USA > Missouri > Pettis County > History of Pettis County, Missouri > Part 41
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Major James' activity in military work bore results of inestimable value in the World War. Many of the officers from this section of Mis- souri, who distinguished themselves on the battlefields of France, re- ceived their early military training under Major James. Those who
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might be mentioned as having been connected with his organization are Major T. F. Hardin, Major J. F. Kennedy, Captain W. F. Logan, Captain Roy Wells, as well as many lieutenants and non-commissioned officers.
Major James is a Republican and has been prominently identified with local politics for a number of years. He has been secretary of the Republican City Central Committee for the past six years, and in 1918 was elected Probate Judge of Pettis County on the Republican ticket, for a four-year term, beginning January 1, 1919.
Major James is a member of the Woodman of the World, the Modern Woodman of America of which he is clerk of the local camp No. 5570. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias and president of the Ninth District of the Missouri Pythian Association, and he is also a member of the Mystic Workers of the World.
No biographer can do justice to the character of such a man as Judge James. As a leader of men and as an organizer, he has few peers, and no superiors in central Missouri. This rare gift being used not to impose or to perpetuate wrong, but to vindicate and enforce justice and right. Fortunate, indeed, the candidate whose cause he espoused, and favored the cause whose principles he championed.
Judge James is an indefatigable worker. Intensely loyal to his friends, with broad charity that knows no creed or party lines; with patriotism that is almost a passion; with a love of home and his fellow man which he holds sacred and inviolable; all are traits that he has man- ifested in no uncertain manner by the use he has made of his time, his talent, and his purse. Well has he merited the confidence reposed in him by the people of Pettis County, and well has he earned the eminence to which he has attained by his honesty and progressiveness ; by his sturdy championship of the right; by his unswerving devotion to duty; and by an insatiable desire to measure up to the highest standard of American citizenship.
Adam Richter .- The blacksmithing and wagon shop owned and operated by A. Richter, Smithton, Missouri, is one of the landmarks of eastern Pettis County. The Richters, A. Richter & Son, operate one of the busiest shops in the county, and in addition they carry a line of agricul- tural implements which are retailed to the farmers of the surrounding country. Three men are constantly employed to care for the custom work. The business was first established by A. Richter in 1895, and after having a series of partners he associated his son with him in the business until
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the young man joined the National Army for service with the American armies in France.
A. Richter was born in Germany in 1862, and is the son of Adam and Eva (Stoehr) Richter, who lived all of their lives in their native land. When sixteen years of age Adam Richter, subject of this sketch, was apprenticed to learn the trade of wagon maker and blacksmith. He served an apprenticeship of two and a half years, and became thoroughly grounded in the rudiments of his trade. In 1879 he immigrated to America, and upon landing upon the soil of his adopted country he had exactly thirty dollars with which to begin his career. Mr. Richter went from New York to Illinois, and after remaining in that State for a month he made his way to St. Louis, where he was employed at his trade for five years. In 1884 he located at Walnut Creek, Missouri, and after a sojourn there of one and a half years, he located in Smithton, in 1886. Here he has been profit- ably employed for the past thirty-two years. In former years the Richter shop made wagons for the trade in their entirety, but this department of the establishment has lately given way to the factory-made wagons, and only repair work is now done by the shop force.
Mr. Richter was married in 1885 to Miss Louisa Wiedemeyer, who was born in St. Louis in 1855, and departed this life in 1904. She was a daugh- ter of Charles P. Wiedemeyer, of St. Louis, Missouri. Seven of the nine children born of this marriage have been reared to maturity: Mrs. Mayme Bluhm, living on a farm one-half mile west of Smithton; Lillie, wife of George Cook, living south of Smithton; Carl, assisting his father in the shop ; Julius J., a soldier in the National Army ; Lawrence W., an American aviator in the National Army; Lulu, residing with her sister, Mrs. Bluhm ; Anton, at home with his father.
Lieut. Julius J. Richter was born October 8, 1893, and at the time of his enlistment in the National Army was his father's partner in the busi- ness. He enlisted in August, 1917, and was sergeant of Company Q, 6th Missouri National Guard. He entered the officers' training school at Camp Doniphan, and became eligible to a commission in March, 1918. He received his commission as second lieutenant in France in June, 1918, and was assigned to the Third Headquarters Battalion, 140th Infantry, 35th Division of the American Expeditionary Forces. Lieut. Julius J. Richter led his men in the Battle of Argonne Forest with the 35th Division, and was badly wounded. He received nine wounds in the left arm and the right leg. This division covered itself with glory and materially aided in clearing
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the Argonne Forest of the enemy. At this writing (December, 1918,) Lieu- tenant Richter is in an American base hospital in France, suffering from his wounds, which have not yet healed. He and his men were making a charge in the forest on or about September 26, 1918, when he fell, riddled with bullets from a German machine gun and shrapnel. Lawrence W. Richter was born December 2, 1895, and enlisted in July, 1917, in the aviation department, and was assigned to the 475th Aero Battalion of the American Expeditionary Forces. He enlisted in the service while a resident of Chicahaukee, Oklahoma. He holds rank as sergeant, and at this writing he is on his way home from France and is at Camp Mills, New York.
In politics Mr. Richter has always been a Republican. He has held many local offices in Smithton, has served as mayor of the town, president of the school board, and is now filling the post of town treasurer. He is a member of the German Methodist Church and is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America and the Modern Brotherhood of America.
Dr. Charles A. Wiest, successful practicing physician, Smithton, Mis- souri, was born in Millersburg, Pennsylvania, May 19, 1873. He is the son of John E. and Linda (Wirt) Wiest, both of whom were born and reared in Pennsylvania and come of the sturdy Pennsylvania Dutch stock, for which that State is noted. John E. Wiest moved to Hickory Corners, Pennsylvania, when Charles A. was but a boy, and he kept a general store there for many years prior to his retirement to Millersburg. John E. Wiest died at his home in Millersburg, Pennsylvania, in 1904, and his widow still lives in that city. John E. and Linda Wiest were parents of the following children: Dr. Charles A. Wiest, of this review; Mrs. Fred G. Bowman, Millersburg, Pennsylvania; Mrs. O. S. Novinger, Millersburg, Pennsylvania.
After attending the public schools of his native town and the Porter- ville Academy, New York, Doctor Wiest studied for one year in the University of Pennsylvania. He then studied medicine for three years in the University of Maryland and graduated in 1897. After one year of practice in Cole Camp, Missouri, the Doctor practiced at Stover, Missouri, for eighteen years. In 1917 he went to Kansas City and practiced in that city for one year, and then located in Smithton, Missouri, in May, 1918. For one winter Doctor Wiest was connected with hospital work in Kansas City, and has constantly advanced in his profession through wide experi- ence gained in his hospital work. He has well-equipped offices in Smithton, and has an excellent and lucrative practice.
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Doctor Wiest was married in June, 1900, to Miss Bertha V. Wilson, of Stover, Missouri, a daughter of James D. Wilson, of Stover. Doctor and Mrs. Wiest have children as follow: Loyette Irene, born March, 1901, student in Smithton High School; Raymond J., born September 8, 1902; Rachel G., born July, 1904; John E., born February, 1906; Ralph F., born September, 1908. Raymond J. Wiest is probably the youngest enlisted soldier from Pettis County in the National Army, and one of the youngest in the army. He enlisted on October 7, 1917, as a private in the Regular United States Army, and is now in the ordnance department detachment, located at Fort Hancock, Sandy Hook, New Jersey, where he is an expert cannon tester. He became proficient in this department of the service and the army authorities placed him on duty at Sandy Hook testing grounds. During his service there he participated in the shooting of a German spy, whom he and a comrade caught or observed prowling about the grounds.
Doctor Wiest volunteered his services in the Medical Reserve Corps in May, 1917, soon after war was declared, and was rejected by the exam- ining board on account of a slight physical disability. He again tried to enter the service in March, 1918.
Doctor Wiest is a member of the Missouri Medical Society, the Morgan County (Missouri) Medical Society and the American Medical Association. He is fraternally affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Versailles, is a Progressive Republican in politics, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Lawrence Edward Heffernan .- The farm owned by "Ed" Heffernan, Democratic Central Committeeman in Smithton township, consisting of 240 acres, is one of the best improved and productive agricultural plants in this section of Missouri. This farm is the place formerly owned by E. N. Norton, and Mr. Heffernan has owned the tract since 1913. He has made many improvements on the tract, and has built considerable lines of hog-tight wire fencing, erected a silo of one hundred tons capacity, painted all buildings white, and has a large barn, 62x70 feet. The white color scheme of the buildings shows to good advantage on the countryside and gives a distinct tone and appearance to the Heffernan place. While the corn crop in Missouri was almost a total failure during the past season, 1918, Mr. Heffernan raised twenty bushels to the acre on his land, a fair yield on a tract of thirty acres. He harvested ninety-four acres of wheat, from which he threshed a total of 2,400 bushels of No. 1 grade wheat. For the next season he has sown one hundred and ten acres of wheat. Mr.
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Heffernan is a believer in the benefits of having sheep on the farm, and has a drove of forty-five head of extra mixed Shropshires and Oxfords, with a pure-bred Shropshire buck as drove leader. The Heffernan farm is noted for its pure-bred Chester White hogs, of which there are sixty head, and also a herd of forty-four head of white-faced Herefords, includ- ing twenty head of cows, seventeen calves, three heifers and steers, and two other cows, with a pure-bred registered herd leader. Eleven head of splendid Percherons do the farm work.
L. E. Heffernan was born in Tazewell County, Illinois, February 5, 1876, and was reared in Logan County, Illinois. He is the son of Richard and Catherine (Gabbett) Heffernan, the former of whom was a native of Ireland. Richard Heffernan was born in Ireland in 1841, and died in 1884. He immigrated to America in 1860, and worked his way from New York to Illinois, and eventually located in the central part of the State, where he rented land for some years and eventually became owner of a fine farm, which served as his homestead until his death. Catherine (Gabbett) Heffernan was born in 1848, and died in 1886. To Richard and Catherine Heffernan were born two sons and two daughters: Mrs. Della Sparrow, Delevan, Illinois; Emma, died at the age of fourteen years ; Law- rence Edward, subject of this sketch, and William Martin, killed by a stroke of lightning in 1896.
Mr. Heffernan was reared to the life of a farmer in Illinois, and came to Missouri in 1901. He engaged in farming with his uncle, William Gab- bett, who now resides on a farm two miles east of LaMonte. He lived with his uncle until his marriage, on June 30, 1908, to Jennie R. Norton, who has borne him children as follow: Edward Norton Heffernan, born December 25, 1910, and Catherine Elizabeth, born April 28, 1916. Mrs. Jennie R. Heffernan was born on a farm in Smithton township, the place where she is now living, the daughter of E. Newton and Elizabeth (Lamm) Norton, both of whom were natives of Ohio, resided in Pettis County for a number of years, and are now making their home in El Paso, Texas. The following children were born to E. Newton and Elizabeth Norton: Fred W., a busi- ness man, of El Paso, Texas; Miles R., deceased; Benjamin, engaged in business in El Paso, Texas, and Mrs. Jennie R. Heffernan, of this review.
Mr. Heffernan is a Democrat, member of the Democratic County Cen- tral Committee, and is school director. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is a member of the County Council of Defense, and has been an active and tireless
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solicitor in each of the Liberty Loan drives in the county, besides having subscribed for over two thousand dollars' worth of Liberty Bonds and made heavy contributions to the Red Cross and kindred war relief funds. He is one of the best and most progressive citizens of Pettis county, who has rapidly forged to the front ranks of citizenship since coming to Pettis County.
William J. Imhauser .- "Highland View Farm," owned and operated by William J. Imhauser, Smithton township, and consisting of 162.5 acres, is rightly named because of the broad view obtained from it of the surrounding country. This farm is well improved with a good residence and buildings and is devoted to the raising of Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs. Mr. Imhauser owns another farm of 105 acres further south and has 24.5 acres of river bottom land.
W. J. Imhauser was born April 25, 1875 on a farm in Lake Creek township. He is a son of Edward Imhauser, who was born in Germany, near the city of Frankfort, February 2, 1848 and died July 19, 1910. He was the son of Henry Imhauser who immigrated to America in 1848. Henry Imhauser was an early settler in Lake Creek township, Pettis County and here Edward was reared to manhood. During the Civil War, Henry Imhauser served as captain of the Missouri Infantry Guards, a company raised in Pettis County. He was shot in the neck at the battle of Cole Camp and died two years later from the effects of the wound. Edward Imhauser was also shot by guerillas while defending the home during his father's absence at the front. When his father was badly wounded he assisted him to his home.
Edward Imhauser developed a fine farm in Lake Creek township and became owner of several hundred acres of land. At the time of his death he owned 500 acres, although he had previously owned 900 acres. He was twice married, his first wife being Alvina Lucke, who died in 1887, leaving the following children: Lea E., deceased; William J., subject of this sketch; Henry, an employe in the Missouri Pacific shops; Mrs. Augusta Twinter, Cole Camp, Missouri; Mrs. Johanna Castle, Sedalia, Missouri. By a second marriage with Julia Pfeiffer there were two children: Mrs. Margaret Lewis, Sedalia, whose husband is an enlisted man in the United States Navy; Edna, at home with her mother who resides in Sedalia.
W. J. Imhauser received sixty acres as his mother's share of the estate and began building up his place in 1898. He purchased sixty acres
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unimproved at $35 an acre and erected all of the buildings on the land, and now has a splendid farm. Mr. Imhauser was married on November 23, 1898 to Rosa Pfeiffer of Iron Mountain, Missouri, a daughter of Philip and Alegunda Pfeiffer, former residents of Sedalia, who are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Imhaused have children as follow: Gertrude, aged nineteen, is active in Red Cross work; Philip, born December 25, 1903, is a student in the Smithton High School.
Mr. Imhauser is a Democrat and is well known throughout his section of Pettis County as an able and industrious citizen. He is a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in East Sedalia.
Frederick L. Ludemann, a prominent merchant of Sedalia and former mayor of that city, is a native of South Carolina. He was born at Wal- halla, South Carolina, September 23, 1864, a son of Cord H. and Mary (Bencken) Ludemann. The father was born in Hanover, Germany, Feb- ruary 23, 1827. He was a decorator in early life and in 1852 came to America and settled in South Carolina, naturalization papers being granted him in 1857. He was engaged in the manufacture of brick in that State until 1866, when he came to Missouri and settled in Sedalia. Here he was engaged in contracting and building. He prospered in his business and acquired considerable property in Sedalia, and was the owner of a number of residences. He was also interested in other enter- prises ; was a director in several of the local building and loan associa- tions, and was a founder and charter member of the Evangelical Church. He was active in business affairs until within a few months of his death, June 15, 1906.
To Cord H. and Mary (Bencken) Ludemann were born seven children as follow: Mattie, who married August Meier, both of whom are de- ceased; Henry H., deceased; John D., deceased; Herman C., an employee of Swift & Company, Sedalia, Missouri; Minnie, who married August Schneider, who was the publisher of the Sedalia Journal for a number of years and who is now decesaed; Frederick L., the subject of this sketch ; and William G., who resides in Los Angeles, California.
Frederick L. Ludemann was about one and one-half years old when his parents came to Pettis County and settled in Sedalia. He attended the public schools of Sedalia and afterward took a general business course in the Central Business College of Sedalia. He then began an apprentice- ship in August Meier's upholstering factory in Sedalia, where he worked about three years before he entered the employ of the Missouri, Kansas
4. L Budenas
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& Texas Railway Company in the upholstering department of their shops at Sedalia. In 1887 Mr. Ludemann entered the employ of the J. M. Clute Company and had charge of their carpet department for two years. Later he bought stock in the Minter Mercantile Company and had charge of the carpet department of that concern until 1903 when he bought the carpet and rug business of J. M. Hillis, which was located at 116 West Second Street. Here Mr. Ludemann was in the carpet and rug business until 1909, when he removed to his present location at 303 South Ohio Street, where he occupies the entire floor space of three floors.
Mr. Ludemann has built up an extensive business and his is the only exclusive carpet store in Sedalia, and so far as we have been able to deter- mine, in the State of Missouri. He carries a complete line of carpets, rugs, floor coverings and draperies. He handles both domestic and im- ported goods and has built up a large business throughout central Mis- souri.
Mr. Ludemann was united in marriage April 3, 1889, with Miss Ella M. Messerly. She was born in California, Missouri, August 3, 1865, a daughter of Louis Francois and Elizabeth (Eberhardt) Messerly, the former a native of Paris, France, his father being an officer in the King's Royal Guard. Mr. Messerly came to America with his parents when he was ten years old. They first settled in New Philadelphia, Ohio, and later moved to California, Missouri, where he was a merchant for a number of years. He was the father of seven children, Charles E. Messerly and Mrs. Ludemann residing in Sedalia, the rest of whom now live with their families in California, except William H. Messerly, who died in Sedalia in 1895, while engaged in the mercantile business.
To Mr. and Mrs. Ludemann have been born the following children: Ethel V., a graduate of Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio, who married James G. Gray and resides at Fostoria, Ohio. (Mr. Gray died at Camp Sher- man, Ohio, April 16, 1918, while serving in the United States Army) ; Ella May, a graduate of Southern Seminary, Buena Vista, Virginia, and of the Warrensburg State Normal School; Frederick L., Jr., a graduate of the University of Missouri, who received his commission as second lieutenant of Infantry, United States Army, at Fort Sheridan; Florence A., a student at Stephen's College, Columbia, Missouri.
Mr. Ludemann was elected mayor of Sedalia in 1912 and served in that capacity until 1914. Improvements and progress marked his ad- ministration. He inaugurated a Financial Budget System for the city
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which has proven efficient and successful. A sanitary street flushing method was adopted which gave clean streets to Sedalia. Through his efforts an American La France Motor Fire Truck system was installed. He filed application with the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Missouri, which resulted in the erection of a $75,000 filtering plant, which supplies the city with pure water. His term of office also marked the completion of Liberty Park and the Convention Hall. He gave the city of Sedalia a progressive business administration.
Mr. Ludemann is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and is the oldest member in Pettis County, having been instrumental in or- ganizing Russell Camp No. 2065. For twenty-five years he has been clerk of the local camp, and during that time has represented Pettis County camps at each Head Camp, convening tri-annually. For ten years he has held the office of State Head Clerk for the State of Mis- souri, and is now serving in that capacity. He is a member of the Head Camp Standing Committee. Mr. Ludemann is a member of the Knights of the Maccabees, Crescent Tent No. 4. He also holds membership in the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Sedalia Lodge No. 35, being a mem- ber of the Blue Lodge Council and Royal Arch Chapter.
For a number of years Mr. Ludemann was a member of the Evan- gelical Church of Sedalia, his father being a charter member and a founder. He was instrumental in erecting and building the church as it now stands at Fourth Street and Vermont Avenue. In 1902 he united with the First Congregational Church, and he, with his family, have been workers in the Congregational Church since that time. For many years he has been a member of the board of trustees and served as its chair- man.
In addition to his other interests and activities, Mr. Ludemann has been extensively interested in farming and farm property. For a time he owned and operated a large plantation near Monticello, Arkansas. He also owned a farm in LaMonte township, Pettis County, which he has recently sold. In addition to his residence in Sedalia at 620 West Fourth Street, he has a beautiful home, "Rocky Point," eight miles north of Sedalia, which joins his farm "Ellendale." Mr. Ludemann is one of Sedalia's substantial business men and the Ludemann family stands high in the community.
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY
Benjamin Brereton Fowler, son of the late John G. Fowler, of Smith- ton township, who was one of the best known of the Pettis County pioneers, was born January 13, 1866, on the Fowler home place in Pettis County. Mr. Fowler was reared on his father's farm and has active charge of the undivided portion of the estate consisting of 500 acres of farm land, in Pettis County, 100 acres of timber and eighty acres in Morgan County, Missouri. Under his management the live stock raising industry founded by his father has been kept in existence and the qual- ity of the splendid herd of pure bred Shorthorns has been maintained. The late John G. Fowler began breeding grade Shorthorn cattle in 1870 and at this writing (October, 1918,) there are eighty head of fine thoroughbred cattle on the place. One hundred head of hogs is the usual output annually, and thirty-seven head of horses and mules are kept on the place.
The late John Gooden Fowler was born December 6, 1821, in Cald- well County, Kentucky, and died at his home in Pettis County, December 17, 1898. He was a son of Joseph Fowler who was born December, 1791, and came to Pettis County in 1840. His mother's maiden name was Anna Johnson and she was born in Madison County, Ketucky in 1800. Mr. Joseph Fowler died October 18, 1859; his wife dying July 9, 1879.
John G. Fowler was married on February 27, 1861, to Jane Lucinda Brereton, born in Ireland, August 8, 1841, and departed this life March 7, 1918. She was a daughter of Benjamin Bowen Brereton, who emi- grated from Ireland to America in 1848 and settled near Clifton, Cooper County, Missouri, and there reared his family. His wife was Jane Drew Coates, who also emigrated from Ireland. Benjamin Bowen Brereton had a family of five children: Mrs. Jane Lucinda Fowler; Mrs. Ruth Davis, of Booneville, Missouri; Frederick B., Clifton City, Missouri; Bloomfield died at the age of five years; Elisha died in infancy. Joseph S. Fowler, grandfather of B. B. Fowler, was brought to Kentucky by his father who had been a sea captain. John G. Fowler accompanied his parents to Callaway County, Missouri, in 1825, and thence to Boone County where his father improved two farms. In 1840 the family set- tled in Pettis County on what is now known as the Monsees farm. Here Joseph S. Fowler erected a log dwelling which served as the family home and here Joseph Fowler died. His widow sold their property after his death and moved to Hallsville, Boone County, where her death occurred. The children of Joseph and Ann Fowler were: Carolina, wife of Clinton
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