USA > Missouri > Pettis County > History of Pettis County, Missouri > Part 59
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Rodney D. Fisher was a member of the State Guards during the Civil War. He was one of the best-known residents of northern Pettis County. He was a life long Democrat and a member of the Baptist Church, and was known for his regular attendance until old age and feebleness pre- vented. He was a man of kindly disposition and had a good word for everyone with whom he came in contact. He was particularly fond of children and enjoyed the society of young people.
Samuel Fisher, the father of Rodney D. Fisher, was a native of Ten- nessee, born February 2, 1800. He was a son of John Fisher. In 1809, when Samuel Fisher was nine years of age, his parents removed from their Tennessee home to Green County, Kentucky, and in the fall of 1816, the family went to Illinois. They remained there until 1820, when they came to Missouri and settled in Cooper County. In 1833, Samuel Fisher came to Pettis County and settled in Blackwater township, where the Fishers were one of the first four families to locate. This section of the State was then sparsely settled and well on the border of the wild and unbroken frontier. The Indians were still here and the buffalo, elk,
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bear, deer and other wild animals were in abundance. The nearest mar- kets were Boonville and Lexington, and the nearest grist mill was at Lexington, and whe the settlers made a trip there with their ox-teams, it required three days. At that time, the settlers made all their cloth- ing from homespun cotton and flax.
Samuel Fisher was married to Sarah Hampton, a native of South Carolina, March 4, 1829. She died in 1888, at the age of eighty years, and Samuel Fisher departed this life in 1890 at the age of ninety years.
James D. Fisher, whose name introduces this sketch, was reared on the farm where he now resides in Blackwater township, and was educated in the district school of Blackwater township, the Sweet Springs Academy, at Sweet Springs, Missouri, and the State Normal School at Warrensburg, Missouri. In early life he engaged in teaching and for eight years followed that profession. He taught in Bates County two years and in Pettis County six years. In 1894, Mr. Fisher engaged in farming on the home place, in Blackwater township. In 1911, he bought the place and since that time has made extensive improvements, including a residence and other buildings. The place is in a high state of cultiva- tion and one of the valuable farms of Pettis County. Mr. Fisher car- ries on general farming and stock raising, and has met with well merited success.
August 23, 1893, James D. Fisher was united in marriage with Miss Etta Velma Wilson, a native of Bates County, born in Hudson township, April 9, 1876. She is a daughter of James T. and Fannie (Holt) Wilson and is one of a family of ten children, all of whom are living. James T. Wilson is a native of Boone County and his wife was born in Callaway County, Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Fisher have been born six children, as follows: Virgil, married Sallie Means and resides in Blackwater town- ship; Kate G., who is a graduate of Sweet Springs High School, is now a teacher in the consolidated schools at Houstonia, Missouri; Grace L., a student in the Sweet Springs High School, resides at home; Ruth F .; James W .; and Virginia L., all at home with their parents. Mr. Fisher is a Democrat and takes an active interest in political affairs. He has served as justice of the peace of Blackwater township for ten years and in 1918, was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for State repre- sentative from Pettis County. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is one of Pettis County's progressive citizens and is widely and favorably known.
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William M. Lee, a Civil War veteran and early settler in this section of Missouri, is now living practically retired at Dunksburg, Missouri. Mr. Lee is a native of Kentucky. He was born in Pulaski County, Septem- ber 14, 1843, a son of George W. and Elizabeth G. (Bobbitt) Lee. They were the parents of nine children of whom William M., the subject of this sketch, was the eldest. In 1856, William Lee came to Pettis County with his parents and settled in Blackwater where he engaged in farming. The father, George W. Lee, died at La Monte, Missouri, about 1897, aged seventy-seven years, and the mother died in 1891 at the age of sixty- nine years.
William M. Lee was engaged in farming in Blackwater township, Pettis County, until the Civil War broke out. April 12, 1862, he en- listed in the Union Army, becoming a member of Company F, Seventh Regiment, Missouri State Militia. He served under Col. John Phillips, and Thomas T. Crittenden, who afterwards became Governor of Mis- souri, was his lieutenant colonel. Mr. Lee saw service in Missouri, Kan- sas, and Arkansas, and at the close of the war, was discharged from the service with an honorable military record to his credit. He then was engaged in farming for three or four years in Johnson County when he located in Pettis County. He has served as justice of the peace and constable for a number of years and for the past fourteen years has been a notary public. He practically retired from active busi- ness in 1908. He owns a comfortable home in Dunksburg, and besides his other interests, is a stockholder in the Concordia Savings Bank and is vice-president of that institution.
Mr. Lee was united in marriage July 12, 1866, with Miss Mary A. Swope, a native of Pettis County, who was born in Longwood township, December 15, 1849, a daughter of Milton Swope, who was one of the early pioneers of Pettis County. Milton Swope was a son of Jesse Swope, an early pioneer. To William M. and Mary A. (Swope) Lee have been born the following children: Willie, a daughter, deceased; Percy, deceased ; Ernest, Dunksburg, Missouri; Lora, married C. C. Curnutt, who is now deceased and she resides at home with her parents; Pearlie, deceased; and one child died in infancy.
Mr. Lee is a Republican and a member of the Christian Church. He is one of the substantial pioneers of this section who is well entitled to a place in a work of this character.
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Dr. R. Seaton Tyler, a prominent physician and surgeon, who has been successfully engaged in the practice of his profession in Dunks- burg and vicinity for forty years, is a native of Indiana. He was born in Franklin, Johnson County, Indiana, December 3, 1855, a son of M. W. and Mary (Seaton) Tyler. They were the parents of seven children, three of whom are living. M. W. Tyler and his wife were both natives of Jefferson County, Kentucky, from which State they moved to Indiana, and in 1868, with their family, came to Missouri and settled in Johnson County. The father was successfully engaged in farming and stock rais- ing in Johnson County for many years. In later life, he retired and removed to Dunksburg where he died in September, 1891, at the age. of eighty-one years. His wife preceded him in death a few months. She was seventy-nine years old.
Doctor Tyler was reared in Indiana until the age of thirteen and attended the public schools there. The family then settled in Johnson County, Missouri, and here he attended the public schools until 1872, when he entered the State Normal School at Warrensburg. After at- tending that institution for two years he engaged in teaching. He taught three winter terms and worked on the farm during the summer sea- son and during his spare time, studied medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. B. F. Dunkley, a prominent pioneer physician of Johnson County from whom Dunksburg takes its name. In 1877, Dr. Tyler entered the St. Louis Medical College of St. Louis, Missouri, and was graduated from that institution with a degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1879. In April of that year, Doctor Tyler began the practice of his profession at Dunks- burg where he has since been engaged in active practice.
During the forty years of Doctor Tyler's activity in the practical fields of the great science of medicine and surgery, much progress has been made in this sphere of scientific research and practical application. Doctor Tyler is one of the men of the medical profession whose constant aim and effort has been to keep in touch with the advances in his pro- fession. While his professional life has been a busy one, and the duties of his every-day practice has taxed his time to a considerable extent, yet he has always endeavored to devote some portion of his time to in- vestigation and studious research of his profession. Doctor Tyler's prac- tice has extended over sections of four counties, and when he began his practice the hardships and laborious methods of travel for the country doctor, was anything but pleasant. It was his lot to make long drives,
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either with a team or on horseback, both day and night, over roads, in all kinds of conditions, except good. This was long before the days of the automobile, which in a large measure, has facilitated the work of the country doctor.
Doctor Tyler was united in marriage, November 3, 1880, with Miss Florence Shanks, a native of Pettis County, born in Blackwater township, July 5, 1860. She is a daughter of Samuel and Emeline (Bobbitt) Shanks. Samuel Shanks was born in St. Louis County, Missouri, in 1826, and died at Sweet Springs, Missouri, April 26, 1906. He had a remarkable and interesting career as a soldier and frontiersman. He served in the Mexi- can War and after receiving his discharge from the United States Army in 1849, he made the trip across the plains and over the mountains to the newly discovered gold fields of California. After remaining there about eighteen months, he returned to Missouri and entered Government land in Blackwater township, Pettis County. About this time he was married to Emeline Bobbitt. She was born in Kentucky, July 6, 1829, and died March 27, 1864, leaving four children, of whom Mrs. Tyler was the third in order of birth. About five years after the death of his first wife, Samuel Shanks was married to Lucy B. Tate, a native of Kentucky. Four children were born to that union, three of whom are now living.
To Doctor and Mrs. Tyler have been born the following children: R. Seaton, Jr., a farmer and stock man of Johnson County, Missouri; L. W., a farmer and stock man of Blackwater township, Pettis County ; DeWitt, deceased; Paul M., now in the United States service at Camp Merritt, New Jersey; Lyon S., a general merchant at Dunksburg, Mis- souri; Mary K., married W. Van Bibber, Blackwater township, Pettis County.
Doctor Tyler is a member of the Baptist Church and his fraternal affiliations are with the Modern Woodmen of America. He is a Democrat and stands high in the counsels of his party. He represented his dis- trict in the General Assembly during the forty-sixth and forty-seventh ses- sions of the State Legislature. He and Mrs. Tyler own a splendid farm of 250 acres in Blackwater township. Doctor Tyler is not only a leading physician of Pettis County, but is one of its substantial citizens of whom Pettis County is justly proud.
The doctor is a member of the Pettis County Medical Society and the Missouri State Medical Association.
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William Shernaman, a well-to-do and progressive farmer and stock- man, of LaMonte township, is a notable example of a successful, self- made man. He is the owner of a valuable farm of 720 acres of well- improved land. The well-kept buildings and the clean, cultivated fields and the high-class stock bear mute testimony to the fact that Mr. Sher- naman is an up-to-date farmer and stockman. He was born in Ger- many. February 28, 1850, and when sixteen years of age immigrated to America, settling in New York State. He remained there about a year, when he went to Lafayette, Indiana, where he worked as a cabinet- maker about two years. In 1869 he came to Missouri and settled at Knob Noster, Johnson County. Here he worked as a farm laborer. He saved his earnings and soon was able to buy a farm. Later he bought land in LaMonte township, Pettis County. He worked hard to get a start, and has succeeded as a general farmer and stock raised, and has also been an extensive cattle feeder. In 1893 he moved to the place in LaMonte township, where he now resides.
Mr. Shernaman was married in 1880 to Miss Theresa Hartman, who was born in Canada, September 12, 1859. She is a daughter of Sebastian and Eva (Fogel) Hartman, natives of Germany. The Hartman family came from Minnesota to Pettis County, and from here moved to Kansas, where the father died, and his widow now lives at Ellenwood, Kansas. To Mr. and Mrs. Shernaman have been born seven children, as follow: Mrs. Belvedera Mardex, who lives in Johnson County, Missouri; Emma, married Robert Fowler, and they live northwest of LaMonte, Missouri; William H., a farmer in LaMonte township; John, resides at home with his parents; Mary, married Garland Spaulding, Johnson County, Mis- souri ; Frank and Nannie, residing at home with their parents.
Mr. Shernaman is a Republican, and a member of the Christian Church. He is a worthy citizen, and success has not come to him by accident. It is the result of thrift and industry. He began with nothing, and is today one of the substantial and well-to-do men of Pettis County. He has not only made financial progress, but has raised a large family and given each of them a good education, and helped them in a financial way in their start in life.
Nathan J. French, a well known and prosperous farmer and stock- man of Blackwater township, is a native of Virginia. He was born in Loudoun County, Virginia, March 19, 1849, a son of Lewis and Phoebe (Marshall) French, who were the parents of seven children, three of whom are now living. The parents were both natives of Virginia and
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WILLIAM SHERNAMAN AND FAMILY.
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spent their lives in that State where the father was a successful farmer. Nathan J. French was reared on the home farm in Loudoun County, Virginia, and received his education in the public schools of his native State. In 1874, when he was twenty-five years of age, he came to Pettis county and settled in Blackwater township. Here he worked by the month for a number of years, and for a time was employed on the farm by Judge W. C. Gibson. He was industrious and saved his money. He first bought sixty acres of land, borrowing the purchase money for the same from H. F. Bradford who is now deceased. In three years, Mr. French had paid for this land and since that time has bought additional acreage and now owns 316 acres which comprises one of the valuable and well improved farms of Blackwater township. In 1910 he bought the George W. Lee farm. He has followed general farming and stock raising and has been an extensive and successful feeder as well. His career has been a successful one. He started out in life a poor boy, and of the 316 acres which he now owns, there is not a dollar of obligation against it.
Mr. French has been twice married, his first wife being Miss Ella Cox, a native of Pettis County, to whom he was married in 1876. She departed this life in 1880, at the age of twenty-six years, leaving two sons, William, who now resides in Kansas City, Missouri, and Arthur of St. Joseph, Missouri. In 1887, Mr. French was united in marriage with Miss Mary Lee, a native of Kentucky, born April 22, 1855. She is a daughter of George W. Lee. A more extensive history of the Lee family appears elsewhere in this volume. To Mr. and Mrs. French have been born four children as follow: Ada, who resides at home with her parents; Emma, deceased; Alice, married H. L. Parsons and lives in Blackwater township; and Amy Edith, resides at home with her parents.
Mr. Fre.ich is a Democrat and a member of the Christian Church of Mt. Zion, of which he is an eller. He is one of the substantial citizens of Pettis County and the French family are well known and highly esteemed in the community.
Thomas Milton Bobbitt, now deceased, was a Union veteran of the Civil War and one of Pettis County's most valued citizens. He belonged to a pioneer family of this section of the State, and during his lifetime was an important factor in the progress and development of Blackwater township, which had been his home for many years. Thomas Milton Bobbitt was born December 1, 1838, and died April 24, 1911. He was a native of Pulaski County, Kentucky, and a son of John and Orpha (Paschal) Bobbitt, both natives of Virginia who migrated to Kentucky
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in early life where they were married. They were the parents of six children as follow: Columbus was a druggist at Georgetown, Pettis County, and died during the Civil War; James A. was a farmer and is now deceased; Emeline married Sam Shanks and is now deceased; Thomas M., the subject of this sketch; Nancy P., deceased; and John G., deceased.
John Bobbitt, with his wife and family, left their Kentucky home in 1849 or 1850 and came to Missouri, first settling in Howard County. They drove through from their native State in covered wagons. After remaining in Howard County a short time, they went to Holt County, Missouri, and a few months later they went to Johnson County and set- tled. Here they began life in the primitive pioneer style of that day, their first home being a log cabin, with all its crude fixtures and furnish- ings, including a dirt floor. John Bobbitt spent the remainder of his life in Johnson County. He was born December 14, 1804, and died August 8, 1867. His wife was born June 1, 1804, and died January 23, 1888.
Thomas Milton Bobbitt remained at home until the outbreak of the Civil War and in 1862 enlisted in the Union Army at Warrensburg, Mis- souri, and served until the close of the war, when he was mustered out of the service at St. Louis, Missouri. He then returned to his home in Blackwater township, Pettis County, and three years later purchased the home where Mrs. Bobbitt now resides. Mr. Bobbitt was a suc- cessful farmer and stock raiser, making a specialty of pure blood Poland China hogs. He was a Republican and took a commendable inter- est in public affairs and was an especial strong advocate of good schools. He served on the local school board for many years. He was a quiet modest man of a retiring disposition and made many friends. He was a member of the Christian Church.
April 18, 1869, Thomas Milton Bobbitt was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Isabelle Wade, a native of Highland County, Virginia, born April 16, 1850, and a daughter of William McCoy Wade. A more exten- sive history of the Wade family appears elsewhere in this volume. To Mr. and Mrs. Bobbitt have been born four children, as follow: Dexter H. married Cartie Bright and lives near Sweet Springs, Pettis County; Cora married F. W. Terry, now at Okmulgee, Oklahoma, and they have one son, Dexter, who served in the World War in a machine gun company and took a course in an officers' training camp in France where he was com- missioned lieutenant; John Elmer was drowned in 1911; Fay A., who resides at home and manages the home farm.
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Timothy J. Buckley, a prominent farmer and stockman and vice- president of the Farmers Bank of LaMonte, is one of the well-known and successful men of Dresden township. Mr. Buckley is a native of Missouri, born in Saline County, December 25, 1860. His parents, Michael and Mary (Mullen) Buckley, were both natives of County Cork, Ireland. They were the parents of twelve children, four of whom are living as follows: Nellie, who resides at Colorado Springs, Colorado; Timothy J., the subject of this sketch; Michael A., of Dresden township, Pettis county ; Thomas A., who resides near Sedalia.
Michael Buckley was born in County Cork, Ireland, in 1822. He was reared to manhood in his native land and when twety-nine years of age came to America and located in Iowa where he was engaged in railroad contracting about four years. In 1855 he came to Missouri and located in St. Louis. Here he continued his business as a contractor and con- structed the first street railway in the city of St. Louis. He also had the contract of building and grading the first race track on the old fair grounds there. He had the contracts for several other important con- struction works during his active career as a contractor. He built seven iniles of railroad track out of Brownsville, now known as Sweet Springs, Missouri. During the Civil War he disposed of all his construction equip- ments including several teams, tools, etc., and came to Pettis County. Here he engaged in farming and stock raising, near Dresden, and also met with success in this line of endeavor, and at the time of his death, in 1882, he was the owner of 630 acres of land, upon which he had made extensive improvements. His wife survived him for a number of years. She died in Sedalia, in 1907, aged seventy-two years. Michael Buckley was a Democrat and he and his wife were members of the Catholic Church. He was an honored citizen of Pettis County and contributed no small part towards the development and upbuilding of this county.
Timothy J. Buckley was reared on a farm and received a good com- mon school education. He remained at home with his parents until his father's death when he, with his brothers, continued to operate the home farm. In 1903 he and his brother, Michael A., purchased a farm of 450 acres of which Timothy J., now owns 210 acres. When they purchased the place it was very little improved; the improvements, practically, con- sisted of a three strand wire fence around the place. It was formerly owned by A. J. Hall. Mr. Buckley has made extensive improvements and his place today compares favorably with any other farm in Pettis County.
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It is known as "Woodside Stock Farm." In addition to his agricultural interests, Mr. Buckley is a stockholder in the Farmers Bank of LaMonte and has been vice-president of that institution since its organization.
In February, 1890, Timothy J. Buckley was united in marriage with Miss Ellen Connor, a native of Dresden township, born February 26, 1865. She is a daughter of John Connor, a prominent Pettis County pioneer, a more extensive sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Buckley as follow: Joseph E., born December 6, 1893, was first paying teller in the Central National Bank at Tulsa, Oklahoma, when the United States entered the World War and on December 1, 1917, enlisted in the United States Army as an aviator, and is now in France; Eugene P., born June 4, 1895, was edu- cated in the public schools and enlisted in December, 1917, as a mechanic in the aviation corps and was serving in that capacity when the war ended; Mary E., a teacher of domestic science in the Holden High School, at Holden, Missouri; Norine and John T. at home.
Mr. Buckley is a progressive man and takes an active interest in pro- moting the welfare of his county and State and has ever been ready and willing to co-operate with any worthy public enterprise. He was one of the first directors of the Farmers Mutual Insurance Company. Politi- cally he is a Democrat and he and his family are members of the Catholic Church. His fraternal affiliations are with the Knights of Columbus, Modern Woodmen of America and Knights of the Maccabees.
Michael A. Buckley, a prosperous farmer and stockman of Dresden township, is well known throughout this section, as a successful breeder of Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs. Mr. Buckley is the owner of 240 acres of well-kept and productive land, known as "Valley View Farm." He was born in Saline County, Missouri, September 3, 1862, and is a son of Michael and Mary (Mullens) Buckley. A more extensive history of the Buckley family appears in connection with the sketch of Timothy J. Buckley to be found elsewhere in this volume.
Michael A. Buckley was reared on a farm and attended the district schools. His education was supplemented by private instructions from his father who was an unusually well educated man and an excellent mathematician. Michael A. Buckley began life on rented land which he continued to operate for three years. He then bought a farm in the northwestern part of Dresden township. In the spring of 1895, he pur-
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chased his present place of 240 acres. There were very few improve- ments on the place when he bought it. When he first moved here, he lived in a canvas house while he dug a well and built a smokehouse. Later he erected a fine modern residence of fourteen rooms, which is equipped with electric lights, a heating system and hot water. It is one of the most modern residences to be found in the county, affording all the con- veniences of city life, with the freedom of the country. Mr. Buckley has built two large barns and a silo on his place and has set out a number of trees which, altogether, give the place an unusually attractive and well- kept appearance.
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