USA > Missouri > Randolph County > History of Randolph County, Missouri > Part 47
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Harry M. Fifer was reared on the home farm in Salt River township and received a good common school education in the district schools. He
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remained at home with his parents until he was 21 years old when he began to do for himself. In 1908 he received the appointment of rural mail carrier out of the Cairo postoffice. He served in that capacity until 1913 when he accepted a position with the Prudential Insurance Com- pany and remained with them about three years. In 1916 and 1917 he was engaged in the grocery business at Moberly, and during the latter year he became representative of the Bankers Accident Insurance Com- pany at Moberly and has since devoted himself exclusively to that line of work, and has met with unqualified success in that field of endeavor ; he has built up a large business in Moberly and vicinity.
Mr. Fifer was married June 8, 1905 to Miss Bessie L. Gaines, a native of Randolph County, born at Cairo. She is a daughter of Frank and Eliza (Halliburton) Gaines, both natives of Randolph County and descendants of pioneer settlers. Frank Gaines is deceased.
Mr. Fifer is a Democrat and a member of the Masonic Lodge and the Modern Woodmen of America. He and Mrs. Fifer are members of the Methodist church.
V. Heifner, one of the well-known conductors of the Wabash system, and a representative citizen, has been in the employ of the Wabash road for more than a quarter of a century. He is a native of Missouri and was born on a farm in Macon County, Dec. 14, 1862, the son of Thomas and Sarah (Coulter) Heifner.
Thomas Heifner was born near Huntsville, Mo., in 1838, and was a farmer and stock raiser. He died on his farm three and a half miles northeast of Jacksonville, Mo., in 1909. He was a veteran of the Civil War. Mrs. Heifner was also a native of Macon County, Mo., born on a farm in 1849 and now resides in Jacksonville at the age of 81. They were the parents of nine children: William T., of Neosho, Mo .; V. Heif- ner, of this review; Joseph J., of Maryville, Mo .; Mary F., the wife of Dane Jones, of Seattle, Wash .; Rosa, the wife of Arthur Amick, of Den- ver, Colo .; Maggie, the wife of James Dowding, of Jacksonville, Mo .; Bert, of Denver; Frank, of Moberly, and Flora, the wife of Charles King, of Jacksonville, Mo.
Mr. Heifner was reared on the home farm and attended the district school and remained at home with his parents until he was 18 years old, when he began for himself. He went to Ardmore, Mo., and secured em- ployment with the Texas Coal Company, but later engaged in switching at Excello, for the Kansas and Texas Coal Railway. He permanently
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V. HEIFNER
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
located in Moberly in 1892. That year he began work for the Wabash railroad as switchman, and later was on road as a brakeman and was promoted to conductor in 1903, and in 1913 was promoted to passenger conductor, which position he has since held.
May 6, 1890, Mr. Heifner was married to Miss Louisa Griffith, the daughter of J. C. and Melinda (Meadows) Griffith, the former a native of North Carolina, and the latter was born in Missouri. Mrs. Heifner was the second of their seven children. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Heifner, as follows: Leroy, deceased; Minnie, at home, and Maud, the wife of W. L. Thompson, of Moberly.
Mr. Heifner is a member of the Order of Railway Conductors, the Knights of Pythias and the Presbyterian church. He is a Democrat and Mrs. Heifner is a member of the Auxiliary of the Order of Railway Con- ductors and a member of the Presbyterian church. The Heifner family have an extensive acquaintance and stand high in Moberly and Randolph County.
Stephen G. Hamilton, mayor of Clark, Mo., who for many years was one of the successful breeders of Percheron and saddle stallions and jacks, is now living retired. Mr. Hamilton owns 260 acres of land in Prairie township, where he was engaged in farming for many years. He was born in this township, a half mile west of Clark, Jan. 18, 1859, the son of Hezekiah Hamilton, whose wife was a Miss Garvin before her marriage. Their history will be found on another page of this volume with the review of I. A. Hamilton. Mrs. Hamilton was the daughter of Stephen and Jeanette (Brooks) Garvin, who died in 1875, at the age of 42 years, leaving the following children: William B .. of Clark; Jeanette, the wife of W. W. Angell, of Independence, Mo .; Orpha, the wife of Stephen Burn- ham, living near Higbee; Della, deceased, was the wife of Henry McCune; Binda, the wife of William Naylor of Prairie township and Stephen G. of this review, who was the third child in order of birth.
Stephen G. Hamilton was reared on his parents' farm near Clark and attended the district schools. He engaged in farming and after 15 years he bought an interest in a mercantile establishment in Renick and was associated with Henry Kimborough. They conducted this business for 13 years when Mr. Hamilton disposed of his interests and returned to farming again in Prairie township, remaining there until 1909, when he moved to Clark and was in the breeding business until 1920. Mr. Hamil- ton has made a specialty of breeding high grade Percheron and saddle
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horses and had five of the best jacks in the county. In February, 1920 he sold all his breeding stock.
April 17, 1879, Mr. Hamilton was married to Miss Augusta Kim- borough, who was born two miles west of Clark, the daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Furgerson) Kimborough, both natives of Randolph County. The father is living at the advanced age of 84 years and his wife died in 1881.
Mr. Hamilton is a Democrat and has served as constable and was elected mayor of Clark and at the present time is serving a second term. The Hamilton family are members of the Baptist church.
Willard A. Owings, prominent farmer and stockman of Prairie town- ship, who owns and manages a farm of 160 acres of valuable land was born near Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, the son of Urias and Josephine (Wilson) Owings. He was the second oldest of a family of four boys. The father was a painter by trade. He was a native of Kentucky where he was reared and educated and during the Civil War he moved to Iowa, where the family lived for some time. The mother was born in Marion County, Mo. and died when 33 years old, leaving her little family motherless. Her husband survived until 1917, when he died at Mexico, Mo.
After his mother's death Willard A. Owings was sent to live with an uncle, Benjamin Wilson, his mother's brother, who lived at Oskaloosa, Kans. There he attended the public schools. Benjamin Wilson was the owner-editor of an Oskaloosa newspaper and when a young boy, Mr. Owings began to work around the printing office and by the time his schooling was over he was a good practical printer, and master of his trade within a short time afterward. He worked at this business until he was 22 years old when he engaged in farming in Audrain County, Mo., having come to Missouri from Kansas in 1885. After 10 years on the land, Mr. Owings went to St. Louis, and worked as motorman on a street car and remained in that city seven years. In 1897 he came to Randolph County and engaged again in farming for three years, when he became a fireman of a locomotive on the Wabash Railroad but resigned in 1902 to return to St. Louis and run a street car for the next seven years. Coming to Prairie township in 1919, Mr. Owings soon was established as one of the well known farmers. He bought his present farm in 1917. He has made many improvements on his farm and handles and breeds high grade stock.
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
Nov. 15, 1891, Mr. Owings was married to Miss Zona Fainter, a native of Boone County, and two children have been born to them: Clella, at- tending high school at Macon and Floyd C., on the farm with his father.
Mr. Owings is a well educated, well read man and has taken an active part in public affairs ; he is a Democrat, a charter member of the Grange, has been serving on the school board of his district and with his wife is a member of the Baptist church.
Leonard W. Kelly, president of the Moberly Artificial Ice Plant, is one of the well known and substantial business men of Moberly and is engaged in one of the most important industrial pursuits of the city. Mr. Kelly is a native of Missouri. He was born at Potosi, Mo., Feb. 6, 1869 and is a son of Dennis and Elizabeth (Fea) Kelly and is one of three children born to his parents as follows: Thomas, who now resides in Omaha. Neb., served as postmaster of Moberly for 9 years during the administrations of Presidents Mckinley and Roosevelt; Dennis resides in Denver, Colo. and Leonard W., the subject of this sketch.
Dennis Kelly, the father was a native of Cork, Ireland. He came to this country in early life and was engaged in the mercantile business when he died comparatively a young man, being only 41 years old. His widow who was a native of Scotland, after the death of her husband, came to Moberly with her family of three small children in 1876. Here she conducted a boarding house and reared her family of boys. She was well known in the early days of Moberly and affectionately called "Mother Kelly". The boys attended school here and received good public school education. They were industrious boys and sold newspapers and as- sisted their widowed mother in other ways and early in life they engaged in the general confectionery business in Moberly and conducted a bakery in connection.
Leonard W. Kelly learned the baker's trade in early life and was associated with his brothers in the bakery and confectionery business for a number of years. He became interested in the Moberly Artificial Ice Company in 1914, and since that time has been president of the company. This is one of the prosperous and well managed business concerns of the city.
Mr. Kelly was united in marriage June 22, 1905 to Miss Myrna Kent, a native of Indiana. Mrs. Kelly died in March, 1918, aged 29 years. There were no children born to Mr. and Mrs. Kelly.
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
Mr. Kelly is a member of the Masonic Lodge and belongs to the Shrine at Kansas City, Mo. and politically, he is a Republican and was postmaster of Moberly for four years under the administration of Presi- dent Taft. He has served as president and secretary of the Commercial Club. In 1913, he organized a Good Fellows Club of Moberly. The pur- pose of this organization was to carry out charitable work in the city of Moberly and look after the wants of poor people who needed clothing and food. Mr. Kelly had some assistance in this work as there were three or four other members of the organization. He was chairman and in that capacity did much charitable work and did a great deal for many poor people in Moberly. He is public spirited and always stands ready to do what he can to help his less fortunate fellow man.
Mrs. Kelly, the mother, now resides in Moberly and is in her 77th year.
Otis Fountain, one of the leading breeders of Hereford cattle in Ran- dolph County and the owner of a large tract of land in Prairie township, was born a half mile west of his present home, Aug. 14, 1871, the son of Willis and Julia (Barnes) Fountain. Willis Fountain was born in Boone County, Mo., Feb. 17, 1846 and was reared and educated in Missouri and died Feb. 13, 1918 He was a well-to-do farmer and stockman. He began buying and selling stock in Boone County when there was no bank there and would pay the men from whom he purchased after he had been paid himself. He handled as much or more live stock in a year than any buyer in the state. After living in Boone County for a long time he came to Randolph County and bought land which became very valuable. After the Civil War he settled down permanently, having been in the govern- ment service during hostilities as a butcher and was sent out onto the plains where the meat to supply the soldiers in the army was secured. Mrs. Fountain was born and reared in Randolph County and died while still a young woman in 1872, leaving three children: R. M., of Sturgeon, Mo .; Martha, the wife of L. J. Whitworth, is deceased, and Otis, of this review. Mr. Fountain, after the death of his first wife was married again and had two children: John F., of Detroit, Mich. and Beulah, the wife of j. Wallace Seymour, of Sturgeon, Mo.
Otis Fountain was reared on his father's farm and received his edu- cation in the district school and in the schools of Sturgeon before enter- ing the college at Fayette, Mo. When old enough he engaged in farming. The land Mr. Fountain now owns was entered by his great grandfather,
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
James Barnes, descending from him to his son Absolom and then to the younger generations. It is one of the large and fine farms of Prairie township.
Oct. 6, 1891, Mr. Fountain was married to Miss Annie Ferguson, the daughter of W. W. and Mollie (James) Ferguson, natives of Randolph County and Carrollton County, Mo., respectively. Mrs. Fountain died Jan. 6. 1906, leaving six children: Julia, deceased; Wallace H., of Boone County ; Lucile, a teacher at home; Otis A., also at home; Cleo and Annie, at home. On Jan. 15, 1907, Mr. Fountain married Urith Bradley, a native of Randolph County, the daughter of William and Mary (Lewis) Bradley, both now deceased. There were two children born to this union: Mary Rachael and Radford M., both at home.
Mr. Fountain is a Democrat, a member of the Masonic Lodge, and he and Mrs. Fountain are members of the Christian church.
Joseph G. Stockton, a successful stockman and farmer and the owner of a large farm in Prairie township, is a stock holder and one of the organ- izers of the Exchange Bank of Clark, Mo. He was born in Prairie town- ship, July 3, 1842, the son of Thomas and America (Jacobs) Stockton. The father was born in Kentucky in 1812 and died in Missouri in 1893; he was reared, educated and became a planter in his native state and while yet a young man came to Randolph County, one of the pioneer settlers of this section of Missouri. He bought considerable land, was a slave owner and operated a plantation before the Civil War and was a farmer after its close.
America Jacobs Stockton was a native of Boone County, Mo., and was reared and educated there and passed her life in this state and died in her 93d year in 1912. There were 12 children in the Stockton family all of whom survive but one who died in infancy. The youngest is now 54 and the oldest is 80 years of age, They are as follows: Mary, the wife of George Hubbard, of Clark; Joseph G., of this review; James T., of Columbia, Mo .; Amanda, the wife of William Ryland, of Ponca City, Okla .; Syrena, the wife of J. M. Fountain, of Centralia, Mo .; Fannie, the wife of James Barklay, living near Ray, Colo .; Lizzie, the widow of Martin Ryland, Crescent City, Okla .; Belle, the wife of H. Noland, of Hannibal, Mo .; Georgia, the wife of H. Lyons, of Sturgeon, Mo .; Thomas L., of Crescent City, Okla .; and Alice, the wife of William Brown, of Crescent City, Okla.
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
Joseph G. Stockton was reared on his father's farm in Randolph County and has lived in the country all his life and received his education in the pioneer schools. More than a half century ago Mr. Stockton set- tled on his present farm. He has been engaged in general farming and stock raising during all that long period and for many years has been recognized as one of the substantial farmers of this section of the state. He is one of the few men now living who located here at the time he did. During the Civil War he went to Illinois and later to Kansas where he was located when President Lincoln was assassinated. Subsequently he re- turned to Randolph County where he has since been a continuous resident.
In October, 1868, Mr. Stockton was married to Miss Eliza Woods, born in Boone County, Mo. and the following children have been born to them: Willie, the wife of Jake Sharp, of Prairie township; L. T., of Red Rock, Okla .; Mollie, married O. Brown, and is a widow at home; Clara, married William McCune, is deceased; John, deceased; J. L., who manages the home farm.
Mr. Stockton is a Democrat and a member of the Methodist church. For some years he has lived retired, leaving the actual business of the farm to his son and now enjoys the sunset years in ease and rest.
Frank Street, a well known and successful farmer and stockman, who is the owner of 367 acres of land known as "Street's Corner Farm", in the southeastern part of the county where Randolph County joins Audrain and Boone counties, is a breeder of pure bred Aberdeen Angus cattle. He was born at Sturgeon, Mo., June 14, 1862 and is a son of Wil- liam and America (Sutton) Street.
William Street was a native of Kentucky and when a young man came to Missouri, first locating in Howard County. After the Civil War he came to Randolph County and spent the remainder of his life in this county. He died about 1877. America (Sutton) Street was also a native of Kentucky and came to Pike County, Mo., with her parents. Mr. Street was her second husband. After their marriage they lived in Boone County, Mo., before coming to Randolph County.
Frank Street spent his boyhood and youth on his father's farm, and attended the district school and later entered Bryant & Stratton's Busi- ness College, at St. Joseph, Mo. After completing his course in that institution he returned to Prairie township and engaged in farming. For a time he rented land and was successful. In 1895, he purchased 120 acres of land in this section. He carried on general farming and stock
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raising. From time to time he bought more land adjoining his original farm, becoming an extensive land owner. In the spring of 1919 Mr. Street moved to Clark to live though he still maintains the management of his large land holdings. In that year he began to handle and breed pure bred Aberdeen Angus cattle.
In 1890, Mr. Street was married to Miss Lizzie Wright, a daughter of Zeph and Elizabeth (Simms) Wright, both natives of Kentucky, who came to Missouri at an early date and became pioneer settlers of this sec- tion. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Street: Nina, the wife of R. T. Hulen, of Sturgeon, Mo .; Velpo, who enlisted in the army in May, 1918, and became a member of Company G, 351st In- fantry, 88th Division, was promoted to corporal of his company and died of pneumonia while in the service; and Zeph, who lives at Sturgeon, Mo.
Mr. Street is a Democrat but has never aspired to hold public office, though he supports all movements for the betterment and the develop- ment of the community. He is one of the substantial citizens of Ran- dolph County.
Judge J. H. Swetnam, a former judge of the county court and prom- inent farmer and stockman of Silver Creek township, is a native of Mis- souri. He was born in Howard County, April 20, 1860 and is a son of Bartee and Katherine (Walkup) Swetnam and was the second oldest of ten children to them.
Bartee Swetnam was also a native of Missouri and was engaged in farming and stock raising in Howard County. He died in March, 1890, at the age of 54 years. His wife was also a native of this state and died in 1890, aged about 50 years.
John H. Swetnam was reared on the home farm in Howard County and attended the district schools of the neighborhood. In 1882 he came to Randolph County and bought a farm four miles north of Yates. He improved this place and sold it in 1888. He then bought a part of the old James farm, northwest of Higbee. After improving that place he sold it in 1904 and resided in Higbee for two years while he was serving as special road overseer. In 1916, he settled on his present farm in Silver Creek township where he has a well improved place. of 120 acres. Here he carries on general farming and stock raising and is meeting with suc- cess.
Judge Swetnam was first married in 1882 to Miss Hattie Embree who was born on the place where Judge Swetnam now resides. She died in
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August, 1903, at the age of 38 years. One child was born to that union, Harvey who is now engaged in farming and stock raising northwest of Higbee. Judge Swetnam was married in 1904 to Myrtle Fray, a native of Randolph County, and three children have been born to this union, as follows: Ruth, Ruby and Houx, all of whom reside at home with their parents.
Judge Swetnam is a Democrat and has always taken a commendable interest in political affairs. He was elected judge of the county court to represent the western district of Randolph County in 1904. At the expiration of his term of office he was reelected to succeed himself and served four years in all. During his term of office he displayed good business ability and sound judgment in the administration of the affairs of the county and was one of the best county judges that Randolph County ever had. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and a representative of Randolph County's best citizenship.
George Thornburg, a successful farmer and stockman of Prairie town- ship, who is also an extensive buyer and shipper of mules, is a native of this county. He was born Sept. 6, 1870, in Prairie township and is a son of James and Sallie (Kimbrough) Thornburg, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Prairie township, Randolph County. They were the parents of five children of whom George Thornburg, the sub- ject of this sketch, is the only one living.
James Thornburg was born in Philadelphia, Pa., and in early life was a shipbuilder and also worked at the carpenter trade. He came to Randolph County some time in the sixties and was engaged in farming in Prairie township; he died, when comparatively a young man, in 1876, his wife having died in 1875. George Thornburg was only five years old when his mother died and his father died a year later. He was reared by an aunt, Alvira Kimbrough and a brother, Owen, who lived on the farm.
George Thornburg has always been engaged in farming and stock business and lived on the farm, except three years that he was cashier of the Renick Bank. He bought his present farm about 1890 and has made many improvements on this place. He owns 160 acres, and it is one of the valuable and well improved farms of Prairie township. He is a successful breeder of Aberdeen Angus cattle and Spotted Poland China hogs. In addition to his farming and other enterprises, Mr. Thorn- burg has bought and shipped for the past 30 years and during the past
GEORGE THORNBURG
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five years this department of his business has developed into large pro- portion, and he is one of the extensive mule dealers in this section of the state.
Mr. Thornburg was married March 15, 1892, to Miss Anna B. Edwards, a native of Randolph County, born near Clark. She is a daugh- ter of William T. and Martha (Terrill) Edwards, the former a native of Randolph County and the latter of Callaway County, and both are now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Thornburg have been born four children, as follows: William H., cashier of the State Bank, Thermopolis, Wyo .; G. E., who is associated in business with his father and resides at home; Robert T. and Annabel, both residing at home with parents.
Mr. Thornburg is a Democrat and takes an active interest in political matters. He has served two terms as county assessor of Randolph County, from 1900 to 1904 and 1908 to 1912. He is a Mason and a member of the Methodist church, south, and an enterprising and progressive citizen.
John A. Pitts, a prosperous farmer and stockman of Silver Creek township and one of the large land owners of Randolph County, was born on his present place, March 2, 1862. He is a son of Rev. Samuel Y. and Anna (Winston) Pitts.
Rev. Samuel Y. Pitts was a pioneer Baptist minister of this section of Missouri. He was born in Silver Creek township on the place where his son, John A. Pitts, now resides. He was a man of strong character and an earnest and sincere minister of the gospel. He preached in various places throughout this section and had a wide acquaintance. His in- fluence was always for good and he was loved by all who knew him. He was never known to have an enemy. He died in 1914 at the age of 81 years. He was the son of John A. and Sarah (McDowell) Pitts, both natives of Kentucky.
John A. Pitts came to Randolph County at a very early date and entered government land in Silver Creek township and at the time of his death was the owner of 1,420 acres of land which he divided among his grandchildren. He was an industrious man, a hard worker and was possessed of good business judgment and was one of the most successful citizens of his time in Randolph County. He died in 1876 at the age of 76 years. His wife died several years before. She was about 28 years old at the time of her death.
To Rev. Samuel Y. and Anna (Winston) Pitts were born the follow- ing children : Mattie, married Dorsey Burckhart of Huntsville, Mo .; Anna
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