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 97
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 97
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 97
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 97
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Joseph Vandolah, one of the substantial and enterprising cit- izens of Clark County, Mo., was born in Ripley County, Ind., December 27, 1841, and came to Clark County, Mo., in 1865. He served four years in the Union Army, seven months of that time being passed in Andersonville prison. In 1867 he was united in marriage to Miss Amanda A. Clark, daughter of James and Carolina Clark. She was born in the year 1846, and is the mother of four children by her marriage, viz .: John Walter, James Robert, Eliza and Joseph C. Mrs. Vandolah is a devout
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and consistent member of the Catholic Church. In 1868 our subject located on the farm on which he now resides, and which contains 160 acres of fine land, all well improved and well culti- vated. He is also, to some extent, engaged in the rearing of live stock. Besides his excellent farm, he has twenty acres of timber land. Our subject is a Republican in politics, and a member of the G. A. R. He is a son of Jesse and Eliza (Pierson) Van- dolah, natives, respectively, of Ohio and Virginia.
Ernest Vornkahl was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1831, and is a son of Frederick and Dora Vornkahl. He came to the United States in 1852, and settled in Iowa, where he remained for about three years and a half, after which he came to Grant Township, Clark Co., Mo., where he is now in possession of a farm of 310 acres of good land, well improved. He was married in 1857 to Elizabeth, daughter of Anton and Elizabeth Rikeberg. Mr. and Mrs. Vornkahl have had one son, Herman, and one daughter, Emilie (wife of David Sullivan). Our subject has been a farmer of Clark County for thirty-one years, and is well known for his upright and honest dealing. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church. He belongs to the Republican party.
Benjamin F. Waggener, circuit court clerk, is a native of Missouri, born in the year 1851, and is the son of Herbert G. and Louisa A. (Thompson) Waggener, natives of Kentucky and Virginia, respectively. Herbert G. came to Missouri with his father, Alexandria Waggener, in 1833, and was among the first settlers of the county. The mother also came to this county at an early day. It was called Lewis County at that time. The father of our subject was a farmer, but taught school through the winter months. He supported a family of seven children, five of whom are yet living. He died in Clark County in 1865. The mother was a devoted member of the Baptist Church, as was also her husband, and followed him to the grave in 1874. Our subject remained on the farm until eighteen years of age, when he began teaching school, which occupation he followed until his appointment to the office of deputy sheriff in 1883. Since that time he has served as deputy in several offices until 1886, when he was elected to his present responsible position. In 1872 he married Miss Mary E. Sweet, a native of Clark County, Mo., born in 1854, and the daughter of Philander and Lucinda Sweet. Two children were born to our subject's marriage: Berton F. and Minnie Lee. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., is a Democrat in politics, and his wife is a member of the Baptist Church. Philander Sweet was born in the State of New York in the year 1833, and was a blacksmith by trade. Lucinda Sweet was born in
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the State of Iowa in the year 1837. Her maiden name was Duty. She died in Clark County, Mo., at the age of thirty-two.
C. Waster came from Pike County, Ohio, in the year 1854. He located in Clark County, Mo., in 1856, where he now lives. He owns ninety acres of land, and makes farming his chief occu- pation.
Jeremiah Wayland, son of Joshua and Rachel Wayland, was born in Virginia, June 29, 1796, and died at home in St. Fran- cisville, February 19, 1883. His father was a Revolutionary sol- dier until the close of that war, and often played the fife during the long and weary marches to battle. The recital of the engage- ments and incidents of the war, in which he was a participant and eye-witness, were related to be remembered by his children through life. At the age of ten years Jeremiah immigrated with his parents' family to Shelby County, Ky., where they subse- quently purchased a farm near Smithfield, and there our subject resided until manhood. He then removed to near Owensboro, teaching school several years, and marrying Nancy J. Bartlett, who was born in Elizabethtown, Ky., and brought up near Louis- ville. A farm was secured, and, adopting the vocation of a farm- er, he continued it through life, always regarding it as the most independent occupation, and deriving great pleasure from his labor. Those who have seen the dense beech woods near Owens- boro do not wonder that he should "fold his tent," and seek a less timbered spot in which to make a livelihood. Hearing of the fertile plains of Missouri he and two brothers-in-law, Samuel Bartlett and George Haywood, disposed of their little homes in Kentucky, and, loading their wagons with the necessary articles, they, with their families and Grandmother Bartlett, bade friends adieu (promising "to write back ") and emigrated westward. It is perhaps safe to say that, as it took 25 cents to send a letter in those days, and pens were only obtained from the quills of the wild goose, correspondence was not indulged in to any extent on either side. After several weeks of travel they halted at St. Louis, a mere village at that time. Here one of the party was offered forty acres of land adjoining the town for a gun, but fail- ing to discover any money in the transaction, he refused the proposition, and moved on with his rifle. The party stopped at Palmyra on their way up the river, remaining there a year in order to look around before locating permanently. A trip to Clark County (then Lewis) was made, and a tract of land en- tered, bordering on the Des Moines River, now adjoining St. Francisville, in the fall of 1829. Building sites were selected on the banks of the Des Moines River, and the inevitable log cabins were built from standing timber. In lieu of lumber for a door,
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Mr. Wayland hung up a bear skin. All completed, it is pre- sumable that Mr. Wayland stepped back, viewing his structure with satisfaction, and wondering if "mother" would be pleased. Returning to Palmyra for his wife and three small children, he safely domiciled them in their new home. The Indians with which they were surrounded, daily came and went, and Mrs. Wayland, not having the courage of her husband at first timidly attended to the insecurity of the bear skin. Being assured the Indians were friendly and meant no harm, and that the children were neither missing nor scalped, she was not long in overcoming her timidity. While much has been said of the pioneer fathers of the country, there is often little mention made of the pioneer mothers, whose self-denial and best efforts equal their husbands'. Besides being a "maid-of-all-work," Mrs. Wayland had the family cloth to make at home, and also had her other family duties to attend to, and, though the children's garments were not modeled after the modern fashion sheets, they were more comfortable, and a mother's loving hands made them all. Mr. Wayland lived to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of his marriage, five children, nineteen grandchildren and two great grandchildren being pres- ent on that occasion. He enjoyed almost uninterrupted health through life, thus preserving his spirits and mental abilities to a ripe old age. He frequently remarked that he did not believe there was a man in the country who enjoyed himself or friends more than he. In politics he was a Democrat, and through life was a stanch Baptist, having built a church of that faith at St. Fran- cisville at his own expense. His Christian faith was almost unpar- alleled. It was his greatest pleasure to daily live religion, though he never claimed Christian perfection. He always preferred being underrated rather than the reverse, yet, in justice to him, it can be truthfully said that his life was irreproachable. Being thoroughly conscientious, his strict integrity could not be ques- tioned. On his eightieth birthday his will was written by his own hand, in which these words occur: "I am eighty years old, but, feeling the infirmities of old age, I do make this my last will and testament. I owe no man living or dead a dollar, that I have any knowledge of, and I conscientiously believe I have paid every dollar I ever owed or contracted through life." Among his last words were: " I made a profession of religion when a boy, and ever since I have tried to do my duty to the world and to the church, and now I feel that my mission is done. If I die I shall go straight to heaven." Now that he has gone to his reward, and his life passes into history, no omission should occur of her who not only jour- neyed with him through the wilderness, but through a little more than sixty years of peaceful married life. She has been a good
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mother, not only caring for her own children, but also has taken great pleasure in supplying the place of a mother to orphan chil- dren. She never once turned from her door, unsupplied, the stranger who asked for bread. Her children gather around and offer to the best of mothers their greatest tribute of gratitude and affection. Life's evening shades are closing around her, and when she passes from the valley so long called home, may she resume her journey with him who preceded her. To Mr. and Mrs. Wayland were born these children: Bartlett (deceased), Eliza (wife of W. H. Pritchett ), William (deceased ), George H., Mary K., Mattie T., Samuel E., Anna ( wife of Dr. J. R. Murray) and Dr. J. A. Wayland (deceased).
Isaac C. Weaver, recorder of Clark County, was born in Ohio in the year 1820. He is the son of Henry and Susan R. (Crane) Weaver. The parents were natives of New York and New Jersey, respectively. The father was a marine in the serv- ice, and was captured by the British, while on a vessel during the Revolutionary war, and was held a prisoner for three years, or until the close of the war. In 1789 he located at Columbia, Ohio. Of their family of nine children, four are still living. He died in 1828, and his widow followed him in death about 1849. In 1852 our subject moved to Bloomfield, Iowa, where he remained until 1857, when he came to Clark County, Mo. Pre- vious to this, in 1847, he married Miss Nancy Page, a native of Ohio, born in the year 1824, and the daughter of Jesse and
Emeline (Long) Page. This union resulted in the birth of seven children-three sons and four daughters. One daughter died in infancy. Mr. Weaver has a fine farm situated about one and a half miles from the Iowa lines. He has held the office of justice of the peace for about twenty-five years, a guarantee of his efficiency in office. In 1886 he was elected recorder of Clark County, and moved from his farm to the city of Kahoka. He is a Mason, is of English and German descent, and is strictly Democratic in politics. He and wife are members of the Con- gregational Church, and are much respected citizens.
Edmund Weber was born October 29, 1836, and was the first white child born in Washington Township, Clark Co., Mo. He is the son of Rev. Daniel Weber, a native of Campbell County, Va., born January 17, 1808, and came with his parents to Ken- tucky in 1818. June 10, 1830, the father married Miss Sarah Stafford, and while in Kentucky followed agricultural pursuits. Four years after marriage he immigrated to Howard County, Mo., and in 1836 became one of the pioneer settlers of Washing- ton Township, Clark Co., Mo. He derived much pleasure and comfort in administering to the spiritual wants of the few settlers
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that at that time resided in the county, but at the same time experiencing all the privations and hardships incident to pioneer life. He lived a pious, Christian life, and although he accumu- lated no great amount of property, he owned a good farm near Fairmont which he sold, and moved to that city, and here died June 30, 1886. To his marriage were born thirteen children, twelve of whom grew to manhood and womanhood, and nine of whom are yet living, viz .: Martha (Weber) Hannah; who resides in Reno County, Kas .; Dudley, who resides in Memphis, Scot- land Co., Mo .; Edmund; Mary ( Weber) Stamper, of this county ; Leroy Q .; Henry B .; Laura; William D. and Josephine ( Weber) Green. In politics Mr. Weber was a Republican after the death of the Whig party, and a Methodist in his religious views. Edmund Weber, the subject of this sketch, is the third son of the above named children. From the age of twenty to twenty- eight he remained at home and assisted on the farm. At the latter age he married Miss Emma R. Bowman, a daughter of Samuel Bowman, whose biographical sketch appears elsewhere. To this marriage were born five children: Minnie L. (Mrs. Elmer E. Hilles), Clarence W., Frank O., Charlie C. and Elmer. Our subject is a well-to-do farmer, owning 160 acres of good land. He is a Republican in politics, a Methodist and a member of the G. A. R.
Henry Weber was born in Washington Township, Clark Co.,
. Mo., October 9, 1843, and is the son of Micajah Weber, a native Virginian, born in 1811. He moved with his father to Jessamine County, Ky., where he was reared, and where he received as good an education as could be had at that time. In the fall of 1833, he immigrated to Northern Missouri, and settled first in Lewis County, about the time of its organization, and here, at the bottom of the ladder, he began by renting land. In the fall of 1835 he moved to Clark County, began hewing logs, and built for himself and aged parents a log house which contained seven rooms, and at that day and time was considered a mansion. It was used many years as a church as well as a residence. In this county, and particularly in Washington Township, Micajah Weber figured prominently in many respects. As he possessed consider- able natural genius, and was of a mechanical turn of mind, he was of great advantage. to a new country. He hewed the logs, and did the mechanical work of the first schoolhouse in Wash- ington Township. He also built the first bridge in that township. He married Miss Martha J. Bibb, and by her became the father' of eleven children, seven of whom lived to be grown, and all are married, with the exception of one son, W. W. Weber, who is a graduate of the public school, and of La Grange College, Lewis
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Co., Mo. Micajah Weber was for many years an extensive farmer in Clark County, and a man of fine character. He was a Demo- cratic judge a number of years, was an active member of the Baptist Church, and lived to see all his children members of the same church. None of his children ever used tobacco or drank whisky. He died in 1882, and his widow two years later. Henry Weber, the second son, made his home with his parents until twenty-eight years of age, when he married Miss Amanda L. Wilson, daughter of Todd Wilson, and to them were born four children, three now living; Jettie B., Gertrude and Grandville B. Our subject is engaged in merchandising in Fairmont, and does a business of $25,000 per year. He is a Democrat, and a member of the Baptist Church.
Joseph Wells, farmer, is a native of Nelson County, Ky., where he was born June 10, 1816. His parents, Thomas and Mary (Auskins) Wells, were natives of Pennsylvania and Kentucky. They were married in the latter State, and came to Lewis County, Mo., in 1837; after renting there for about one year they became permanent residents of Clark County, where the father died in 1854, and the mother twenty years later. Our subject was edu- cated in his native State, and began independently at the age of twenty-two; he soon married, and settled where he has since re- sided. His wife, Elizabeth, a daughter of Hezekiah and Frances (Ford) Foree, was born December 15, 1815, in Oldham County, Ky., and came with her parents to Missouri in 1838; she was married November 17, 1839. Of their twelve children the fol- lowing are living: William H., Isaac M., Mary F., Thomas, Elizabeth A., Judith, Emily .C., Joseph M., Robert and Susan. Our subject's estate embraces over 330 acres, which is mostly improved and cultivated, and in a pleasant location. Our subject has been prominent in the growth of the county, and is closely identified with its history. He first voted for Harrison, and held Whig principles, but afterward became a Democrat. His entire family have been active members of the Baptist Church.
T. J. Wells is the son of Thomas and Mary (Hoskins) Wells, natives of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and of Welsh and German descent, respectively. Thomas Wells and his second wife, our subject's mother, were married in Kentucky, where he culti- vated the soil, and was also engaged in the grist-mill business, and in distilling, which occupations he followed for a period of twenty-nine years. In 1837 he sold out, and moved to Northeast Missouri, when it was yet a wilderness. Here he resided eighteen months, and then moved to Washington Township, Clark Co., Mo., where he lived for a short time before his death, when he broke up housekeeping, and he and his wife went to live with
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a son, Joseph Wells, in Union Township, where he died in the year 1855, at the age of seventy-seven. He was a Democrat, and a member of the Old School Baptist Church. The widow was a good Christian woman, and died in 1873, aged eighty-nine. Our subject was born in Nelson County, Ky., February 2, 1826, and is the fifth son of a family of nine children, five of whom are yet living-three brothers and two sisters. He remained with his parents until twenty-one years of age, and then began working for his parents for a number of years. During this time he married Miss Elizabeth Laswell, daughter of William Laswell, a native of Hardin County, Ky. In 1850 he purchased 160 acres of land, for which he went in debt, but in a short time paid for it all, and in 1852 he purchased 120 acres more, which he also paid for in a few years. In 1861 he enlisted in the Southern Army under Gen. Jackson, and was out one year. He lost the principal part of his property during the war, and plodded along after a fashion until 1867, when he began to make money, and this he continued up to 1874, when he again met reverses. To his marriage were born twelve children, eleven now living: Will- iam H., Sarah J., Thomas J., Jr., Mary E., Lucy A., Jesse L., Elizabeth, James F., Emily C., Harvey E. and Henry E. The mother of these children died November 8, 1885; she was a good woman, and was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Mr. Wells is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Masonic fraternity.
Solomon Wheatley, dealer in dry goods and groceries, began business in Ashton in 1880, and was appointed postmaster at the same time. He is a native of Ohio, born in the year 1833, and was reared on a farm, where he continued until twenty-one years of age, since which time he has been engaged in merchandising and stock trading. He is an old merchant, and has been quite successful in his business, although during the late war he lost considerable property, etc. He was not in actual service, but belonged to the State militia during those stirring times. Pre- vious to the war, in 1854, he married Miss Laura A. Mallett,
She of Lee County, Iowa, and the daughter of John Mallett. was born in 1836, and by her marriage became the mother of eight children, one deceased. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Our subject's parents, Caleb and Margaret (Thomas) Wheatley, are natives of Maryland and Kentucky, respectively. The father was in the war of 1812, and moved with his family to Iowa in 1849. He died in 1854. The same year our subject came to Scotland County, Mo., and in 1874 to Clark County, where in 1880 he purchased his present store house and the stock of goods belonging to B. F. Stickler, and has been
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engaged in a successful business ever since. He still holds the postoffice; is a Republican in politics, and a member of the I. O. O. F.
W. E. White was born in Delaware in 1818, son of Clement and Sarah ( Williams) White, natives of Delaware, and of English descent. They were married in their native State where they remained for a number of years, the father engaged in farm- ing and merchandising. In 1819 he and his family immigrated to Northern Missouri, and settled near Palmyra, the county seat. of Marion County, then known as Pike County. Here he followed the occupation of a farmer for nearly half a century, with fair success. He was at one time an old line Whig, but after the death of that party he was a Democrat. He died in 1863, and his wife, previously, in 1850. Our subject is the eldest surviving son of a family of eight children. He remained with his parents until twenty-one years of age, previous to which he received a liberal course of common school and academic instruction. He then began working on a farm, given him by his father, which was situated in Clark County, and here he kept bachelor hall for five years. He then wedded Miss Mary R. Cowgill, a daughter of George aud Nancy Cowgill, residents of Clark County, but natives of Kentucky. By this marriage our subject became the father of one son, named Clement, now deceased. Since 1839 our subject has been a prominent, enterprising farmer, and is the owner of 500 acres of excellent land. Our subject is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Masonic fraternity. His wife died in 1851, and five years later he married Miss Sarah Overstreet, a daughter of R. and Eliza E. Overstreet, residents of Clark County, but natives of Kentucky. To this last union was born one child, a son named Walter, who is now a farmer in Clark County. Three years after his second marriage he had the mis- fortune to lose his wife. He is now sixty-nine years of age, and is hale and hearty.
Andrew White was born in Tuscany, Italy, in 1832, and is a son of John B. and Rosaltha White, natives of Italy, where they were engaged in raising grain of all kinds. Both parents died on the same day, only six hours elapsing between the deaths. Our subject left his native land in 1851 for the United States, and landed in New York City after a voyage of sixty-two days,. with but two or three dollars in his pocket. He remained in New York for about two years and a half, employed in making plaster of Paris toys. This business caused him to visit all the larger and more important Eastern cities, and at one time, when on a voyage to Cincinnati, the vessel he was on was struck by a cyclone and wrecked, but fortunately all the passengers were
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CLARK COUNTY.
saved. This left our subject with only the clothes he was wear- ing, and no money. He then worked at various employments until he had accumulated enough money to make a payment on a small farm, but afterward sold this farm, and reinvested his money in another, this time making about 150 per cent on the amount invested. After this he came to Clark County, Mo., and bought a farm of 120 acres, to which he has been adding, until he now owns 289 acres of good land, well improved. Our subject was married to Elizabeth Wilson, of Kentucky, daughter of Albert and Mary A. (Boothe) Wilson, natives of Kentucky. He is chiefly engaged in stock raising, taking great interest in the rearing of sheep. He and his wife are members of the Presby- terian Church.
John A. Whiteside, a successful legal practitioner of Kahoka, Mo., is a native of Lincoln County, Mo., born in 1856. He is the son of Isaac and Mary E. (Alloway) Whiteside, natives of Missouri and Kentucky, respectively. The father was a member of the Masonic order, a strong Democrat in politics, and he and wife were respected members of the Baptist Church. Of the six children born to their marriage, five are now living. Our sub- ject attained his majority on the farm, and obtained his education at Louisiana, Mo. In 1880 he began reading law under E. T. Smith, of Bowling Green, Mo., and was admitted to the bar of the same place in 1881. In March of the following year he located in Kahoka, where he has since been engaged in the practice of his profession. He was a law partner of J. W. Reed until the death of the latter in March, 1887. Our subject is a young man of unusual promise, and his future prospects are bright. He, like his father, is a stanch Democrat in politics.
J. B. Wiegner, owner and proprietor of the grain elevator, and also grain dealer at Ashton, is a native of Germany, born in 1827, and came to the United States with his parents in the year 1832. They located in New York State, and in 1838 moved to Iowa, the mother having died in 1836. In 1849 our subject took for his life companion Miss Augusta Kreikenbaum, of Lee County, Iowa. She was born in the year 1829, and is the daughter of Henry and Joannah Kreikenbaum. Of the eight children born to our subject and wife, four are now living- two sons and two daughters. In 1874 our subject moved to Kahoka, Mo., and erected the first grist and flour mill in the place. In 1881 he moved to Ashton, and erected here the ele- vator which proves so beneficial to the general public. He is a man of energy and perseverance. He and his wife are members of the Evangelical Church, and are well respected in the com- munity in which they live. Our subject is a strict Democrat, and
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