USA > Missouri > Randolph County > History of Randolph County, Missouri > Part 20
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78
July 24, 1918, Frank H. Estill enlisted in the United States army at Moberly and was sent to Camp Funston for training and after three months there he was transferred to Camp Mills, N. Y., and about Nov. 1, 1918, he embarked for France, a member of Brigade · Headquarters, 10th Field Artillery, with the rank of corporal. He then was stationed at Camp DeSouge, near Bordeaux, where he was trained for service as a wireless telegraph operator. After the armistice was signed he re- mained in France until March, 1919, when he was returned to the United States and received his honorable discharge at Camp Grant, Ill., March 31, 1919.
Mr. Estill is a member of the American Legion, Theodore Bazan Post, and the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Moberly Lodge No.
267
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
344. He also holds membership in the Moberly Chamber of Commerce and the Retail Merchants' Association. He is one of the progressive and enterprising young men of Moberly and has a wide business ac- quaintance and many friends.
Judge Frank B. Forney, manager of the Forney Clothing Company, and a member of the Board of County Judges of Randolph County. He is a native of this county and was born on a farm six miles from Mober- ly, and when he was two years of age his parents moved to Moberly. He is the son of D. S. and Henrietta (Batty) Forney, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Ohio. A more extensive review of the Forney family history will be found in connection with the biogra- phical sketch of I. B. Forney, a brother of Frank B., which appears in this volume.
Frank B. Forney was educated in the public schools of Moberly, and began his mercantile career in his father's store in Moberly, his father being one of the pioneer merchants of this city, and was engaged in business here for many years.
Frank B. Forney remained in his father's store until 1890, when he engaged in the clothing business at Moberly, and has continuously been in that business to the present time, and the Forney Clothing Company of today is the outgrowth of this humble beginning thirty years ago.
The Forney Clothing Company is one of the extensive commercial enterprises of its kind in central Missouri. They deal in men's and boys' ready to wear clothing and furnishing goods, and few cities of the size of Moberly have the advantage of such an extensive mercantile establishment, which offers such a wide range in style and quality as does the Forney Clothing Company. The business is located at 318-320 West Reed street. The building is owned by the company and has a frontage of 30 feet and is 110 feet deep. There are two stories, the upper one of which is used for storing the surplus stock. The com- pany employs eight clerks, most of whom have been with the company for several years. George Sours has been with the Forney Clothing Company for 29 years; Arthur McCully, 14 years; Herbert Lamb, 11 years; Buckner Nave, 8 years; Arthur Grimes, 23 years; Ernest Ellin- ger, 7 years ; Paul Eurton, 2 years; and Lowel Sours, who died in 1919, had been with the company for 24 years.
Frank B. Forney was married in June, 1893, to Miss Myrtle Tucker, of Mexico, Mo. She is a daughter of J. D. Tucker, who was a pioneer
268
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
merchant and capitalist of Mexico, Mo., and is now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Forney have been born the following children: Francis, a student in the Moberly High School; Daniel, also a student in the Mob- erly High School; Dorothy and Betty, students in the ward school.
Mr. Forney is a Knights Templar Mason and a member of the Mystic Shrine, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Mr. Forney is one of the substantial business men of Moberly, whose career has been a successful one. He has an extensive acquaintance through- out Randolph County, and Missouri.
In the spring of 1920, Mr. Forney was appointed to the office of county judge by Governor Gardner to fill out an unexpired term, and he is giving the same careful attention to the public affairs of Ran- dolph County that he has to his private affairs. Judge Forney is a member of Governor Gardner's staff.
Yoder and Yoder. This firm consists of Dr. Samuel J. Yoder and his wife, Dr. Delia Yoder, well-known chiropractors of Moberly, who have been engaged in the practice here since 1917. Dr. Samuel J. Yoder was born in McLean County, Ill., Aug. 26, 1866. He is a son of Jonathan and Catherine (Balliman) Yoder, who now resides at Car- lock, Ill. The father is 80 years of age and the mother is 75 years old. Jonathan Yoder is a son of Samuel Yoder, who was a native of Penn- sylvania, and a pioneer in Ohio and Illinois.
The children born to Jonathan and Catherine (Balliman) Yoder are as follow: Milo F., Gibson City, Ill .; John W., Danvers, Ill .; J. E., Dan- vers, Ill .; Judson, Danvers, Ill .; Carey, Danvers, Ill .; Chester L .. Ver- non, Ill .; Minnie, married Albert Frey, Carlock, Ill .; Alice, married Fred Spencer, Danvers, Ill .; Eura, married Herman Sthaly, Aurora, Neb., and Dr. Samuel J., who was the second in order of birth.
Dr. Samuel J. Yoder received a good education in the public schools of Illinois and then the Palmer School at Davenport, Iowa, where he took a chiropractic course. Doctor Yoder was married to Miss Delia S. Wil- hite, a native of Woodford County, Ill. She is a daughter of James C. and Eliza J. (Sawyers) Wilhite, both of whom are deceased; the mother died at the age of 37 at Summer, Ill., in 1876, and the father died in St. Louis in March, 1918, at the age of 80 years. They were the parents of the following children: Theodore S., Decatur, Ill .; Leander C., Wich- ita, Kan .; John A., Wichita, Kan., and James Edwin, O'Fallon, Ill. After the death of tlie mother of the above children, the father was married
269
1
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
again, and to that union were born the following children: Scott Wil- hite, a county judge at Mt. Carmel, Ill .; Alice, married William Fulbright, St. Louis, Mo .; Emma S., married Bert Brown, of St. Francisville, Ill. The following children of James C. Wilhite are deceased, Hattie S. died at the age of ten years; Rosander C., died in infancy; Lillie N., died at the age of 16 years and Laura B., died at the age of six.
Doctor Yoder and his wife began practice in Davenport, lowa, and in 1917 began the practice of their profession at Moberly and since estab- lishing themselves here they have built up an extensive practice. Doctor Yoder says that chiropractics has to its credit from 85 to 90 per cent. of recoveries of cases, a majority of which are of the so-called chronic na- ture. He says according to statistics taken during the flu epidemic that only one case out of 861 was lost; that these statistics cover the entire United States and were obtained from chiropractors throughout the coun- try by Doctor B. J. Palmer, president of the Palmer School at Davenport, Iowa, who sent out 10,000 cards to practicing chiropractors, and the sta- tistics was compiled from these cards.
In connection with the Palmer School at Davenport, Iowa, a free clinic is being conducted daily where from 1,200 to 1,500 patients are being adjusted, and by this method the students obtain a knowledge of giving spinal adjustments.
Since coming to Moberly Doctor Yoder and his wife have made many friends and stand high in the community.
Robert M. Rucker, of the firm of Rucker Brothers, leading drug- gists of Moberly, is a native of Missouri. He was born in Sturgeon, Mo., in 1881, and is the son of R. D. and Lula (Dusenbury) Rucker. R. D. Rucker was born at Lynchburg, Va., and for the past 35 years he has been engaged in the lumber business at Sturgeon, Mo. He came to Boone County just after the close of the Civil War and was engaged in farming and stock raising until he engaged in the lumber business at Sturgeon. He is now 73 years of age and still active in business. Lula (Dusenbury) Rucker was born in St. Louis and was a daughter of the late Judge Dusenbury of that city. She died in May, 1911, and her remains are buried at Sturgeon.
To R. D. and Lula (Dusenbury) Rucker were born the following children: Edward L., a member of the firm of Rucker Brothers, of Moberly; F. M., Sturgeon, Mo .; Robert M., the subject of this sketch; W. H., who died at the age of 27 years; and E. F., a traveling salesman, who resides at Sturgeon, Mo.
270
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
Robert M. Rucker was educated in the public schools of Sturgeon, Mo., and then took a course in the St. Louis School of Pharmacy. He then engaged in the drug business at Sturgeon and later was at Higbee two years and at Huntsville six years. For the past eight years he has been in Moberly and in all has had 23 years experience in the drug business.
In 1911 Robert M. and his brother, Edward L. Rucker, succeeded Doctor Harlan, who formerly conducted the drug store at 401 West Reed street, Moberly, Mo. This is one of the well established and high- class drug stores of Moberly, and the Rucker Brothers are doing an extensive business which has ever increased in volume since they engaged in business here nine years ago. Their prescription department is com- plete, reliable and efficient. They carry a complete line of drugs and druggist's sundries and have a well equipped soda fountain in connection. The Rucker Brothers are both progressive and enterprising citizens and rank among Moberly's leading business men.
Robert M. Rucker is a Knights Templar Mason and a member of the Mystic Shrine, Order of the Eastern Star and the Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks.
J. E. Sanford, proprietor of the New York Store, of Moberly, Mo., is one of the progressive and enterprising business men of Moberly and Randolph County.
The New York Store was founded in 1915 by J. E. Sanford and C. O. Selders. In 1920, Mr. Sanford purchased his partner's interest and is now the sole owner and proprietor. The New York Store is located at 309-311 West Reed street and occupies a frontage of 60 feet. This store carries a full line of dry goods, shoes, men's furnishings, rugs and no- tions. Mr. Sanford aims to carry a popular price line of merchandise which is appreciated by the buying public, and he has built up an exten- sive mercantile business in comparatively a brief period.
J. E. Sanford is a native Missourian ; he was born in Monroe County in 1886, and is a son of Jack and Sallie (Barker) Sanford. The former is now deceased, and mother resides at Columbia, Mo. After the death of her first husband she married Henry Jackson.
J. E. Sanford is one of a family of three born to his parents, the other two being Mrs. Nellie Marr, who now resides in Bismark, N. D., and Mrs. Pollie Shanklin, of Fairfax, Okla.
Mr. Sanford married Miss Mae Hill, of Rocheport, Mo.
271
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
Before engaging in the merchantile business and after completing school, Mr. Sanford was engaged in teaching and followed that profession for four years; he taught school at Branham, Monroe County, and later at Granville, which was his last school. He was a successful teacher, but the future possibilities of teaching as a profession did not appeal to him, and he accordingly turned to mercantile pursuits. His first mer- cantile venture was at Centralia, Mo., which he later sold and came to Moberly, where he and Mr. Selders founded the New York Store as stated in a preceding paragraph.
Mr. Sanford is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and is one of the substantial business men of Moberly.
C. M. Hulen, clerk of the circuit court of Randolph County, bears the distinction of being the youngest circuit clerk in the state of Mis- souri. He is a native son of Randolph County, and was born at Clark, Nov. 25, 1894. He is the son of S. P. and Ella (Early) Hulen, both na- tives of Missouri and descendants of pioneer families of this state.
S. P. Hulen was born near Hallsville, Boone County, Missouri, in 1863. He came to Randolph County when he was 17 years of age, and soon afterwards engaged in the mercantile business at Clark, where he successfully carried on business for six years. He then engaged in the banking business, and for the past 28 years has been cashier of hte Clark Exchange Bank. Ella (Early) Hulen was born near Centralia in Boone County, and is a daughter of S. W. and Ruth Early, pioneers of Boone County. The Early family came from Kentucky to Missouri in the pio- neer days of this state. See sketch of S. P. Hulen on another page in this volume.
To S. P. and Ella (Early) Hulen have been born the following chil- dren ; V. E., who is engaged in the oil business at ElDorado, Kan .; C. M., the subject of this sketch; R. P., chief teller in the Mechanics Saving Bank at Moberly, and Mary Elizabeth, resides at home with her parents.
C. M. Hulen was educated in the public schools of Randolph County, and the Missouri University at Columbia. When he left school he became assistant cashier of the Exchange Bank of Clark, Mo., and served in that capacity for five years. When he was 23 years old, in 1917, Mr. Hulen was elected clerk of the circuit court of Randolph County, and so far as known is the youngest man in the state holding a similar posi- tion. He is capable and obliging and has many friends and extensive acquaintance throughout Randolph County.
272
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
Mr. Hulen was married Nov. 25, 1915, to Miss Minnie Mae Wright, daughter of William and Ersie (Fray) Wright, of Clark, Mo., where Mrs. Hulen was born.
Mr. Hulen is a member of the Modern Woodman of America, the Loyal Order of Moose, and the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.
Clyde Miller, proprietor of the Jefferson Cigar Store at 207 Reed street is one of the progressive and enterprising young business men of Moberly. He is a native of West Virginia, born in Wheeling, March 13, 1887. He is a son of George and May (Forney) Miller. The mother was a daughter of D. S. Fornay, a pioneer merchant of Moberly, further men- tion of whom is made elsewhere in this volume. She died in January, 1889 and is buried at Wellsburg, W. Va.
George Miller, father of Clyde Miller, is now engaged in the grain ·business at Erie, Pa. His father, the grandfather of Clyde Miller, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and George Miller served in the Civil War and he had a brother, William Miller, who also served in the Civil War as a captain. Both enlisted in West Virginia.
Clyde Miller is one of the following children born to his parents: Mrs. C. F. McCord, Cleveland, Ohio; Mrs. William Wright, Wheeling, W. Va .; Mrs. H. H. Phillips, Dunkirk, Ind .; George, Los Angeles, Calif., and Clyde, the subject of this sketch.
Clyde Miller attended the public schools in Wheeling, W. Va., and the Moberly High School and since he was ten years old has made his own way in the world. He is a wide awake business man of the pro- gressive type and has built up an extensive business. He is courteous and obliging and has made many friends during the course of his busi- ness career in Moberly. He engaged in his present business at 207 West Reed, Oct. 4, 1914. He carries a full line of cigars, tobacco and smokers' accessories and also candies. In connection with his other business he conducts the Illinois Coal Company, which is incorporated at $10,000, and Mr. Miller is secretary of this company. His billiard room is well equipped and conducted on a high-class plane and is one of the popular amusement places of Moberly.
Mr. Miller was married Oct. 4, 1919, to Miss Ruth Marie Durham of Kansas City. She is a daughter of Marshal S. and Effie (Hubbard) Durham. The mother died when Mrs. Miller was an infant and the father now resides at Clark, Mo.
Clyde Miller
273
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
Mr. Miller is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Country Club and Theodore Bazan Post, No. 6, the American Legion, of which he is a charter member. He is a Knights Templar Mason and a member of the Shrine.
During the World War, Clyde Miller enlisted at Columbia, Mo., June 5, 1918. After taking a special course of instruction at the gas engine school at Columbia, he was made an instructor and from there was sent to Camp Grant, Ill., to the officers' training school, and had just about completed his course when the armistice was signed. He was discharged Jan. 18, 1919, after having served about nine months with the rank of sergeant.
Emil Gutekunst, a prominent member of the Randolph County bar, and one of the leading lawyers of Moberly, is a native of this county. He was born in Moberly, Oct. 15, 1878, and is a son of George and Emilie (Walz) Gutekunst, early settlers of Randolph County, who came here in 1872. For many years the father was engaged in the mercantile business here and is now living retired at 201 South Clark street.
George and Emilie (Walz) Gutekunst are the parents of the follow- ing children: George, Jr., lives in Montana; Emil F., the subject of this sketch; Arthur, chief clerk in the Moberly postoffice; Fred, a grocer in Moberly, and Carl, a teacher in the Kansas City High School. Dur- ing the World War he was instructor of French in the officers' training school at Fort Riley. He was a teacher in the Moberly High School prior to the war and enlisted from here.
Emil F. Gutekunst was reared in Moberly and educated in the pub- lic schools. After obtaining a good education, he read law and was admitted to the bar in 1904 and began the practice of his profession in Moberly, where he has continued until the present time. He has a well equipped office and library at 208 North Williams street and has an ex- tensive practice. While his practice is of a general nature he gives spe- cial attention to probate court practice and the settlement of estates.
Mr. Gutekunst was married in 1907 to Miss Dola L. Kaufman, of Moberly. She is a daughter of George W. and Olive (Lindsay) Kauf- man of Moberly. Mr. Kaufman came from Illinois to Missouri and is now engaged in the grocery business here. To Mr. and Mrs. Gutekunst have been born one daughter, Olive Emilie.
Mr. Gutekunst is a member of the Presbyterian Church and has served as elder for the past fifteen years and for ten years was superin-
274
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
tendent of the Sunday school. Mr. Gutekunst has an extensive acquaint- ance in Moberly and Randolph County and stands high among his fel- low members of the bar as well as among his friends and neighbors.
Frank B. Wegs, owner and proprietor of the Moberly Cornice Works, is one of the leading sheet metal workers and tinners and probably the old- est in the business in Moberly. He is a native of Illinois and was born in Brown County, Ill., May 16, 1872. His parents were John B. and Catherine (Stark) Wegs, both of whom are deceased. The mother died at Quincy, Ill., 1907, and the father died in 1903, and their remains are buried in St. Francis cemetery, Quincy, Ill. They were the parents of the following children: Mrs. Louise Newman, deceased; Mrs. Gertrude Rupp, Moberly, Mo .; Frank B., the subject of this sketch; Henry, Quincy, Ill., and William, Quincy, Ill. The mother of these children was twice married, her first husband being a Mr. Karsteiner and three children were born to that union: John and Barney, of Quincy, Ill., and Mrs. Liz- zie Wegs, Mt. Sterling, Ill.
Frank B. Wegs was educated in the parochial schools at Mt. Sterling, Ill., and he also attended the district schools. He has made his own way in the world since he was 12 years of age. At the age of 15, he began working at the tinner's trade at Quincy, Ill., and 18 months later he went to Monroe City, Mo., where he remained about a year. In 1886 he came to Moberly and worked at the sheet-metal and tinner's trade for Ben Kanstnier for eleven years, after which he was engaged in farming for eight years and in 1908 he bought Mr. Kanstnier's business and since that time has been engaged in business for himself at Moberly. He does all kinds of sheet metal and warm air heating work. He owns his own building which is located at 111 West Coates street and is unusually well equipped to handle his line of work. His building was destroyed by fire Jan. 18, 1911, when the O'Keef building burned. Mr. Wegs immediately rebuilt and on the 3rd of the following March, about 40 days from the date of the fire, he had rebuilt and his building was ready for occupancy.
Mr. Wegs was married May 30, 1894, to Miss Mary Stinkamp, a daughter of Herman Stinkamp, of Moberly. He is now deceased and his widow lives in Moberly. To Mr. and Mrs. Wegs have been born eight children as follows: Loretta, married Frank Davit, Moberly ; Hilda, mar- ried Earnest Wingfield, Moberly; Clarence, Mabel, Emil, Helen, Marie and Regina, all residing at home with their parents. They have two grandchildren, William Davit and James Wingfield.
Mr. Wegs is one of Moberly's substantial business men.
275
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
Dr. Chambers B. Clapp, chief surgeon of the Wabash Hospital at Moberly, who also owns and conducts the Woodland Hospital in this city, is one of the skilled and widely known physicians and surgeons of the state. Doctor Glapp is a native of Illinois. He was born in Dan- ville, Ill., Nov. 21, 1858. His parents were George A. and Catherine (Brown) Clapp. George A. Clapp was a native of North Carolina and a pioneer settler of Vermillion County, Ill. He was a farmer by occu- pation and when the Civil War broke out he enlisted in the 125th Regi- ment, Illinois Infantry, and served in the Union army for three and one- half years. He enlisted as a private and was promoted from time to time during the course of his military career until he became a first lieutenant and held that rank when he received his honorable discharge and was mustered out of the service at the close of the war.
Doctor Clapp's mother died when she was. 21 years of age, leaving three motherless children: Dr. Chambers B., the subject of this sketch, and Isaac D., twins, the latter of whom is a farmer in Florida, and Mrs. O. J. Matthews, of Minatare, Neb. After the death of his first wife the father was again married and moved his family to Nebraska, where he spent the remainder of his life. He died in 1916 at the age of 78 years.
Doctor Clapp received his preliminary education in the district schools of Vermillion County, Ill., and Nebraska. Later he attended the State Normal School of Nebraska, after which he was engaged in the drug business for a time at Brock, Neb. He then went to Philadelphia and took a course in the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and was graduated in 1882. He then returned to Danville, Ill., where he was in the drug business for four years when he went to Chicago and was engaged in the same business for two years. He read medicine under private preceptors and entered Rush Medical College at Chicago, where he was graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine in the class of 1889.
After receiving his degree, Doctor Clapp again returned to Dan- ville, Ill., where he was engaged in the practice of his profession about one year when he received the appointment of local surgeon for the Wabash Railway Company at Moberly, Mo., and immediately came here. The Wabash Hospital was completed the same year and ready for occu- pancy in 1891 and since that time Doctor Clapp has had charge of that institution. During this long period of thirty years he has made a record of which any surgeon may be justly proud and times without
276
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
number he has demonstrated his great skill as a physician and surgeon and the work that he has done during his career in the Wabash Hospital could not be told in any mere biography.
Doctor Clapp's life is a busy one and in addition to his work in the Wabash Hospital he built Woodland Hospital, which he also conducts. He bought the property where this hospital stands in 1909 and used a portion of the building which stood thereon as a part of the splendid modern hospital which he erected. Woodland Hospital has a capacity for 50 patients and is equipped with all modern hospital fixtures and con- veniences. The grounds upon which the hospital stands has a frontage of 170 feet and is 400 feet deep. The building is well designed and the grounds are neat and well kept and Woodland Hospital is recognized as one of the beauty spots of Moberly. It would cost $100,000 to build this hospital at the present time.
In 1883 Dr. Chambers B. Clapp was united in marriage with Miss Laura D. Lockhart, a native of Danville, Ill. She is a daughter of John R. and Mary Lockhart, both natives of Vermillion County, Ill. The father is now in his 84th year and the mother is 77 years of age.
In addition to his professional career, Doctor Clapp takes a keen, interest in local affairs of a public nature and has stood ever ready to do his part for the betterment and upbuilding of Moberly and its insti- tutions. He is president of the Moberly Chamber of Commerce and also president of the board of education and during the World War he served on the Medical Advisory Board. He is a director in the Bank of Moberly. He is a Knights Templar Mason and a member of the Shrine. He also holds membership in the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.