USA > Missouri > Randolph County > History of Randolph County, Missouri > Part 35
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on account of poor health did not engage actively in any business for six months. He then opened a grocery store on Rollins street. Later he sold out and entered the employ of the Milbank-Scampton Milling Com- pany and for two years was in the employ of that concern. He then built his present store building and engaged in business again and three years later sold the stock, but retained ownership of the building. In 1916, he bought the business back again and since that time has success- fully conducted a grocery business there and has a good trade.
In May, 1900, Mr. Epping was united in marriage with Miss Letitia Scott. Her parents were George E. and Elizabeth Scott of St. Joseph, Mo. They are both now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Epping have been born six children as follow: Stella, a high school student; Gerard F., also a high school student; William G .; Emmett B .; Anna Marie and Letitia.
Mr. Epping resides at 413 Taylor street. He is a progressive busi- ness man and a valued citizen of the community.
Patrick J. Murphy, one of the large contractors and a well-to-do citizen of Moberly, residing at 827 South Williams street, Moberly, is a native of Illinois. He was born in Brown County, Ill., March 14, 1860, the son of Michael and Mary (McQueen) Murphy, the former born in County Galway and the mother in County Cavin, Ireland, where they were reared and educated. They came to the United States as young people and were married in Dayton, Ohio, and lived there a few years and then moved to Brown County, Ill., where Mr. Murphy was engaged in farming and at the same time did a contracting business. The family came to Missouri, locating in Randolph County on a farm in Sugar Creek town- ship in 1882. Subsequently, Mr. Murphy moved to Moberly where he died in 1901 at the age of 68 years. His wife died in 1899, aged 66 years and both are buried in St. Mary's cemetery. They were the parents of the following children: John was drowned at the age of 19 years; Anna, the wife of Edward O'Hara, of Kankakee, Ill .; Patrick the subject of this sketch; Mary E., the widow of James Boland, of Moberly; Nancy, de- ceased; Margaret, a trained nurse in Los Angeles, Calif. and Michael, for years a railroad conductor and now a farmer of Carroll County, Mo.
Patrick J. Murphy was reared on his father's farm in Illinois and received his education in the public schools of that state. Early in life he began as brakeman on the railroad but after a few years became associated with his father in the contracting and building business, a vocation which he followed for 10 years when he accepted a position as
P. J. MURPHY
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superintendent for P. A. Butler, a contractor with headquarters at Lyons, Kans., when that firm was building a roadbed for one of a railroad in that section. Mr. Murphy thoroughly knew the business and in 1890 took his first independent contract for an irrigation ditch near Rocky Ford, Colo. He was thus engaged for three years and made good on the project and then returned to Illinois to take more contracts for railroad grading and for building river levees. In 1902, he came to Moberly and since that time has been engaged in contracting for the Wabash railroad and other railroads in this vicinity. He is recognized as one of the re- liable and experienced men in his busness and has all the work he can handle and at the present time has several grading contracts for work on the Wabash system. Mr. Murphy is the owner of a valuable farm of 102 acres in Prairie township.
In 1885, Mr. Murphy married Miss Harriet Barrett, of Brookfield, Mo., who died in 1911, leaving a daughter, Margaret, who lives with her father. June 21, 1916, Mr. Murphy married Miss Julia E. Holland a native of St. Louis, the daughter of Jeremiah J. and Ellen (O'Connell) Holland, both deceased. Mr. Holland was one of the first master mechanics to locate in Moberly with the Wabash Railroad and was with that company for 40 years. He died in 1908, his wife having died in 1901. There were five childen in the Holland family besides Mrs. Murphy, all prominent residents of their home cities, though one is located in the Island of Haiti, at St. Marc.
Mr. Murphy is a member of the Catholic church, the Knights of Columbus and the Court of Honor.
F. M. Holtsinger. The final culmination of a career of broad and varied experiences into a successful specialty is the acme of individual success. This is true in the story of the life of F. M. Holtsinger, of Moberly, prominent auctioneer, who specializes in conducting Duroc Jer- sey hog sales throughout the United States, and who is also one of the leading breeders of Duroc Jersey hogs in this country. Mr. Holtsinger was born in Moberly, March 17, 1884, and is a son of William and Sallie (Hollis) Holtsinger. The mother was a daughter of Judge W. J. Hollis, a prominent lawyer of Kansas City, Mo. She died in 1887 and her re- mains are interred in Oakland Cemetery at Moberly. William Holt- singer now resides in Moberly, making his home with his son, F. M. Holtsinger. F. M. Holtsinger was the only son born to his parents: Pearl, a daughter, died at the age of three years.
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F. M. Holtsinger was educated in the public schools at Moberly and attended the high school. He then entered Spaulding's Commercial Col- lege at Kansas City, Mo., where he was graduated in the class of 1902. He then entered the employ of Michaels & Hoff Commission Company, at Kansas City, Mo., as bookkeeper and six months later he entered the employ of the Wells Fargo Express Company. He remained with that company nine months, when acting under the advice of his grand- father, Judge Hollis, he entered the Kansas City Law School and three days later, as Mr. Holtsinger says, the judge decided that he was a failure as a lawyer, and sent him to a ranch in north central Kansas and as he had a natural antipathy to exercising behind a plow or trying to keep cattle out or in by insufficient fencing or no fencing at all, he abandoned his agricultural career on the wind-swept plains of Kansas and returned to Moberly. Here he engaged in horse-trading in part- nership with Hamp Parish and they followed that business for about a year. Mr. Holtsinger then engaged in the livery business and for four years conducted a livery barn on North Clark street, Moberly. James A. Rockey was in partnership with him for two years in this venture. While in the livery business Mr. Holtsinger made the circuit of a num- ber of county fairs with two running horses and later owned some trot- ting horses. On account of failing health he disposed of his livery busi- ness by auction and for six months was not engaged in any business. He then engaged in the fuel business and conducted the largest fuel business in the city for a year, having as many as nine delivery wagons in operation. The following year he organized a grading outfit and worked 20 teams. He built the Moberly race tracks and did grading for the Wabash Railroad Company under P. J. Murphy, the original contractor for one year. He also continued the coal and wood business in Moberly while doing grading. He then decided to be an auctioneer. which had been his boyhood ambition. He sold his coal business and began buying and selling horses and mules and also took up auctioneer- ing and began conducting country sales. Six months later he made ap- plication for a position to Walcott, Beers and Grant of Kansas City for a permanent position as auctioneer, and for one year was employed by them in their Kansas City Horse Market. The World War broke out about that time and the firm with which he was employed was consoli- dated with Guiton & Herrington and Mr. Holtsinger began buying horses for this firm for the British government. His work took him to Iowa
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and Nebraska and here he continued to purchase horses until the firm was dissolved. Mr. Holtsinger then began conducting pure bred stock sales and later confined his work to conducting pure bred Duroc Jersey hog sales and he has met with phenomenal success in this line and today is the foremost auctioneer in the United States who specializes in pure bred Duroc Jersey hog sales exclusively. He conducts sales in every part of the United States and the demands for his time in this line are much greater than he can meet.
While Mr. Holtsinger has been conducting Duroc Jersey sales for others throughout the country he has also been breeding pure bred Jer- sey hogs himself and has developed the largest breeding ranch in the United States, devoted to the breeding of pure bred Duroc Jersey hogs. His breeding ranch consists of 240 acres and is located six miles north- east of Moberly and one-half mile from old Milton, of whichh Mr. Holt- singer also owns about one-half the town site. The Holtsinger ranch is one of the Best improved breeding ranches in the country. All the hog buildings are steam heated and electric lighted and watered by a complete water system and every modern fixture and convenience will be found here, even to a sale pavilion. Mr. Holtsinger has about 500 brood animals and the herd is headed by the celebrated Duroc Jersey male, "Greater Orion's Sensation," which is one of the highest priced hogs in the world. Mr. Holtsinger purchased this animal for $3,500 in September, 1919, and on Feb. 17, 1920, he sold 60 brood sows bred to him for $60,000 and on the same day refused $30,000 for "Greater Orion's Sensation."
F. M. Holtsinger was united in marriage in 1902 with Miss Cora Bar- tee, of Moberly. She is a daughter of John and Mary (Owens) Bartee, the former of whom now resides in Moberly and the mother is deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Holtsinger have been born two children: Loraine and Lawrence.
Mr. Holtsinger is well-known throughout the entire country and his great success in the pure bred department of animal husbandry has not only placed himself in the front rank in this field of endeavor, but has resulted in placing Randolph County in an important position in the production of pure bred stock.
John W. Thackston, for many years one of the well known and popu- lar merchants of Moberly, was born in Howard County, Mo., June 16, 1866, the son of William and Nancy (Lowery) Thackston. The father
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was a native of Virginia, where he spent his youth and was educated. He came west at an early day and located in Missouri passing the rest of his life here and died in 1866, when his son was an infant. Nancy Lowery Thackston survived her husband and lived to be 78 years old, passing away in Audrain County. By a former marriage to a Mr. Jack- son she had two children, Ella, the wife of Jack Lafahm, and Grace, who married Christian Parrish, is deceased.
John W. Thackston was reared by his aunt, Mrs. Mary B. Neilson, a sister of his mother, whose husband was a merchant of College Mound, Mo. Mrs. Neilson came to Moberly about 1887 where she reared four of her grandchildren, who have become well known and prominent citizens of their localities. Mr. Thackston spent his boyhood with his aunt and her husband in College Mound, received his education in the public schools of Kirksville and Columbia and came to Moberly with his aunt when she settled here in 1887. He soon secured a position as timekeeper in the foundry of the Wabash shops where he was employed three years then began firing on a switch engine but resigned to accept a position as engineer of the electric light plant of Moberly which he held nine years. During this time Mr. Thackston purchased from L. S. Gaines his grocery business, located at 121 East Coates street. In 1906 H. W. Owen bought an interest in the store and it was then run under the name of Thackston & Owens until 1919 when Mr. Thackston and his partner sold out to O. H. Fort who continues the business at the same location though Mr. Thacks- ton still owns the building.
Sept. 6, 1893, Mr. Thackston married Miss Lotie Grimes, the daughter of Washington and Virginia (Terrill) Grimes. Mrs. Thackston was born on the present site of Moberly in 1871; her father died in 1909 and her mother in 1912, and were laid to rest in Oakland cemetery. Mrs. Thacks- ton was the fifth of the six children in the Grimes family. She and her husband have a modern residence at 311 N. Moberly street. Mr. Thacks- ton owns the buildings at 119-121 E. Coates street and with his partner holds the title to the store at 117 E. Coates street as well as realty at 617 and 619 Burkholder street. Mr. Thackston has taken an active part in municipal affairs and served on the city council two years. He is a mem- ber of the Masonic Blue Lodge No. 344, Moberly, Shrine, Commandery, Consistory and the Eastern Star. Mr. and Mrs. Thackston are members of the Christian church.
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Wade H. Dunivent, a descendant of a pioneer family of Randolph County who is a prosperous farmer and stockman of Salt Spring town- ship, was born on the place which was entered from the government by his grandfather in that township. He is a son of Edward J. and Pidy (Wisdom) Dunivent and was born Dec. 6, 1877.
Edward J. Dunivent was a native of North Carolina, and came to Randolph County with his parents and here his father entered 40 acres of land which now forms a part of the farm of Wade H. Dunivent. Edward J. Dunivent was a farmer and stock raiser all of his life and was successful in his undertakings and became the owner of 480 acres of land. He served in the Confederate army during the Civil War and while in the service lost his left hand through an accident. He died in 1899. His wife died in 1882 and their remains are buried in the Burk cemetery. They were the parents of the following children: E. B., who lives on the home farm in Salt Spring township; H. P., died at the age of 52 years; Mattie, married Sebestin Molone and is now deceased; F. E., Huntsville and Wade H., the subject of this sketch.
Wade H. Dunivent was educated in the public schools at District No. 46. He bought his first land which consisted of an 80 acre tract from Thomas Todd. This place was entered from the government by Toulman R. B. C. Gorham, June 2, 1836. Later he bought 65 acres of E. B. Burton, 40 acres of the old Dunivent place and 80 acres from Sanuel Gorham. He is now the owner of 285 acres where he is successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising and specializes in Poled Angus cattle. Mrs. Dunivent raises standard bred Barred Plymouth Rock hickens in which she is very successful.
Mr. Dunivent was married Dec. 30, 1896 to Edna May Minor, a daughter of Josephus and Minerva Frances (Bradley) Minor. Her father died in 1911 at the age of 62 years and is buried in Oliver cemetery, and her mother resides near Huntsville. John Minor, grandfather of Mrs. Dunivent, was a Kentuckian and he is buried in Mt. Salem cemetery. Her maternal grandfather, Newton Bradley was also a Kentuckiar and an early settler of Randolph County, entering government land here. He lived to the age of 90 years. His wife bore the maiden name of Eliza- beth Ann Oliver and they are both buried in the Oliver cemetery. Mrs. Dunivent was one of the following children born to her parents: Aina, married Henry Carrol, of Huntsville; Thomas N., lives in Oklahoma; Mrs. Dunivent; Joe Billie, deceased; Lillie, married Marvin Lawrence; Lloyd,
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lives on the home place and Grace E., married Frank Edwards of Hunts- ville. To Mr. and Mrs. Dunivent have been born three sons: Herman Hampton ; Thurber Newton and Raymond Edward.
Mr. Dunivent is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America at Clifton Hill and the Baptist church. He is a progressive citizen and has made good in his undertakings.
Oscar W. Payton, the capable superintendent of the Randolph County Sanitorium at Huntsville, Mo., is a native of Missouri and a member of one of the pioneer familles of this state. He was born in Howard County in 1875 and is a son of W. G. and Sarah P. (Landres) Payton. W. G. Payton was born in Macon County, Mo., May 6, 1845 and he and his wife now make their home with their children. W. G. Payton is a son of Durett Payton who was a native of Madison County, Ky., and came to Howard County, Mc., in the very early pioneer days and spent the re- mainder of his life in this state. W. G. and Sarah (Landres) Payton were the parents of the following children: Rosa Lee, married J. N. Foglesong of Kestesville, Mo .; M. P., resides at Morris, Grundy County, Ill .; H. D., Clifton Hill, Mo .; Oscar W., the subject of this sketch ; Mattie, married Henry Rhodus, now living at Elkhart, Kan .; and W. G., now liv- ing at Bruins, Ark.
Oscar W. Payton was educated in the public schools of Howard County, attending school at the Liberty school house. He began life as a farmer anl was engaged in that vocation until he came to Huntsville in 1916. He las lived in the vicinity of Huntsville since 1909 at which time he boughta farm here from J. K. Colvin which contained 53 acres and was formerly owned by William Hadley. It is a well improved place with goodbuildings and is a productive and valuable farm. In 1916, Mr. Payton noved to Huntsville and engaged in the restaurant business for 15 months. In 1920 he was appointed superintendent of the Randolph County Sanitorium and is conducting this institution in a manner which reflects great credit upon himself as well as the county officials in the way that the unfortunates of the county are cared for. There are now 29 patients in the home and they are well cared for. The sanitorium farm consists of 160 acres, all of which is cultivated under the direction of Superintendent Payton. Mrs. Payton oversees the work about the insti- tution and is capable and efficient in her management. Neatness and cleanliness are conspicuous about the institution and sanitary conditions are kept up to the highest standard under her watchful vigilance.
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Mr. Payton was married July 3, 1900 to Miss Anna May Sanders, a native of Brooklyn, N. Y. She is a daughter of Henry and Lena Sanders. The father died in New York in 1880 and the mother afterwards mar- ried Harry Hanson and they reside in New York. To Mr. and Mrs. Pay- ton has been born one daughter, Olga Lee, a senior in the Huntsville High School.
Mr. Payton is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is a substantial and trustworthy man and well qualified for his position of responsibility.
S. M. Dameron, a well known and successful farmer and stockman of Salt Spring township is a native of Randolph County. He was born near Randolph Springs, May 12, 1868 and is a son of L. G. and Bettie (Bradley) Dameron. Bettie (Bradley) Dameron was a daughter of Samuel Bradley whose wife bore the maiden name of Holman. Samuel Bradley was a pioneer blacksmith of Huntsville and also followed farm- ing; he died in Oklahoma a few years ago at the age of 96 years.
L. G. Dameron was born in Randolph County; his parents were natives of North Carolina and came to Missouri at a very early day and settled near Huntsville where they entered government land and spent the remainder of their lives. L. G. Dameron died in 1914 at the age of 80 years, his wife having preceded him in death. She died in 1876 and their remains are buried in Mt. Airy cemetery. They were the parents of the following children: Mrs. Martha Harland, deceased ; Nolie E., mar- ried C. C. Brown of Clifton Hill, Mo .; R. T., who now lives five miles south of Huntsville; S. M., the subject of this sketch; Esther, died at the age of 21 years; and Annie who married Thomas Minor of Moberly and died in 1910 at the age of 28 years.
S. M. Dameron was reared in Randolph County and educated in the district school at the Gill school house. He has practically spent his life in Randolph County with the exception of eight months that he was in Oklahoma. Mr. Dameron was reared on a farm and has made farming and stock raising his principal occupation and has met with success. He purchased his present farm of 40 acres in 1918 from F. C. Adams. It is a part of the old Christian farm and is a well improved place. The resi- dence is a modern four room cottage with electric lights and other modern improvements and the other buildings about the place are of a substantial character. Mr. Dameron carries on general farming and raises Chester White hogs, pure bred Jersey cattle and Buff Orpington chickens.
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Mr. Dameron was married Dec. 26, 1894 to Miss Ona L. Newby, a daughter of Nelson and Zynda (Manion) Newby. Mr. Newby died Aug. 28, 1913 and his widow now resides near Clifton Hill. To Mr. and Mrs. Dameron has been born one daughter, Ruth L., who is now a student in the Huntsville High School and one son, Lewis Nelson, who died at the age of 20 years, April 27, 1918 and his remains are buried in the Roanoke cemetery.
Mr. Dameron is a member of the Woodmen of the World Lodge at Huntsville. He is a likable gentleman who has an extensive acquaintance and many friends.
Winfield Scott Jones, a retired painter and decorator of Moberly, Mo., who has lived here more than 42 years and has seen the town grow into a city, was born in Delaware County, Ohio, Nov. 3, 1845, the son of Nicholas and Elizabeth (Warner) Jones.
Nicholas Jones was born in Virginia in 1807 and was reared and edu- cated in that state and became a slave owner on a plantation. Later he went to Ohio and took up government land in 1834 and was prominent in that locality and served as sheriff of the county four years. He was elected auditor and filled that office four years and then represented his district as senator in the state legislature. He continued to add to his original tract of 80 acres until he became the owner of 300 acres of land which he sold for a large figure in 1863 and 1868 came to Missouri. At that time he bought a 500 acre tract of new land 50 miles west of St. Louis and returned to Ohio to get his family and died there Aug. 3, 1868, before taking possession of his new property. Mrs. Jones was a native of Maryland, born in 1813, was married in 1830 and died at Lockport, Ill., Dec. 9, 1883, and was buried beside her husband in the Cole burying ground in Delaware County. There were 14 children in the family of whom the following survive: Nicholas T., of Trenton, Neb .; Winfield Scott, of this review ; and Charles E., of Poughkeepsie, N. Y.
Winfield Scott Jones was reared in Delaware County, Ohio, received his education in the public schools there and then entered Ohio Wesleyan University but left college to enlist in the Union army in 1864, and served until the close of the war. He was mustered out of the service at Camp Chase, Ohio, Sept. 24, 1865, after having served under General Grant. Soon after this he returned to college and remained a year, studying law, before he engaged in the decorating and painting business. In 1970, Mr. Jones came to Moberly and was actively engaged in business here up.
WINFIELD SCOTT JONES
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to 1918. He was one of the early settlers of the town, his business ex- panded with the growth of the city and he became one of the well known and prosperous business men due to his ability and care in executing orders.
April 11, 1872, Mr. Jones was married to Miss Helen Frances Livesay, the daughter of James and Sarah Livesay, both deceased. Mrs. Jones died in 1881, leaving three children: Ina G., Daisy P., and Colmer E., all deceased. March 10, 1885, Mr. Jones married Miss Ella Thompson of Moberly, the daughter of Isaac A. and Sarah E. (Haynes) Thompson. Sarah E. was the daughter of Rev. Levi Haynes.
Mr. Jones belongs to the Presbyterian church and is a Republican. He is a man who has taken an active part in the development of Moberly and entered into the civic life of the community. He has served as a member of the city council and was one of the first mail carriers of Mob- erly when free delivery was first established. Mr. Jones is proud of his five grandchildren and two great grandchildren. The following are the grandchildren: Daisy married Ray Ford, San Francisco, Calif .; Mable F. married Leo Duncan, who is in the medical corps of the United States navy, located at San Francisco, Calif., and who saw service in the World War and was on one of the destroyers which sank a German submarine; Thomas Winfield Shootman, a sailor on the U. S. S. Santa Cruz; Sue-Ella Shootman, San Francisco, Calif .; Ina G. Shootman, San Francisco, Calif. The two great grandchildren are Lois Louise Ford, San Francisco, Calif. and Jean Audrey Duncan, San Francisco, Calif.
Ed L. Milam, a prosperous farmer and stockman of Chariton town- ship, is a native of this county and a descendant of one of the honored pioneer families of this section of the state. He was born on the old Milam homestead in Chariton township, June 8, 1878 and is a son of Joseph and Frances Elizabeth (Summers) Milam.
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