USA > Missouri > Randolph County > History of Randolph County, Missouri > Part 69
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Mr. Miles was one of the organizers of the Jacksonville Savings Bank and is now vice-president of that institution. He takes a com- mendable interest in public affairs and has served two years as mayor of Jacksonville, from 1914 to 1916. He has also been a member of the town board for eight years and has been street commissioner of Jack- sonville. He was the first to build hard surface walks in Jacksonville and has always taken a keen interest in the betterment and upbuilding of the town.
Mr. Miles was married May 3, 1887, to Miss Clara E. Snow, daughter of Orla and Marilla Snow, natives of Macon County, Mo. Mrs. Miles has been her husband's loyal helpmate throughout his career and no small measure of his success is due to her co-operation and assistance.
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Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Miles, as follows: Marilla, married A. W. Elliot, a druggist of Jacksonville, and Beulah, married M. A. Carter of Jacksonville. They also raised a boy, Hershel Snow, since he was six days old, his mother having died. He is now 18 years old and graduated from the Moberly High School in the class of 1920.
Mr. Miles is a member of the Masonic Lodge and the Christian Church. He is a Democrat.
Carson L. Adams, a well-known employe of the Wabash railroad, is a native of Randolph County, Mo., and descendant of one of the pioneer families of the state. He was born in Sugar Creek township, Jan. 13, 1884, a son of John A. and Polly (Miller) Adams.
John A. Adams is a native of Missouri, born Feb. 12, 1850, and now lives in Moberly, retired. His father died when he was 18 years old and Mr. Adams assumed the burdens of the family and the manage- ment of the farm, where he engaged in agriculture until he ceased ac- tive business life in 1914. Polly Miller Adams was born in Pennsylvania, Jan. 24, 1860. Her father, Jacob Miller, came to Missouri in an early day and entered 160 acres of land. He served in the Union army during the Civil War and was engaged in farming until his death. John A. and Polly Miller were married in Huntsville and lived on the farm until 1914, when they moved to Moberly. There were four children in the Adams family: Carson L., of this review; Ratia, of Moberly; Eula, the wife of Willard Terrill, of Sugar Creek township, and Joseph, of Bath, Me.
Carson L. Adams was reared on the home farm and attended the district school and then farmed with his father until he was 18 years old. He then worked by the month until 1906, when he enlisted in the United States navy at Minneapolis, Minn. He was with the Atlantic fleet and made the famous cruise around the world during Roosevelt's administra- tion in 1907-1908. Mr. Adams served out his enlistment of four years, receiving his honorable discharge at Philadelphia, Pa., in 1910. He then returned to Moberly and entered the employ of the Wabash railroad and has since been employed in that capacity.
Jan. 14, 1911, Mr. Adams was married to Miss Claire Lee Palmer at Huntsville, a native of Clifton City, the daughter of Malcolm and Rena Palmer, the former a native of Canada, and the latter of Missouri.
Mr. Adams is a member of the Order of Railway Trainmen, No. 57, and belongs to the Independent order of Odd Fellows and is a Democrat.
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Charles L. Larson, a locomotive engineer on the Wabash system, with a run out of Moberly, Mo., was born on a farm in Sweden, April 7, 1871. He is a son of John and Augusta (Isaacson) Larson, natives of Sweden, the former born in 1834 and the latter in 1832. They were mar- ried in their native country, and in 1880 the Larson family immigrated to the United States and settled on a farm in Ottumwa County, Iowa, where John Larson engaged in general farming and stock raising. He and his wife both died there. Seven children were born to them as follows: Minnie, deceased; Emma, the wife of James Smith, of Ottum- wa, Iowa; Hilda, deceased; Charles L., of this review; Eamel, of Kansas City, Mo .; Philip, also of Kansas City, and Oscar, deceased.
Charles L. Larson was reared on the farm in Iowa and attended the public schools. After his schooling was finished he helped his father on the farm until he was 19 years old before starting out for himself as a clerk in a store in Ottumwa. Shortly afterwards he went to work in the roundhouse of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad at Ottum- wa and later became fireman. After serving in that capacity for a time he entered the employ of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad with a run out of Ottumwa. He remained with that company a short time when he came to Moberly, Mo., as fireman for the Wabash system. Mr. Larson made his first trip out of Moberly Dec. 18, 1894, and was promoted to engineer in 1900, and was promoted to passenger engineer in 1910, a position which he still holds.
April 26, 1899, Mr. Larson was married to Miss Ada Hoagland at Ottumwa, and three children have been born to this union: Arthur. Charles and Marion, all at home.
Mr. Larson is a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and is a Mason, belonging to the Blue Lodge, Chapter, Commandery and is a Shriner, being a member of the Kansas City Shrine. He is a Demo- crat and with his wife belongs to the Presbyterian church. Mrs. Larson is a member of the Eastern Star and the Auxiliary of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and of the White Shrine.
William F. Maslen, a machinist employed at the Wabash railway shops in Moberly, Mo., is a native son of Randolph County, born in Moberly, Dec. 28, 1876. He is the son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Meyer) Maslen. Samuel Maslen was born in England, and came to the United States with his parents. He was raised in the state of New York and near the close of the Civil War enlisted in the Union army at Washington,
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D. C. He served until peace was established. Later he came to St. Charles, Mo., when he was employed in the railroad shops, coming to Moberly when the shops were moved to this place. Mr. Maslen was a machinist and employed as such by the Wabash railroad until his death in 1903.
Elizabeth (Meyer) Maslen was born in St. Charles, Mo., in 1848, was married there, later coming to Moberly, where she still resides. There were six children born to this union: Edward, deceased; Frederick of Moberly; Benjamin, deceased; William, of this review; Samuel, de- ceased, and Mrs. E. B. Horan, of Moberly.
William Maslen was reared in Moberly, attended the public schools and Loretta Academy, where he gained a good practical education. While still in school, he began to sell newspapers for the Monitor and continued to work for that publication at various work until he was 17 years old. He then entered the foundry of the railroad shops, where he worked a short time. Later he learned the machinist trade and has been em- ployed in that capacity since.
November 5, 1910, Mr. Maslen was married to Miss Annie Prather, , the daughter of William A. and Mary (Hammond) Prather, of Moberly. One child has been born to this union, Robert E., born July 9, 1917.
Mr. Maslen belongs to the Machinist Union, is a Democrat and a member of the Catholic church. Mrs. Maslen is a member of the Lady Maccabees, the Auxiliary of the Machinist Union and is a member of the Catholic church.
William Paul Christian, a conductor of the Wabash railroad, of Mo- berly, has been an employee of this company over 20 years. He was born at Renick, Randolph County, Mo., Jan. 20, 1879, the son of Dr. R. T. and Katharine (O'Keefe) Christian.
Dr. R. T. Christian was born in Randolph County in 1826, received his elementary education in the public schools and then entered the St. Louis Medical College, where he graduated. Dr. Christian served in the medical corps of the Rebel army during the Civil War and after peace was declared he returned to Renick, where he established himself in the practice of his profession. He also became interested in farming and stock raising and was a well-known breeder of race horses, having been the owner of the celebrated horse "Benjamin," which won many races in Missouri and was well known to the people of this section.
Doctor Christian became well-to-do and at the time of his death, June 16, 1898, he owned 500 acres of land near Renick. He was buried
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at St. Mary's Cemetery, Moberly. Mo. He was a well and favorably known physician of this county, having practiced here successfully tor 30 years. He was a man who worked for the benefit of his community, and was an advocate of better schools and served on the school board of Renick for many years. His wife was born in Susquehanna County, Pa., Nov. 1, 1846, and was married in Moberly in 1868. She died Aug. 3, 1900, and was buried beside her husband. They were the parents of nine children, as follows : Napoleon J., of Moberly; Arthur T., of Renick ; Robert E., of St. Louis; Ida, deceased; William P., of this review; John C., of St. Louis; Joseph Earl, of Oklahoma City; Ernest, deceased, and Dr. Lco G., of Houghton, Mich.
William Paul Christian was reared in Renick, and attended the pub- lic school, and in early life he began farming some of his father's land, and was thus engaged until his 19th year. In 1897, he came to Moberly and entered the employ of his uncles, The O'Keefe Brothers, wholesale and retail grocers. For a year he worked in the stock room of this con- cein and then became a traveling salesman. Two years later Mr. Chris- tian entered the employ of the Wabash railroad as brakeman, entering the service of this company on Nov. 11, 1899, and on Nov. 13, 1903, he was promoted to conductor, and was promoted passenger conductor June 14, 1916, which position he still retains.
Oct. 6, 1904, Mr. Christian was married to Miss Agnes L. O'Connell, of Moberly, the daughter of Benjamin and Mary (Hurley) O'Connell, both natives of Ireland who now live in Moberly. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Christian: Agnes Marie, who is attending St. Mary's Academy.
Mr. Christian is a member of the Order of Railway Conductors, and is a Democrat and belongs to the Catholic church. Mrs. Christian is a member of the Maccabees, and the Catholic church.
Mercer B. Cowan, a veteran railroad man of Moberly, Mo., has been a conductor on the Wabash system for more than 30 years. He was born in Menard County, Ill., Sept. 23, 1853, the son of Thomas and Anna (Wells) Cowan. Thomas Cowan was born in Scotland, in 1812, and came to the United States with his three brothers, John, William and James, all of whom are now deceased.
Thomas Cowan first settled in New York, and from there moved to Kentucky and later to Jacksonville, Ill. From there he went to Alton, where he entered the law school and after gradutaing in law he located
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at Rock Island, Ill., where he worked as a blacksmith for a time and then opened a law office in Petersburg, Ill., where he practiced law for many years. He died in Mason City, in 1874, and was buried at Rose Hill Cemetery. near Petersburg. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Mr. Cowan enlisted in the Union army and served until peace was declared. His wife was a native of Alton, Ill., born in 1820, was married at Upper Alton, in 1842, and died in 1862, being buried at Rose Hill. They were the parents of the following children: Henry, Emma, Edward and Ellen, deceased; Mercer B., of this review, and Charles and Laura, deceased.
Mercer B. Cowan was educated in the public schools of Mason City, Ill., and when a boy was a bootblack in Chicago. Later he began as a news agent on a train and when 17 years old secured a position as brake- man on the Chicago & Alton railroad. In 1871 he went to Houston, Texas, as a brakeman on the Houston & Texas Central railroad, and promoted to conductor of a work train in 1872, and later to conductor of a local freight. In 1873 he was promoted to passenger conductor, where he worked until 1874, when he came to Moberly. Here he held a position as conductor on the St. Louis, Kansas City and Northern rail- road, until 1878, when he went to Omaha as conductor on the Union Pacific railroad. Returning to Moberly in 1889, he entered the service of the Wabash railroad as conductor of a freight train, and was pro- moted to a passenger run in 1896, a position which he has since held.
Jan. 9, 1876, Mr. Cowan was married to Miss Katharine Murphy, of Moberly, the daughter of Michael and Mary (Dehenna) Murphy, the father a native of Ireland, the mother of Pennsylvania. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Cowan: Ida, the wife of Charles F. Kaadt, of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Mary E., at home.
Mr. Cowan is a member of the Order of Railway Conductors, and is a Mason and a Shriner. He is independent politically. Mrs. Cowan is a member of the Auxiliary of Order of Railway Conductors and the Catholic church.
Winfred E. Day, a well known and successful farmer and stock breeder of Jackson township, is a native of Randolph County. He was born in Cairo township, April 16, 1875, and is the son of D. G. and Matilda (Dameron) Day.
D. G. Day was born in Cairo township in January, 1850, where he was successfully engaged in farming and stock raising. He is now re- tired from farming and resides at Cairo, where he is vice-president of
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the Bank of Cairo. Matilda (Dameron) Day was also born in Cairo township in 1857. D. G. and Matilda (Dameron) Day are the parents of the following children: Winfred E., the subject of this sketch; Hor- tense, married George V. Ridings, of Moberly; Arthur, deceased, and one child died in infancy.
Winfred E. Day was educated in the district school and the State Normal School at Kirksville, Mo. He remained at home until he was 20 years old, when he began his independent career. He purchased his present farm in Jackson township in 1908. His place consists of 300 acres of valuable and well improved land. He has placed many substan- tial improvements on the farm since he bought it, including two silos one with a capacity of 120 tons and the other 150 tons. He has built two large cattle barns, 60x60 feet and 48x96 feet. His stock and feed barn is a large building, 48x60 feet. This place is well provided with good water, which is piped to various points of convenience about the place. Mr. Day has been very successful in raising sheep, and at this writing he has on hands 115 ewes, 150 lambs. In 1919, he shipped 500 head of sheep to market. He is also a successful hog raiser and favors for general purposes the Duroc Jersey hogs. His place is well adapted to both general farming and stock raising and 60 acres of it is rich bottom land.
Mr. Day was married Dec. 7, 1918, to Miss Orian Mason, daughter of John and Theresa (Terry) Mason, both natives of Missouri. Mrs. Day is one of a family of five children born to her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Day have no children. Mrs. Day is a member of the Baptist church, and Mr. Day belongs to the Christian church.
Mr. Day is progressive and takes an active part in local affairs. He is president of the Jacksonville Grange and takes an active part in the promotion and betterment of general farm conditions.
John N. Dumont, a well-known contractor and brick and stone mason of Moberly, Mo., was born at Ottawa, Kan., Aug. 28, 1884. He is a son of Nicholas and Margaret (Kipper) Dumont. Nicholas Dumont was born in Luxemberg, France, in 1857, and reared and educated in his native land. In 1877, he came to the United States. He settled at Otta- wa, Kan., where he worked at his trade of stone-cutter at which he was very expert, and did specially fine work. In 1889 the family moved to Kansas City and four years later came to Moberly, where they have since lived. Mr. Dumont died in St. Louis in 1907 and was buried in St. Mary's Cemetery at Moberly. Mrs. Dumont is a native of New York City,
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born in 1861, and was married at Scipio, Kan., in 1882. She now lives in Moberly. There were six children in the family: Daniel, deceased; John N., of this review; Margaret, the wife of Eugene Ettling, of Fergu- son, Mo .; William, of Moberly; Elizabeth, deceased, and Annie, who lives with her mother.
John N. Dumont was educated at St. Marys school and the South Park public school and after that took a correspondence course in archi- tecture with the Scranton school, Scranton, Pa. When only 16 years old Mr. Dumont went to work under his father and learned the brick and stone cutting trade, at which he became very expert. After five years this association was discontinued on account of his father's health, and Mr. Dumont started to manufacture cement blocks and carry on a con- tracting business in partnership with F. M. Lambert. Two years later Mr. Dumont bought the interest of Mr. Lambert and engaged in con- tracting, independently. This business continued until 1917, when he entered the employ of Mr. Lambert and later that of E. H. Cooper, and at the present time is laying brick for Daily & Glisspe, contractors.
Feb. 26, 1908, Mr. Dumont was married to Miss Hanna Stratman, of Moberly, the daughter of Henry and Emma (Schneider) Stratman. One child has been born to this union, John W., who is at home with his parents.
Mr. Dumont is a member of the Brick Layers' Union, the Catholic church and is a Republican. He is one of the reliable and skilled men of his line in Moberly, where he has won a reputation for ability. He helped built the County Infirmary at Huntsville.
James E. Harbaugh, a well-known foreman in the Wabash railroad shops at Moberly, is a native of Indiana. He was born at Lapel, Ind., Aug. 5, 1877, and is a son of E. M. and Lucetta (Taylor) Harbaugh. E. M. Harbaugh is a son of Jerome Harbaugh, who crossed the plains, in 1849, from Baltimore, to the Pacific coast with ox teams.
E. M. Harbaugh was born in Baltimore, Md., in 1846, and was reared in that city and remained there until 1862, when he went to Mattoon, Ill., and enlisted in Company E, 38th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, for three years or during the war, and served in the Union army until the close of the war. After the war he located at Sullivan, Ill., where he remained until 1875, when he removed to Lapel, Ind., where he resided until 1884, when he moved to Edinburg, Ill., and in 1895 he located in Springfield, Ill., and lived there until 1918, whne he came to Moberly, where he now resides. E. M. Harbaugh was married in 1872 to Lucetta
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Hawkins, nee Taylor, at Sullivan, Ill. She was born in Virginia in 1843 and died at Springfield, Ill., in 1908.
To E. M. Harbaugh and Lucetta (Taylor) Harbaugh were born three `children, as follows: Della, the wife of William Ogden, of Moberly, Mo .; James E., of this review, and one child died in infancy.
James Harbaugh was reared in the vicinity of Springfield, Mo., at- tended the public schools and then entered the employ of the Wabash railroad shops at Springfield. He was assigned to work in the steam pipe fitting department, where he worked five years and learned the trade of pipe fitter. At the expiration of this period, Mr. Harbaugh was trans- ferred to the shops in Moberly, and located here in 1908. He was pro- moted to foreman of his department, a position which he still holds, being one of the efficient and reliable men well able to assume respon- sibility.
March 23, 1901, Mr. Harbaugh was married to Miss Clara Cunning- ham, at Springfield, Ill. She is a daughter of William and Margaret (Geen) Cunningham, the former a native of Rushville, Ill., born in 1859, and now lives at Mt. Sterling, Ill. Mrs. Cunningham was born in Rush- ville, in 1861, was reared and later married there and now lives in Mt. Sterling. Mrs. Harbaugh was the third in a family of six children born to her parents. To Mr. and Mrs. Harbaugh has been born two children : Edward and Leon C. Leon C. died in infancy.
Mr. Harbaugh is a Mason of high standing, being a member of the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery and of the Shrine in Kansas City. He also is a member of the Eastern Star. With his wife he belongs to the Christian church and is a Republican. Mrs. Harbaugh is a member of the Eastern Star, belongs to the Maccabees, Court of Honor, the King's Daughters and Central Christian church.
Mr. Harbaugh's grandfather, Jerome Harbaugh, crossed the plains in '49 from Baltimore to the Pacific coast, making the trip overland in a wagon drawn by oxen.
John J. Murnin, one of the reliable locomotive engineers of the Wa- bash railroad and a substantial citizen of Moberly, who has resided here for 40 years, was born in Bloomington, Ill., Feb. 5, 1862. He is a son son of Hugh and Margaret (Collins) Murnin.
Hugh Murnin was a native of the western part of Ireland, and in 1851, came to the United States. He located at Bloomington, Ill., where he worked for the Chicago & Alton railroad, and became an engineer
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on that road. He held a run out of Bloomington for some years and in 1861 came to St. Charles, Mo., and worked in Missouri on the railroad during the Civil War. He was one of the first engineers in this section of the country. From St. Charles he returned to Bloomington as engi- neer until he engaged in business independently in 1885 as a construct- ing machinist and followed that business until his death in 1906. He was buried in St. Marys Cemetery, Bloomington, Ill. Margaret (Collins) Murnin was born in Queens County, Ireland, in 1836, and came to America when a young woman and located in Bloomington, Ill., where she was married to Mr. Murnin in 1857. She died in 1904 and was buried in St. Marys Cemetery, Bloomington, Ill. They were the parents of eight chil- dren: William, deceased; Lizzie, the wife of Calvin McFadan, of New Mexico; John J., of this review; Mary, the wife of Mike Smith, of Buffalo, N. Y .; Hugh, of Omaha, Neb .; Annie and Maggie, deceased, and one child died in infancy.
John J. Murnin was reared in Bloomington, Ill., and attended the public schools there until he was 16 years old. He then began work as a fireman on a switch engine in the Bloomington railroad yards. He fired three years and in 1882 came to Moberly as fireman on the Wabash rail- road. In 1889 he was promoted to engineer and worked in that capacity until 1894, when he resigned and opened a restaurant in Moberly. where the Meyer Cafe is now located. Later he sold his business and again entered the employ of the Wabash railroad as engineer of a switch engine in the local yards, where he has been employed to the present time.
July 7, 1886, Mr. Murnin was married to Miss Sadie Burke, of Mo- berly. She is the daughter of Michael and Margaret (Cullinan) Burke, both natives of Ireland. To Mr. and Mrs. Murnin have been born two sons: Hugh, at home; John A., of Columbus, Ohio. John A. was drafted when the United States entered the World War, and was assigned to work in the government ship yards of Philadelphia, Pa., where he served until the signing of the armistice. He belongs to the Knights of Colum- bus and Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and his brother, Hugh, is a member of the Knights of Father Matthew.
Mr. Murnin is a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineers, the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic church and is a Democrat.
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Price Packwood, deputy superintendent for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company with headquarters in the Moberly Bank Building at Moberly, Mo., is a native of Randolph County. He was born on a farm near Roanoke, Feb. 16, 1877, and is a son of Gabriel and Serena (Davis) Packwood.
Gabriel Packwood was born in Terre Haute, Ind., in 1837, and was reared to manhood and educated in native state. When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in the Union army and served throughout that conflict. When he came west he settled near Renick, Mo., where he was engaged in farming and stock raising until 1892, when he removed to Moberly with his family and for a number of years was field agent for the Ambrose Nursery Company and his territory included the state of Missouri. He died at Salisbury, Mo .. in 1916, and is buried at Prairie Valley. Serena (Davis) Packwood was born in Pennsylvania in 1845. She died in Moberly in 1909 and is also buried in Prairie Valley Cemetery.
Price Packwood was the fifth of a family of ten children born to his parents. He attended the district school, near Clark and after the family came to Moberly, he attended the public schools here and took a course in the Weber Business College of Moberly in 1904. His first work was with the O'Keefe Brothers, who conducted a grocery store, and he was in their employ for five years. He then engaged in the bakery business to which he devoted his attention from 1898 until 1901. He was then in the employ of the Peoples Laundry Company until 1909, when he purchased the Forney furniture stock and was engaged in the furniture business for two years. In 1911, he disposed of his furniture business and accepted his present position and for the past nine years he has made a record as one of the best insurance men in central Missouri. All of the local agencies of this district is under his supervision and he has charge of an extensive business.
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