USA > Missouri > Randolph County > History of Randolph County, Missouri > Part 68
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tunities, he was quite successful. In politics he was a life-long Whig and was one of the staunchest supporters of that party in Randolph County.
Judge George H. Burckhartt, the ninth and youngest in his father's family of children, was born in Randolph County on his father's home- stead, six miles southeast of Huntsville, Sept. 11, 1823. From an early age he showed a marked taste for study and besides the instruction he received in the occasional common schools kept in the neighborhood, he improved his leisure to good advantage by study at home. Pursuing his studies with unabated zeal and assiduity when young, he soon became qualified to teach school. In September, 1839, he began teaching in Mon- roe County and he continued to teach for two years.
In the meantime, while teaching, he pursued a regular course of study preparatory to his admission to the bar. In 1843 he was duly admitted to practice law by Judge P. McBride, of Monroe, sitting at Paris, Monroe County, Mo., and he immediately entered upon the practice of his pro- fession at Huntsville, Mo. His rise in his profession was steady and substantial and he had not been at the bar many years before he became recognized as one of the soundest lawyers in the Huntsville circuit. He was always a man of steady, even habits and went about performing the duties of his practice in a methodical, clear-headed, business-like way; and the opening of court rarely, if ever, found him unprepared to take the proper steps in his cases when they were called.
While Judge Burckhartt never claimed to be a great orator, he was always a clear, forcible and convincing speaker and generally carried the convictions of his hearers with him in his train of argument. Often, indeed, when fully imbued with the justice and gravity of a cause, he rose to a high point of eloquence in his addresses before judge and jury, and whenever he essayed to touch the cords of sentiment, he never failed to carry the hearts of those who heard him with their convictions, which he had already secured. Long before he went on the bench, he was regarded as one of the leading lawyers of northeast Missouri.
Recognizing his eminent fitness and qualifications for the position, in 1862 he was elected circuit judge of the Second Judicial Circuit, and in 1864 he was reelected. Subsequently he was appointed judge of that circuit by Gov. Fletcher when the convention of 1865 ousted all the judges in the state and was again reelected in 1868. He was consecutively reelected and held that office continuously up to the time of his death, April 21, 1890, serving on the bench 28 years. As a judge, hé more than
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fulfilled the high expectations of those who honored him with their con- fidence and esteem in placing him in that responsible office. He was an able lawyer and a learned judge, his ability and learning were only equaled by his high character and incorruptibility.
On the 16th of October, 1849, Judge Burckhartt was married to Miss Amanda McCampbell, a daughter of Wallace McCampbell, an extensive farmer and respected citizen of Randolph County, who settled in that county from Jessamine County, Ky., in an early day. Of the children born to this union further mention is made in the sketch of G. Dorsey Burckhartt, a son of Judge Burckhartt.
Judge Burckhartt was a prominent member of the Masonic order for 40 years. Throughout his entire career, Judge Burckhartt was character- ized by prompt and energetic action and careful attention to business. Independent in thought, social and genial in manner, and inflexible in in- tegrity, he attained to that success and lived in the enjoyment of that reward which is the natural outgrowth of a true life.
William Y. Mason, a well known and successful farmer and stock man of Salt Spring township, is a native of Randolph County and a descendant of pioneers of this section. He was born in Salt Spring town- ship on a farm adjoining his present place, June 2, 1849 and is a son of William and Lena Jane (Payton) Mason.
William Mason was born in Madison County, Ky., and was a son of John Mason who was also a native of Kentucky. William Mason came to Missouri in 1838 and settled in Salt Spring township on the place which is now owned by William Y. Mason. He bought a part of this place when he came here and added to his original holdings until he was the owner of 320 acres. To William and Lena Jane (Payton) Mason were born the following children : Mrs. Mildred Phipps, deceased; John Walker and William Y., twins, the former of whom died in 1893 and the latter is the subject of this sketch, and Samuel who died at the age of 24 years.
William Y. Mason was educated in the public schools and he and his brother, John Walker Mason, farmed the home place which their father divided between them, until the death of John Walker Mason. Mr. Mason has bought additional land and is now the owner of a splendid farm of 242 acres. His place is well improved with a beautiful white cottage and large barns and is one of the pretty places of Randolph County. His land is fertile and well tilled. He carries on general farming and also raises stock.
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Mr. Mason was married in 1874 to Ithema Owens, a native of Ran- dolph County. She was born in October, 1853 and is a daughter of James and Nancy Jane (Terry) Owens, the former a native of Randolph County and the latter a native of Kentucky, a daughter of William Terry, an early pioneer settler of Randolph County. To Mr. and Mrs. Mason have been born one child, Ivola, who married Wilson Miller and they live on the Mason farm and two children have been born to them: Euva, born June 16, 1896 and Claudia, born Oct. 25, 1907. During the World War Euva Mason was inducted into the National army in October, 1918 and was in training at Camp Bowie, Texas, where he died from influenza Nov. 10, 1918.
Mr. Mason is a Democrat and a member of the Baptist church. He is one of .Randolph County's valued citizens and the Mason family rank high in the community.
Madison L. Sears, of Kansas City who, for many years has been prominently identified with the insurance business of this country, is a native of Randolph County and a member of one of the old and honored pioneer families of Randolph County and Missouri. He was born about three miles south of Huntsville, March 4, 1853 and is a son of Elder Milton J. Sears, a prominent pioneer Baptist minister and evangelist.
Elder Milton J. Sears was also a native of Randolph County. He was born on a farm near Huntsville, Jan. 13, 1830. He was educated in private schools and received a practical education and later became a self- educated man. In early life, he taught school and while teaching studied for the ministry. When he was 19 years old, he began preaching. In 1850 he was ordained by Elder William Sears, his uncle of Macon County and Rev. James Ratcliff. That year he was installed as pastor of the Silver Creek Baptist church which is one of the oldest Baptist organ- izations in the county. He continued to preach regularly in that church for over 30 years. He was also a noted evangelist and was the author of the "Primitive Baptist Hymnal". For a number of years he served as public administrator of Randolph County. He also served as a member of the board of trustees of Mt. Pleasant College for many years, until that institution was destroyed by fire.
Rev. Milton J. Sears was married July 24, 1851 to Miss Cynthia A. Oliver, a native of Clark County, Ky. She was born Aug. 13, 1833 and was a daughter of John and Cynthia A. Oliver who came to Randolph County about 1837. To Elder and Mrs. Sears were born the following
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children : Madison, the subject of this sketch; Viccie, married Felix Auvuchon, Eldorado Springs, Mo .; Eva C., married Benjamin F. McCrary, Eldorado Springs, Mo .; Henry L., was an attorney in San Francisco, Calif., and is now deceased ; Minnie S., married Dr. Willard P. Terrill, Huntsville, Mo .; Anna M., Huntsville, Mo .; and Stella A., deceased. Elder Sears died at Huntsville in 1893 and his wife departed this life there in 1913 and their remains are buried there.
The Sears family is of English origin and was founded in the colony of Virginia nearly a century before the Revolutionary War. John Sears went from Virginia to Kentucky at an early day and settled near Bowling Green. He had four sons, Hardy, Ivison, Henry and William. Henry went to Illinois in 1820 and was a prominent Baptist minister in that state for 40 years and died there. The other three sons came to Randolph County, Mo. and spent the remainder of their lives here except William, who removed to Macon County. Ivison Sears came to Missouri in 1818. John Sears the father of the four sons came to Missouri in 1820 and died in Randolph County. Ivison Sears married in Kentucky Sarah Ryals of a North Carolina family. Ivison Sears died in this county in 1854 and his wife died in 1857. They were the parents of 13 children of whom Elder Milton J. Sears was the sixth in order of birth.
Madison L. Sears whose name introduces this sketch was reared in the vicinity of Huntsville and in Huntsville the family having located in town about the close of the Civil War. He was educated in the public schools under Mr. Alex Phipps, Rev. J. C. Ridgeway and later attended Mt. Pleasant College. After leaving school he went to Moberly in the employ of the mercantile house of Moses Jennings and Sons where he remained but a few months. He then went with a firm of Samuel Ham- mett and Company, dealers in leaf tobacco at Bentonville, Ark. Later he became connected with Henry Wayland and Company who were in the dry goods business at Fayetteville, Ark. About 1878 he returned to Moberly with the real estate and insurance firm of Porter & Hallack. In 1879 he purchased their insurance business and conducted it until 1883 when he disposed of his business and removed to Denver, Colo. with the firm of Chittenden Porter and Hallack. Later he was associated with Martin Collins General Agency, St. Louis, Mo. and represented the Fire Association of Philadelphia and the Manufacturers Fire and Marine In- surance Company of Boston as special agent. He traveled for those com- panies in several states west of the Mississippi River. In 1884 the Phoenix
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Assurance Company of London purchased the Boston Company and Mr. Sears then joined the forces of that company with headquarters at Chi- cago and traveled from Pittsburg, Pa. to Salt Lake City, Utah. In 1886 he was transferred from Chicago to Kansas City where he has since re- sided and for the past 35 years he has represented the Phoenix Assurance Company of London and its allied companies and as he. himself says, he will probably continue to do so until the "job is finished."
Mr. Sears is one of the widely known and capable men of his line in the country. He has had a vast experience in the field of insurance and in the course of his career has made an extensive acquaintance not only in his home city but throughout the country. He is a representative business man who has made good in his chosen field of enterprise.
Sidney H. Haynes, a well-known conductor of the Wabash system, who resides at Moberly, was born at Glenwood Junction, Mo., Oct. 14, 1885. He is the son of Sidney A. and Louise (Hall) Haynes.
Sidney A. Haynes was a prominent railroad man. He was born on a far north of Moberly in 1840, and when old enough secured a position on the railroad. He was promoted from one position of trust to another and became general road master of this division of the Wabash, serving in that capacity 30 years. He then accepted a position with the Grand Trunk railroad. Leaving that road, he was assistant superintendent of the filteration plant at Montreal, Canada. Later he returned to Missouri and settled on a farm near Moberly in 1911, where he. died Oct. 31, 1918. Mrs. Haynes was born in Berger, Mo. She died in Moberly Nov. 5, 1911. There were the following children in the Haynes family: Ella, the wife of C. G. Williams, of East St. Louis; Sam, deceased; Mary, the wife of W. H. Horton, of Pomona, Cal .; Anna, of St. Louis; Pearl, the wife of George H. Sours, of Moberly; Sidney H., of this review, and Jack, of Moberly, Mo.
Sidney H. Haynes was reared in Missouri and received his educa- tion in the public schools of Moberly. In early life he entered the em- ploy of the Wabash railroad as clerk in the office of the roadmaster, Ollie Walker. He engaged in farming in 1903 and continued that voca- tion three years, when he started as brakeman on the Wabash system. He was promoted to conductor in 1910 and still holds that position.
Dec. 18, 1915, Mr. Haynes was married to Miss Virginia Hestler, of Wisconsin. He belongs to the Christian church and his wife is a Presbyterian. He is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the order of Railway Conductors and is a Democrat.
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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH COUNTY
M. W. Burke, a veteran locomotive engineer who has been in the service of the Wabash Railroad Company in that capacity for many years during which time Moberly has been his home, is a native of Chicago. He was born April 26, 1858 and is a son of Walter and Bridget Ann Burke, both natives of Ireland and very early settlers in Chicago. The father was born in Ireland in 1820 and died in Albert Lee, Minn., in 1901, and the mother was born in Ireland in 1822 and died in Duluth, Minn. in 1915. The day that they were married in Chicago, they bought a lot on the corner of State street and Madison avenue for 75 dollars which goes to show that Chicago at that time was little more than a mere village. That same property today would probably run into the millions, as it is in the very heart of the business district of the city. To Walter and Bridget Ann Burke were born the following children: James C., deceased; M. W., the subject of this sketch ; Mary Jane, a teacher in Duluth, Minn .; Walter, deceased; Sarah, deceased and Christopher, deceased.
M. W. Burke was educated in the public schools and began his rail- road career as a fireman on theold Southern Minnesota Railroad which is now a part of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul system and just before his 18th birthday, he was promoted to engineer. In 1874 Mr. Burke came to Moberly which has since been his home. Here he entered the employ of the Wabash Railroad as locomotive engineer and since that time has served in that capacity and for many years has been running passenger trains. In 1892 he was the man selected to pull President Harrison's special train through Illinois, Missouri and Iowa.
Always possessing a rare knowledge of locomotive speed he was able at all times to deliver anything that was called for in that line, so the management felt safe in placing him on the most important and exacting special trains. From 1892 till 1896 he served as traveling engineer over all of the Wabash system west of the Mississippi River and while in that capacity and "air brake instructor" he developed a high technical edu- cation and was considered one of the leading experts both as to air brake science and combustion of that period, and has since been used 'as occasion required' by the legal department as their expert witness. He has a long record to his credit as a capable and careful engineer and in this hazardous vocation, he has experienced remarkably few accidents. When he began railroading much of the equipment was of the old fashioned, crude and primitive type and the methods of operating were not sys- tematized to the present high degree of uniformity and efficiency. He has
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not only witnessed but experienced all of this process of evolution in rail- roading from the link-pin coupler and the hand brake to the modern auto- matic signal system.
Mr. Burke was united in marriage in 1898 to Miss Emeline Howing, a daughter of William and Amelia (Carlotta) Howing, a native of Ger- many. William Howing immigrated to America in early life and settled in Pike County, Mo., where he was engaged in farming and stock raising throughout his active career. His wife came to this country when she was 16 years old with her family and settled in Pike County. Mr. and Mrs. Howing are both now deceased. They were the parents of the fol- lowing children: Henry, William, Julia, and Mrs. Burke, the subject of this sketch. To Mr. and Mrs. Burke have been born the following chil- dren: Walter H., born April 12, 1900 is a student of Westminster Col- lege, Fulton, Mo .; Carlotta A., born July 24, 1904 is a student in the Mob- erly High School; and Mary F. also resides at home with her parents.
Mr. Burke is a Knights Templar Mason and a member of the Brother- hood of Locomotive Engineers. He is a Republican and a member of the Episcopal church. Mrs. Burke is active in church, social and literary affairs. She is a member of the Fourth Street M. E. church and President of the Missionary Society and is a member of the Chauser and Shakes- peare Club. The Burke family is well known and prominent in Moberly.
Samuel B. Adams, a locomotive engineer in the employ of the Wabash, is a well known citizen of Moberly and a descendant of a pioneer family of Randolph County. His grandfather, J. J. Adams, Sr., was born in Ken- tucky in 1801 and first came to Missouri in 1820; he walked all the way and drove a herd of sheep from Kentucky to St. Louis, there being only one brick house in St. Louis at the time. There were born to J. J. Adams, Sr. and wife, the following children: Absalom, James, Peter, John, Joe, Martin, Rev. Edward J., Sarah F., Ama Eliza, and Jeptha J., who was the father of Samuel Adams, the subject of this sketch. Jeptha J. Adams, Jr., was born in Kentucky Dec. 24, 1838, and when a boy came to Mis- souri and first settled near Darksville in Randolph County and later on a farm west of Moberly, known as the old Adams homestead. Here he engaged in farming and stock raising for a number of years and later moved to Marshall, to educate the children in Missouri Valley College. He served in the State Militia during the Civil War and took a prominent part in all local affairs and was active in church work. His wife, Eliza- beth J., who was the daughter of Colbert and Nancy (Milam) Holbrook,
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was born in Randolph County, three miles west of Moberly, Oct. 7, 1839, and was married Nov. 7, 1861. Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Adams celebrated their golden wedding anniversary Nov. 7, 1911. Mrs. Adams died at McAlester, Okla., June 1, 1912, and her remains were brought back to Randolph County and interred in Sugar Creek cemetery.
Jeptha J. Adams and wife were the parents of the following chil- dren : Alice M. died Oct. 1, 1892; Lula E. married J. J. Breusch and they reside on the old Adams homestead in Randolph County; Cora B. mar- ried Judge E. P. Hill, McAlester, Okla .; Ernest D., died June 16, 1918; Alanta died in infancy ; Naomi J., married Roy Hotchkiss, of McAlester, Okla. Samuel B., who is the subject of this sketch was born in Ran- dolph County on the old Adams homestead, April 6, 1868. He followed farming until he was 24 years of age when he went to work for the Wabash as fireman and after six years was promoted to engineer and has been running an engine ever since. Samuel B. Adams received his education in the Moberly public schools and the Missouri Valley College. Samuel Adams was married Dec. 23, 1902, to Miss Laura Lee Bush, who was the daughter of William D. and Ruth (Thomson) Bush of Marshall, Missouri.
Some of the very oldest families in Virginia and Kentucky are repre- sented in this sketch and their blood still mingles in the veins of the chil- dren of its subjects. The most ancient of this family of whom we have any record was Col. Freeman Bush, an old Revolutionary soldier who was a descendant of the same stock as Chief Justice Bush of Ireland. and fought under the standard of Washington and was a colonel in the Revolu- tionary War and held that office when the colonies were recognized as free by Great Britain. He was of Welch, English and Irish descent. His wife was the daughter of Lord Cummins of England. They were the parents of three children, "Majny" who married Woulcot and lived in the western part of New York state; Caleb Bush, who was born in 1806 and married Elizabeth Lockwood, her father Samuel Lockwood was of Eng- lish descent, and her mother, Tabitha Carey, was the daughter of Captain Carey of the Revolutionary army.
Caleb and Elizabeth Bush had the following children: Steven E., Daniel E., Lauretta, Mary E., Albert G. and William D. Caleb Bush was a Baptist minister for over 40 years. William D. Bush was born Jan. 16, 1832, began the study of law at the age of 17 and was admitted to the bar in 1857 in Clark County, entered the Confederate army in 1861, as a
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private in Gen. Green's brigade and was mustered out at the close of the war as captain of Company D, Col. Priest's regiment. After the close of the war he went to Marshall, Saline County, Mo. and practiced law continuously until Jan., 1899, when he assumed the office of probate judge. This office he held eight years. He was an enthusiastic Demo- crat and a great campaigner for his party. In 1857 he was elected prose- cuting attorney. He was a member of the Baptist church and a Knights Templar Mason. He was married in 1876 to Ruth V. Thomson, who was the daughter of Col. Pike M. Thompson and Elizabeth E., who was the daughter of Lloyd K. Goodwin. William D. and Ruth V. Bush had the following children: Pike C., living at Nelson; George Vest died in 1913; Bettie, married E. C. Winger, living at Point Pleasant, W. Va .; Laura Lee, who married Samuel B. Adams, who is the subject of this sketch; William V., a lawyer in Kansas City ; Marion, at Marshall, Mo .; Thomas Jefferson, Kansas City, Mo., and Frank Cockrell, Marshall.
Judge Bush died December, 1910; Laura Lee was born March 27, 1884, attended the public school of Marshall, Mo., and studied music and art at Missouri Valley College. She is a member of the United Daugh- ters of Confederacy, and Daughters of American Revolution. To Mr. and Mrs. S. B. Adams has been born one daughter, Lois Eunice, born May 17, 1907, at Moberly, Mo. She completed the grade schools at 11 years of age and is now a student of Moberly High School.
S. B. Adams, wife and daughter, are members of the Fourth Street M. E. church, south.
William N. Miles, a well known and successful stock dealer and farmer of Jacksonville, is one of the progressive and successful business men of Randolph County. He was born near Atlanta, Macon County, Mo., Nov. 6, 1864, and is a son of William A. and Nancy (Daugherty) Miles.
William A. Miles was born in Virginia in 1835 and went with his parents from Virginia to Kentucky. From there they came to Missouri and settled in Macon County. The Miles and Daugherty families came to Missouri together. William A. Miles bought land in Macon County and was an extensive land owner, at one time owning about 500 acres. He followed general farming and stock raising and was successful. He was married after coming to Macon County to Nancy Daugherty, who was a native of Kentucky, born in 1829. She died in 1887.
To William A. and Nancy (Daugherty) Miles were born 12 children as follows: James C., deceased; Fountain A., Portland, Ore .; Joseph D.,
,
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Atlanta, Mo .; Thomas A., deceased; Madison P., deceased; Margaret, married J. M. Elsea and lives near Atlanta, Mo .; Malissa, deceased; Wil- liam N., the subject of this sketch; Charles H., deceased; Arthur B., Port Arthur, Tex., and Oscar and Orla, twins, deceased.
William N. Miles was reared on his father's farm in Macon County and attended school at the old Oak Grove school house, near his home in that county. He remained at home with his father on the farm until he was 22 years old. In 1887 he bought a farm of 120 acres east of Atlanta and engaged in farming and stock raising for himself. In 1898 he moved to Atlanta and worked in a store for E. O. Snow three years and for five years he was engaged in buying and shipping stock there. He then came to Jacksonville and was with O. E. Snow here engaged in the drug business for four and a half years and since that time he has been engaged in buying and shipping stock and also general farming and stock raising and feeding. He owns two farms in Jackson town- ship, one a farm of 100 acres located north of town, which is a well improved farm. He built two silos on this place in 1910 with the capacity of 100 tons each, and they have been filled each year since they were built. One of his barns is designed on the circular plan and is built around the silo. The building is 40 feet in diameter with two wings 20x70 feet, extending from the main building. This is one of the com- plete and interesting farm buildings of Randolph County. A 93 acre farm owned by Mr. Miles, west of Jacksonville, is a well improved place, and is devoted largely to pasture and feed lots for cattle and hogs, which he handles in connection with his business. He also has a mule barn in Jacksonville, 44x50 feet.
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