 1881, and was employed as a printer, a trade he had learned in his youth, but on account of ill health he entered the county tax collector's office, where he remained a year and a half. In January, 1883, he changed to the circuit clerk's office, and in March, 1887, became deputy county clerk. In August, 1887, he was called to another position, which was that of county clerk, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of its incumbent, Col. J. G. Best. Our subject is a strong Democrat, and is a Knight Templar.

Thomas W. Noble, a well-known citizen of Scotland County, was born in Franklin County, Mo., March 27, 1837. He is the ninth of ten children born to John and Lavina (Tinny) Noble. The former was the son of David Noble, who was born in North Carolina, of English parentage, and who became one of the first settlers of Kentucky, where he resided until about 1800. He then moved to Vanderburg County, where he remained until his death in 1845. John was born in Garret County, Ky., in Oc- tober, 1799. He remained at home until his twentieth year, when he came to Missouri, and located in Pike County. He after- ward went to St. Charles County, and finally in 1830 located in Franklin County, where he remained twenty years. In 1850 he came to Scotland County, and entered a tract of 400 acres of land upon part of which our subject lives. He served in the Black Hawk war.

He died January 3, 1883. He was a church member from his twentieth year, first of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and after 1862 of the United Brethren Church. His widow is still living at the age of eighty-nine years. Thomas W. was ed- ucated as a surveyor, but has never followed the business much. He has been engaged in farming all his life, but has worked as a

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mechanic part of the time. He is now the owner of 130 acres of land. He was married, May 8, 1859, to Sarah J., a daughter of James M. and Mary A. (Pinkley) Oyler, natives of Pennsylvania and Virginia respectively, and both of German descent. She was a native of Marion County, Md. Her parents came to Mis- souri in 1843, and after living in Franklin County, until 1850, they came to Scotland County, where the mother died February 7, 1862. The father died in California, December 13, 1872. Our subject's children are Olive, George, Charles and Nelly. Mr. and Mrs. Noble are members of the Methodist Church. He takes an active interest in politics, is a Republican, and gener- ally well informed. During the war he served in Col. Moore's regiment.

Samuel D. Norton, a prominent citizen of Mount Pleasant Township, was born in Grant County, Ky., August 17, 1834, and is the son of Archibald and Nancy (Nichols) Norton. The father was a native of Grant County, Ky., born in 1797, and died in the same county about 1847. He was a farmer, and as he started in life with very little means, was obliged to work at the weaver's trade at night, in order to get a start. The mother of our sub- ject was also a native of Grant County, Ky., born about 1799, and died in her native county in 1855. Her father, as well as the" father of Archibald Norton, was an early pioneer of the county. The Norton family originally came from Virginia. Our subject is the fifth of ten children, eight of whom are now living. He received a fair education in the schools of Grant County, and was not yet fourteen years of age when his father died, but still remained on the old homestead, and worked for his mother until twenty years of age, when he came to Clark, Scotland and other counties of Missouri, and after spending the winter returned to Kentucky, but the next fall moved back to Missouri, where he has since remained. He worked at the carpenter's trade for about a year, and then engaged with an elder brother, John J., in the mill business in Scotland County, near where he now lives, and continued at the same business for about three years, when they traded the mill for the farm that our subject now owns. This was in 1860, since then our subject has lived on this farm, which consists of 240 acres of excellent land. In the early part of the war he belonged to Company A, of the enrolled militia of Scot- land County, Mo., but in 1864 he enlisted in Company I, Thirty-ninth Volunteer Infantry, Federal service, and was mus- tered out in March, 1865. December 27, 1860, he was married to Mrs. Mary J. McGee, widow of Elijah McGee, and daughter of J. F. Timmons. She was born in Tippecanoe County, Ind., September 18, 1836, and by her marriage became the mother of

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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 120

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