USA > Missouri > Lincoln County > History of Lincoln County, Missouri, from the earliest time to the present > Part 45
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Robert P. Boulton, editor-in-chief and one of the proprietors of the Troy Free Press, was born in Boone County, Mo., June 29, 1854, and is one of six children, five living, born to the marriage of Jesse A. and Clara D. (Perrine) Boulton, who were Kentuck- ians. The father was reared in his native State, and received a good education, and, after reaching a proper age, taught both. public and private schools, and then turned his attention to farm- ing. He was first married to Mary Smith, a Kentucky lady, with whom he came to Boone County, Mo., in 1840. Here the mother died, leaving two children. Mr. Boulton returned to Kentucky and married Miss Perrine, and came to Missouri in 1850 where he has since made his home. He was born May 19, 1817, and his wife, March 30, 1829. They are both members of the Christian Church, and he is a Democrat, and served as judge of Boone County two terms. Robert P. is their eldest child, and was reared on a farm. His early education was received in the pub- lic schools, and later he attended the Missouri State University, from which institution he graduated with the degree of B. L. in 1877. After pedagoguing in the public schools until 1880 he took a post-graduate course in his alma mater and received the degree of M. L. During the session of 1880-81 and 1881-82 he filled the chair of English literature and history in Christian University, at Canton, Mo., and the following year held a posi- tion on the staff of the chief clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives. In 1883-84 he was principal of the Hannibal Collegiate Institute, and in the latter year bought a third interest
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in the Hannibal Morning Journal, of which he became editor. Again, in 1885, he was on the staff of the clerk of the House of Representatives. In 1887 he sold his interest in the Journal, and purchased of H. M. Cornick a half interest in the Lincoln County News, and this he consolidated with the Troy Free Press . the following year under the firm name of Boulton & Townsend. Mr. Boulton is a Democrat, and a member of the I. O. O. F., and is also a member of the Christian Church.
John J. Bradley is a Kentuckian, and was born in Bourbon County in 1815. He came to Missouri at the age of fifteen years, and lived successively in Pike, Ralls, Marion, Audrain and Lincoln Counties, locating in the latter county in 1863, where he has since been engaged in tilling the soil and raising stock. He was formerly a carpenter, but for some time has given his attention to farming, and is the owner of 160 acres of land. He is a Demo- crat, and a member of the Masonic fraternity. He was married in 1836 to Rhoda E. Bradley, who was born in Tennessee in 1819, and by her is the father of the following interesting family: James C. (living in Texas), Elizabeth Layton, (of Texas), John William, Henry H., Nancy J. (wife of John Wilburn), Virginia (wife of Thomas Smith), Margaret J. (wife of James Smith) and Mary (wife of Elmore Thompson). Mr. and Mrs. Bradley are members of the Baptist Church. His parents, Layton and Nancy (Delany) Bradley, were born in Culpeper County, Va., in 1779 and 1782, and died in Missouri in 1848 and 1841, respectively. They were married in 1802, and a year later located in Bourbon County, Ky., and about 1840 settled in Lincoln County, Mo. The father was of Irish-English extraction, and was a shoemaker by trade, but later followed the occupation of farming. His father was Augustine Bradley, and his grandfather was Lawrence Bradley. The latter came from England to America at a very early period, and participated in the French and Indian wars, and was with Braddock when he was defeated and killed.
Austin Bradley, farmer and stock raiser, of Lincoln County, is the youngest of nine children born to the marriage of Layton C. Bradley and Nancy Delany, who were born in Culpeper County, Va., about 1775 and 1780, respectively. They were
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married in their native State, and became residents of Bourbon County, Ky., previous to 1805. In the year 1830 they became residents of Missouri, and in 1841 came to Lincoln County. The father was a farmer and died in Ralls County. Austin Brad- ley was born in Bourbon County, Ky., in 1822, and was reared in the woods of Pike County, and at the age of eighteen years went to Wisconsin and worked in the lead mines for about & year, and after an interval of one year, spent six months more there. He then spent about one year traveling in the Southern States-Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Arkansas. He was mar- ried in 1848 to Prudence Downing, and by her became the father of twelve children, six living: Martha Ann (wife of James A. Bradley), James Cooper, Ida L. (wife of B. F. Green), Owen W., John A. and Oscar D. The children have all received good educations, and are doing well for themselves. In 1850 Mr. Bradley crossed the plains to California, but was taken sick soon after his arrival there and was unable to work. He remained about fifteen months and then returned home, and since 1865 has been a resident of his present farm of 376 acres of land. He was formerly a Whig in politics, but is now a Democrat. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for about twenty- five years, and he and wife have been members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South for nearly forty years. Mrs. Bradley's parents, James and Martha Downing, were Kentuckians, and became residents of Missouri at an early day, and both died in Lincoln County. Mrs. Bradley was born here in 1830.
Dr. Talbot N. Bragg, physician and surgeon, is the son of Talbot and Elvira R. (Sydner) Bragg, both natives of Lincoln County, Mo. For a livelihood he followed mercantile pursuits, and for several years he was clerk in the land office at Jeffer- son City. He died in 1863 at the age of thirty, leaving a family of four children, three sons and one daughter. Two of the sons are professional men-Talbot N. and Kelly R., who is preparing for the dental profession. The former was born near Troy, Mo., January 14, 1860, and educated in the Troy schools. At the age of seventeen he began the study of medi- cine, and in 1878 he entered the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis, graduating from that institution in 1881. He then
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located at Troy, where he has since been engaged in the prac- tice of his profession. He has been coroner two terms. In 1886 he married Miss Mary A. Pollard, a daughter of Dr. W. H. Pollard, of Pike County. Dr. Bragg has practiced for nearly eight years in Troy, and has secured a good class of patronage, and has met with very satisfactory success, He is a Democrat in his political views, is a member of the A. O. U. W., and he and wife are of the Episcopal faith.
William Brown, farmer and son of Levi and Mary (Oden) Brown, was born in Lincoln County, Mo., where he is now living, in June 1836. The father was born in Cocke County, Tenn., in 1796, and the mother in Barren County, Ky., she being a little older than her husband. He came to Lincoln County in 1815, and she to St. Charles County a few years before, and lived for some time in a fort. After their marriage, in 1829, they settled in Lincoln County, and here spent the balance of their days. He was a mechanic, making spinning wheels, coffins or whatever the early settlers needed, though at the same time he carried on farming. He died in 1881 and she in 1877. He was a Democrat previous to the war and afterwards a Republican. In their family were five children, of whom two sons and one daughter are now living. The grandfather, William Brown, fought in the Revolu- tionary War. William Brown, the subject of this sketch, was reared on a farm and received little or no education. He lived with and cared for his parents until their death. In 1858 he married Miss Nancy E. Williams, daughter of John P. and Mary (Hatfield) Williams, who were the parents of four daughters, of whom Mrs. Brown is the youngest. The fruits of Mr. Brown's marriage were two children, John L. (deceased) and Levi. Since his marriage Mr. Brown has lived on his fine farm, consisting of 222 acres all well cultivated; besides this he has ample means on interest. He has been a resident of Lincoln County for the past fifty-two years, and has never been on a train or a steamboat. For about three years during the war he belonged to the militia.
James W. Brown was born in Lincoln County, Mo., in 1841, and is a son of Andrew and Sarah (Miller) Brown, who were born in the "Old North State" (Carolina) and came to Missouri in 1826. The father was a farmer and died in 1863, and his wife
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in 1860. Their son, James W., assisted his parents on the farm, and in 1862 married Susan E. Owens, who bore him six children, and died in 1875. January 24, 1876, Mr. Brown married his second wife, Fannie G. Kemper, and by her is the father of three children. She was born in Kentucky, and died February 7, 1885. Bettie Lee Thompson became his wife in 1886, and two children blessed their union, but both died in infancy. Mr. Brown is a member of the Old School Baptist Church and also its clerk, and for the past fifteen years has been superintendent of the County Poor House and farm. He owns 220 acres of good land on which he has resided since March, 1887. Besides this he has two small farms in different tracts. In June, 1861, he enlisted in the Missouri State Guards, under Gen. Price, and served about six months. He is a stanch Democrat in politics, and on June 2, 1888, was nominated by the Democrats of Lin- coln County for the office of public administrator, running ahead of his opponent's votes over two to one.
James H. Brown is a prosperous farmer of Lincoln County, Mo. He is a son of James and Abigail (Lindsey) Brown, who were born in Tennessee and Kentucky in 1803 and 1811, and died in Missouri in 1888 and 1882, respectively. They were mar- ried in Pike County, Mo., in 1836, whither the father had come in 1827. They became residents of Lincoln County in 1868, and were zealous members of the Missionary Baptist Church. He was a Whig in early days, but after the war became a Republican. Their family consisted of seven children, James H. Brown being the fourth in the family. He was born in Pike County, Septem- ber 21, 1844, and spent his boyhood days on his father's farm, and in attending the common schools. In 1864 he enlisted in Company D, Third Missouri Cavalry United States army, and after serving about eight months, enlisted in Company C, Four- teenth Missouri Cavalry, serving until October, 1865, and par- ticipating in the battle of Pilot Knob. Since his return home he has followed the occupation of farming, and owns a good farm of 189 acres, on which he located in 1866. He is a member of the A. O. U. W., and is a Republican in politics. In 1870 he was wedded to Missouri C. Lovelace, who was born June 27, 1850, and is the mother of three living children. One child is dead.
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Mr. and Mrs. Brown are members of the Missionary Baptist and Christian Churches, respectively.
Cornelius Brown is the son of John Brown, who was born in Virginia and came to Missouri with his parents when a boy, growing up on a farm. After attaining man's estate he took for his companion through life, Mary L. Gunn, who bore him one daughter. After her death he went to Dubuque, Iowa, and served the plasterer's trade, and from there, in 1849, started over- land, with an ox team, for California, which he reached after a journey of six months, during which time he had a number of encounters and many narrow escapes from Indians. He was a successful gold miner for three years, and in 1852 returned home by water and subsequently was married in Pike County to Mary A. Hayden, soon after which he moved to Lincoln County and located on a farm. He was very prosperous in his chosen calling, and became one of the first farmers of the county. He was a Dem- ocrat, and died in 1877 at the age of fifty-seven years. His widow afterward married J. Bent. Henry, and died in 1881. She was the mother of four sons and one daughter by Mr. Brown, and three of her sons are living, the youngest of whom is Cornelius. He was born on the old home farm, which is now his, October 24, 1861, and there began his career as a farmer. He attended the common schools in boyhood, and at the age of eighteen years began to earn his own living. He worked at the carpenter's trade for some time as bridge carpenter on the St. Louis & Han- nibal Railroad, but for the last few years has been living on and farming the old homestead, which consists of 200 acres, with 150 acres under cultivation. In 1886 he was married to Georgie B., a daughter of Abe Duff, and by her is the father of one son, Claude. Mr. Brown's political views are Democratic.
Manford Burley, agent and operator for the St. Louis, Keo- kuk & Northwestern Railroad, and agent for the American Express Company, at Elsberry, Mo., was born in Ontario, Can- ada, in 1843, and is the sixth of eight children born to Sylvester and Caroline (Jenkins) Burley, who were also subjects of Great Britain and spent their lives in Canada. The father was a farmer and was of English descent. He was born in 1800 and died in 1875. After his wife's death, which occurred in 1851 at the age
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of forty-two years, he married Susan Fox, their nuptials being celebrated about 1857. Both parents were members of the Soci- ety of Friends or Quakers. Manford Burley was educated in the common schools, and was a graduate of Eastman's Commercial College, at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., in 1865. Since that time very nearly all his attention has been given to railroading, and he has spent the most of the time in Illinois and Missouri, working for the Chicago & Alton Railroad in the former State, and for the St. Louis, Keokuk & Northwestern in the latter. He has been the efficient agent at Elsberry since 1881, and is a faithful and obliging employe. He has been quite successful in his business, and is the owner of a good farm of 250 acres near Elsberry. He is conservative in politics, is a Prohibitionist, and a member of the K. of H. and T. B. A. In 1873 he was married at Pleasant Hill, Ill., to Virginia A., daughter of Lawson Turner, who was a native of Virginia, and died in Illinois about 1877. His wife died in 1868. Mr. Burley is the father of three children: Russell Jay, Maud C. and Mabel Virginia. Mr. Burley is the only one of his family to locate in the United States.
Ephraim Cannon is the fourth of ten children born to John and Jane ( Knox) Cannon, who were married in the "Blue Grass State " and became residents of Missouri, in 1818. They im- proved a good farm in Lincoln County, and there the father died in 1871. The mother's parents came from Ireland, and she was born three weeks after they landed on American soil. Her father, James Knox, came to Missouri at a very early day, and lived many years in Lincoln County. James Cannon, father of John, was probably born in South Carolina. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and came to Lincoln County about 1818, and died when our subject was a young man. Ephraim Cannon was born near Troy, Mo., in 1821, and received a meager education in the old subscription schools of his boyhood days. September 30, 1845, he wedded Nancy A., a daughter of William and Lydia Elsberry, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work. Their union has been blessed by the birth of ten children, all of whom are living: Sarah (wife of E. A. Cobb), George W., Elizabeth (wife of Israel R. Hinds), Lydia (wife of J. H. Larue), Susan (wife of Howard M. Moxley), John, Mary (wife of Henry
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Nichols), Rebecca (wife of Samuel Elston), William F. and Ben- jamin E. Since his marriage Mr. Cannon has lived on the farm adjoining his old home and owns both places, 640 acres in all. He was in the State Militia a short time during the war. He was formerly a Whig in his political views but now votes the Democratic ticket. His wife died January 9, 1877. She was a consistent and worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
J. R. Cannon is a member of the dry goods and clothing firm of Cannon & Alloway, at Elsberry, Mo. The business was established in 1880 by Goodman, Cannon & Co., and existed under the firm names of Cannon Sons and Cannon Bros. until 1886, since which time the business has been carried on by the present firm. Their stock amounts to about $12,000, and their annual sales are between $35,000 and $45,000. Mr. Cannon was born in Lincoln County in 1856, and was reared on a farm and educated in the common country schools. He had always resided on a farm up to 1880. He was married in 1878 to Ida, a daughter of Edward and Sere- pha Whiteside, who were born in Lincoln County. Mrs. Cannon was also born here and is the mother of two children. Mr. Can- non is a Democrat and a member of the A. O. U. W., and he and wife are members of the Baptist Church. He is a son of Isaac, and a grandson of Samuel Cannon. The latter was one of the first white settlers of Lincoln County. His brother and all but one of his entire family were murdered by the Indians. Isaac- Cannon was born in Lincoln County, and is now a farmer and stock raiser of Hurricane Township. He was married in 1855, to Lucy Wilkinson. M. S. Alloway, Mr. Cannon's partner in business, was born in Lincoln County, and was reared to an agri- cultural experience. His parents came originally from the "Blue Grass State," being early settlers of this locality. Mr. Alloway's educational advantages were such as the common schools afforded. Before entering into business at this place he was engaged for some time in merchandising at New Hope.
Joseph Cantriel is a native of Lincoln County, born April 1, 1834, and is the fourth of eight children born to the marriage of David Cantriel and Mary Presley, who were born in Kentucky and South Carolina in 1803 and 1804, and died in Missouri in 1853 and 1874, respectively. They were married in Missouri,
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and settled on a farm in Lincoln County. Both were members of the Primitive Baptist Church, and he was a supporter of Dem- ocratic principles. Young Joseph Cantriel spent the happy, un- eventful life of the average farmer's boy, but only received about three months' schooling. By his own efforts, however, he has secured enough education to enable him to attend to his own business affairs. While hauling apples to Clarksville he took his arithmetic with him and learned the muliplication table while go- ing backward and forward. In 1860 he went to Pike's Peak, where he mined for a short time and then returned home. He has a good farm of 240 acres of land, and is one of the prosperous farmers of the county. September 5, 1861, he married Ann Elizabeth Reid, who was born October 28, 1845, and their union has been blessed by the birth of three children, two of whom are living: Mary Elizabeth, born February 24, 1863 ( wife of W. W. Broyles), and Richard Henry Walton, born October 12, 1882. Mr. Cantriel supports the principles of the Democratic party.
Thomas M. Carter, a prominent ex-county official, was born in the "Old Dominion," and came with his parents to Missouri in 1830, locating first in St. Charles County, and in 1852 in Lin- coln County. He was engaged in the hotel business in the lat- ter place until 1861, when he enlisted in the Confederate service as private, but was soon chosen captain, and before the close of the war rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was wounded as Elkhorn, Vicksburg and Franklin. At the close of the war he returned home, and in 1868 purchased the farm on which he now lives, consisting of 160 acres. He also gives considerable attention to stock raising. He is a Democrat, politically, and, from 1873 to 1877, served the people of Lincoln County as sher- iff, and made an efficient and trustworthy officer. He was mar- ried in 1855 to Alabama, daughter of Col. Frank Henry, and by her is the father of two sons and two daughters. Mr. Carter was a soldier in the Mexican War about fifteen months, and his parents, C. L. and Mary (Sawyers) Carter, were both Vir- ginians. The father was a saddler by trade, but in later years followed the occupation of farming and tobacco manufacturing. Both died in St. Charles County, Mo.
Alfred Hamlin Chenoweth, M. D. (deceased). One of the
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ablest representatives of the medical profession with which Lin- coln County has been blessed was Dr. Alfred Hamlin Cheno- weth. Born of illustrious ancestry, he added the highest schol- astic training. His father, Rev. Alfred G. Chenoweth, was born in Berkeley County, Va., in 1809, and was a lineal descendent of the fourth generation from Lord Baltimore, and of the third genera- tion from Oliver Cromwell. He was a man of scholarly attainments and one of the shining lights in the Methodist Episcopal Church. While stationed at Greencastle, Ind., he was called to lay aside the burdens of life, dying in 1864. The Doctor's mother, Catherine A. (Peel) Chenoweth, has Rockingham County, Va., as the place of her nativity, and 1812 as the year of her birth. She lived to be sixty-nine, spending her last days in this county. Their family consisted of six children, three sons and three daughters. The oldest son, Bernard P., was a missionary to China, where he died while at the post of duty. William E. was a captain in the Federal army during the late war. The Doctor, the youngest son, was a native of Hampshire County, Va., born December 17, 1846. His literary education was acquired at Asbury University, of Greencastle, Ind., from which institution he graduated in early manhood. In 1863 he volunteered in Capt. Osborn's Company. He served until thé close of the war, and after that struggle graduated from the medical department of the University of Virginia. About 1868 he came west, grad- uated at the St. Louis Medical College, and then located in Lin- coln County, Mo. In 1869 he married Miss Ella, daughter of Jonathan and Leah J. (Dryden) Crume. She was born in this county in 1851, though her father was a native of Kentucky and her mother of Maryland. To Dr. and Mrs. Chenoweth were born seven children, four now living. The Doctor was a Mason and an active worker in the Methodist Episcopal Church, as is also his wife. He died November 28, 1887. He was a skillful phy- sician and one pre-eminently fitted for that noble profession.
Francis B. Clare, farmer, is the son of Daniel and Jane (Hansford) Clare. The father was born in Virginia in 1791, although his ancestors were from Germany. He was young when his parents died and he was bound to his brother. At the age of eighteen he left for Kentucky, where he learned the tanner's
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trade, and at which he worked until coming to Missouri. While in Kentucky he married Miss Hansford, a native of that State, born in 1792. They moved to Lincoln County, Mo., in 1826, and there passed the remainder of their days. The father was a farmer and a soldier under Harrison in the War of 1812. The mother died about 1833, a consistent member of the Baptist Church. The father afterward married Mrs. Frances Cox, of Montgomery County. To the first marriage were born nine chil- dren, seven sons and two daughters, and by his second marriage was born one child, a son. Mr. Clare was an old Clay Whig, and he and last wife were members of the Christian Church. He died in 1843. Francis B. was the eldest child born to the first marriage, his birth occurring February 19, 1816, in Somerset, Ky. He attained his education in the country schools, having been reared on a farm, and of course this was limited. At the age of ten he came with his parents to Lincoln County, Mo., and there worked for his father until twenty-one years of age, when he began for himself in agricultural pursuits, making this his life-long work. In 1840 he married Miss Mary Gray, who was born in Kentucky, June 17, 1824. She lost her parents when about three years of age and was brought to this county and reared by her grandparents. To Mr. and Mrs. Clare were born ten children, nine now living, five sons and four daughters. In 1838 Mr. Clare began working on the place where he lives, which now consists of 678 acres in this and Montgomery County. As a farmer Mr. Clare has been quite successful, and his children, upon leaving home, all received a start. He has lived in this county for sixty-two years, and is much respected. He was a Whig but is now a Democrat, and he and wife are members of the Christian Church.
Rev. Father Thomas Cleary, the priest at Millwood, was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, in 1814. He received his literary education in the old country, where he taught school. In 1851 he sailed for America, and after teaching in South Carolina and Georgia, he was honored with the degree of LL. D. at St. Mary's College, S. C. He came to Missouri in 1857, and received his theological education at Carondelet, near St. Louis, and at Cape Girardeau. He was ordained in 1860, and four years later he
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