USA > Missouri > Pettis County > History of Pettis County, Missouri > Part 69
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Dr. John Dawson Prowell was born September 12, 1863, in Illinois, where his parents had gone as refugees from Missouri during the Civil War. His father was Capt. James William Prowell, a veteran of the Mexican War and a captain in the Confederate Army under General Price during the Civil War. He was a member of Raines brigade and saw much active service in Missouri and the South during the war. Cap- tain Prowell was born in 1827 and died in May, 1916. He was born in Adair County, Kentucky, a son of James Prowell, a native of North Carolina. James Prowell migrated from Kentucky to Boone County, Mis- souri, and died there after one year's residence. The mother of Captain Prowell was Margaret, daughter of Robin Fletcher, a soldier of the Revo- lutionary War. She was born in the state of North Carolina and was one year old when her parents emigrated to Kentucky. then a wilderness, leaving the youthful Margaret with her grandparents until they were settled in their new home, afterward making the overland trip from Ken- tucky to North Carolina for their daughter. She died in Kentucky in 1848, just one month after the return of her son, James William, from the Mexican War. Captain Prowell received a land grant in Boone County for his services in the Mexican War and settled in Boone County in 1852. Later he removed to Cedar County, where his death occurred.
The wife of Captain Prowell was Beathsheba Dawson prior to her marriage. She was born in Boone County, Missouri, in 1833 and departed this life in 1903. To Capt. James W. Prowell and wife were born chil- dren as follow: Mrs. Margaret Morton, Cedar County, Missouri; Louisa, died in 1884, aged eighteen years; Dr. John D. Prowell, of this review; Jennie, unmarried, living at Eldorado Springs, Missouri; Charles E., on the old homestead in Cedar County; Dr. James W. Prowell, a lieutenant in the United States Army Medical Corps and stationed at Fort Ogle- thorpe, Georgia; Fannie, wife of R. M. Shepherd, a successful attorney, Joplin, Missouri.
Reared in Cedar County, Missouri, Doctor Prowell early decided to become a physician and after his graduation from the Medical Depart- ment of the Missouri State University and the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis, Missouri, in 1889 he began practice at Longwood. His ter- ritory covers a large stretch between Marshall, Sedalia, Hughesville and Pilot Grove and an ever increasing practice testifies to his splendid suc- cess as a physician.
Doctor Prowell was married in January, 1897, to Grace Hoffman, a
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daughter of William Hoffman, who for many years has been a leading merchant in Longwood, and a sketch of whom appears in this history. Five children have blessed this union: Mary, wife of Raymond Schondel- maier, who is now in the National Army service at Camp McArthur; Fannie, aged sixteen years, a senior in Sedalia High School; Genevieve, aged twelve; James Dawson and William Hoffman Prowell, twins, aged eight years. Doctor Prowell is a Democrat in politics and is a member of the Pettis County and the Missouri State Medical Societies.
George W. Phillips, farmer and stockman, Heath's Creek township, owner of 280 acres of well improved land, was born on a farm near Pilot Grove, Cooper County, Missouri, October 24, 1851. He is a son of Martin and Susana (Huff) Phillips, the former of whom was born in Alabama in 1818 and the latter was a native of Kentucky.
Martin Phillips emigrated to Cooper County, Missouri, in 1822 and was one of the first pioneers of Cooper County. He was there married to Susan Huff, whose parents were also pioneers of Cooper County. Martin Phillips was a son of Jeremiah Phillips, who was also a pioneer settler of Cooper County. Susan (Huff) Phillips was born in 1818 and died in 1898. She accompanied her parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Huff, to Cooper County in 1828. Martin and Susan Phillips lived all of their lives in Cooper County and reared a splendid family of ten children: Jeremiah, deceased; Mrs. Sarah Ann Bridgewater, deceased; John M., deceased; Mrs. Malinda Ellen Rue, deceased; William R., living in Cooper County ; James W., Oklahoma; George W., subject of this review; Emily Bell living on the old homestead in Cooper County; Mrs. Addie Smith, living on the Phillips homestead in Cooper County, and Mrs. Jennie Par- rish, living with her daughter in Alabama.
George W. Phillips was reared to young manhood in his native county and was educated in the public and subscription schools of his boyhood days. Mr. Phillips has the bearing of a well informed and well read man, and attributes his capacity for reading to the fact that he had exceptionally good instructors when a youth.
Mr. Phillips left the home of his boyhood in 1881 after he had had charge of the home place for several years on his own account. He pur- chased a farm in Cooper County, cultivated it in 1902 and then came to Pettis County and bought his present farm. Mr. Phillips is owner of 280 acres of good farm land and is engaged in general farming and stock raising. -
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His marriage took place in 1881 with Miss Fannie R. Staples, who was born in 1859 and departed this life in March, 1913. She was the daughter of Dr. T. E. Staples and wife. Six children blessed this union: T. Staples, a farmer in Heath's Creek township; Eula and May, twins, keeping house for their father; George T., California; Susie, wife of George Vest Spears, Heath's Creek township; J. Martin, the youngest son, lives at home and manages his father's farm. Mr. Phillips has seven grandchildren. T. Staples Phillips has five children: George Calvin, Leo, Frances, Claude, Staples, Helen Eula. George T. is married and has one child, Earl Phillips. Mrs. Susie Spears has one child, Lucy May.
Mr. Phillips is a stanch Democrat. He and the members of his household worship at Gilead Christian Church.
Ollie D. Jenkins .- The Jenkins family is one of the oldest and most honored pioneer families of Pettis County. Ollie D. Jenkins, whose name heads this review, is a worthy representative of this old family who is carrying on the traditions of his family and has achieved a success as a farmer and stockman far above the average. Mr. Jenkins is owner of an estate embracing 365 acres which is finely improved with good buildings, three farm residences, good barns and a concrete silo having a capacity of 360 tons of silage. Mr. Jenkins is a feeder of cattle and hogs, and has on the farm over 200 head of swine at this writing. He markets from fifty to 200 fat porkers each year. Mr. Jenkins was born November 18, 1872, on the farm which he now owns. He is a son of Thomas H. Jenkins, who was born in 1845 on the Jenkins homestead and died in 1910.
Thomas H. Jenkins was a son of Aaron Jenkins, who at the time of his death was the oldest living pioneer settler in Pettis County. Aaron Jenkins was born near Murfreesborough, Tennessee, July 9, 1808, and was brought to Missouri with his father's family in the winter of 1816. He was a son of Hiram Jenkins, a native of Pennsylvania, who settled in Tennessee when nineteen years of age and when the territory had first been thrown open to settlement. When forty-five years of age Hiram Jenkins emigrated to Missouri, crossing the ice at Arrow Rock during the winter. From Arrow Rock he made his way to Heath's Creek, re- maining at the mouth of the creek until the spring, then proceeded to what is now known as the Marlin branch of Heath's Creek, where he settled. Mr. Jenkins was accompanied by Thomas Marlin and John Bolds, who were from Tennessee. The time of this settlement was in the spring
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of 1817 and it is probable that this was the first permanent one in what is now Pettis County. Hiram Jenkins had previously come to Missouri in 1808 on a hunting expedition, landed at St. Louis, bought a lot of salt kettles and freighted them to the mouth of Heath's Creek. These kettles were consigned to John and Robert Heath, who were engaged in making salt. Hiram Jenkins remained on Heath's Creek until 1834, when he returned to Tennessee.
After Aaron Jenkins had grown to manhood, he took charge of the land which his father had entered from the Government. He assisted in the organization of Pettis County and was appointed sheriff of the county in 1832. When Pettis County was about to be set off from the territory to the north, Mr. Jenkins took an active and influential part in forwarding the movement, riding through the settlement advocating his views. For some years he carried the mail from Booneville to George- town and the Jenkins home was the half-way or changing station on this route. Mr. Jenkins settled on his place March 1, 1836, built up a large farm of 300 acres and lived thereon until his death in 1885. On Feb- ruary 6, 1836, Aaron Jenkins was married to Mary J. Fristoe, a daugh- ter of Amos Fristoe, the first county clerk of Pettis County. He reared a family of nine children: Susan D., Lucy A., Thomas H., Lydia V., Kate, Richard H. and Annie M. The first Mrs. Jenkins died and he married in September, 1859, Mrs. Margaret Solomon, who bore him one child, Sallie E.
Thomas H. Jenkins was born and reared on the Jenkins home place, erected a house across the road from his father's home, and lived there several years. He then bought the original homestead and the home now owned by his son, Ollie D. Jenkins. He became owner of 300 acres of land and was widely and favorably known as an industrious and up- right citizen of Pettis County. He married Lucy Clark, who was born near Wanamaker, Saline County, Missouri, a daughter of Charles Clark, a pioneer settler of Saline County. Mrs. Lucy Jenkins was born in 1847 and died in 1908. The children born to Thomas H. and Lucy Jenkins are as follow: Carrie, wife of Rev. John Elmore, California; Fannie, wife of Dr. C. P. Cartwright, Longwood township, whose husband served in the National Army as surgeon in the Medical Corps; Ollie D., of this sketch ; C. A. Jenkins, an insurance man, Sedalia, Missouri; R. H., Quapahn, Okla- homa; Thomas H., Jr., accidentally killed at the age of five years.
The early education of Ollie D. Jenkins was supplemented by a course
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY
pursued in a private college in Texas, where he resided six months with his sister. The first farm which he owned was located four miles and a half south of the homestead where Joseph Jenkins now lives. He settled on this place in February, 1901, and tilled his land for two years. He then sold the place and bought a farm on the Muddy River west of New- land. Nine years later he sold this farm and bought the home place in February, 1912.
Mr. Jenkins was married April 11, 1900, to Miss Sue Elmore, a daughter of Oliver Elmore, a pioneer settler of Heath's Creek township, reference to whom is made in the sketch of N. P. Elmore elsewhere in this volume. The children born to Ollie D. and Sue Jenkins are: Carrie Elizabeth, born March 21, 1901, student in William Woods College, Ful- ton, Missouri ; Thomas Oliver, born November 10, 1902, student in Sedalia High School; Richard Spencer, born September 9, 1906; Mary Anna, born September 5, 1908; Thomas Hiram, born February 25, 1911, died June, 1914; Frances, born March 5, 1915, died at the age of twenty-two months ; Lucy, born April 29, 1918.
Since time immemorial the members of the Jenkins family have been allied with the Democratic party and Ollie D. Jenkins is faithfully follow- ing out the traditions of his ancestors in this respect. He and his family worship at Gilead Christian Church. Besides being affiliated with the Longwood Lodge of Modern Woodmen, he carries old line insurance for the protection of his family. Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins are progressive, enter- prising people who have many warm and steadfast friends in Pettis County.
John T. Harris, substantial farmer and stockman of Houstonia town- ship, is a native Missourian. Mr. Harris was born January 31, 1854, in Saline County. He is a son of Burrell and Nancy (Tevis) Harris.
Burrell Harris was born in Kentucky in 1817 and was the son of Nathan Harris, who emigrated to Missouri and made a settlement in Saline County as early as 1830. Burrell Harris was reared to manhood in Saline County and there married Nancy Tevis, who was born in 1824 and departed this life in 1869. Mr. Harris came to Pettis County in 1873 and became a large land owner and prosperous farmer. His last days were spent in California, where his death occurred in 1897. Seven chil- dren were born to Burrell and Nancy Harris, as follows; Charles, died at the age of eighteen years; John T., subject of this review; Fielding C., lives with his son-in-law, Wilford Vickery, in Hughsville township; Nathan, resides in Houstonia ; Bettie, is a resident of California; William B., is a farmer in Houstonia township; Mary, lives in California.
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY
John T. Harris was eighteen years of age when the Harris family located in Pettis County. He had received a good schooling in his native county, inasmuch as the limited school facilities of those early days per- mitted, and was brought up to the life and vocation of his forebears. He has followed in their footsteps with the added incentive of living in a more modern and progressive age with the developments of which he has kept pace. After attaining his majority Mr. Harris rented the home place of the family for two years and then purchased a farm of 200 acres. To this he has added 100 acres and he now owns a splendid and fertile tract of 300 acres directly east of Houstonia. This farm is improved with an attractive farm residence which Mr. Harris had erected in 1890. In fact, he has placed every improvement on the place and both the exterior and interior of the farm house reflect the good taste of the residents therein.
Mr. Harris was married in 1887 to Miss Eulalia Crumpacker, of Pettis County, a daughter of Granville and Kate Crumpacker. Four children have blessed this marriage: Lawrence, Ruth, Lois and John Harris.
Lawrence Harris was born September 19, 1893, and is now a soldier in the National Army in service overseas in France. He was graduated from high school and studied at William Jewell College, Liberty, Mis- souri, where he became a member of the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity, and also a member of the baseball team. He enlisted December 10, 1917, and was trained at Camp Hancock, Georgia, and Camp Greene, North Carolina, in the aviation department, was commissioned a corporal and was sent to France in July, 1918, and became a sergeant December 16, 1918. He is a member of the Masonic Ledge. Ruth Harris is a graduate of high school and received the degree of Bachelor of Science at the Mis- souri State University in June, 1918. She was also graduated in music from Stevens College in 1918 and was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta Chapter. Lois Harris is a graduate of high school, has studied at William Woods College, Fulton, Missouri, and is now a student in the State University. John Harris, Jr., is at home attending the district school.
Mrs. Eulalia Lovette (Crumpacker) Harris was born in Franklin County, Virginia, in 1869, and is a daughter of Granville B. and Kate (Jameson) Crumpacker, both of whom were born and reared in Franklin County, Virginia. They came to Pettis County in 1880 and made a settlement near Houstonia. In 1890 they removed to Texas, where they
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are now living. Mr. Crumpacker was born in 1844 and Mrs. Crumpacker was born in 1849.
Politically Mr. Harris is aligned with the Democratic party and has served as a member of the local school board and was a director of the Houstonia Bank for a number of years. He and Mrs. Harris are mem- bers of the Christian Church of Houstonia. They are progressive and enterprising people who have many friends in Pettis County.
M. K. Swope, retired merchant of Thornleigh, Missouri, is a de- scendant of one of the oldest of the Missouri pioneer families, who have been resident in Missouri for 100 years. He was born on a farm one mile west of the village of Thornleigh December 3, 1850.
His father, Hiram Swope, was born in Howard County, Missouri, in 1819 and spent nearly all of his days in Pettis County. Hiram Swope was the son of Jesse Swope, a native of Kentucky, who migrated to Howard County, Missouri, in 1819, and two years later made one of the first settlements in Pettis County, in the northern part of Longwood township. Jesse Swope entered land in this county, built a cabin and when not engaged in raising sufficient food for his family's sustenance, he became famous as a hunter of wild game. The woods of this section of Missouri then abounded in wild game such as bears, deer, wild tur- keys and other animals, and it was a hunter's paradise. Hiram Swope became a famous hunter also in his day and spent much of his time in hunting. In one hunting period of thirty days he killed sixty deer, kill- ing as many as five deer in one day. The method followed by both Jesse and Hiram Swope of killing bear was to drive the animal as near the home as possible, for even long distances, then shoot bruin and haul the carcass the remaining distance by ox team. Hunting parties would go out on horseback and have deer and bear drives.
Living in Pettis County in those days was very primitive and M. K. Swope, of this review, sometimes yearns for the return of the old times when everything needed and desired by the early settlers was plentiful. Extreme hard work was unnecessary, as no one had any great desire to become rich, and all were equal and lived in the same circumstances. Booneville was the nearest trading post and the trading commodities of the settlers were hides and salted meats, which they would take to the settlement and exchange for sugar and such food and wearing apparel as they could not produce at home.
Hiram Swope married Bettie Greer, a daughter of Benjamin Greer
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY
of Virginia, who settled in Pettis County in 1827. Mrs. Bettie Swope was born in 1820 and died in 1913, having attained the great age of ninety- two years, and being at the time of her death the oldest living pioneer woman of Pettis County. Hiram and Bettie Swope had a large family of children, as follow: Jesse, born in 1844, now deceased; James was born in 1848 and died in 1902; Malachi K., subject of this sketch; Benja- min Franklin and Sarah Frances, twins, the former of whom died at the age of fifteen years and the latter died at the age of ten years; J. W. Swope, born in 1859, now resides north of Sedalia; Hiram T. Swope, lives on the old home place.
During his boyhood days M. K. Swope had very few of the educa- tional advantages possessed by the youth of the county nowadays. School houses were few and far between and he walked a distance of four miles to the nearest school house wherein school sessions were held a few months of the year. He had good times, however, and has few regrets of his boyhood days. Hunting and fishing were pleasures in which he indulged, and when yet a boy he began to earn his own living. As early as 1883 he established a store at Thornleigh and the business has been conducted continuously for the past thirty-five years. After starting this store, he sold out to his brother, J. W. Swope, and resumed the cul- tivation of his farm. The store was next sold to Charles Claycomb, but since 1905 has been managed and owned by the Swopes and is now in charge of Ryland Swope, a son of M. K. Swope. Mr. Swope for- merly owned a farm of 200 acres south of Thornleigh but has since estab- lising his home at Thornleigh given land to his children and now owns eighty-four acres east of the Bothwell tract.
November 18, 1881, M. K. Swope and Laura Ann Wasson were united in marriage. Mrs. Laura Ann Swope was born on a farm near Pinhook, Pettis County, in 1863 and is a daughter of Ryland Wasson, whose father was the first judge of Pettis County and held court in the first court house at old Pinhook, the first county seat of this county. To M. K. and Laura Ann Swope have been born children as follow: Mrs. Josie Hender- son, lives near Sedalia; Ryland, who has charge of the store at Thorn- leigh, born December 19, 1883, was married on September 24, 1918, to Stella Price, of the Beaman neighborhood; Mrs. Della Rayle, lives on the Swope home place; Hiram W., is engaged in the automobile business in Sedalia ; Mrs. Eula Scott, lives at Thornleigh ; Mrs. Alma Dillard, lives on part of the home place.
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY
Mr. Swope is a Democrat and a Pettis County citizen who has con- tributed his part toward the development and upbuilding of Pettis County in not only adding to the material wealth of the county but in rearing one of the best families in this section of the State, every member of which is a useful and energetic citizen.
Henry Jones, pioneer settler and retired farmer, of Heath's Creek township, Pettis County, was born August 12, 1830, in Delaware. He is a son of Wakeman (born 1797, died 1855) and Anna (Gulett) Jones (born 1802, died 1897). Both of his parents were born and reared in Delaware, and were members of old American families. Wakeman Jones was a son of John Jones, a soldier of the American Revolution. He was a farmer and politician, who took an active part in county and State affairs, and served as a member of the Delaware State legislature. Wakeman Jones also filled the office of probate judge of his county. His children were as follow : Alexander, Mary Ann, Edward and Henry, all of whom are deceased except the subject of this sketch.
Henry Jones was 'educated in the select schools of his native State, and received a fine education. He was reared on his father's farm, and learned the trade of carpenter when a youth. He followed his trade and that of farmer in conjunction until after his marriage. In the spring of 1858 Mr. Jones removed to Indiana, where he remained for five years. In 1863 he located in Iroquois County, Illinois, and five years later, in 1868, he "trekked," as he says, to Missouri, and located in Pettis County. Mr. Jones purchased 424 acres of prairie land in Heath's Creek township, at a cost of $20 an acre, where he has lived for the past fifty years. Mr. Jones became a land owner, and well to do. He has assisted his sons materially at the outset of their careers. March 20, 1868, Mr. Jones moved on his farm, and he has placed every improvement on the place. The Jones residence sets far back from the highway, and is built of brick, which were burned on the place.
Mr. Jones was married February 12, 1862, to Miss Sarah E. Jones, who was born in Warren County, Indiana, in 1839, a daughter of Clement G. and Frances Cameron Jones, who were natives of Delaware and were early settlers in the Wabash River valley region. The following children have been born of this union: Dr. Leroy Jones, Hoopeston, Illinois ; Eliza- beth, wife of Joseph Cartwright, Heath's Creek township; Clement, a suc .. cessful farmer of Longwood township; Lillis, at home; Mrs. Cora Rhode, Fountain County, Indiana; Ida, deceased, and Henry Clay, at home.
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HISTORY OF PETTIS COUNTY
Henry Clay Jones is managing the home place. He married Virginia Gorrell, a daughter of Van Gorrell, and has five children: Nathan, Philip, Virginia Louise, Sarah Catherine, and Clement Leroy.
Mr. Jones has always been a Democrat. During his entire life this patriarch has been a great reader along advanced lines of thought and literature.
Fred Gehlken, a well-known and successful merchant of Sedalia, who conducts a general store at 401 North Engineer street; is a native of Mis- souri. Mr. Gehlken was born near Syracuse, Morgan County, Missouri, April 2, 1872. He is the son of J. Henry and Louise (Witrock) Gehlken, both of whom were brought to Missouri by their parents when babies. The Gehlken and Witrock families were very early settlers in Morgan County, Missouri. The parents of Fred Gehlken, now live in Morgan County. The father is eighty-six years old and the mother is eighty- three. J. Henry Gehlken was a miller by trade, and one of the pioneers of the milling business in Morgan County.
Fred Gehlken is one of a family of five children, four sons and one daughter, born to his parents. He was reared to manhood in Morgan County, and received his education in the public schools there. In early life Mr. Gehlken worked at the milling business in his father's mill, and for ten years was engaged in that line of work. For the following six years he traveled considerably, during which time he visited nearly every State in the Union, and was also in Canada and old Mexico. In 1905 Mr. Gehlken engaged in the grocery business in Sedalia, and since that time devoted himself to the mercantile business. He carries a large stock and buys in large quantities. He has built up an extensive trade, and his motto is "that a satisfied customer is the best advertisement." He is one of the successful merchants of Sedalia.
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