USA > Missouri > Randolph County > History of Randolph County, Missouri > Part 16
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Doctor Ash is a Democrat and served as city physician in 1904. He is a Royal Arch Mason. On Nov. 30, 1904, Doctor Ash married Miss Mazie Peterson who was born at Grand Island, Neb., and they have one daughter, Dorothy.
Dr. Ash is now vice-president of the Randolph County Trust, Mob- erly, Mo.
Willard P. Cave, a leading member of the Randolph County bar and one of the well known attorneys of this section of the state is a native of Missouri and a decedent of pioneers. Mr. Cave was born at Mexico, Mo., and is a son of Frank and Catherine (Galbreath) Cave. Frank Cave was born at Columbia, Mo., and was the son of William and Mary Cave, pioneer settlers of Boone County, Mo. William Cave was a son of Richard Cave who with a brother, William Cave, came from Virginia and settled in Boone County at a very early date. They platted the original town of Smithland, which is now the city of Columbia, Mo.
Frank Cave was reared in Boone County, attending the University of Missouri and was a graduate of that institution. When the Civil War broke out, he resided at Natchitoches Parish, La., where he enlisted in the Confederate Army and served throughout the war. He died in Audrain County, Mo., in 1880, and his wife died in 1863 and her remains are buried at Caddo, Parish, La.
Willard P. Cave was educated in the public schools and in the Uni- versity of Missouri, as were also his father and son. Thus three genera- tions of the Cave family are graduates of that institution.
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Willard P. Cave began the practice of law in 1883 and since that time has been successfully engaged in the practice in the various state and federal courts and has established a reputation of being one of the able, conscientious and fearless lawyers of this section of Missouri.
Mr. Cave was first married to Octavia Ficklin, a daughter of Prof. Joseph and Penelope (Terrill) Ficklin, both of whom are now deceased. Octavia Ficklin Cave died in 1892 at Moberly, Mo. and her remains are buried at Columbia, Mo. To Willard P. and Octavia (Ficklin) Cave were born two children as follows:
Catherine, married Malcolm McClellan of Jacksonville, Fla., and Helen married Homer Teachenor of Shelbina, Mo. Mr. Cave was married the second time in 1894 to Miss Fannie Lango and to this union has been born one son, Harold, who is a graduate of the University of Missouri and now taking a postgraduate course at Yale.
Harold Cave served in the World War, first entering the service as a member of an ambulance unit and reached France considerably in advance of the regular American Expeditionary Forces. There were about 28 members of his unit and after reaching Paris, they took a vote to decide what they would do and 25 of the number, including Harold Cave, voted to volunteer to serve with the French Army which they did. They served in the sector between Soissons and Rheims for the term of their enlistment. Later Mr. Cave enlisted in the United States navy where he was serving when the armistice was signed. He has received a letter of thanks and a medal in appreciation of his services from the French government.
Willard P. Cave has been identified with the welfare and development of Moberly and Randolph County for nearly 40 years and during that period has contributed much of his time and talent to the betterment and upbuilding of this city and county. He has served four terms as mayor of Moberly and his administrations were successful epochs in the history of Moberly and marked for their progressiveness.
The Mechanics Savings Bank of Moberly, Mo. is one of the substantial financial institutions of this section of Missouri and has stood the test of time with a clean record throughout all the financial flurries of nearly half a century. This bank was organized in 1872 and began business at its present location, 208 Reed St. The first officers were M. N. Towner, president; Moses Jennings, vice-president; S. P. Griffith, cashier; and H. P. Jennings, assistant cashier. The bank was organized with an author- ized capital of $100,000.
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The present officers are H. P. Jennings, president; J. B. Jennings, vice-president; V. W. Wilhite, cashier and W. T. Smart, assistant cashier. The board of directors consists of the above named gentlemen with the exception of W. T. Smart, and J. C. O'Keefe and Isham Powell are also members of the Board of Directors. The present capitol stock is $150,000 and the surplus and profits are $150,000 with other additional reserve funds. The deposits are over $1,500,000. The bank is the owner of the Merchants Hotel block and is located in the northwest corner of that building.
The changes in the personnel of the officers of this bank have been few since its organization in 1872, and it is regarded as one of the care- fully managed and conservative banking institutions of the state. Mem- bers of the Jennings family have been the dominant factors of this institu- tion since its organization. Moses Jennings, the first vice-president was the grandfather of J. B. Jennings, the present vice-president and the father of H. P. Jennings.
The bank fixtures are modern and every convenience is provided for the many patrons and every safety device known in the modern banking in the way of mechanical contrivances is here installed. The steel vault is of the best material and construction that money can buy and the door of the vault alone weighs three and one-half tons.
J. B. Jennings, vice-president of the Mechanics Savings Bank and one of the well known bankers of this section of the state was born at West Union, W. Va. and is the son of Hiram and Emely (Davis) Jennings, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Virginia. Mr. Jennings is a descendant of old Virginia stock, including the Randolph and Davis families. Hiram Jennings came to Missouri with his family in 1874 and settled at Moberly. Here he was engaged in the dry goods and grocery and lumber business during his active business career and met with suc- cess and during his time was one of the substantial business men of this section. He died in 1898 and his wife died in 1895. Their remains are buried in West Union, W. Va. They were the parents of one other child besides J. B. Clara, who is now the widow of W. L. Irwin and resides in Kansas City, Mo. Three brothers are deceased: William, Howard, and the youngest who died in infancy.
J. B. Jennings received his education in the high school of Moberly and in 1879 entered the Mechanics Savings Bank and has been connected with this institution continuously until the present time. Nothwithstand-
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ing, Mr. Jenning's career has has been first of all that of a banker, he has always found time to devote a portion of his time to public and civic affairs and take a good citizens interest in the welfare of the community. He served as treasurer of the city of Moberly for 18 years and for 12 years was treasurer of the Moberly School Board. He has been prominently identified with the Missouri Banker's Association for a number of years and at various times has served as treasurer, vice-president and president of that organization. He is a member of the American Banker's Associa- tion and at the present time is a member of the executive council of that organization.
Mr. Jennings was married in 1896 to Miss Frances W. Wight, a daugh- ter of James W., Sr. and Auleria (Fullenwider) Wight, of Moberly. further mention of whom is made in this volume. To Mr. and Mrs. Jennings have been born two children. The elder, Howard Wight, age 21 years, is now a student in the University of Colorado, at Boulder, Colo. He began mili- tary training at the age of 13 years and when he was 21 years of age, he was captain of Company I at Boulder, Colo. The younger child, Frances E. is at home with her parents. Mr. Jenning's home is located at 520 W. Rollins Street on the site of the old Jennings home which was destroyed by fire where his parents lived for 20 years.
Alexander M. Mounce, Jr., bookkeeper for the D. H. Mounce Lumber Company, Moberly, Mo., is one of the progressive young men of Randolph County, who turned from the peaceful pursuits of business life when the United States entered the World War and served during the remainder of that great conflict.
Alexander M. Mounce, Jr., was born at Bunker Hill, Kan., April 18, 1888, and is a son of Alexander M. and Martha (Monson) Mounce, the latter of whom is now deceased, having departed this life in October, 1914, and her remains are buried in Woodland Cemetery, Moberly, Mo. The father resides in Moberly which has been his home for the past 30 years and a sketch of him appears in this volume.
Alex. M. Mounce, Jr., received his education in the public schools of Moberly, Missouri State University at Columbia, Mo., and the University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill. In 1912 he entered the employ of the D. H. Mounce Lumber Company at Moberly as bookkeeper and was thus em- ployed until Dec. 13, 1917, when he enlisted in the Aviation Corps of the United States Army. Shortly after enlisting, he was sent to Camp Custer at Battle Creek, Mich. After spending seven weeks there, he was trans-
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ferred to Barron Field, Fort Worth, Texas, where he served with the fly- ing and engineering department of the aviation service until March 28, 1919, when he was honorably discharged. Mr. Mounce then returned to Moberly and resumed his former position with the D. H. Mounce Lumber Company and is now serving in that capacity.
A. M. Mounce of the D. H. Mounce Lumber Company is one of the enterprising business men of Moberly. He is a native of Missouri, hav- ing been born at Florida, Monroe County, June 18, 1848. He is the son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Bryant) Mounce, the former a native of Lincoln County, Ky., and the latter of Virginia. Samuel Mounce came to Missouri and settled in Monroe County about 1820 and was there married and spent the remainder of his life. He was a cabinet maker and also owned and operated a farm in Monroe County. He died in 1864. His wife preceded him in death a number of years, having died in 1849.
To Samuel and Elizabeth (Bryant) Mounce were born the following children: John W., who was an accountant and vice-president of the Bank of Hannibal, died at Hannibal, Mo., in 1917; Mary C., married David Hendricks, who is now deceased and she resides in the state of Washing- ton; Sarah Mariah, married Thomas Sheriman and they reside at Fresno, Calif .; Lucy Ann, widow of Richard Robey, Monroe City, Mo .; David Henry, senior member of the D. H. Mounce Lumber Company, and A. M., the subject of this sketch.
A. M. Mounce was educated in the public schools and when about 16 years old, in 1864, he entered the dry goods business at Shelbina, Mo., and for ten years was thus engaged. He then went to Hannibal, where he was engaged in the same business until 1885, when he went to Clarks- ville, Mo. and was engaged in business there and later at Louisiana and Mexico, Mo. He then went to Bunker Hill, Kans., where he remained until 1889, when he came to Moberly and since that time has been identi- fied with the D. H. Mounce Lumber Company and for 30 years his inter- ests has been with this concern. The D. H. Mounce Lumber Company is one of the leaders in lumber and other building supplies in this section of the state. The business is located on the corner of Weightman and Sturgeon streets.
A. M. Mounce was married first in 1871 to Miss Mattie Monson of Shelbina, Mo., and to this union the following children were born: Edna, Washington, D. C., Mrs. Goldena Terrill, Moberly, Mo., Mrs. Margaret Lynch, St. Louis, Mo., Alexander M., Jr., a sketch of whom appears in
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this volume; Stella deceased, and Fay, deceased. The mother of these children died in 1914 and Mr. Mounce was united in marriage Sept. 25, 1919, with Jannie Burton, of Moberly, Mo. and they reside at 600 West Carpenter Street, Moberly, Mo.
Mr. Mounce is a Democrat and has always taken a commendable inter- est in political matters and public affairs. While a resident of Bunker Hill, Kan., he served as councilman and when he lived in Shelby County was a candidate for circuit clerk of that county.
Major J. Lilly, a prominent member of the Randolph County bar, who is engaged in the practice of his profession at Moberly, is a native of Randolph County and a descendant of one of the pioneer families of this section of the state. He was born in this county March 25, 1872, and is the son of James Madison and Margaret (Orr) Lilly.
James Madison Lilly was a native of Kentucky, born in Oldham County, Ky., in 1816. He came to Missouri in 1836 and first settled in Marion County, where he remained two years. In 1838 he came to Ran- dolph County, which has been the home of the Lilly family to the present time. James Madison Lilly followed blacksmithing and also worked as a stone mason. He was also engaged in farming for a considerable time. He died Aug. 8, 1900. His wife, Margaret (Orr) Lilly, was born in Wash- ington County, Va., Jan. 2, 1835, and died Sept. 15, 1903.
To James Madison and Margaret (Orr) Lilly, were born the following children: Charles W., a farmer of Randolph County; Joseph, who form- erly served as superintendent of the public schools of Moberly; Henry L., a farmer in Randolph County; Nora, married Omer Hendricks of Monroe County, Mo., and Major J., the subject of this sketch.
Major J. Lilly was reared in Randolph County and received his edu- cation in the public schools and the State Normal School at Kirksville, Mo. He began his career as teacher in 1890. He served as school commissioner of Randolph County for two years, and at the same time was engaged in teaching in the Moberly public schools. Later he served as superintendent of public schools at Unionville, Mo. In 1898 Mr. Lilly was elected clerk of the Circuit Court in Randolph County, and in 1902 he was re-elected to that office, serving eight years in all. During that time he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1901. At the expiration of his second term of office, he engaged in the practice of law and has successfully devoted himself to his profession in this county for the past 20 years, and is re- garded as one of the foremost lawyers of this section of the State.
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Mr. Lilly is a Democrat and stands high in the councils of his party. He has served two terms as a member of the State Democratic Committee. In 1918 he was a candidate in the primary for judge of the Kansas City Court of Appeals and was the second in the list of four candidates.
Mr. Lilly was united in marriage July 17, 1901, to Miss Irma Ragland of Monroe County, Mo. She is a daughter of Frank B. and Letitia (Bas- sett) Ragland, the former of whom is now deceased. He was identified with the agricultural industries of Monroe County for many years. To Mr. and Mrs. Lilly have been born two children: Margaret and Frank.
Mr. Lilly is a member of the Presbyterian church and is a Knights Templar Mason and a representative to the Grand Lodge of Louisiana. He is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and Past Exalted Ruler of Moberly Lodge No. 936.
John N. Hamilton, a prominent member of the Randolph County bar and a well known attorney throughout central Missouri, has been a prom- inent factor in the affairs of this section for many years and has been successful in the many fields of endeavor to which he has given his atten- tion. Mr. Hamilton is a native of Randolph County and comes from a family of prominent pioneers of this state. He was born on a farm in Prairie township, April 22, 1854, and is a son of Dr. Thomas L. and Cynthia A. (Christian) Hamilton.
Dr. Thomas L. Hamilton was born in Williamson County, Tenn., May 17, 1825 and was a son of Dr. John B. Hamilton and Nancy (Campbell) Hamilton, natives of Kentucky who lived near the Tennessee state line, near Mammoth Cave. The family moved to Green, Ky. when Thomas L. Hamilton was a child. Dr. John B. Hamilton practiced medicine in that vicinity for many years and in 1846 came to Prairie township, Randolph County, Mo. with his family and later located in Gallatin, Mo. After the death of Dr. John B. Hamilton's first wife, he married Caroline Sanders. Dr. Thomas L. Hamilton received a good preparatory education and early in life began the study of medicine under the direction of his father. He took his first course of lectures at the McDowell Medical Institute in the winter of 1849-50. In 1850, he began the practice of his profession near Renick, Randolph County, and with the exception of about three years, spent at Davids and one year in St. Louis County and about a year in Huntsville, during the Civil War, he was engaged in the practice in that locality until his death in 1894. In addition to his practice he was also interested in the mercantile business for a number of years and conducted
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guver Hamilton
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a drug and dry goods store. He took a prominent part in local affairs of his day and served as mayor of Renick and was president of the school board there.
Dr. Thomas L. Hamilton was married Dec. 18, 1850 to Cynthia A. Christian, daughter of N. B. and Martha C. Christian and to that union the following children were born: Cora, married Rev. J. W. Terrill, president of Mt. Pleasant College which was located at Huntsville and they are both now deceased; John N., the subject of this sketch; William T., a farmer and merchant of Randolph County ; Carrie E., married E. B. Pennington, of Birmingham, Ala .; James P., president of the Lozier-Rowe Abstract Com- pany of Kansas City, Mo .; Ollie, married Oscar Craig, who is now deceased and left one child, Lawrence Craig who is now a student in Drake Uni- versity at Des Moines, Iowa, and Ida F., who is now the widow of John Davin and resides in Kansas City, Mo. Dr. Hamilton was a Mason and a member of the Christian church.
John N. Hamilton was reared in Randolph County and educated in the public schools and Mt. Pleasant College at Huntsville. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1875. He began his professional career at Renick and in 1885, located at Huntsville which has since been his home. Notwithstanding the fact that Mr. Hamilton has always had a large law practice, he is extensively interested in other enterprises. On Feb. 1, 1911 he purchased the Huntsville "Herald" which is a $10,000 corporation known as the Hamilton Publishing Company .The "Herald" is an influential newspaper of wide circulation. Mr. Hamilton also organ- ized and incorporated the Hamilton Abstract Company. This company was incorporated in 1909. He was also one of the promoters and in- corporation known as the Hamilton Publishing Company. The "Herald" incorporated and is president and manager of the Hamilton estate, a $50,000 corporation. He is the owner of considerable real estate and interested in other enterprises, including the Hamilton and Company In- surance agency.
Mr. Hamilton was united in marriage Dec. 6, 1897 with Miss Susan C. Maupin, of Renick, Mo. She is a daughter of L. D. and Nannie (Moore) Maupin, natives of Monroe County, Mo, where the father was a carpenter and wagon maker.
Mr. Hamilton is a Democrat and is prominent in the councils of his party. In 1890 he was elected recorder of deeds in Randolph County and
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in 1894 was reelected to that office and served two terms. He served as city attorney of Huntsville for four years. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Christian church.
The Farmers and Merchants Bank, of Moberly, Mo., is one of the sub- stantial financial institutions of Randolph County which has had a marked development and phenomenal success since its organization in 1913. The officers at the organization of this bank were A. Vince, president; R. A. Curran, vice-president; J. W. Bundridge, cashier and V. E. Bundridge, as- sistant cashier. The first directors were: Abe Vince, R. A. Curran, J. W. Bundridge, E. P. Newman, T. J. Jones, J. T. Sheahan, and V. E. Bundridge. The bank was organized with a capitol stock of $30,000.
The present officers of the Farmers and Merchants Bank are: J. W. Bundridge, president; R. A. Curran, vice-president; V. E. Bundridge, cashier; J. W. Sours, assistant cashier; Abe Vince, chairman of the Board of Directors which is composed of the above officials of the bank and T. J. Jones, J. T. Sheahan and E. P. Newman.
The capitol stock has been increased to $75,000 since the organization of the bank. The surplus is $25,000 and the deposits are over $700,000.
The Farmers and Merchants Bank is a conservatively conducted bank- ing institution and the officers and directors are all substantial men of affairs whose integrity and capabilities are well known to the Moberly and Randolph County public.
J. W. Bundridge, president of the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Moberly is a well known and successful banker and has been engaged in the banking business since early manhood. He is a native of Missouri and was born in Macon County, Oct. 30, 1881. He is the son of John C. and Delana (Campbell) Bundridge, who now reside at Bucklin, Mo. They are the parents of two children, J. W., the subject of this sketch and V. E., a sketch of whom appears in this volume.
J. W. Bundridge was educated in the public schools, and after attend- ing the Brookfield High School, he took a course in the State Normal School at Kirksville, Mo. and later attended the Chillicothe Business Col- lege.
Mr. Bundridge began his banking career shortly after leaving the school at Browning, Mo. In 1905 he organized the bank at New Boston, Mo., and in 1910 he organized the Citizens Bank at Bucklin, Mo. In 1913, he disposed of his interests in the Citizens Bank and organized the Farm- ers and Merchants Bank of Moberly, Mo., to which he has since devoted
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his attention and which is now one of the successful financial institutions of Randolph County.
Mr. Bundridge was married in May, 1905 to Miss Sylvia D. Burns of Green City, Mo. She is a daughter of George S. Burns, who is now de- ceased as is also his wife. To Mr. and Mrs. Bundbridge has been born one son, Eldon.
Mr. Bundridge is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Benevolent and Protective Elks. Mr. Bundridge is essentially a banker and has made an unqualified success in his chosen field of endeavor.
V. E. Bundridge, cashier of the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Mob- erly was born in Linn County, Mo., July 28, 1890 and is the son of J. C. and Delana (Campbell) Bundridge, now residents of Bucklin, Mo.
V. E. Bundridge received his education in the public schools, including a course in the Brookfield High School. Later he took a course in the Chillicothe Business College and was graduated from that institution in 1908.
Since leaving school Mr. Bundridge has been engaged in the banking - business. He was first connected with the Citizens Bank of Bucklin, Mo. He was also identified with banks of Browning and Brookfield, Mo. In 1913 he assisted in the organization of the Farmers and Merchants Bank at Moberly and at the organization of this institution he became assistant cashier and on Dec. 1, 1919 he became cashier of the bank and has cap- ably filled that position to the present time. Although a young man, Mr. Bundridge has had an extensive experience in the banking business and is well qualified for the responsible position which he holds.
Mr. Bundridge was married April 8, 1916 to Miss Mary Cecil Ingram, of Moberly, Mo. She is a daughter of J. W. and Martha (Enslen) Ingram, of Moberly, Mo. To Mr. and Mrs. Bundridge has been born one daughter, Martha Delana.
Mr. Bundridge is a member of the Moberly Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and is the present treasurer of the Moberly Board of Education.
Jerry M. Jefferies, a well known and successful attorney of Moberly, is a native of Missouri and a descendant of one of the early pioneer families of this state. He is the son of William M. and Sarah E. (Smallwood) Jefferies, the former a native of Lewis County, Mo., which is the same county in which Jerry M. Jefferies, the subject of this sketch, was born. The mother is a native of Indiana. Jerry Meridith, grandfather of the
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subject of this sketch, was a native of Faquier County, Va., and a pioneer settler of Lewis County, Mo. When he settled in that county, he entered government land and spent the remainder of his life there.
Jerry M. Jefferies received his preliminary education in the public schools of Lewis County and the La Grange Baptist College. He then entered the St. Louis Law School and was graduated from that institution in 1899. In 1900, he engaged in the practice of his profession at Can- ton, Mo. and was thus engaged until 1910. He then came to Moberly and took up the practice of law here and was successful from the start. Dur- ing the ten years that he has been a resident of Randolph County, he has built up a large practice, acquired an extensive acquaintance and stands high with the members of the legal profession and the citizens of Randolph County. Two years after coming to this county, Mr. Jefferies was elected prosecuting attorney and at the expiration of his first term was re-elected to succeed himself, serving in that important office from 1913 to 1917.
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