USA > Missouri > Pettis County > History of Pettis County, Missouri > Part 42
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Turner, had seven children, six of whom are living; Sarah, wife of Samuel Turner, had one child and is deceased; John G. Fowler of this review; Mrs. Luella Turner, deceased; Mrs. Tabitha Kiel, deceased; Joseph S., died in 1876; Mrs. Pernetha Walker, died in Pettis County, leaving four daughters and a son; Mrs. Martha Coffey, died December 25, 1860, left two sons, Alex and Robert who were reared by their grand- mother; Richard died at the age of twenty-one years; Mrs. Angeline Trunnell, died at Paola, Kansas, leaving three children; Thomas A., former circuit clerk of Pettis County, now living at Rufus, Oregon; Robert died at the age of sixteen years; Mrs. Hannah March, died at Hallsville, Missouri, leaving two sons and two daughters; William R. Fowler, born August 15, 1840, moved to Oregon in 1884 and died there in the fall of 1907, leaving four daughters and a son; James Benjamin, born June, 1842, moved to Boone County, and died near Centralia at the age of seventy years, left a son and four daughters.
John Gooden Fowler attended the primitive log schools of his day and the Aritar School in Pettis County. He remained with his parents on the home place until he was twenty-two years of age. He crossed the plains and drove ox-trains over the old Santa Fe Trail from 1846 to 1848, after which he settled down to farming and improved a splendid estate. He entered free government land, settling on the unbroken prairie which stretched away in every direction. Prior to his time the early settlers had built their cabins on the banks of streams and near the forests so that they would have a plentiful supply of water and fuel. Mr. Fowler set a precedent by building his home on the upland prairie and prospered as a result of his judgment in choosing the richer and better land. Mr. Fowler at one time owned over 1,000 acres of land and was prominent in Pettis County affairs. He was married on February 27, 1861 to Janie Brereton as stated in a preceding paragraph. This marriage was blessed with eleven children: Bloomfield Usher, Dr. Joseph, Johnson Fowler, Benjamin Brereton, John Austin, Thomas Robert, Mrs. Lillie Bronson, Miss Daisy Fowler, Richard Dillon, Mrs. Pansy Cotton, Rose Elizabeth, and Jay.
Bloomfield Usher Fowler was born December, 1861. When he attained his majority he went to Chicago and entered the employe of the Deering Harvester Machine Company. He became a traveling salesman for this company and is now located at Des Moines, Iowa, as traveling
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salesman for a Chicago concern. In April, 1897 he was married to Lila Wychgram, of Winona, Minnesota, and has two daughters, Margaret Jane and Nellie Gladys.
Dr. Joseph Johnson Fowler, Sedalia, Missouri, was born February 20, 1864, and was educated for the medical profession and has practiced his profession in Washington, Missouri, and is now located in Sedalia.
John Austin Fowler was born May 19, 1869, and is located on fifty acres of the home place which he is cultivating. He has clerked in Se- dalia stores, and was in the employ of R. C. Cooper at Cooperstown, North Dakota, later spending several years as city mail carrier in Sedalia. He returned to the farm and is married to Emma Heckman of Sedalia.
Thomas Robert Fowler, born September 27, 1871, was educated in the Missouri State University and became an electrical engineer. He married Permelia Rosa Duncan of Columbia and is now located in St. Louis where he is superintendent of construction for the Kinloch Tele- phone Company.
Mrs. Lillie (Fowler) Bronson lives at Maitland, Holt County, Mis- souri. Her husband, H. H. Bronson, is a son of Dr. Bronson, of Sedalia. He taught school and studied medicine. His teaching experience ex- tended to Nebraska and Oregon and he is now superintendent of the schools at Maitland, Missouri.
Miss Daisy Fowler is a student in the Sedalia Business College.
Richard Dillon Fowler was born August 17, 1877, and died June, 1904. He married Matilda Brosing and left one son, Richard Brosing, aged sixteen years.
Mrs. Pansy Cotton is the wife of Judge R. H. Cotton, of Smithton, a sketch of whom appears in this history.
Rose Elizabeth Fowler is at home.
Jay Fowler was born May 8, 1884 and is in the employ of the Bell Telephone Company of Kansas City. He married Louida Sheffer and has two sons: Jay Garnett, aged 11 years; and James Louie, aged five years.
B. B. Fowler was educated in the district school and Central Busi- ness College of Sedalia. He is a Democrat, and with the other members of the Fowler family is a member of the Christian Church.
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George R. Green .- "Maple Grove Farm," consisting of 240 acres, located in the northern part of Smithton township, and owned and ope- rated by George R. Green, is a beautiful and well improved farmstead. Mr. Green has resided on his place since 1882 and has made practically all of the improvements which include a ten-room residence equipped with light, heat and a water system, being thoroughly modern in every respect. An orchard of two and a half acres is located near the house. Mr. Green raises and feeds Shorthorn cattle, of which he has fifty head. He also maintains a drove of fifty sheep, besides raising and fattening two carloads of hogs for the market each year. He keeps on an average of sixteen horses and mules. Two well-kept sets of improvements are on this farm. An excellent deposit of limestone is located on the farm and in years past a high-grade quality of lime was burned to supply the domestic trade. A fine quarry of blue limestone was formerly operated on the place and hundreds of perches of stone have been quarried on this farm.
George R. Green was born in LaSalle County, Illinois, October 24, 1863, the son of M. O. Green, pioneer of Pettis County, a sketch of whom is given in this volume. Mr. Green was reared and educated in Pettis County and McCune College, Louisiana, Missouri, and was assisted by his father in making a start as an agriculturist on his own account. He began with a tract of 100 acres of unimproved land valued at that time at $4,000. He had to erect all buildings and fence the tract and the "Maple Grove Farm" at the present time is easily worth $175 an acre. Mr. Green has prospered as a farmer and stockman and owns 335 acres and he has $3,250 invested in Liberty Bonds. He has responded liberally to every appeal for assistance in all war work.
During 1918, Mr. Green harvested seventy-five acres of wheat which yielded upwards of 1,700 bushels of grain. For the season of 1919 he has sown 105 acres to wheat. His son, M. O. Green, Jr., has also sown ninety-five acres to wheat.
On October 11, 1887, George R. Green and Fanny E. Griffin were united in marriage. To this marriage have been born seven children: Effie, wife of W. E. Teeter, a farmer living between LaMonte and Sweet Springs, has a son, Welton Teeter; Birdie B., wife of Firman Mascheny, living three miles southwest of Smithton, has a daughter, Dorothy; M. O. Jr., a farmer in Smithton township; Lois, wife of Ewell Mascheny, Smithton township, has a son, John Robert; Frances, born in October, 1903, high school student, and a splendid pianist and musician; William,
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aged thirteen years; Gwendolyn, aged eleven years. Mrs. Fanny E. Green is a daughter of William and Mary Griffin, natives of England; the former is deceased. Regarding the Griffin family, the reader is referred to the sketch of George E. Griffin.
Mr. Green is an independent voter but has always been an advocate of prohibition and an uncompromising foe to the liquor traffic. He is a firm advocate of strict law enforcement. He has been active in war activities and has been a warm and steadfast supporter of all civilian movements to make America's part in the Great World War a success. He is a steward of the Smithton Methodist Episcopal Church and for many years has been a teacher in the Sunday school, having charge of the aged ladies class. Prior to taking charge of the ladies class, he had been president of the Young Men's Bible Class. Mrs. Green is very active in church and Red Cross work. Mr. Green carries $3,000 insurance in the Modern Woodmen of America of Smithton, has a paid-up policy of $2,000 in the Aetna Life Insurance Company and is carrying $3,000 half paid-up insurance in the same company. He is one among the most use- ful and capable citizens in Pettis County.
Frederick B. Green .- "Sunny Side Farm," a splendid tract of rich, prairie land owned by Fred B. Green, embracing 637 acres in Bowling Green and Smithton townships. Mr. Green began his farming career in 1887 with 120 acres of tillable land in addition to forty acres covered with timber. His first home was a small house of one and a half stories with two rooms on the first floor, a modest beginning which has re- sulted in the development of one of the best farms in Pettis County. Mr. Green has a handsome farm residence and the Collier farm which he also owns is equipped with a good house and improvements. He main- tains a herd of 110 head of grade Shorthorn cattle and feeds about two carloads of hogs annually. At the present time, October, 1917, he has 100 head of Duroc Jersey hogs on the place. During the past harvest season there was harvested on "Sunny Side Farm," 140 acres of wheat which yielded eighteen bushels to the acre. For the next season of. 1919, Mr. Green has sown 170 acres to wheat.
F. B. Green was born on July 11, 1866 in Marshall County, Illinois, a son of M. O. Green, Sr., who is a pioneer of Pettis County, a sketch of whom appears in this volume. Fred B. Green was fourteen months old when his parents came to Pettis County, and settled on what is now "Limestone Valley Farm" owned by L. M. Monsees, just three hundred yards east of the Green residence. He attended the district school and
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Otterville College, also studying at McCune College, Louisiana, Missouri. Mr. Green has followed farming and stock raising since boyhood.
May 1, 1888, Frederick B. Green and Miss Irene Dwyer were united in marriage. Six children have blessed this union: Mrs. Onie Boden- hammer, Houstonia township, has a son, Herbert; Mrs. Edith, wife of George Monsees, Melford, Saskatchewan, Canada has two sons, Herschell and Dwyer; John F. farming on the home place; Bernice A., a trained nurse in service with the Red Cross on the Western battle front in France; Mary D., studying nursing at Bethany Hospital; Fern, a high school student in the Sedalia High School.
Mrs. Irene (Dwyer) Green was born in Illinois, in LaSalle County, November 17, 1867, a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Flanigan) Dwyer, natives of Ohio and Virginia, respectfully. They both lived and died in Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Frederick B. Green were married at the Dwyer home in Illinois. Thomas Dwyer died in 1902. Mrs. Dwyer died in 1896. There were nine children in the Dwyer family, the following of whom are living: Blanch, lives in Indiana; Harvey, lives in Illinois; Harry, lives in Illinois ; Mrs. Nancy Vancleve, Storm Lake, Iowa, and Mrs. Frederick B. Green.
While an independent voter, Mr. Green has consistently advocated and supported prohibition principles since boyhood. He is a member and trustee of the Smithton M. E. Church. For the past twenty-eight years he has been a charter member of the Smithton Lodge, Modern Woodmen of America, and is affiliated with the Modern Brotherhood of America.
Clement Jones .- Every county must have leaders and each section of that county must have a real leader ; one who can be depended upon to devote his time, money, and energies to the furthering of enterprises and movements which are intended to benefit the mass of the people in the county. Fitted by nature, endowed with excellent mentality, Clement Jones of Longwood township has long been a leader in many excellent movements in his community and in Pettis couty. He is a Pettis County citizen with a broad vision and gifted with the ability to lead, endowed with energy which permits him not only to successfully conduct his own individual enterprises, but naturally places him in a place of leadership. The northern section of Pettis County, especially that part of the county which is rich prairie land, is noted the country over for the fine resi- dences and splendid improvements on the farms. No section of the State of Missouri surpasses this section for the beautiful, modern homes which
CLEMENT G. JONES.
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grace the landscape on every side. The beautiful farm residence which is the home of Mr. Jones in Longwood township was the first modern home to be erected in this part of Pettis County -- built in 1904. This house sets far back from the highway and contains nine rooms with a basement and is modern in every respect. The Jones estate embraces a total of 720 acres in one body upon which the proprietor is extensively engaged in the raising and feeding of live stock. Mr. Jones markets nearly 200 head of fat cattle yearly; fattens for the markets over 400 head of hogs yearly ; and maintains a herd of fifty to sixty ewes, finding sheep a very profitable and cheaply maintained adjunct to his farming operations. In fact, Mr. Jones maintains that he clears more money in profit from his herd of sheep than from any other department and the animals keep his fields and pastures clear of weeds. The Jones farm is substantially fenced with woven wire, supported by steel corner posts, set in cement, and is one of the best improved in Pettis County.
Clement Jones was born January 20, 1867, in Iroquois County, Illi- nois, and is a son of Henry Jones, an aged resident of Heath's Creek town- ship, concerning whom an extended review is given elsewhere in this history. Clement Jones accompanied his parents to Pettis County in March, 1868, and was reared and educated in this county by a father who believed in right upbringing and education for his children. He re- mained at home until 1892, operating the home farm in partnership with his father. It was then time for him to make a home for himself and he received as a gift outright from his father, a tract of 160 acres, which, while it was rich prairie land, was poorly improved. Mr. Jones has taken this land and built it up into a model farmstead equipped with three large barns and every facility for carrying on farming and stock raising on a large scale. He has made good.
On November 16, 1892, Clement Jones and Miss Tennie Harvey of Pettis County were united in marriage. Two children have blessed this union: Lora B. Jones, a graduate of Sedalia High School, now at home with her parents; Clement Van Jones, aged twenty-two years, a student in Sedalia High School. Mrs. Tennie (Harvey) Jones is a daughter of Albert J. and Nannie (Gorrell) Harvey, the former of whom was born near Arrow Rock, Missouri, a son of Missouri pioneers. Mrs. Nannie Harvey was born in Kentucky. A. J. Harvey came to Pettis County during the fifties and built up a farm of 240 acres from unimproved prairie land. Mr. Harvey was one of the first of the prairie farmers to make the venture into the level uplands away from the two commodities
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which were deemed absolutely necessary to sustain life by the early pioneer-water and timber. He made a success of his venture and others soon followed in his wake. To Albert J. and Nannie Harvey were born children as follow: Renna, living on the home place; A. U., now in Florida for the benefit of his health, owns a farm in Longwood township; Mrs. Ida Alexander, Nelson, Missouri; Mrs. Clement Jones, of this review.
Mr. Jones is a Democrat whose spoken word is influential in the affairs of his party in Pettis County. He is a member of the lodge of Modern Woodmen at Longwood. He is a director of the Bank of Long- wood and is a steward trustee of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Longwood. Mr. Jones is the district steward of the Sunday Schools of this district, a position which he has filled for the past eight years. As chairman of the Church Building Committee or president of the Finance Board of the church during the erection of the splendid new Methodist Church at Longwood in 1916, he had practically entire charge of the building of the church and the expenditure of the $12,000 required to defray the expenses of erection. Mr. Jones gave a great deal of his time and personally supervised the building operations while the church edi- fice was being reared and the result is the finest, most convenient, and best built rural church in this section of Missouri-an edifice of which all classes of people in this vicinity are proud.
George W. Cook .- Pure-bred live stock is the only kind to be found on the farm owned and operated by George W. Cook, in Bowling Green township. The Cook farm embraces 223 acres and was purchased by Mr. Cook in January 1907. The only building then on the place which now remains is the farm residence which has since been remodeled and occu- pies a commanding and attractive situation overlooking miles of the sur- rounding country. Three large barns and three silos have been erected by Mr. Cook. Mr. Cook has a herd of fourteen pure-bred registered Shorthorn cattle and a number of milch cows and has over sixty head of cattle in all. He is regularly engaged in the breeding of registered stock of this well-known breed. One hundred head of registred Duroc Jersey hogs are kept on the Cook farm. The poultry on the place are of pure- bred Plymouth Rock variety and 200 hens kept. Mr. Cook is a member of the Duroc Jersey Breeders Association.
George W. Cook was born May 9, 1863 in Portsmouth, Ohio, a son of George and Martha Jane (Coburn) Cook, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Martha Jane Cook was
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born near Pittsburg of Scotch ancestry. George Cook, the elder was born in 1839 and died in November, 1917. He was a son of John Cook, a woolen manufacturer who emigrated from Germany to America in 1845, and located at Chillicothe, Ohio. George Cook was reared in Ross County, Ohio, and married at Porthsmouth, Ohio, while operating a farm in that vicinity for George Davis. He lived on the Davis farm for thirty-three years, and later bought a farm which he sold after some years. Mrs. Cook was born in 1843 and died in January, 1917. To George and Martha Jane Cook were born the following children: Mrs. Minnie Apple, Lucas- ville, Ohio; Ernest A., Portsmouth, Ohio; Fred H., Sedalia, Missouri; Junietta, Portsmouth, Ohio; Mrs. Martha Jane Apple, Portsmouth, Ohio; Clyde E., Lucasville, Ohio; Mrs. Vena E. Fencetemacher, a widow living at Portsmouth, Ohio.
George W. Cook came to Sedalia in 1884 and attended Prof. Robbins Academy on Ohio Street. He returned to Ohio and was employed in the store owned by George Davis at Union Mills, for two years. In 1886 he went to Iowa and operated a creamery and a general store for one year. He then engaged in the mercantile business for two years, after which he sold out and went to Minnesota and was in the employ of Thomas Killen, a merchant, for one year. Returning to Iowa he operated a store at Luana for one year. After his marriage, in 1887, he engaged in dairy farming and manufactured butter and cheese in Iowa until 1895 when he sold out and came again to Pettis County, Missouri. He bought a farm near Green Ridge, which he sold in 1899, or rather traded the farm for a store at Syracuse. In 1907 he traded a stock of goods for his pres- ent farm.
Mr. Cook has been twice married. His first marriage in 1887 was with Carrie J. Lang who died in 1900, leaving two children: Orlyn, aged twenty-eight years, now at Norman, Oklahoma; Mrs. Ruth J. Peterson, International Falls, Minnesota. His second marriage August 14, 1901, was to Edna M. Bridges, who was born in Morgan County, Missouri, July 8, 1878, a daughter of Dr. T. R. and Sarah (Inge) Bridges. Dr. T. R. Bridges was born in Morgan County, Missouri, and practiced medicine in that county for many years, dying in August, 1911, aged sixty-seven years. Mrs. Bridges died in 1899, aged forty-eight years. To George and Edna M. Cook have been born two children: George Thaddeus, born in 1904; and Martha Frances, born April 4, 1911.
Mr. Cook is a Democrat. Mrs. Cook is a member of Salem M. E.
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Church. Mr. Cook is fraternally affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America and he and Mrs. Cook are also affiliated with the Royal Neigh- bors. Both are active members of the Beaman Chapter of the Red Cross and have given liberally of their funds to all war charities. Mr. Cook is chairman of the Bowling Green Division of the County Council of De- fense and is a member of the Volunteer Sales Committee for boosting the Liberty Loans. He is usually found in the forefront of all movements for the welfare of the people of the county.
Thomas R. Fleming .- "Oakhurst," located a few miles north of Sedalia on the rock road, is a beautiful country place owned by Thomas R. Fleming, one of the best known citizens of Pettis County. This farm consists of 146.5 acres and is splendidly improved, a handsome white farm residence sets in a grove of trees and all other farm buildings are in keeping with the house. Mr. Fleming is one of the extensive hog feeders of Pettis County, feeding from 300 to 400 head of hogs annually. In addition to his own farm he has leased the adjoining farms and is operating 300 acres. Mr. Fleming feeds three carloads of cattle annually.
Thomas R. Fleming was born February 11, 1864 in Boston, Massa- chusetts, the son of Robert T. Fleming, who was born in Ireland in 1845 and died in 1913. Robert T. Fleming emigrated from Ireland in 1863, leaving his native County Mayo on the west coast of Ireland to try and make his fortune in America. In 1869 he located in Kentucky and re- mained there until 1884 and then came to Pettis County, Missouri. He purchased a farm in 1885 from the First National Bank of Sedalia. His first home in this county was a humble log cabin which was later sup- planted by a handsome home which still graces the home place of the Flemings within sight of Thomas R. Fleming's home. The wife of Robert T. Fleming was Annie Moran, who was also born in County Mayo, Ireland, in 1845 and departed this life in Pettis County in 1910. Three children were born to this marriage: Thomas R .; Kate, living on the home place; Mrs. Julia McCarthy, on the home place.
Thomas R. Fleming was twenty years old when the Fleming family made a permanent settlement in Pettis County. After coming to this county he engaged in farming. Having obtained a good education in private and subscription schools in his native State of Kentucky, he is a well read and well informed citizen who is likewise possessed of business ability of a high order. In 1900, Mr. Fleming rented his present home farm and then purchased it from the Missouri Trust Company. Since
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taking possession of the place he has done considerable improving, has remodeled his residence and otherwise beautified the surroundings. The entire tract has been refenced and is one of the most attractive and pro- ductive farm steads in Pettis County.
Mr. Fleming was married in 1899 to Miss Ora McClung, who was born in Pettis County, a daughter of John G. and Mary E. (Barret) McClung, who were pioneer settlers of Pettis County.
John Givens McClung was born in Virginia in 1812, and was a son of John and Polly Ann McClung. When nineteen years old he removed with his parents to Brownsville, Kentucky. Here he engaged in farm- ing and on April 12, 1841, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Barret, the daughter of Augustus M. and Mary (Marshall) Barret. On Thursday, October 8, 1851, in company with A. M. Barret, Woodford Dunn, James W. Ray, John Jamerson and James Kelly, Mr. McClnng left Brownsville enroute to Missouri on horseback, there being no railroads in those days which led to this section of the West. On his arrival in Pettis County, Mr. McClung purchased a section of land eight miles west of the present site of Sedalia. A part of this land was purchased directly from the United States Government at $1.25 an acre, and the original deed bears the signature of President James Buchanan. Mr. McClung then re- turned to Kentucky, and in the following year, 1852, he removed his fam- ily to this county. The trip was made overland by horseback and wagon. They settled on the McClung land and Mr. McClung proceeded to erect splendid improvements on the tract. All of the lumber, brick and build- ing materials which went into the construction of his home and farm buildings were necessarily hauled from Boonville, Missouri, in wagons. Mr. McClung for years was extensively engaged in stock raising and was very successful. He drove herds of cattle and sheep overland to the St. Louis market. John G. McClung died on August 19, 1875. His youngest son, Edward L. McClung owns the old home place, and no part of the land has ever been transferred, during the long period of sixty-seven years it has been owned by the McClung family. John G. and Mary E. McClung were parents of children as follow: Mrs. Mattie Payton, on farm four miles west of Sedalia ; Mrs. Maude Mosely McCluney, deceased wife of Dr. T. P. McCluney, a former resident of Sedalia, now in Califor- nia; Mrs. Sarah Frances Creel, deceased; Lida married J. D. Brown, both deceased; Charles M., former Probate Judge of Pettis County, deceased ; Edward L., on the home place; Emma married J. B. Garnell west of Se-
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