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 78

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 78
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 78
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 78
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 78

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).

John A. McElroy, farmer, was born June 30, 1848, in Arm- strong County, Penn., one of nine children of John and Julia (White) McElroy, the former of Scotch-Irish stock, and born in 1804, probably in Ireland, and the latter of English origin, and born in 1811 in Pennsylvania. The father came to America when about fourteen years old. He went directly to Pittsburgh, where he was educated, and became an excellent teacher. He was married in 1829, and then afterward moved to Armstrong County, and engaged in merchandising. At the opening of the war he devoted his time and money to the Union cause. He and his wife were prominent and devoted Presbyterians. Soon after the war they came to Clayton, Ill., where the father died in 1879 after a few years of retired life. The mother is now living with our subject. The latter was educated by his father, and gradu- ated from Duff Commercial College, at Pittsburgh. He came west with his parents, but located at Keokuk, Iowa, where he served as bookkeeper for Ruddick, Kiser & Co., pork packers. He then went to Montrose, Iowa, and engaged with Wells, Felt & Spaulding, lumber dealers. Two years later he came to Can-

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ton, and became general agent for the railroad company. In 1883 he came to his present farm, where he has been engaged in agriculture, and as bookkeeper for the Canton Saw Mill Company. His wife, Lillie W. Jones, was born September 25, 1862, on the farm now owned by our subject, the old homestead of her father, William H. They were married May 25, 1881. Their children are Jonn H. and Julia A. He is an excellent bookkeeper and- a scientific farmer, with one of the best equipped farms in the county. He is a Republican, and served two years in Company M, of the Fifth Pennsylvania Battery. He was but fourteen when he went out, and was engaged against the guerrilla, Col. Mosby. He is a Knight Templar.

Dr. Joe McReynolds (deceased) was born in Buncombe County, N. C., in 1811. He came to Marion County with his parents, when a young man. He received a good academic edu- cation, and then began the study of medicine, and graduated at Keokuk, Iowa. He soon after located in Knox County, and began practice. About a year later, however, he came to this county, where he afterward resided. His children are Josiah R., Ruth A. and Joseph B. Our subject died January 6, two years ago. He and his wife long held to the Baptist faith.

William B. McRoberts, farmer and stock raiser, was born January 1, 1845, in Lincoln County, Ky., the son of Hayden J. and Lucinda R. (Bruce) McRoberts, the former born in 1810, in the above county, and of Scotch-Irish stock, and the latter of the same county, born in 1813. The father came to this county in 1853, and bought the present farm of Robert Holloway. He died in 1855. He was a member of the Kentucky Legislature, and was also sheriff of Lincoln County, Ky. His first wife, Martha J. Helm, died in 1842, and his second marriage occurred two years later. His widow, after his death, sold the farm in 1859, and four years later bought 180 acres in Lyon Township. She lived with her children here until 1864, when she married T. T. Graves. Her parents, William and Catharine Bruce, were natives of Virginia. The former was a soldier of the Revolution, a member of the Kentucky Legislature, the sheriff of his county for six years, and president of a national bank. He was also a prominent politician. Our subject, the eldest of five children, was nine years old when the family came to Missouri. Soon after his father's death he began farming the place, and after the mother's second marriage assumed full control. He then began to buy out his brothers and sisters, and in May, 1870, he married Laura, a daughter of T. A. Graves. She was born in this county in 1848, and was educated at Christian University, Canton, Mo. Their children were Mary L., Hayden J., Nora A. (deceased),

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Archie V. and Edith B. His share was forty-five acres, but at present he owns 1,200, acres and is one of the largest land owner of his township. His occupation is that of general farming, but the leading feature of his business is that of growing and feed- ing cattle, and his experience is that the best grades of cattle are the most favorable for growing and feeding. He is a Demo- crat, and has been a member of the Church of Christ for the past twenty-six years. His wife belongs to the same denomina- tion.

Ex-Judge T. H. Meriwether was born in Monroe County, Ind., in 1832. His father was a native of the Blue Grass State, and was a tanner by trade, which occupation he followed while living in Indiana. When a young man he crossed the Ohio River, going to Monroe County, Ind., where he was joined in wedlock to Miss Eliza Ann Dodd, a daughter of a prominent family of Monroe County, and here he resided for a number of years, engaged at his trade. In 1838 he removed to Northeast Missouri, locating in Lewis County, engaged in farming and opened a tan yard. While in Monroe County, Ind., he was ordained a minister of the Presbyterian Church. In 1841 he moved to Knox County with his family, where he resided the remainder of his days. His death occurred in 1847, his widow surviving until 1868. In February, 1888, our subject will have resided in this judicial district half a century. He was reared principally in Knox County, also in Lewis County. In May, 1861, he was joined in matrimony to Miss Henrietta Thompson, daughter of Jackson Thompson. From 1861 to 1886 our sub- ject was engaged in farming and stock raising, at which he has been successful. He is a man of more than ordinary intelli- gence and enterprise, which qualities have been appropriately recognized by his fellow citizens. He has been honored with the position of county judge, three terms, and has served with high credit to himself. Previous to his becoming twenty-one years of age, he crossed the plains twice to California, and on the second trip was made the captain of a wagon train, a responsible and dangerous position. To himself and wife have been born three children, two of whom are living: Joseph W. and Henry B. Since 1886 our subject has been a citizen of La Belle, where he owns valuable property. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and was once Master of the lodge. He is now actively engaged in buying and trading in fat of all kinds. He has prob- ably handled more stock than any other citizen of the county be- fore him.

James M. Miller, circuit clerk of Lewis County, Mo., was born at Millersburg, Ky., October 19, 1829, the son of James and

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Nancy W. (Baker) Miller, the former of Scotch-Irish stock, born in 1791, in Kentucky. The grandfather John, came from Ireland, . about 1774, with two brothers and a sister, the latter and one of the former being killed by the Indians. John located on the site of Millersburg, Ky., in 1778, where he built the first brick house in the State. He erected the " Irish Fort," at the third settlement in the State. James came to this county in 1838, and bought 600 acres of land, but soon became the owner of 2,000 acres, and en- gaged in stock raising. He was a soldier of 1812, and his second wife, Rebecca Johnson (Trotter), still draws a pension. His first wife, Nancy W. (Baker), was born in Kentucky in 1793, and died in 1860; he died in 1878. Our subject, the seventh of eleven children, was nine years old.when the family came to this county, and lived with his parents until twenty years of age. December 9, 1849, he married Elizabeth, a daughter of Francis Richardson, and born January 12, 1833, in Franklin County, Ky. Their children are John C .; Nannie, now Mrs. Frank Ransom ; Fannie, the wife of Samuel S. Hyett; and Hettie, the wife of Joseph Offutt. Our subject was a farmer and stock raiser in Lyon Township, until 1870, when he moved to St. Louis, and became agent for Alexander & Patterson, in buying hogs, and for five years he was a partner in the firm of Miller & Allen, of Broadway Stock Yards. In 1876 he returned and settled in Canton County. From 1882 he was a circuit clerk eight years, elected over a popular opponent by a majority of 723 votes. He is a Democrat, and first voted for Pierce. He is a Mason and an Odd Fellow. His wife is a member of the Christian Church.

Judge James P. Mitchell, whose residence is in La Belle Town- ship, near Lewiston, was born in Pennsylvania in 1815. He came to Missouri in 1841, read law, and was admitted to the bar, about the commencement of the war with Mexico, in which war he volunteered as a private, and was marched to New Mexico under the command of Col. Sterling Price. At the expiration of the time for which he volunteered, he came to Lewis County, and located and purchased a part of the lands on which he now lives, broke prairie, split rails, and commenced raising stock, in which he is engaged at the present time. He held the place of county surveyor, for twelve years; that of county justice, about the same length of time; was elected from this Senatorial District a dele- gate to the Constitutional Convention, which held its session in St. Louis in 1865. Judge Mitchell has the reputation of being a prompt and reliable man, and careful and correct financier. He is a member of the Christian Church, and in all respects appears desirous and qualified to spend the remainder of his days in peace and quiet.

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L. D. Mitchell was born near La Grange in 1842. He was reared on a farm, and spent three years in La Grange College, and also a few months in St. Louis University. He has been a farm- er and stock raiser since the spring of 1865. He came to La Grange in 1881, and the following year became an alderman. Our subject is a member of the I. O. O. F. The father, Erasmus W., was born in Prince George, Md., in 1808. In 1834 he came to near La Grange, where he lived until his death, January 28, 1877. The mother, Mary A. (Painter), was a native of Frederick County, Md. Our subject and Albert G. were their only chil- dren. The mother died in October, 1856, and Albert G. followed her the next year.

Gen. David Moore was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, July 3, 1817, the son of John and Sarah ( Clark) Moore, natives of Ireland. The father came to Virginia about a century ago, moved to Ohio in after life, and died in 1840. He was a farmer, and a soldier of 1812. Their children were Martha, the widow of John Noftzgar; our subject and the late Dr. W. C., of Wooster, Ohio, who died in 1877. The father's first marriage was with Nancy Mc- Munigle. She and a large family of children are all deceased. David removed to Wayne County, Ohio, in 1830, and learned the carpenter's trade until his eighteenth year. He was fairly educa- ted, and entered the Mexican war, in what was known as the Woos- ter Guards. He was its captain throughout the war. In 1850 he came to Missouri, and engaged in farming and merchandising until the civil war. In 1861 he organized the first Northeast Missouri Reserve Corps, by order of Gen. Lyon. He was its col- onel, and was at the battle of Athens, at Lancaster and other places. In February, 1862, he organized the famous Twenty-first Missouri Regiment, and was elected colonel, serving until 1865. He was then breveted brigadier-general, and in the following spring or- ganized the Fifty-first Missouri Regiment, and commanded this and the post of St. Louis, and the First District of Missouri, until the close of the war. His gallantry and bravery are matters of history. He was wounded three times at the battle of Shiloh, from the ef- ects of which he lost his right leg, but after only a ninety days' absence he resumed command. Since the war he has resided in Canton, Mo., leading a retired life. By his first marriage, with Diademia Schnabel, of Pennsylvania, he had the following chil- dren: William W., a physician; Eugene, an editor at Memphis, Mo .; John C., a lawyer at that place; Frankie, the wife of Col. Joseph Best; Charles A., a newspaper man, and Thomas, a Denver lawyer. The mother dying in 1865, Mr. Moore married his second wife, Mrs. Mary (Mattingly) Carnegy, a native of Union County, Ky. Their children were Katie (deceased), Katie D. (a gradu-

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ate of St. Mary's Institute, at Quincy, Ill. ), and Nellie. Mrs. Moore's children, by her marriage with J. W. Carnegy, resulted in these children: Barney K., Jennie, Mary M. (the wife of W. Eagon ), Lucinda, Nannie B., and Stephen (deceased). Gen. Moore was originally a Democrat, but since the war has been a liberal Republican. Four years from 1869 he served in the State Senate with distinction. He is a Master Mason, and a member of the G. A. R.

Robert Morris (deceased) was born in Scott County, Ky., in 1810. His wife was born in 1815 in Fayette County, that State, and is of Scotch origin. Our subject was educated in Ken- tucky, and about 1834 was married to Eliza, a daughter of Thomas Price. They then became pioneers of this county, where they afterward lived. He was one of the leading stock dealers of the county, and at his death in 1859 left an estate val- ued at $60,000. He was a Democrat in politics, and a prominent member of the Presbyterian Church. He had ten children, all of whom but one were living at his death. Those living are T. W., of California, the son-in-law of Hon. David McCoy; M. E., the widow of J. Duncan, a lawyer; M. L., the wife of T. J. Lillard; B., a wholesale druggist, at Fort Worth, Tex .; E., the wife of D. W. Ellis, a farmer and stock raiser, and L. E., the wife of L. Price. The widow of our subject now owns the old farm, where her son-in-law, D. W. Ellis, and wife, also make their home. She is a devout Christian, and has reached the age of seventy-three years.

Robert S. Morris was born in Howard County, February 28, 1826, the son of Robert W. and Catharine (Small) Morris, who died when our subject was a child. The father came to this State in 1818, and settled in Old Franklin. He was known as Capt. Morris. The mother, second wife of R. W., was a native of Kentucky. Our subject, the only survivor of four children, went to New Orleans in 1838, and lived with his uncle, Joel Small. He was in the commission business, and became a competent book- keeper. In 1844 he became clerk on a river steamer, and after- ward captain. In 1849 he went to California, and came back in 1851. He joined the Confederate Army in 1861, and finally became one of Gen. Stein's staff, with the rank of major. He was in the infantry, cavalry and artillery, being a lieutenant in the latter, and afterward commander of a battery, and surrendered at Shreve- port, La., in June, 1865. He then became a traveling salesman for Pratt, Fox & Co., of St. Louis. Two years later he returned to the river as agent for " The White Collar Line," but in 1870 came to his present home at Canton, and was engaged in civil engineering for a time, and afterward as a railroad agent. Since

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1878 he has been a justice of the peace, and is also notary pub- lic. He is a real estate and fire and life insurance agent, repre- senting among others the Masonic Life Association. October 23, 1851, he married Mary M., a daughter of Gen. T. D. Grant. Their only son is Willie M. Robert S. Morris is a radical Demo- crat. He is a Mason, and he and his wife are members of the Christian Church.

Prof. Jere T. Muir, lawyer, was born in Kentucky, in 1847. He came to this county in childhood. He was educated in the Illinois State University, in the years 1871-72-73, after which he returned to Lewis County, and taught the Monticello public schools. In February, 1874, he entered La Grange College, and graduated with the class of '77. While at college he had charge of one or more classes, and, in 1878, taught the department of mathematics. He then organized the Windsor public schools. After spending two years there, he returned to La Grange, and and has since filled the chair of mathematics in the college. He was admitted to the bar in 1882, and has practiced ever since, in connection with his other duties. He has been alderman and also city attorney. In October, 1879, he married Elma Hay, a daughter of Dr. J. A. Hay, and a cousin of Col. John Hay, one of the authors of the life of Lincoln, now appearing in the "Cen- tury" magazine. She has been a music teacher in La Grange College since 1882. The grandfather of J. T. Muir was named Robert. He was reared and married in Virginia. His wife was a relative of Valandingham. They afterward moved to Kentucky, where they lived until death. The father was born in that State in 1804, and after his marriage with Ann M. Bartlett, of Kentucky, he moved to this county, and from here to Illinois, in 1865. He died in that State in 1872. The mother is now residing with our subject. She was born in 1805. The maternal great-grandfather was born in North Carolina, and served throughout the Revolution. The maternal grandparents were also natives of North Carolina, but died in Kentucky. Our subject is the youngest son of five sons and two daughters. He had two brothers in the Confederate service, who were captured at Louisville, Ky. One escaped, but the other was in prison at Camp Chase and Rock Island, until released by President Lincoln.

C. W. Mulinex, proprietor of the La Belle Star, was born in Lake County, Ind., in 1857, the son of L. B. and Sarah (Peter- son) Mulinex, the former of French stock, born in Scranton, Penn., in 1825, and the latter of Scotch origin, born in the same place. The father was a college man and a teacher, and in 1853 moved to Blue Island, Ill., and afterward to Porter County, Ind.

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In 1856 he went to Lake County, that State, where he died two years later. The mother is now half a century old, and lives in Chicago. Our subject, the third of four children, was but a year old when his father died, and was reared until 1867 by H. W. Hulinger, of Lowell, Ind. His guardian died then, and his widow married J. Thorn, with whom he lived until his majority. His guardian mother died in 1879. He entered a printing office at the age of eleven, and after four and a half years began as jour- neyman, working chiefly on the Chicago News, and Inter Ocean, but from 1880 to 1882 he had control of the Greene (Iowa) Press. In 1882 he came to La Belle, and September 20 mar- ried Mattie, a daughter of William and Martha Zimmerman, and born in this county in 1864. Their children are Clio H. and an infant. After returning to Greene, Iowa, and working about seven months, he came to La Belle, and established his present paper April 14, 1883, and six weeks later had 400 subscribers. He now has a paying list of 550, gained without solicitation. His motto is " Our Aim-to work for Democracy, Lewis County and Cash-not Glory." He and his wife are members of the Chris- tian Church.

Perry Munday, general trader and real estate dealer, was born June 24, 1846, in this county, the only child of Horace S. and Sarah (Huner) Munday, the former a native of Kentucky, born in 1812, and the latter of German origin, born in 1816, in New York. They were married in this county, where they had come with their parents, the former in 1835, and the latter a year before. They lived in St. Louis until 1849, when the father, after leaving the mother in this county, went to California, and engaged in mining until 1851. He returned and engaged in various things, such as shipping beef, ferrying across the river, and running stage lines by way of Memphis, Waterloo and West Quincy, until 1860. He owned the "Louis Adams " boat. He then farmed in Putnam County until 1864, when he started West, and reached Boise City, Idaho, September 5, 1864. Here he engaged in butchering, but in 1865 moved to a farm near Middleton. After a time at merchandising there he sold out, in 1867, and moved to Middleton, where he and our subject became merchants until former's death, May 14, 1868. Our sub- ject continued the business, and added blacksmithing and wagon- making, ferrying and heavy teaming until 1875. Before this he had been a grain contractor through Idaho and Nevada, supply- ing the Northwestern Stage Company. He then exchanged his stock for 292 head of Spanish horses, and located at Munday's Ferry, which ferry he bought, and continued raising horses until 1879. In 1880 he returned to this county, and after

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farming two years came to Canton to educate his children. He owns about 1,500 acres of land, and more city real estate than any other person. In February, 1871, he married Kate E., a daughter of Daniel Ligon, and born August 5, 1851. Their children are Horace, Bert, Missouri B., Emma and Fritz. Our subject is a Democrat. He is an Odd Fellow of the encamp- ment, and has passed through all the chairs. His wife and mother are members of the Christian Church.

David E. Musser, liveryman, was born in 1851, in Holmes County, Ohio, the son of William P. and Malinda (Parsells) Musser, the former born in the above county in 1830, and a resident since 1859 of this county. In 1879 he became proprietor of the Lindell Hotel, in Monticello, and ran it for five years. He is a farmer now, and owns 120 acres. The mother, born in Holmes County, Ohio, is now over half a century old. Our subject, the eldest of four children, was nine years old when they came here. After five years of farming he was a teamster four years, and engaged in carrying the mail from Monticello to Lewiston, which he has also carried on the past three months. In 1879 he established his present stables, the only ones in the county seat, with an outfit of nine horses, one single, and four double buggies. He is a Republican. He owns a house and lot and stables in Monticello.

George B. Nelson was born in 1809, in Fayette County, Ky., the son of James and Elizabeth (Boone) Nelson-the former of English stock, and born in Fauquier County, Va., in 1769, and the latter born in 1776, in King George County, Va. The father lived in Fayette County, Ky., after 1807 as a farmer, until his death in 1827. The mother died in 1855 in this county, and was a distant relative of Daniel Boone. Our subject, the only one living of ten children, began the saddler's trade at the age of seventeen, and in 1829 he came to Marion County, and established his business in Palmyra. In 1830 he moved to Monticello, and, in 1836, began with a partner, Franklin Garrett, with whom he was engaged fifteen years. He then abandoned his trade, and bought his present estate of 240 acres, now increased to 280 acres. In 1848 he married Rosanah, the daughter of Francis and Sarah Richardson, and born in Franklin County, Ky., in 1827. Their children are William F., George C., James M., Emma (the wife F. J. Kluthe), John H. and Sterling D. Our subject has been a resident of the State for over fifty-eight years, and is an esteemed pioneer. He is a Democrat, and first voted for Jackson in 1832. He became sheriff in 1856, without opposition from his own party or political opponents, and two years later was re-elected. He and his wife are members of the Christian Church.

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William H. H. Nichols was born in Lewis County, September 1, 1842. He is the son of Ninion and Mary (Bane) Nichols, both Kentuckians, natives of Grant and Boone Counties, respectively. The father was of German and the mother of Scotch lineage. They. came to near Williamstown in 1835, where the father followed farming for about half a century. After marriage our subject began farming in Clark County, and in the fall of 1882 came - to Lewis County. His farm is well improved and stocked, and con- tains 140 acres. Our subject is a Democrat, and he and his wife are members of the Baptist Church. The names of their children are Cassius, Eugenia (deceased), Sarah F., Ninion, Mary E., Julia A. (deceased) and Lydia.

Dr. Joel Westwood Nixon was born in Loudoun County, Va., on the 13th of May, 1849, the son of Jonathan Westwood and Mary Nixon, the former of Scotch origin, born in Loudoun County, Va., on the 19th of December, 1807, and deceased in 1874. He (Jonathan Westwood Nixon ) lived the greater portion of his life on his farm, containing 350 acres, seven miles north of the famous battle fields of Manassas, and ten miles south of Leesburg, the county seat. He was a man very retiring in his nature, quiet and unsophisticated; was often solicited to become a candidate for office, but preferred the quiet life of a farmer. He was a member of the order of Freemasonry, and a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. He was a brother of Lorenzo D. Nixon, who was a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and the son of Joel Nixon, who lived in Loudoun County, Va., for many years, and deceased in 1856. He came to Virginia when a small boy, from near the city of Philadelphia, with his parents. The wife of Jonathan W. Nixon, whom he married in Washington, D. C., was of Spanish origin, born in 1810, and deceased in 1864, the daughter of Edmond Castile, who owned a tract of land east of the Capitol building which made him a handsome fortune. Our subject, the only son of a family of twelve children, was educated at Dover Institute, in Loudoun County, Va., and graduated in 1866. He became a teacher at twenty years of age, and spent seven years in that work in Prince William County, and his native county. In 1875 he came to Monticello, Mo., and commenced the study of medicine and sur- gery, under the tutorship of Dr. R. J. Christie. In March, 1878, he graduated from the medical department of the State Univer- sity of Maryland. He then commenced practice in his native county, in Virginia. He located in Monticello, Mo., January 1, 1880. In February, 1881, he married Bettie, a daughter of Jeptha D. Million. She was born May 3, 1856. Dudley West- wood, their only child, was born July 15, 1882. Our subject is

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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 78

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