USA > Missouri > Randolph County > History of Randolph County, Missouri > Part 21
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
William F. Rohloff, superintendent of the Brown Shoe Company, fac- tory No. 6, is at the head of one of the important manufacturing indus- tries that is making of Moberly a recognized manufacturing center. This plant has upon its pay roll 450 employees and is one of twelve factories operated by the Brown Shoe Company in various cities of the middle west and has been in operation here since 1906. At this writing the daily output of branch No. 6 is about 2,700 pairs of shoes and from 200 to 300 pairs of boots daily and during the war there were manufac- tured here over a half million pairs of canvas leggings for the gov- ernment besides a vast number of service boots and shoes, the retail price of which ranged from $4.50 to $25.00 per pair, and during the
277
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
war the company employed here about 500 persons. The present pay roll is about $8,000 per week.
Mr. Rohloff, whose name introduces this review, is a practical shoe man who has had a vast amount of experience in the manufacture of shoes in various sections of the country. He is a native of Germany and is a son of Frederick and Augusta (Matzdorf) Rohloff. The father is now deceased and the mother resides at Shawano, Wis. W. F. Rohloff received a good education in the public schools of Wisconsin and after- wards took a course in law at the La Salle Institute of Chicago. He began his career in shoe manufacturing when he was 17 years old in the employ of the Shawano Boot and Shoe Company at Shawano, Wis. From there he went to La Crosse, Wis., and was employed by the LaCrosse Boot and Shoe Company for a number of years and worked in every department of that factory. He then went to Milwaukee where he had charge of a shoe factory for a time and then to Chicago and took charge of the Pheonix Boot and Shoe Company at West Pullman. From there he went to Kansas City with the Barton Brothers Shoe Company. In 1909 he entered the employ of the Brown Shoe Company and for 11 years has been in the employ of this company as foreman of various factories and superintendent, having held a position of superintendent of the Moberly factory No, 6 for the past three years. In addition to knowing the art of manufacturing shoes and all the intricacies of this business, Mr. Rohloff is a capable executive and not only knows shoes, but has a keen insight into human nature and understands men.
Mr. Rohloff was married in Indianapolis, Ind., in March, 1901, to Miss Margaret Hollingsworth. He is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and the Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. E. R. Hickerson, a prominent physician and surgeon of Moberly, has been successfully engaged in the practice of his profession in Moberly and Randolph County for the past 35 years. He is a native of Missouri and was born in Ralls County Jan. 27, 1862. He is the son of Dr. J. C. and Darthula (Rodes) Hickerson, the former a native of Virginia and the latter from Tennessee.
Dr. J. C. Hickerson was a pioneer physician of Moberly and was not only a successful physician, but he was prominent in the affairs of the county during the course of his active career. He came here with his family from Ralls County in 1870 and was engaged in the practice of his profession until the time of his death, April 5, 1885. He was
278
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
one of the first physicians to locate in Moberly. His wife died August 17, 1901, and their remains are buried in Oakland cemetery. They were the parents of the following children: Dr. E. R., the subject of this sketch; A. S., who resides in St. Louis; Dr. J. C., of Independence, Mo., and W. T., traffic manager for the Morris Packing Company, Chicago, Ill.
Dr. E. R. Hickerson received his preliminary education in the pub- lic schools and then entered Westminister College at Fulton, Mo. He then attended St. Louis Medical College, where he was graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1885. After receiving his degree from that institution he engaged in the practice of medicine at Moberly. He was graduated from Medical College the same year that his father died and thus was practically enabled to take up the work where his father left off. Doctor Hickerson has been continuously engaged in the practice here since 1885.
January 27, 1887, Doctor Hickerson was united in marriage with Miss Minnie Hannah, of Moberly. She is a daughter of John F. Hannah, a Randolph County pioneer, who lived about two miles north of Moberly. He was prominent in local affairs during his time and served for two terms as presiding judge of the county court. He died in 1894 and his wife, who was a native of New York, died in 1906. Their remains are interred in Oakland cemetery. To Dr. E. R. Hickerson and wife have been born the following children: Mrs. A. H. McDonald of Moberly ; Emilie, a teacher of Latin in the Moberly High School, and Lieut. J. C.
Lieut. J. C. Hickerson is now a salesman for Swift and Company. After the United States entered the World War, he enlisted in the army in May, 1917, and attended the military training school at Fort Riley, Kan., and after he was commissioned first lieutenant he was assigned to Battery D, 3rd Regiment, at Camp Taylor, Ky. He was kept at Camp Taylor and transferred to the personnel department. He made two trips to France during the war as transport adjutant. After two years of service in the army he was honorably discharged, Sept. 16, 1919.
Doctor Hickerson has always taken a keen interest in the welfare of the community and served on the Moberly board of education from 1900 to 1906, and was president of that body from 1904 to 1906.
S. C. Stevenson, senior member of the firm which compose the S. C. Stevenson Monument Works of Moberly, is one of the enterprising and . progressive business men of Randolph County. Mr. Stevenson is a na- tive of Missouri. He was born in Shelby County, December 30, 1868, and is a son of Samuel J. and Emily C. (Calvert) Stevenson.
279
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
Samuel J. Stevenson was born in Woodford County, Ky., July 20, 1826. He was the son of William Stevenson and his mother's maiden name was Gardner. William Stevenson and his wife were both natives of Kentucky. Samuel J. Stevenson came to Marion County with his parents in 1830. He was about four years old when the family settled in Marion County and was there reared to manhood. In 1850 he crossed the plains to California and after remaining there about two years, he returned to Marion County, Mo., where he remained until 1867, when he removed to Shelby County and was engaged in farming there until 1880 when he retired and spent the remainder of his days in Shelbina. He died in 1904. His wife, Emily C. Calvert, was born in Marion County, Mo., in 1838, and died in 1911. She was a daughter of Ziba Calvert, whose wife bore the maiden name of Ferguson and they were natives of Virginia.
S. C. Stevenson is the fifth in order of birth in a family of eight children born to his parents. He was educated in the public schools and learned the marble and granite cutter's trade at Shelbina, Mo., and for six years was engaged in that business at Shelbina. In 1895 Mr. Stevenson came to Moberly and succeeded the English Brothers and con- ducted the business alone until 1912. His son Paul then became a part- ner .in the business, which has since been conducted under the firm name of S. C. Stevenson Monument Works. Their place of business is located at 514 Reed street, and they employ three men to assist in the work. They do an extensive business, and have a well equipped plant. Their display room is 23x70 feet, and granite which is the product of the best quarries throughout the United States is here displayed.
S. C. Stevenson was married to Miss Irene Martin, of Shelby County. She was born Dec. 19, 1870, and is a daughter of W. P. and Martha (McClintic) Martin. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Steven- son, Paul, who was born at Shelbina, Mo., Jan. 19, 1894. He was edu- cated in the public schools and graduated from the Moberly High School in the class of 1912, and since that time has been engaged in the monu- ment business with his father, with whom he learned the trade. He was married in 1915 to Miss, Florence Wight, a daughter of J. W. Wight, a prominent attorney of Moberly, a sketch of whom appears in this volume.
Paul Stevenson is secretary-treasurer of the Missouri Retail Monu- ment Association, of which he was a charter member, he was elected secretary-treasurer in 1917. This association now has 75 members.
280
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
S. C. Stevenson is a member of the Moberly Chamber of Commerce, and holds membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Paul Stevenson is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.
William Fennel, Sr., now living retired at Moberly, has been a well- known resident and prominent business man of Randolph County for nearly half a century, has given up the actual management of his financia affairs and is able to enjoy the comfortable fortune which he has accu- mulated by hard work and business ability.
William Fennel was born in the Province of Hessia, Germany, Sept. 5, 1849, the son of Conrad and Anna (Koch) Fennel, and was the young- est of eight children born to them. The parents spent their lives in the old country. William Fennel was reared on his father's farm, received excellent education in the public schools of his native land. He immi- grated to the United States and came west to St. Louis. He at once began to work as an apprentice at the blacksmith's trade, completed the years of his service and remained there five years before coming to Moberly, in the spring of 1872. Here he became associated with his brother, Warner, in manufacturing wagons and soon became an expert in that business.
In 1875, Mr. Fennel purchased his brother's interest in the plant, who went to Oregon, where he still resides. Mr. Fennel assumed the sole management of the shop, and his reputation as a careful skilled work- man grew and his trade increased. For nearly a half century he was engaged in the same business. In 1886, Mr. Fennel located at the site, where he still lives, then purchased the property at the corner of Coates and Clark streets, where he erected a modern factory which became one of the landmarks of the town and where William Fennel, Jr., now conducts the Fennel Carriage and Automobile Works, which is one of the largest concerns of its kind in central Missouri. All repair work is done, as well as manufacturing of carriages, wagons and automobile parts and painting.
In the spring of 1919, Mr. Fennel retired from commercial activities, though not from life, as so many men do. He still takes an interested and an active part in the life of the city for he has been a progressive man, both in his business, and civic affairs and is one of the men who have helped make Randolph County. Mr. Fennel is a Republican, and belongs to the Lutheran church.
WILLIAM FENNEL
281
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
On Aug. 26, 1876, Mr. Fennel was married to Miss Mary A. Adler, a native of Fayette County, Mo., the daughter of John and Ida (Muller) Adler, natives of Germany and Switzerland, respectively. Eight chil- dren have been born to this union: Ida, the wife of Powell Kroggel, of Moberly; Rose, who married Henry Eienhauer, of Moberly; Henry C., who operates the carriage factory; John, also in the factory; Mary, at home; Viola, deceased; William, Jr., in the Fennel factory, and Vera, the wife of L. Acker, of Omaha.
S. W. Creson, president of the Moberly Wholesale Grocery Company, is one of the substantial business men of Moberly. He is a native of Missouri and was born in Howard County, Jan. 27, 1853. He is a son of Thomas H. and Caroline (Collier) Creson. Thomas H. Creson was born in Surrey County, N. C., in 1823, and came to Missouri with his parents when he was 14 years of age, in 1837. He was the son of George Creson, who upon coming to Missouri, settled in the northern part of Howard County, in Burton township, where he improved a farm and spent the remainder of his life. He died in 1881. Thomas H. Creson, like his father, was also a tiller of the soil. He bought and improved a farm in Howard County and was engaged in farming and stock raising throughout his active career, except during the period that he served in the Civil War. During the course of that conflict he enlisted in the Confederate army, under the standard of Gen. Sterling Price, and was with Price's command at Baton Rouge, La., when the war closed. He then returned to St. Louis by steamboat and to Howard County, where he resumed the peaceful pursuit of farming until the time of his death, in 1885. His wife, Caroline (Collier) Creson, was born in St. Clair County, Ill., in 1828, and died Oct. 17, 1859. They were the parents of the following children: Mary L., Higbee, Mo .; S. W., the subject of this sketch; James M., Higbee, Mo .; Eunice A., deceased; Mrs. Josephine Bartee, deceased, and Rebecca L., deceased.
S. W. Creson was reared on the home farm in Howard County and attended the public schools and in 1875-76 attended the States Normal School at Kirksville. In early life he was engaged in teaching and for nine years taught school in Howard and Randolph counties and was one of the successful teachers of this time. He was also engaged in farm- ing in Howard County while he was teaching. He then engaged as clerk in the Grange Store at Yates, Mo., and after clerking there for three years he purchased that business and successfully conducted a general
282
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
mercantile grocery business at Moberly, as is set forth elsewhere in this volume.
May 27, 1877, S. W. Creson was united in marriage with Miss Susan E. Robb, of Howard County, Mo. She is a daughter of Samuel and Sarah E. (Lesley) Robb. Samuel Robb and his wife were pioneer set- tlers of Howard County. He died March 10, 1876, at the age of 45 years and his wife lived to the advanced age of 84 years and died in March, 1919. His remains are buried in the cemetery at Log Chapel in Howard County, and she is buried in the Sharon church cemetery in Howard County. To Mr. and Mrs. George Creson have been born one daughter, Bertha A., who married R. M. Allen, secretary of the Moberly Wholesale Grocery Company, a sketch of whom apepars in this volume.
Mr. Creson has not only been successful and active in a business way, but during the course of his career he has always given public affairs thoughtful consideration and a good citizen's attention. He has served two terms in the State Legislature, including the session of 1901 and 1903, and never missed a roll call. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge.
Mr. Creson was one of the organizers of the Yates Savings Bank, Yates, Mo., and was president of that bank until 1913, when he sold his interests. He is the owner of 340 acres of valuable land just north of Yates, Mo.
Moberly Wholesale Grocery Company is one of the important com- mercial institutions of the city of Moberly. This company is composed of S. W. Creson, R. M. Allen and T. M. Bartee. Mr. Creson is president of the company ; Mr. Allen, the manager, and Mr. Bartee, treasurer. The business is the outgrowth of the general mercantile business which was conducted by Creson and Allen at Yate, Mo., from 1899 to 1912. Prior to that time Mr. Creson had conducted a store at Yates since 1884. The wholesale grocery business was started at Moberly in 1912 and since that time the volume of business has gradually increased from year to year and in 1919 the business of this concern amounted to about three- fourths of a million dollars.
The business of the Moberly Wholesale Grocery Company extends over a radius of 75 miles from Moberly and the trade is looked after by four traveling salesmen. The business is located on the corner of Coates and Clark streets, Moberly, and occupies a building which has a frontage of 120 feet on Coates street and 130 feet on Clark street, and occupies two
283
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
floors. This is one of the business enterprises of which Moberly is justly proud and which adds no small amount of prestage to Moberly as a whole- sale center.
R. M. Allen, manager of the Moberly Wholesale Grocery Company, is a native of Illinois. He was born in Opdyke, Jefferson County, and is the son of Joshua P. and Alice M. (Jones) Allen. The father was a native of Illinois and died March 24, 1911. He was a farmer by occupa- tion. The mother now resides in Muskogee, Okla. They were the par- ents of the following children: R. M., the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Delila Littlepage, Sillsbee, Texas; Jonathan P. Seminole, Okla .; Mrs. Eva E. Jones, Muskogee, Okla .; E. J., Muskogee, Okla., and Nettie, married W. G. Wilkinson, who is now a government auditor in the service at Fort Niagara, N. Y.
R. M. Allen attended the public schools in Illinois and after coming to Missouri took a course in the Robinson Business College, at Sedalia, Mo., and was graduated from that institution in 1895. He then entered the employ of the Chicago and Alton Railroad Company as telegrapher at Higginsville, Mo. He served in that capacity until 1899. He then joined Mr. Creson in the general mercantile business at Yates, Mo., and later in 1912 they abandoned the retail business and engaged in the whole- sale grocery business at Moberly, a more complete history of which is given elsewhere in this volume.
Mr. Allen was married May 17, 1899, to Miss Bertha A. Creson, of Yates, Mo. She is a daughter of S. W. and Susan E. (Robb) Creson. A sketch of S. W. Creson appears in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Allen reside at 419 South Fourth street, Moberly.
Melvin N. Marshall, chief of police of the city of Moberly, has been a member of the police force of Moberly for the past ten years and since 1917 has been chief of police. He is a fearless officer with a splen- did record to his credit. Chief Marshall is a native of Randolph County and a descendant of one of the honored pioneer families of Missouri. He was born in Prairie township, Randolph County, March 30, 1877, and is a son of Rice and Kate (Harris) Marshall.
Rice Marshall was born in Monroe County, Mo., in 1840. He was a farmer and blacksmith and for a number of years conducted a black- smith shop at Renick, Mo. He was a Civil War veteran, having served in the Conferedate army under Gen. Sterling Price about three years and was with his command in Louisiana when the war closed. He died in
284
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
1895 and his remains are buried in the Anderson cemetery in Prairie township. Rice Marshall was a son of Wiley Marshall, a Virginian who came to Missouri at a very early date and settled in Monroe County. He spent his latter years in Randolph County with his son and died in Prairie township, where his remains are buried. Kate (Harris) Marshall, mother of Melvin N. Marshall, was born at Renick, Randolph County, in 1850, and now resides on South Williams street, Moberly. She is also a descendant of a pioneer family of Randolph County. To Rice and Kate (Harris) Marshall were born the following children: Wiley, who occupies the old home place in Prairie township; Claude, principal of West Park school, Moberly; Etha, married Henry Owens, Huntsville; Melvin N., the subject of this sketch and Fannie, married E. Noel, of Oklahoma City, Okla.
Melvin N. Marshall was reared on the home place of Randolph County and received his early education in the public schools of the county and attended the Moberly High School for three years. He then entered the employ of the Wabash Railroad Company and in 1910 was appointed a member of the Moberly police force and in 1917 was elected chief of police, and has since capably served in that capacity.
Mr. Marshall was married in 1903 to Miss Anna McGinnis, of Moberly. She is a daughter of Patrick and Martha (Haley) McGinnis. Mrs. McGinnis died in 1915 and her remains are buried in Oakland ceme- tery and Mr. McGinnis now resides in Moberly.
Chief Marshall is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, Modern Woodmen of America, Knights and Ladies of Security and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is a capable and effi- cient officer and a citizen of Moberly and Randolph County of high standing.
A. B. Rubey, assistant manager for the J. S. Bowers & Son Dry Goods and Clothing Company, has for many years been identified with the mercantile interest of Moberly and has had a life long experience in the mercantile world. He is a native of Ohio and a son of Dr. James and Hannah (Hamilton) Rubey, who moved from Ohio to Union City, Ind., when A. B. Rubey was a boy. His father was a physician and died at the age of 64 years.
A. B. Rubey was educated in the public schools of Union City, Ind., and attended the high school there. He began his career as clerk at an early age, clerking at Union City from 1879 to 1886. He then came to
285
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
Moberly and began clerking in the store of J. S. Bowers. In fact, he had clerked for Mr. Bowers in Indiana. Since coming to Moberly, he has been in the employ of J. S. Bowers and Son.
Mr. Rubey was married in 1890 to Miss Alva Walden, of Moberly. She is a daughter of Z. and Elizabeth (Frazier) Walden. To Mr. and Mrs. Rubey have been born one son, William W., who is a graduate of the Missouri University at Columbia with the degree of A. B. He is a graduate of the Moberly High School. During the World War, lie en- listed in the Aviation Corps of the United States army at St. Louis and was at home under orders waiting a call to the service when the armistice was signed.
Mr. Rubey is one of the public spirited citizens of Moberly and for the past 25 years he has been one of the prime movers in promoting the public library of this city and is now the president of the library board. He was a member of that board when the library building was erected and has always been an untiring worker in behalf of the public library. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Modern Woodmen of America, the National Union and is one of the progressive citizens of Moberly. Mr. Rubey is a member of the Masonic Lodge.
William D. Scampton, secretary and treasurer of the Milbank-Scamp- ton Milling Company, is at the head of one of Moberly's important in- dustrial concerns. This company has been doing business here for over 20 years, and from 1899 until 1904 it was conducted by Milbank and Scampton as a partnershihp and in 1904 was incorporated. The plant is located at 318 North Clark street, the site having been purchased from F. D. Crow. The mill building is 40x60 feet with an engine room 30x40. The building has two stories and a basement and there is also a large warehouse, 50x50 feet, adjoining. The daily capacity is about 100 barrels of flour and 200 barrels of meal and is operated on a mer- chant milling basis, scarcely any custom grinding being done.
William D. Scampton was born in Madison, Wis., in Dec. 12, 1863, and is a son of D. J. and Anna E. (Hart) Scampton. The father died in Madison, Wis., at the age of 63 years, after having spent his life in that state. He served in the Union army during the Civil War, hav- ing enlisted at Madison in Company E., 47th Regiment, Wisconsin Volun- teer Infantry. Upon the organization of his company he was first lieu- tenant and during the course of his military career was promoted to cap- tain and was serving in that capacity when the war closed. He served about three years.
286
HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
William D. Scampton was reared in Madison, Wis., and after receiv- ing a good preliminary education in the public schools, he attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison for two years. Shortly after leaving the university he engaged in railroading, entering the employ of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad, and was thus employed until 1898. During the last ten years of his railroad experience he was a locomotive engineer. In 1899, he engaged in the milling business at Moberly in partnership with George Milbank and this partnership con- tinued until the death of Mr. Milbank in 1904, when the business was incorporated and since when has been operated as an incorporated com- pany.
Mr Scampton was married Sept. 17, 1896, to Miss Lucy Milbank, of Chillicothe, Mo. She is a daughter of George and Nellie Milbank, the former a native of Essex, England, and the latter of Virginia. George Milbank was the partner of Mr. Scampton in the milling business until the time of his death. To George and Nellie Milbank were born the fol- lowing children: J. T., Chillicothe; C. R., Kirksville; H. H., Wichita, Kan .; Mrs. W. E. Crellin, Kansas City, Mo .; Mrs. T. F. Fulkerson, Kan- sas City, Mo., and Mrs. William D. Scampton, of this review.
Mr. Scampton is a member of the Moberly Chamber of Commerce, the T. P. A., and he is a Knights Templar Mason. He is one of the suc- cessful business men of Moberly who has made substantial progress in the business world.
Frank C. McAfee .- The McAfee Mill and Commission Company of Moberly of which Frank C. McAfee is owner and proprietor, began busi- ness in this city in 1896 and has been at its present location, the corner of Clark and Rollins streets since 1908. There are ten men employed in connection with this business which consists of dealing in grain and grinding wheat, corn and feed cereals and also the manufacture of patent stock foods. The mill has a capacity of about 25 barrels of flour and 100 barrels of meal daily. Besides the grinding and manufacturing a gen- eral wholesale business is also carried on in flour, feed, hay and grain.
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.