USA > Missouri > Lincoln County > History of Lincoln County, Missouri, from the earliest time to the present > Part 51
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William R. Mattingly, a blacksmith and wagon-maker of Millwood, is a son of Philip and Elizabeth (Mudd) Mattingly. The father had been previously married, and after his first wife's death he married Miss Mudd. The father died in Kentucky, and in 1848 she and six children moved to Lincoln County, Mo. William R. was the fourth child, and was born in Washington County, Ky., January 2, 1839, and when nine years of age was brought to this county. Being the eldest son he had to help support the family, and therefore received a very limited educa- tion. At the age of fourteen he began learning the blacksmith and wagon-maker's trade, and worked at this until after the war, when he opened a shop at Millwood and there has since remained. He has a large shop, well furnished, and does first-class work. In 1868 he married Miss Anna Mudd, a daughter of Luke Mudd. To this union were born five children, one son and four daughters. Mr. Mattingly has met with good success as a tradesman, and has one of the best shops in this county. He takes an active part in all things pertaining to education, and has been director in his district a number of times. He and wife are members of the Catholic Church, and he is a Democrat and a member of the Catholic Knights of America.
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BIOGRAPHICAL APPENDIX.
Thomas J. Mattingly, proprietor of the Mosely Hotel, is the son of Stephen J. and Sarah E. (Mudd) Mattingly. The father was born in Kentucky in 1819, and the mother was a native of the same State. They were married here, and two of their chil- dren were born in this State. In 1847 they moved to Lincoln County, Mo., settling in Waverly Township, and here the father followed farming and coopering. Both he and wife were mem- bers of the Catholic Church. He was a Democrat in politics, and died July 2, 1878. The mother died August 2, 1862. Their family consisted of ten children, Thomas J. being the eldest son. He was born March 30, 1848, in Waverly Township, was reared on a farm, and received a very limited education in the district schools. At the age of twenty he could scarcely write his own name, but he worked out, and with the money thus obtained attended school in St. Charles County, and also attended Blackburn University, at Carlinville, Ill. Returning, he clerked for about two years in the town of St. Charles, and then worked for his father on the farm for about two years. He afterward clerked for H. T. Mudd, of Millwood, and followed this occupa- tion for about three years, a part of the time carrying on a farm. He then engaged in business for himself. In 1878 he married Miss Lucy Hagan, of Hannibal, Mo., and to them were born four children, three living, two sons and a daughter. In 1880 Mr. Mattingly was elected constable of Millwood Township, and has held that position since, four years by election and two years by
deputyship. In 1888 he moved to Silex, and took charge of the Mosley Hotel. He has just fitted up a nice store-room, and filled it with drugs and groceries. He has been quite successful in all business transactions, having commenced in life worse off than nothing, being in debt. He is a Democrat in politics, and he and wife are members of the Catholic Church. He is a member of the Catholic Knights of America, and belongs to Branch No. 108, at Hannibal, Mo.
Charles J. Meriwether is a son of Dr. Fountain and Ade- line (Miller) Meriwether, who were born, reared and married in Virginia. They came to Lincoln County, Mo., in 1836, where the father, for about forty years, practiced medicine, and also carried on farming. He was a Democrat, and lived to be sixty-
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HISTORY OF LINCOLN COUNTY.
five years of age. His wife lived to be a few years older. Six sons and four daughters blessed their union. The fourth child, Charles J., was born in the "Old Dominion" February 3, 1830, and received the education and rearing of the average farmer's boy. When eighteen years of age lie hired out as overseer, and as soon as he had accumulated sufficient money, purchased a piece of land, and has added to the same from time to time until he now has a fine farm of 330 acres. For fifty-two years he has been a resident of Lincoln County, and has proved himself a good neighbor, and a successful farmer. In his younger days he was a great lover of hunting, and was considered a fine shot with a rifle. He was accidentally shot, while out hunting, by a friend, and the sight of the left eye was totally destroyed. For a companion through life he chose Lydia Wells, a native of Albe- marle County, Va. She was brought to Missouri when two years old by her widowed mother, and she and Mr. Meriwether became the parents of five sons and two daughters. She is a member of the Episcopal Church, and he is a Democrat.
John Meuth, farmer and stock raiser, was born in Nassau, Prussia, on the Rhine, May 3, 1830, and is one of eight children, seven sons and one daughter, born to John and Sophia (Wagoner) Meuth, both natives of the same place as our subject. The father was a fine cabinet-maker and house-carpenter, and in connection therewith ran a farm. Four of his sons learned trades. The youngest, John Meuth, received a good education in the German language, and when fourteen years of age began learning the shoemaker's trade. He was only about six years old when his father died, and when he was about sixteen his mother also died. Having received his property he left it in the hands of his guardian, and in 1849 he started for America. For several years he worked at his trade, chopped cord-wood, etc., and in 1854 he married Miss Ellen Gleson, a native of Ireland. Now was the time to send for his money, and he proceeded to do so, but found that his guardian had made way with the whole of it. In 1856 he moved to Lincoln County, Mo. Here his wife died, and the following year he married Miss Margaret Kaster, a native of Hanover, Germany. Nine children were the fruits of this union, eight now living, four sons and four daughters. For
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BIOGRAPHICAL APPENDIX.
twenty-six years Mr. Meuth has lived on his present homestead, which consists of 620 acres. He is a Democrat in politics, and he and wife are members of the Catholic Church. His first wife was also a member of the same church.
Capt. William Miller was born in Lincoln County, N. C., in 1812, and at the age of six years was brought by his parents, Andrew and Jane ( Wilson) Miller, to Missouri. They settled near the mouth of Crooked Creek, in the woods among the Indians and wild animals, and there cleared a good farm. The father died on the 30th of December, 1826. The mother was born near Philadelphia, Pa., and when quite small moved with her people to North Carolina, where they lived during the Revo- lutionary War, her father, Thomas Wilson, furnishing supplies to the army. He was born in Ireland, and was a weaver by occupation. The grandfather Miller was of Scotch-Irish descent, and his son Andrew was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was captain of militia at an early day. He was instrumental in establishing towns in Lincoln County, and aided to a great degree in settling the county. At the time of his death he weighed 355 pounds, although in his young days he was of ordinary weight. They reared a family of nine children, Will- iam being the youngest in the family. He was reared in the wilds of Lincoln County, and received very poor educational advantages, being compelled to walk three miles to school through the woods, which were at that time inhabited by wolves and panthers. His marriage to Emily Foster took place in 1832. She was born in North Carolina, and died in 1854, leaving six children. His second marriage was to Sarah Shults in 1855. She was a daughter of Thompson Shults. Their six children are all grown and married. Mr. Miller has lived on his present farm for seventy years. It consists of about 600 acres, and lies near Moscow Mills. He gave about 400 acres to his children. He served as justice of the peace for nearly fifteen years, and has been prominently identified with the churches and schools in his community. He has been a life-long Democrat, and his first Presidential vote was cast for Jackson. His children by his first wife are: James A .; Lizzie, wife of William Wright, and Josephine, wife of T. H. Harris. By his second wife are:
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HISTORY OF LINCOLN COUNTY.
Alvina Alice, wife of Alex. Miller; Sarah Emma, wife of E. B. Wilson; Lucy Margaret, wife of T. A. Cooper; Martha L., wife of C. M. Wells; Katie, wife of John Carter, and Ida Clay, wife of Hugh Geiger.
Thomas N. Mitchell, a farmer, stock raiser and a native of Lin- coln County, Mo., was born in 1848, and is the fifth of ten chil- dren. He was reared on his father's farm, educated in the com- mon schools, and at the age of twenty began earning his own living. In 1868 he was united in marriage to Martha J., a daughter of William S. and Mary Luckett, and by her is the father of five children: Maggie, Walter, Mary, Cora and Helen. Mr. Mitchell has a good farm of 240 acres, and makes a specialty of breeding Clydesdale horses, and has a fine imported horse of that breed. He sympathizes with the Democratic party, and he and wife are members of the Baptist Church. His parents, Elder Albert G. and Amanda Jane (Davis) Mitchell, were natives of Amherst County, Va., the former being born in 1813. He be- came a member of the church in 1842, was licensed to preach, and soon after began his ministerial duties. He was married in 1833, and in 1845 came to Lincoln County, locating on a farm near Auburn. From there he moved to Pike County, thence to St. Charles County, and about 1883 moved to Montgomery City, where he still resides. He was ordained an elder in his church in 1847, and since his conversion has been an earnest worker for the cause of Christianity. His wife was an earnest and faithful member of the Baptist Church, and died in 1860. Mr. Mitchell took for his second wife Helen Carr. He had a brother, W. W. Mitchell, who was also licensed to preach, and after coming to Missouri was ordained, and became pastor of a number of different churches in Missouri and Illinois. He died in the latter State in 1879. The grandfather of our subject, Tarplin Mitchell, was a Virginian of English descent, and at an early day came to Missouri. His wife, Polly C., died in 1881, at the advanced age of ninety-five years. He died several years previously.
George W. Mohr, postmaster at Troy, is a native of Hesse Darmstadt, Prussia, born November 6, 1836, and is the son of J. Leonard and Barbara Mohr, who were both born in Hesse Darm- stadt, Prussia. The father followed agricultural pursuits all his
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life, and in 1848 they emigrated to America, settling in New York, and three years later moved to Monroe County, Ill., where both passed the remainder of their lives, he at the age of sixty- six and she at the age of fifty-eight. Of their family of eight children, five sons and three daughters, all were born in Prussia. Their son, George W., received a good common education in both the English and German. He learned wagon-making and the carriage business while at Belleville, Ill., and this he followed for sixteen years, three at Belleville and eleven at Troy. In 1856 he came to Troy, and the following year he married Miss Mary C. Marsh, a native of Kentucky, who bore him nine children, five sons and four daughters. After working at his trade in Troy until 1870 he opened a bakery, grocery and restaurant, and three years later he was appointed postmaster at a salary of $420 per year. He has held this position fifteen years. In 1884 this office became one under presidential appointment with a salary of $1,000 per year. He is one of the few who has held over under Democratic administration, though a stanch Republican.
The office now pays $1,200, and his last commission runs from 1884 to 1888. This office was made a money order office July 1, 1879, for which additional pay is received. Mr. Mohr is a member of the A. O. U. W., being financier of his lodge. He has been trustee of the public schools and trustee of Troy. In connection with his official position Mr. Mohr carries on the general mer- chandise business. He and wife are members of the Presby- terian Church.
William Moore, collector of Lincoln County, Mo., and a native of this county, was born July 9, 1840, and is the son of John L. and Agnes (Trail) Moore, both of whom were of Southern birth. They came to this county when young, were married here and are still residents of this county. The father was an old line Whig before the war and is now a Democrat. Both are members of the Missionary Baptist Church. Of the eleven children born to their marriage, ten now living, William Moore was the eldest. He was educated in the district and Troy schools, and at the age of nineteen began for himself by teaching school in the winter sea- sons and farming during the summer. For about sixteen years he "wielded the birch," and then abandoned this and turned his
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HISTORY OF LINCOLN COUNTY.
attention to stock dealing, which he continued until 1886, at which date he was elected collector. In 1869 he married Miss Alcinda F. Sanders, who bore him two children, a son and daughter, the former only, living. After the death of his wife Mr. Moore mar- ried Mrs. Ella R. Ransdell, nee Sydnor. He is deeply interested in farming, and is now the owner of 280 acres of good land. He started in life with little or nothing, and has made what he has by his own efforts. He is a member of the A. O. U. W., and is a Democrat in politics.
James Y. Morriss is a son of Yovel and Ursula (Thornley ) Morriss, both of whom were born in the " Old Dominion." They were married in their native State and resided there until their respective deaths. The father was quite an extensive planter and was a soldier in the War of 1812. He was twice married, and was the father of four sons by his first marriage. James Y. Mor- riss is the youngest of seven children, and was born January 3, 1818, in Spottsylvania County, Va. In 1836 he came to Pike County, Mo., and the following year to Lincoln County. Here he has resided and farmed ever since. In 1843 he was married to Judith B. Stewart, a daughter of Gen. David and Margaret (Jameson) Stewart. Mrs. Morriss was born in Montgomery County, Ky., May 28, 1826, and is the mother of eight sons and four daughters. Mr. Morriss is a Democrat, and is the owner of 220 acres of land, and he and wife are members of the Christian Church. Mrs. Morriss' parents were natives of Kentucky, and came to Missouri in 1829, settling in Marion County, on the Mul- drew farm (now the city of Palmyra), moving a year later to Lincoln County. They were the parents of ten children, and were members of the Christian Church. The father was previously a Whig, but later a Democrat, and was for many years promi- nently identified with the business affairs of Lincoln County, holding a number of responsible offices. He represented his county in the State Legislature. His first wife died in 1848, and in 1850 he married Mary McFarland, by whom he had one child. While he and wife were going to church in 1871 their horse ran away, throwing them from the buggy, killing her instantly, and he died from the effects of his injuries in about an hour.
John E. Moseley is one of sixteen children born to the mar-
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BIOGRAPHICAL APPENDIX.
riage of Guerrant and Elizabeth F. (Smith ) Moseley, who were born and raised in Jessamine County, Ky. The former's birth occurred in 1802 and the latter's in 1811. They came to Mis- souri in 1830, and in 1867 came to Lincoln County, where the father died in 1886. He was a farmer and Democrat. John E. Moseley was born in Marion County, March 18, 1831, and was reared on a farm. At the age of twenty he be- gan working for himself and earned enough money to take him through two years at a higher school. For twenty-five years he farmed during the summer months and taught school during the winter. During the war he spent the most of his time in Illi- nois, and there in 1860 married Ellen G. Boyd, who died in 1876, leaving three sons. In 1878 he married Susan A. Parsons, who was born in Pike County, Mo., November 22, 1842, and is a daughter of Lewis and Louisa (Moore) Parsons, who came to Pike County, Mo., about 1827. A daughter has been been born to Mr. Moseley and wife. Since 1867 he has been a resident of Lincoln County, where he owns 300 acres of fertile land. Pre- vious to the war he was a Whig, but since that time he has been a Democrat. In 1886 he was elected justice of the peace, and June 2, 1888, was the regular nominee of the Democratic party for associate county judge of the second district. He is a Mason and a member of the A. O. U. W.
Capt. Martin V. Mosley, postmaster and general merchant at Owen, Mo., was born in St. Louis County, Mo., January 1, 1840, and is a son of John and Martha ( Arnold) Mosley, who were born, reared and married in Scott County, Ky., and about 1826 came to St. Louis County, the father dying in Montgomery County in 1876, and the mother in Texas two years later. They were of Scotch-Irish and German descent, respectively. Martin V. is the eighth of eleven children who lived to be grown. His education was obtained in the common schools and at Des Peres College in St. Louis County, after leaving which he began a mil- itary experience, which is deserving of more extended mention than the limits of this work will allow. About the breaking out of the war he joined a company at Truxton, Mo., and was subse- quently made captain of Company E of Hull's Battalion. The second day after reaching Price's army, and at the battle of Lex-
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HISTORY OF LINCOLN COUNTY.
ington, he was wounded in the left shoulder and disabled for six months. On the day that Beauregard left the forts of Memphis on his retreat to Tupelo, Miss., Capt. Mosley rejoined Price and remained with a part of his old command in Col. Cockrill's regi- ment for six weeks. He was then persuaded by Col. Burbridge to return to the Western Department to recruit and organize troops in Missouri, his efforts in this direction in the northern part of the State proving fairly successful. In the spring of 1863, while attempting to gather recruits from several counties into the cedar hills of Callaway County, he was captured near Danville and kept in close confinement at Gratiot Street Prison, St. Louis, wearing a ball and chain for five months, at the expi- ration of which time he was tried as a spy. He was sentenced to hard labor at Alton Prison (Ill. ) during the remainder of the war, but in seven months succeeded in making his escape with others, one of the latter being killed and two again taken pris- oners. Thirteen of these fleeing prisoners crossed the Missouri River at Clarksville, an undertaking attended with great danger, but which was successfully accomplished, owing to a mistake of the encamped Federal forces that they were militia-men. After pushing on through the country without any serious obstacle, though of course constantly liable to capture, Chain of Rocks was reached, and the next night, to insure greater safety, the little company was disbanded into squads of two and three. Capt. Mosley finally gathered part of his men together and re- crossed the Missouri, resting a few days near the site of his old home, and then, well equipped, starting again for the sunny South. In Reynolds County Col. Douglas, direct from Price's army, was met on his march to Pilot Knob, where Capt. Mosley organized a company and once more joined Price's command at Jefferson City. After that some serious hardships were experi- enced before Texas was reached, concerning which it is hardly necessary to speak in this connection. He surrendered at Shreveport, La., as officer of the day and first lieutenant of Pin- dall's Battalion of Sharpshooters. Following this Capt. Mosley lived with his parents on the old homestead for two years, then farmed on shares a while, bought the Carr farm in 1869 and kept bachelor's hall until his marriage, November 23, 1875, to
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BIOGRAPHICAL APPENDIX.
Miss Mary Newton McCarty, of New Jersey. In 1884 they lo- cated upon their present place in this county, consisting of 180 acres, near Owen. Capt. Mosley is a Democrat politically, and is a member of the Masonic fraternity. His wife belongs to the Methodist Church.
Ezekiel A. Mounce is a son of Henry and Ann E. (Downing) Mounce. The former was born in Montgomery County, Ky., in 1811, and after reaching manhood came with his widowed mother and sisters to St. Louis County, Mo., where he was married to Edith Davidson, who died leaving two children. He located in Lincoln County in 1844, where he married Miss L. Sitton, who died soon after marriage. He chose Miss Downing for his third wife, and by her became the father of eight children, only two of whom are living. The mother was born in Lincoln County in 1825, and died in her sixty-third year. The father died at the age of seventy years. They were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and he is a Democrat in politics. Their son, Ezekiel A., was born in the county where he now resides, July 29, 1848. Like a dutiful son he assisted his parents on the farm until twenty-one years of age, when he was united in mar- riage to Mary, daughter of Calisthenes Sanford, who was quite an early and influential settler of the county. She was born in 1849, and became the mother of six children, five of whom are living, four sons and one daughter. They located on their pres- ent farm of 160 acres in 1881, and are considered worthy citi- zens and good farmers. Mr. Mounce belongs to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and is a member of the A. O. U. W., and supports the principles of the Democratic party.
Solomon R. Moxley was born in Virginia September 2, 1803, and was educated in the old field schools. In 1830 he married Mary V. Bowley, and in 1836 came to Lincoln County, Mo., where the mother died in 1837, and the following year the father married Maria L. Verdier, who was also a native of Virginia. Two chil- dren were born to his first marriage, and seven to the last. With the exception of three years Mr. Moxley has lived in this county for forty-two years. He was county judge for many years, and was the first probate judge of Lincoln County, and has followed the occupation of farming through life, and owns 232 acres of
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HISTORY OF LINCOLN COUNTY.
land. His parents were James J. and Hannah (Robinson ) Mox- ley, both of whom were born in Westmoreland County, Va. They were the parents of two children, and after the father's death, which occurred in 1804, his widow married again, and be- came the mother of seven children. The father had previously been married, and two children were the result of that union. James V. Moxley is a son of Solomon and Maria (Verdier) Mox- ley, and was born in the house where he now resides September, 18, 1839. He was educated in the district schools, and was reared on his father's farm. At the age of twenty-one he began study- ing medicine under Dr. S. H. McKay, and was preparing to take a course of lectures when the war broke out, and his plans had to be given up. In 1862 his marriage with Emma Rodifer was consummated. She was born in Lincoln County in January, 1846, and she and Mr. Moxley became the parents of eight chil- dren. They own 133 acres of land, and he affiliates with the Democratic party in his political views.
Judge Henry Thomas Mudd. Among those who have taken a prominent and active part in the growth and advancement of Lincoln County, stands the name of Judge Henry Thomas Mudd. We have been kindly permitted the perusal of his diary, a well bound book of some 300 pages, in which is found a great amount and variety of valuable and interesting matter that will doubtless be prized very highly by his descendants hereafter. Among the matter is a well written history of the Mudd family; a copy of the patent to the old homestead of his ancestors in Charles County, Md .; the will of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather; also many articles written by him and pub- lished in the county papers in reference to the Lincoln County railroad bonds, and various other matters of interest and amuse- ment; from all of which and other sources we glean the follow- ing facts and information: The name of Mudd is very familiar to the people of Lincoln County, and not uncommon to the people throughout the States. Family tradition says that three brothers of that name came over from England with Lord Baltimore and his Catholic colony to America, and settled in Maryland in the year 1634. Only one of these brothers married, whose given name has not been preserved. His son, Thomas, procured a tract of land,
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BIOGRAPHICAL APPENDIX.
containing about 900 acres, equal distance between the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers, patented to him under Lord Baltimore, which has remained continuously a family possession for 240 years, descending from Thomas to his eldest son Henry Thomas, and from Henry Thomas to his eldest son Henry, and from Henry to his eldest son Theodore, and would have descended to his eldest son, the subject of this sketch, but for the abolishment of the old English law of inheritance. This family has become very numerous, from the fact, as found from the copy of the wills in the diary, that the Judge's father, grandfather and great-grand- father, each reared a family of twelve children. Of the Mudd family, in its various branches, many have become skillful physi- cians and not a few eminent lawyers. The father of the subject of this sketch, Theodore Mudd, was born on the old homestead in Maryland, and was a man of good sense and irreproachable character. He was colonel of a regiment of the State Militia and member of the Maryland Legislature. His mother, Dorothy Dyer, was also a native of Charles County, Md., and was of a highly respectable family, also of twelve children; she died in Maryland at the age of sixty-six. His father spent his last days in Lincoln County, Mo., and was eighty-four years old at the time of his death. Their eldest son, Henry Thomas, was born September 23, 1816, also on the old homestead, where he ob- tained his growth and received his education in the common country schools of that day. At the age of seventeen he went to Washington, D. C., and for about two years was clerk and col- lector for the mercantile house of Semmes & Shepherd, both from Charles County, Md., the former the father of Captain Raphael Semmes, of the Confederate Navy, a very intelligent boy about ten years of age at that time and afterwards a graduate at the old Catholic College of Georgetown, D. C. His experience in Washington during those two years has been of much practical benefit to him in his after business life. In his collecting tours he had frequent opportunity to spend half hours in the galleries of the United States Senate whilst Jackson was President and Martin Van Buren Vice-President, and to witness some of the de- bates of the great Clay, Webster, Calhoun and Benton, the re- nowned Senators of their day and generation. In the year 1837 he
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