USA > Missouri > Pettis County > History of Pettis County, Missouri > Part 72
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Charles F. Ernst, a well known painter who specializes in sign writ- ing, has been a resident of Sedalia for nearly thirty years. Mr. Ernst was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, November 28, 1854, and is a son of William Henry and Tobitha Kate (Fletcher) Ernst. The father was also a native of Cincinnati, born July, 1827. He was an extensive carriage and wagon manufacturer in that city prior to the Civil War, but during that conflict met with heavy financial losses. In 1865 he went to Dubuque, Iowa, and about 1870, removed to Rockford, Illinois, where he died in 1915. William Henry Ernst was a son of Henry Morris and Sylvia (McClarion) Ernst, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Scotland. She was born in 1800 and Henry M. Ernest came to America with his parents when he was about five months old. Tobitha Kate Fletcher, mother of Charles F. Ernst, was born at Chepstoe, England, in 1836, and came to America with her parents. She died in 1916.
To William Henry and Tobitha Kate (Fletcher) Ernst were born the following children: Henry M., a prominent citizen of Atchinson, Kansas, where he has resided about forty years; Charles F., the sub- ject of this sketch; Ella L., married H. R. Vandervort and lives in Chi-
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cago, Illinois; Josephine, married Charles Smith, Racine, Wisconsin; Kathrine G., married A. Willoughby, Stony Point, Virginia; Sarah K. married William M. Armour, Rockford, Illinois, and Lyman P., an engi- neer on the Northwestern railroad, Des Moines, Iowa.
Charles F. Ernst learned carriage painting in his father's shop in Cincinnati, Ohio. He received his education in the public schools. He came west from Cincinnati with his parents, and in 1882 went to Kansas City where he was engaged in carriage and sign painting until 1890. He came to Sedalia that year and established himself at 611 South Ohio Street and since that time has been engaged in sign writing, exclusively. He is an artist in his work and has no peers in this section of the country.
Mr. Ernst was united in marriage at Chicago, Illinois, October 19, 1879, to Miss Elizabeth B. Bonesteel, a native of Dublin, Indiana. She was born August 17, 1864, a daughter of Dan G. German, who resides in Chicago. To Mr. and Mrs. Ernst have been born three children: Charles H., the eldest of the family, resides at Grants Pass, Oregon. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1880, and is now engaged in the insurance busi- ness. He was a member of the National Guard Company of Sedalia for a number of years and served in the Spanish-American War under Colonel DeMuth. After that conflict and after receiving an honorable discharge he enlisted in the United States regular army and served three years. He was married to Miss Effie Harvey, a native of Canada and they have one child, Charles K. Jr. The second son born to Charles F. Ernst and wife is Lyman R., who was born at Mexico, Missouri, in 1889. He was chief clerk in the legal department of the Mobile & Ohio railroad, when the United States declared war against Germany. At that time he and two others, organized a machine gun company, composed of the em- ployees of the Mobile & Ohio railroad company, but when the selective service bill was passed, he was inducted into the army and is now serving in France as sergeant major. He served as secretary to General French, who made an inspection tour through France. Lyman R. Ernst was married to Miss Lanie Reisnour, of Alabama, August 16, 1917. They have no children. The youngest child born to Charles F. Ernst and wife. Anabel, is now the wife of Edward Dunsing, a lumber man of Concordia. Missouri.
Mr. Ernest is a Republican and has served on the Park Board in Se- dalia for eleven years and for nine years was president of that body. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge, the Knights of Pythias, the Independ-
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ent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of the Maccabees, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He has been honored by various lodge offices from time to time. Mr. Ernst is one of the substantial citizens of Sedalia and has an extensive acquaintance both of a business and social nature and has many friends.
Van Barett Gorrell, a prominent farmer of Prairie township, is one of the successful cattle feeders and breeders of Pettis County. He is the son of Hinton and Lulu (McClung) Gorrell, who also reside in Prairie township, and a sketch of Hinton Gorrell, giving a more extended history of the family, appears in this volume.
Van Gorrell was born in Prairie township on the place where he now resides, October 15, 1882. He received his education in the public schools and Central Business College at Sedalia. He was reared on a farm and has made farming and stock raising his life occupation, in which he has been unusually successful. He is well known as a breeder and has fed cattle for the market with very satisfactory results. He owns a valu- able and well-kept farm which consists of 480 acres which is regarded as one of the best farms in Pettis County. Mr. Gorrell is a practical farmer and stockman and his success may be attributed to two reasons-know- ing his business and attending to it.
Mr. Gorrell was united in marriage June 11, 1913, to Miss Jessie Marie Millard, a native of Smithfield, Illinois. She is a daughter of George A. Millard, a native of Illinois, who came to Pettis County, Mis- souri with his family, about 1910 and settled on a farm in Prairie town- ship where he now resides.
To Mr. and Mrs. Gorrell have been born three children as follow: George H., Laura, and Genevieve. Mr. Gorrell is a Democrat and one of Pettis County's most progressive young men.
William Oliver Powell, one of the progressive and up-to-date young agriculturists of Pettis County, is operating 350 acres of land in Elk Fork township. Mr. Powell belongs to the new type of farmers and stock raisers who combine practical methods with well directed scientific principles. He has not only had experience on the farm but has had the advantages of an agircultural education.
Mr. Powell was born and reared in Elk Fork township, on the farm where he now resides which is the property of his aunt, Alice Gilmore. He was born September 4, 1892, a son of Edward and Millie (Spickert) Powell.
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Edward Powell was born on the same place where his son William Oliver was born, August 12, 1865, and his parents were William O. and Mary Ellen (Record) Powell, who were the parents of four children, two of whom are now living, Edward and Mrs. Alice Gilmore. Edward Powell has been a farmer and stock raiser all his life and has lived in Pettis County, with the exception of about five years which he spent in Johnson County. He purchased his present place in Elk Fork township in 1902. He owns 120 acres of well improved and valuable land.
Edward Powell was married December 7, 1890, to Miss Millie Spick- ert who was born January 20, 1866, and is a daughter of John and Mary (Quincy) Spickert, natives of Kentucky and early settlers in Pettis County.
William Oliver Powell, the subject of this sketch, was educated in the public schools of Pettis County, the Central Business College of Se- dalia and the University of Missouri, where he took an agricultural course. He then engaged in farming on the place in Elk Fork township which he has followed to the present time.
December 25, 1914, William Oliver Powell was united in marriage with Miss Eunice Donaldson, a native of Warrensburg, Missouri, and a daughter of Joseph H. and Nellie (Bagsby) Donaldson, natives of John- son County. Joseph H. Donaldson worked at blacksmithing for a number of years and in 1898, located at Green Ridge, Missouri, where he is now conducting a meat market. Mrs. Powell is one of a family of four chil- dren born to her parents. She was educated in the Green Ridge High School and the State Normal School at Warrensburg and for six years prior to her marriage was a successful teacher in Pettis and Johnson Counties. Mr. Powell is a Democrat and his lodge affiliations are with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. and Mrs. Powell are members of the Methodist Church.
Louis Bucher, a Civil War veteran who has been identified with Pettis County for over fifty years, is a successful farmer and stockman now living retired in Green Ridge township. He was born in Alsace, Germany, a son of John and Margaret Bucher. The parents came to America about 1845, when the subject of this sketch was five years old. Shortly after coming to this country the father disappeared and left the mother with six small children. She was unable to care for them and they were adopted to various families, in St. Charles County, Missouri. Louis Bucher was reared by Raphiel D. Denny. He was given very few
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opportunities for an education and the experiences of his early life were not all that might be desired. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in 1861, when he was about twenty-one years old, being enrolled in United States service at St. Charles, Missouri. He became a member of Com- pany K, Twenty-fourth Missouri Infantry and saw much active service. He participated in the battles of Perryville, Stone River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Kenesaw Mountain and numerous minor engagements and skirmishes. He was taken prisoner at Stone River but was paroled shortly afterwards. He was honorably discharged and mustered out of service at Chicago, Illinois, in 1864. During the course of his military service he fought under General Buel and General Rosencrans.
After being discharged from the United States service Mr. Bucher returned to the home of R. D. Denny in St. Charles County, Missouri, where he remained until 1868. In that year he came to Pettis County with the Denny family and worked for Mr. Denny about ten years. It seemed that all that Mr. Bucher was getting out of his work was the pleasure of it. He only received $200 for the many years that he had worked for Denny. In 1878, after remaining with Mr. Denny for ten years in Pettis County, he began farming on his own account on rented land and for fourteen years followed this arragement when it suddenly occurred to him that all this time he had been breaking prairie land for others and making improvements which gave very little, or no, returns. He found himself in practically the same position as the man who was catching flood-wood on shares for another. After that he saw to it that he rented land where there was not so much raw prairie breaking to be done, and from that time on made steady progress. In 1898 he bought his present farm of 120 acres and made valuable improvements and brought the place up to a high state of cultivation. Here he followed farming until 1915 when he retired and his sons are now operating the place.
Mr. Bucher was married September 24, 1868, to Miss Mary Ann Kruel, who was born near St. Louis, Missouri, December 16, 1848. Her parents were natives of Germany and came to the United States when young with their parents and spent their lives in St. Charles County, Missouri. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bucher: Joseph E., lives in Prairie township; George W., lives on the home place in Green Ridge township; Mrs. Mary E. Sullivan who resides in Sedalia; Charles L., Prairie township; and John Wesley, on the home place in
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Green Ridge township. Julia Elizabeth, the eldest, died at the age of seventeen.
Mr. Bucher is a Republican and a member of the Catholic Church and Mrs. Bucher belongs to the Lutheran Church. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Barney Bertman, one of Sedalia's most enterprising and progressive business men, has within a comparatively brief period, built up a busi- ness of a scope and extent that compares favorably with any other busi- ness enterprise in the city of Sedalia. Mr. Bertman is engaged in the retail and wholesale coal business, the retail and wholesale oil business and general contracting, and among his other industrial activities he has the contract for sprinkling the streets of Sedalia. He is probably the leading coal dealer in the city. It requires five heavy coal delivery . auto trucks to handle the retail department of his coal business, not to mention the great amount of coal that is sold at his yards to parties who do their own hauling. He has an average of twenty-two people on his pay roll. Mr. Bertman's business is located at 502-506 West Main Street.
Mr. Bertman is a notable example of a man who began life without capital, and while yet a young man he has achieved unusual success in the business world and developed an extensive business enterprise. He was born in Russia, November 10, 1875, and came to America with his parents, Abraham and Ida Bertman, in 1888. The family settled in Kansas City, Missouri, where the parents spent the remainder of their life. Barney Bertman attended the public schools in Kansas City and re- mained in that city until 1899, and on March 27 of that year, came to Sedalia, where he engaged in the junk business for about two years. Later he engaged in the coal business, then added general contracting and in 1913 engaged in the wholesale and retail oil business.
Mr. Bertman was married in 1896 to Miss Bessie Sameler of Kansas City, Missouri, and to this union have been born three children as follow : William, who is assisting his father in the business; Ester and Abraham, both students in the Sedalia High School.
Mr. Bertman is a Republican, a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, having held membership in that organization for twenty-three years. He is also a member of the Woodmen of the World. He is a member of the Jewish Church and since coming to Sedalia has been pres- ident of the congregation here.
Mr. Bertman is one of the progressive and public spirited men of Sedalia and takes an active part in all matters of public welfare.
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Joseph Delap, a well known and successful farmer and stockman of Blackwater township, belongs to a leading pioneer family of this section of Missouri. He was born in Blackwater township, August 20, 1875, a son of Barney and Lucy F. (Whitfield) Delap, early settlers in Black- water township. The father was engaged in farming and stock raising here until his death in 1882.
Lucy F. (Whitfield) Delap, the mother, now resides in Pettis county. She is a descendant of colonial ancestors. Her parents were J. E. and Miss H. H. (Winston) Whitfield. J. E. Whitfield was a native of Grand- ville, North Carolina, born in August, 1817. He was a son of William Whitfield, who was a soldier in the War of 1812. William Whitfield was a son of John Whitfield who was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. J. E. Whitfield was married to Miss Winston, June 12, 1844. She is a daughter of Jessie Winston, a native of Franklin County, North Carolina. Mrs. Delap has a sister, Ella J., who is now the wife of William J. Morris, of Sedalia.
Joseph Delap was reared on a farm and received his education in the district schools of Blackwater township. After his father's death he remained on the home place and when he was about twenty years of age he rented land from his mother and engaged in farming on his own ac- count. He now operates 220 acres of his mother's land and sixty acres of his own. He carries on general farming and stock raising, making a specialty of raising Poland China hogs and has met well merited success.
Mr. Delap was united in marriage in October, 1899 with Miss Stella Babbitt, of Pettis County, Missouri. She is a daughter of Jessie and Elizabeth (Lantz) Babbitt, who were early settlers of Pettis County. The father now resides in Johnson County, Missouri. To Joseph Delap and wife have been born the following children: Sidney; Lillian; Mildred; Marion; Nellie; Edith; A. J .; Robert; Walker and Donald, all of whom are residing at home with their parents, except Lillian who is deceased.
Mr. Delap is a Democrat and a member of the Baptist Church. He holds membership in the Modern Woodmen of America. He is one of Pettis County's substantial citizens and the Delap family stand high in the community.
Franklin George Weathers, a well known and successful farmer and stockman of Blackwater township, is a native son of Pettis County. He was born at Hughesville, August 15, 1887 and is a son of George and Clara (Kells) Weathers. They were the parents of four children, of
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whom Franklin George is the youngest. The father died in 1894 and the mother now resides in Hughesville township with her son, James Weath- ers. She was born in Ohio.
Franklin G. Weathers was reared on a farm and educated in the dis- trict schools. He has made farming and stock raising his principal occu- pation, and in 1912 bought his present place in Blackwater township. This farm consists of 320 acres and is one of the well improved farms of Pettis County. It was formerly owned and improved by Captain Shanks who is now deceased. Mr. Weathers has made many improvements since he bought the place. He carries on general farming and stock raising and also feeds cattle for the market.
October 6, 1909, Franklin George Weathers and Miss Frances Stir- len, a native of Pettis County, born July 31, 1891, were united in mar- riage. She is a daughter of Benjamin F. and Mary (Dawes) Stirlen. A sketch of the Stirlen family appears elsewhere in this volume. To Mr. and Mrs. Weathers have been born two children, Sterlin and Mary, both of whom are at home with their parents.
Mr. Weathers is a Democrat and a member of the Modern Wood- men of America. He and his wife are members of the Baptist Church. They are well and favorably known in the community and representa- tive members of Pettis County pioneer families.
William Winston, a pioneer settler of Pettis County, now deceased, was identified with the settlement, growth and development of this sec- tion of Missouri, for many years. He was born near Franklinton, Frank- lin County, North Carolina, February 18, 1833, and was a descendant of old southern stock. His father, Jesse Winston, was a prominent planter in North Carolina and a large slave owner until the Civil War. He spent his life in North Carolina.
In 1851, William Winston came to Pettis County, Missouri, from Tennessee, where he had been employed as clerk in a store conducted by his brother. Upon coming to Pettis County, Mr. Winston engaged as clerk in a general store at Dunksburg, Missouri. This store was con- ducted by Dr. B. F. Dunkley, a prominent early-day physician of Dunks- burg and the founder of the town which was named in his honor.
William Winston came to Pettis County at a time when this section was sparsely settled and very little progress in the way of development had been made. The country was unfenced. the prairie land unbroken, with the exception of little cultivated patches here and there, and at that
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time Pettis County was well on the frontier border. When Mr. Winston came here there was no Sedalia and only three or four houses in the vicinity of where that city now stands. At one time he stacked straw on the site of the present Pettis County court house. He saw much of the early days of Pettis County and did his part in laying the foundation for the future development and greatness of this county. After working for a number of years at the mercantile business, Mr. Winston purchased a farm and engaged in farming in Blackwater townshop, where he was successfully engaged in farming and stock raising until the time of his death, February 18, 1908. He was the owner of 800 acres of valuable land which he divided among the members of his family. He was a christian gentleman and a member of the Methodist Church, South.
William Winston was twice married, his first wife being Jane Sciceloff, a native of Pettis County, to whom he was married in 1856. Eight children were born to this union of whom the following are living: Mrs. David Shanks, Blackwater township, Pettis County; Mrs. Charles Calhoun, who resides near Stokley, Blackwater township; and George, Kansas City, Missouri. The mother of these children died in 1872,
April 15, 1873, William Winston was united in marriage with Miss Maggie E. Wade, a native of Highland County, Virginia, born March 17, 1844. 'More extensive mention is made of the Wade family history else- where in this volume. To William and Maggie E. (Wade) Winston were born the following children: Stella, born March 30, 1874, married Ora Forsyth and now resides near the old Winston home; Mary, born April 2, 1876, married Larkin H. Blackburn, and died June 10, 1910; Ernest, a sketch of whom appears in this volume; Forrest, a sketch of whom ap- pears in this volume; and Maud, born May 18, 1884, and died October 30, 1885.
Mrs. Winston resides on the old homestead, of which she owns 120 acres. She takes an active interest in business affairs and oversees the cultivation of her farm. She is one of Pettis County's honored pioneer women and may well be proud of the family of sons and daughters whom she has reared. She is a member of the Methodist Church, South.
Thomas W. Patrick, of Blackwater township, is a native of Mis- souri and a descendant of pioneer stock. Mr. Patrick was born in La- fayette County, February 5, 1843, a son of Preston and Elizabeth Taylor (Berry) Patrick. Preston Patrick was born in Lloyd County, Kentucky, January 21, 1811, and died in Lafayette County, Missouri, in 1861, and
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his wife was born in Boone County, Missouri, January 11, 1820, and died in April, 1900. Her parents were natives of Kentucky. Preston Patrick was a son of Thomas and Rebecca (May) Patrick, natives of Virginia who came to Missouri from Kentucky and settled in Lafayette County at a very early day.
Thomas W. Patrick spent his boyhood days on the farm and at- tended such school as were provided in the pioneer days. His education was obtained in the old log school house of the type commonly used for school purposes during the early settlement of the country. He was inclined to be of a studious nature and much of his education is credited to self-study. He followed farming in early life in Lafayette County, and during the Civil War he served as postmaster and remained in Lafayette County until 1869, when he came to Pettis County and set- tled in Blackwater township which has since been his home.
Mr. Patrick was married April 17, 1866, to Miss Wilmine Francine Feagan, a native of Smith County, Tennessee, born March 3, 1845. To Mr. and Mrs. Patrick have been born three children: Katharine, mar- ried William Oglesby, who is now deceased, and she resides at Lexing- ton; Mrs. Lena T. Oglesby of Blackwater township; and H. Edwin, a farmer and stock raiser of Blackwater township. He married Ella Hutch- ison, a native of Cherokee County, Kansas, and they have three children, as follow: Bernice J., Robert E. and Edwin W.
Thomas W. Patrick is one of the honored pioneers of this section of the State. Politically he is affiliated with the Democratic party and a member of the Methodist Church South.
George H. Davis of Blackwater township a prosperous farmer and stockman, has established the well-merited reputation of being one of the leading hog breeders in this section of the State. He has been inter- ested in the hog business since he was a boy. He gives special attention to breeding Chester White and Poland China hogs. In addition to his success as a breeder of pure-blood hogs, he also feeds hogs for the mar- ket on an extensive scale.
Mr. Davis is a native of Missouri. He was born in Maries County, April 13, 1856, a son of Granaway and Nancy Jane (Smith) Davis and is the youngest of their nine children, three of whom are living. The parents were both natives of Kentucky. They came to Missouri at an early day and the father died in Maries County, about 1868, aged forty- five years and the mother died in Saline County in 1874, aged fifty-four
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years. They were both descendants from a long line of American an- cestors which dates back in this country to Colonial times.
George H. Davis was reared on a farm and received his education in the district schools. His father died when George was about twelve years of age, and it fell to his lot and his brothers', to assist their mother in the support of the family. Thus he began hard work at an early age and was of necessity denied many opportunities enjoyed by the average boy, even of his time. Shortly after the death of his father, the family removed to Webster County, Missouri, where the mother rented a farm which she operated with the assistance of George and his brother. In 1871, George H. Davis came to Pettis County and settled in Heath's Creek township where he worked rented land until 1880. He then bought a farm east of Houstonia in partnership with his brother. About eight years later, he sold this farm and bought his present place in Blackwater town- ship. He owns 382 acres of well-improved land and is one of the suc- cessful farmers and stockmen of Blackwater township.
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