USA > Missouri > Ray County > History of Ray county, Mo. > Part 81
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722
HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
WILLIAM J. SMITH.
This gentleman was born in Carroll county, Missouri, on the 10th day of September, 1829. His grandfather, on the maternal side, Mr. Barnes was a native of Germany, who settled, at an early day, in Boonslick, Vir- ginia, and lived there during the war of American independence. Mr. Barnes was the brother-in-law of Daniel Boone, the great Kentucky pio- neer. The father of the subject of this sketch, George Smith, was a farmer of Carroll county, Missouri. He was accidentally drowned while on a bee hunt in Livingston county. William J. Smith was educated in the schools of his native county, and at the age of twenty-one years com- menced teaming in the town of Dewitt, and followed that business for ten years. In September, 1850, he was married to Miss Minerva Smith, daughter of Mr. Moses Smith, of Carroll county. Though this lady had the same name, she was not connected by blood relationship to Mr. Smith .. He removed to Tarrant county, Texas, in the autumn of 1853, and farmed there for about four years, and then came back to Dewitt. Soon after his return, in 1858, his wife died, and he was married again to Mrs. N. A. Adkins, a widow. Mr. Smith is the father of four children, whose mother was his first wife. Three of them are living and married. Six months after his second marriage, Mr. Smith removed to Ray county, and bought the farm upon which he lives. It now includes two hundred and twenty-seven acres of rich and productive land. Mr. Smith's favorite occupation is dealing in live stock, but his health has been so poor of late, as to prevent his engaging in that business. He is a successful farmer and a sharp, shrewd and experienced trader. He is also a good neighbor and a valuable citizen.
JOSEPH B. PERRY.
Was born in Shelby county, Indiana, on the 12th day of January, 1842. His parents removed to Edgar county, Illinois, when he was but four years old, and there he received his education and lived until the commencement of the civil war. He enlisted August 24, 1861, in company H, 29th Illinois infantry, and was engaged in the battles of Fort Donel- son, Shiloh and Holly Springs. At the last named battle he was taken prisoner and paroled on the field. He was again captured by the enemy at Woodville, Mississippi, and confined in prison, first at Meridian, Missis- sippi, and then again at Mobile, Alabama. After spending six months in the military prisons at the above mentioned places, he made his escape, and again joining his command, was sent to Texas, and remained there until he was discharged about the 1st of December, 1865. He at once returned to Edgar county, Illinois, and remained there until January, 1867, and then went back to his native state of Indiana, and lived there until the
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
year 1869. In the month of August, 1869, he came to Missouri, and located in Ray county, upon the farm where he now resides, section twelve, township fifty-four, range twenty-six. This place consists of two hundred and sixty acres of excellent farming land, well stocked and improved, a neat, comfortable dwelling, and a thrifty young orchard. Mr. Perry was married on the 27th of December, 1867, to Miss Sarah E. Tindall, a native of Shelby county, Indiana. They have five children, named as follows, viz .: Oren E., Eunice E., Ida May, Everett E., and Joseph B. Both Mr. and Mrs. Perry are consistent members of the M. E. Church.
MIFFLIN B. WEEKS.
Was born in the state of North Carolina in the year 1821. His father having died while our subject was in infancy, he was taken to be raised by an uncle. When he was ten years old his uncle removed with him to the state of Illinois, and a year later to Patrick county, Virginia. Here our subject lived until he was grown. Being an orphan, he was com- pelled at an early age to work for his own subsistance, and, in conse- quence, his advantages for obtaining an education were very meager. In 1843 he removed to Floyd county, and, after spending two years there, to Mercer county, where he made his home for thirteen years. Mr. Weeks was married on the 15th day of May, 1840, to Miss Eurah, a native of the state of Virginia, born and raised in the region of the Blue Ridge mountains. They are the parents of seven children living and one dead. The names of those living are: Martha E., John H., Nancy C., Louisa J., Benjamin G., Charles M., and Joseph A. The name of the child they lost by death was William J. Mr. Weeks came to Missouri in 1859, landing at Lexington, March 7, and located in Ray county, where he has since lived constantly, except during five years spent in Caldwell county, Missouri. He located on his present farm, section 2, township 54, range 26, in June, 1880. Mrs. Weeks is a member of the Christian Church, and was formerly a member of the regular Baptist Church for the space of thirty-five years. Mr. Weeks is an industrious, thrifty farmer, and a valuable aid to the development of the material wealth of his adopted county.
ยท Jacob A. Weeks, youngest son of Mifflin B. Weeks, was born in Ray county, Missouri, October 15, 1864. He is a very industrious and exem- plary young man, and well thought of by all who know him. He is at present living on the farm with his parents.
724
HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
JOHN C. SHRUM.
This gentleman was born in Caldwell county, Missouri, on the 6th day of April, 1846, and received his education and grew up there. In the spring of 1872, he bought a new prairie farm, in sight of his birth place, just across the county line, in Ray. This place he fenced and improved by building a comfortable house. He has, in all, two hundred acres of excellent farming land, all under fence, except twenty acres of woodland. Eighty acres of this place are in Ray, the remainder in Caldwell county, Its products are corn, oats, and grass. Mr. Shrum is engaged, quite exten- sively, in raising cattle. He has been a life-long farmer and stock-raiser. The father of our subject, Mr. John L. Shrum, came to this county, at a very early day, from North Carolina. He subsequently spent about four years in Illinois, and on his return from that state to Missouri, brought with him a reaping machine, said to have been the first introduced in Ray county. During the late civil war, Mr. Shrum was enrolled in the state militia, but was not in active service at any time. He was married, on the 18th day of August, 1867, to Miss Caroline McBee, a native of Ray county, and daughter of James and Elizabeth McBee. They are the parents of six children, five of whom are now living: Carrie E., John L., Ida May, Samuel L., Dennis N. (now dead), and Mary C. Mrs. Shrum is a worthy member of the M. E. Church. Mr. Shrum is an enterprising, successful farmer, and a good citizen.
COL. CHARLES B. KAVANAUGH.
This distinguished soldier and farmer was born at Booneville, in Cooper county, Missouri, in the year 1822, and has always lived in the counties of Cooper, Lafayette, Carroll and Ray, respectively. He was reared to farming, and has nearly all his life pursued that avocation or the kindred one of raising and dealing in cattle and other live stock. As a notable exception to this course of life may be mentioned the fact of his having been a merchant at Lexington, Missouri, from the year 1851 until the commencement of the civil war, the space of about ten years. On the 14th of December, 1861, Mr. Kavanaugh left Lexington, Missouri, with a full company of recruits, for the southern army. In camp, midway between Osceola and Springfield, the company was organized, and Mr. Kavanaugh elected captain. Soon after they joined General Sterling Price's command, and went into winter quarters. After the battle of Pea Ridge, the regiment to which Captain Kavanaugh's company belonged was reorganized, and he received the appointment to command it with the commission of colonel in the C. S. A. His competitor for this posi- tion was Jo. O. Shelby, afterwards general. Colonel Kavanaugh's reg- iment was ordered, under command of Brigadier General Green, to Mem-
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
phis, and on the march participated with General Beauregards's com- mand in the battle of Corinth, Mississippi. He was, subsequently, engaged in the battles of Little Rock, Dardanelle, and assisted in the capture of a Federal gunboat on White river. Colonel Kavanaugh served with much distinction and great bravery throughout the war. He was greatly beloved and honored by the soldiers of his command. His regiment was often under fire in the thickest part of the fight, and Colonel Kavanaugh repeatedly had his horse killed from under him while charging the ene- my's guns at the head of his command. During the last year of the war he suffered much from sickness, and, although all communication with his home had long been cut off, his wife finally heard of his illness, and, after making her way through the Union lines, and being detained about three weeks at Little Rock, joined her husband, and remained with him during the continuance of the war. To Mrs. Kavanaugh's tender, careful nurs- ing during his illness, her husband, in all probability, owes the preserva- tion of his life. At the close of the war, Colonel Kavanaugh was dis- charged from the army at Austin, Texas, and the winter following returned home to Missouri. Everything, in the way of property, he had possessed, was lost by the war. In his devotion to the cause he thought just, all had been sacrificed. A friend kindly furnished him with the nec- essary means, and the colonel began dealing in Texas cattle, and soon recuperated his financial condition. In 1866, he moved to Carroll county, Missouri, and engaged in farming there for about five years, and in 1871, came to Ray county and commenced improving his present place, on the prairie, in section nineteen, township fifty-four, range twenty-six. This is a fine farm of five hundred and sixty acres of excellent farming land, well improved, with good buildings, and inclosed by stone, plank and rail fences. Upon the farm are two thrifty young orchards of apple, peach and other fruit trees. Colonel Kavanaugh continues to pay special atten- tion to the raising and feeding of cattle. He is a leading member of the Christian Church, and of the Wakanda Grange, P. of H. Colonel Kav- anaugh was also a soldier in the war with Mexico. He served during the entire war, and was sergeant in company B, Colonel A. W. Doniphan's regiment, 1st Missouri cavalry. The principal battles in which he was engaged were Brazito and Sacramento, though he participated in several minor engagements. Colonel Kavanaugh has been twice married. First in 1850, to Miss Eliza James. The issue of this union was one daughter, Fanny C., now the wife of P. M. Grove, and living at Los Angelos, Cal- ifornia. Mrs. Kavanaugh died in 1852, and the colonel was subsequently married to Miss Mary A. Rea, daughter of Judge Edmond Rea. She is a native of Virginia, but came to Missouri when a child. They became the parents of nine children, named as follows, viz: Edmond R., Charles A., Archie W., Lee Davis, Mary P., Genevieve S., Katie Dixie, Joseph
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
Baxter and Robert C. Colonel Kavanaugh is one of the best, most prom- inent and influential citizens of Ray county.
JACOB HUSKISSON.
Jacob Huskisson was born in east Tennessee on the Sth day of Jan- uary, 1839, and lived there until he was fourteen years of age. His father was a blacksmith, and he taught that trade to his son. In 1853 our subject went to Bradley county, and was engaged there working at his trade, until he was seventeen years of age, and then went to Ala- bama, and followed farming until 1861. He then returned to east Ten- nessee, and farmed in his native state for about two years longer. In the year 1863, he enlisted in company B, Eighth regiment, Tennesse cavalry Union volunteers, and was engaged in the fight at Knoxville, Tennessee, and in other battles. He was discharged at the close of the war, at Knoxville. He at once returned to his home, and resumed work at his trade, and continued it there until 1869, when he came to Richmond, Ray county, Missouri. Here he engaged in farming, for about four years, and then, after going to Carroll county, and remaining there one year, he moved to Girard, Illinois, and worked at his trade there for two years. Returning to Carroll county, Missouri, he followed blacksmithing there for about two years, and then in the month of August, 1880, came again to Ray county, and settling at Tinney's grove, opened a blacksmith shop and has continued there working at his trade till the present time, April, 1881. Mr. Huskisson was married in the year 1868, to Miss Rhoda Wilson, a native of Tennessee. They have six children, named, respect- ively: Emmett, Jacob, Elizabeth, John, William and George. Mr. and Mrs. Huskisson are both members of the Missionary Baptist Church.
WILLIAM RUSSELL.
The subject of this sketch is a native of Washington county, Virginia. He was born on the 1st day of March, 1813. Left his native county in childhood, on the removal of his parents to Marion county, Tennessee, and lived there until he attained his majority. He was reared on a farm, and received fair educational advantages. In the autumn of 1838 he came to Ray county, Missouri, and located near Millville. Here he was occupied in farming until 1858, when he removed to Knoxville, and engaged for a number of years in mercantile business there. In the spring of 1868 he removed to Russellville, and has since resided in that place, where he has a residence, store building, and several other lots. Mr. Russell has held various offices of trust in Ray county. He was first elected, in 1846, to the office of constable, and served in that capacity, for six years. He was elected justice of the peace in 1852, and has held the office, almost uninterruptedly for nearly thirty years, and in all his admin-
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
istration has had but two appeals taken from his judgement, and they were affirmed by the higher courts. He has, also, held the office of notary public for the space of seven years, and still has a year or more of his present term to serve. He is a member of the Knoxville Lodge of A. F. & A. M., and has several times been elected by his brethren to offices in the lodge. Mr. Russell was married on the 20th day of Octo- ber, 1832, to Miss Tansom Burgess, a native of Virginia. They are the parents of eight children: Cynthia A., Elijah B., Sarah E., George W., Matilda T., Missouri C., Mary E., and Emeline C. The last named is dead. Both Mr. and Mrs. Russell, and all the children, but one, are members of the M. E. Church South. Mr. Russell and his estimable lady have been members of that church for more than half a century. Our subject has been all his life very strictly temperate, and moral. The offices he has held for such great length of time bear testimony to the high esteem in which he is held by his fellow men.
W. B. CARPENTER, M. D.
This gentleman was born in Madison county, Virginia, on the 13th day of September, 1827. He received a classical education, and began the study of medicine at the age of nineteen years. He completed the course, graduating from the Medical University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, in the year 1849, and the following spring commenced the practice of his profession in the Shenandoah Valley, of Virginia, and continued it there, until 1856. He came to Missouri on the 29th day of April, 1856, and located in Lafayette county, where he lived about two years, and then, going to Carroll county, practiced medicine there, for some five years. In February, 1865, he came to Russellville, Ray county, where he located permanently, and has ever since practiced his profession there. He has a fine residence, good barn, orchard, etc., and is very well situated to live comfortably and happily. Dr. Carpenter was married in the year 1852, to Miss Martha C. Winsborough, a native of Virginia, and daughter of William and Julia Winsborough. Six children have been born of this union, named as follows: Emma V., Thomas W., Alice G., Minnie Lee, Joseph and Archie. Dr. Carpenter was a member of the I. O. O. F. in Virginia, and is now a member of the Millville Lodge, of the order of A. F. & A. M. Mrs. Carpenter is a member of the Christian Church. Dr. Carpenter is a successful, able and popular physician, and a highly respected and valuable citizen.
F. M. FERREE.
F. M. Ferree was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1821, and lived in that vicinity until he was nineteen years old. His parents died when he was very young, and he was thrown upon his own
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
resources, in the world alone. At the age of thirteen years he began to learn the carpenter's and joiner's trade, and, after finishing his apprentice- ship, followed that avocation for about twenty-one years, and during the last fifteen years of that time, carried on the business quite extensively. In 1843 he went to Wayne county, Ohio, and spent about a year; then to Tippecanoe county Indiana, where he lived about the same length of time. From Indiana he removed to Monroe county, Michigan, and lived there for the space of twenty years. In the spring of 1865, he moved from Michigan to Seneca county, Ohio, and lived there until 1867, when he came to Ray county, Missouri, and located at Morton. After remain- ing at Morton for four years, he removed to Russellville, and lived there during the same period of time as at Morton. In the month of Decem- ber, 1874, he moved to his present location, section 16, township 53, range 26, where he has about eighty acres of fine farming land, nearly all in cul- tivation and unusually well fenced. This farm is abundantly watered, hav- ing seven good wells, besides running streams all the year. Mr. Ferree has a comfortable house, a very convenient and large barn, an orchard of choice fruit trees, and a vineyard. He owns, beside this home place, 190 acres of land, of which 160 acres are in cultivation. Mr. Ferree takes great interest in bees, and has a large, handsome apiary, well filled with hives. He is thoroughly acquainted with the business of handling bees, having been engaged at it for thirty years. Some of his hives yield more than one hundred pounds of honey in one season. He learned the wagon making and blacksmithing trade, in 1859, and conducted a business of that kind until two years ago. Mr. Ferree was married in the year 1848, to Miss Deborah A. Watkins, a native of the state of New York. They became the parents of nine children, seven of whom are now living: Boyd W., Mary A., James E., Hall, Milton T., Guy and Anna; one son, and an infant daughter are dead. Mr. Ferree is a worthy member of Myrtle Lodge, of A. F. & A. M., at Millville. He is a successful, pros- perous farmer, and a good citizen.
BOYD W. FERREE.
Boyd W. Ferree, son of F. M. Ferree, was born in the state of Michi- gan on the 14th day of October, 1850. There he lived until he was four- teen years of age, and then went with his parents to Seneca county, Ohio, where they remained about two years. In the spring of 1867, he came to Ray county, Missouri, and located temporarily, at the town of Morton. Three years afterward he went to Russellville, Ray county, and there engaged in blacksmithing. In January, 1878, he opened a shop on his own account at Russellville, and has since conducted the blacksmithing business in that place. He now owns a comfortable residence with a small orchard, and is doing a good business at his shop. He also has sev-
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
eral other lots besides the one upon which his residence and shop are sit- uated. Mr. Ferree was married in the year 1876, to Miss Nancy W. Belcher, a native of Virginia. Mrs. Ferree is a consistent member of the Christian Church. Mr. Ferree is a skillful workman and commands an extensive patronage.
ABRAHAM POPE.
The subject of this article is a native of Boyle county, Kentucky. He was born in the year 1835. He grew up on a farm, and followed the bus- ines of farming in his native state, until the spring of 1857, when he came to Missouri. He located in Ray county, upon the same farm where he now lives, (section four, township fifty-three, range twenty-six). This place was originally only two hundred and forty acres of land, but by sub- sequent purchases Mr. Pope has extended it until now his possessions embrace four hundred and seventy acres of excellent farming and pasture lands, enclosed by good plank and rail fences, and improved with a fine residence, good barn and orchard. Mr. Pope is engaged quite extensively in raising and feeding cattle and hogs for market. He raises Berk- shire and Poland China hogs exclusively. Mr. Pope was married on the 16th day of December, 1856, to Miss Susan Bright, a native of the state of Kentucky. They have seven children living, named as fol- lows: Armstead H., Lydia A., Elizabeth, Mary F., Effie May and George W. (twins), and Samuel Henry. The father of our subject, Mr. George H. Pope, was also a native of Kentucky. He died in 1846, aged fifty years. His mother, Mrs. Delilah (Bright) Pope, was born in the same state as her husband. She died very recently, at the age of seventy- five years. Both her mother and father were also natives of Kentucky. Mr. Pope is a member of Myrtle Lodge, A. F. & A. M. at Millville. He is a practical, successful farmer and stock-raiser, and a prominent and valuable citizen of Grape Grove township.
JAMES T. CAMPBELL.
James T. Campbell was born in Lafayette county, Missouri, in the year 1844. When he was three years old his parents removed to Kentucky, and lived there some six or seven years. At the expiration of that time they came back to Missouri, and located in Ray county, and here our subject has since resided. He began farming on his own account in the year 1866. In the month of April, 1880, he removed to his present place, section three, township fifty-three, range twenty-six, where he owns eighty acres of improved land, with residence, barn, and other buildings. The farm is all inclosed with either rail, board, or hedge fences. Mr. Camp- bell was married in the year 1864, to Miss Mollie A. Freeman, a native of
46
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY
Missouri. The issue of this union was five children. Their names fol- low: Dora, Alexander I., Stella, Thornton, and Emma. Mr. Campbell enlisted in September, 1862, in company D, 35th Missouri volunteers, Union infantry, and was engaged in the battle of Helena, Arkansas, and a number of smaller engagements. He was discharged in July, 1865. His father, Mr. A. R. Campbell, is a native of Pennsylvania, and his mother, Matilda (Freeman) Campbell, is a native of the state of Kentucky. Both his parents are now living in Ray county, Missouri. Mr. Campbell also owns, in addition to the lands mentioned above, one hundred and fifteen acres of farming, pasture, timber, and coal lands in another locality. He is a leading farmer, and a valuable member of the community in which he resides.
FRANKLIN McBEE.
Was born in Ray county Missouri, in the year 1840, and has lived here ever since. He has been all his life engaged in farming, beginning on his own account to do business in 1861. Five years afterward he settled upon the farm where he now resides, section four, township fifty-three, range twenty-six. Here he owns a valuable farm of one hundred and seventy acres, in a fine state of cultivation and handsomely improved. He is turn- ing his attention to stock-raising, and intends, in the near future, to make it a specialty, as his farm is especially adapted to grass growing. Mr. McBee was married in the year 1862, to Miss Susan F. Gentry, daughter of B. B. and Narcissa Gentry, and born in Ray county, Missouri. Mr. McBee and wife are the parents of seven children, named as follows: Mary Jane, Martha Ellen, Benjamin F., Edward P., Nora F., Everett M., and Jessie E. In the autumn of 1864, to escape troubles growing out of the civil war, Mr. McBee took refuge in Nebraska, and remained there about eighteen months, until the war was over and peace restored, and then returned to his home in Ray county. Mr. McBee, his wife and their eldest daughter, are members of the M. E. Church South. His father, Mr. Daniel McBee, was a native of Ohio. He died in 1846, aged forty-seven years. His mother, Catherine, was born in Ohio. She is still living in Ray county, Missouri. Mr. McBee is a leading, practical and successful farmer and stock-raiser, and is greatly respected by the com- munity in which he resides.
W. S. WOLLARD.
William S. Wollard was born in Ray county, near Richmond, in the year 1847, and has lived all his life in this county. His father, Mr. John Wollard, was a native of North Carolina. He came to Missouri when it was a territory, and settling in Ray county, cleared and improved the land where Richmond is situated. He afterward donated land to aid in
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HISTORY OF RAY COUNTY.
building up the town. John Wollard died in May, 1878, aged seventy- seven years. Our subject began farming and stock-raising on his own account in the spring of 1867, and the next year moved to his present location, section 8, township 53, range 26. He continued living on his farm until 1875, when he commenced a general merchandising bus- iness at Russellville, and followed it until the year 1879. He then returned to his farm, and has lived there ever since. This farm comprises 330 acres of very fertile land, the principal part of which is in cultivation and well fenced and improved. In 1868, Mr. Wollard began with ninety acres of land and a log cabin, and as the result of his enterprise, perseverance, and industry he now has this fine large farm, with a dwelling house ele- gantly appointed and conveniently arranged for comfort and ease, an orchard of some three or four hundred bearing trees of the best varieties of fruit, and his pastures filled with fine-bred stock, and his barns and granaries full of the rich products of his fields. Mr. Wollard was mar- ried in 1868, to Miss Maddie Barham, a native of the state of North Caro- lina. The result of this union was seven children, all of whom are living, named as follows: Nettie Frances, William F., Walter L., Ollie Belle, Robert Jackson, Nannie E., and Henry A. Mr. Wollard is largely engaged in raising, feeding and shipping live-stock. He handles only the best classes of hogs and cattle. He is a member of the M. E. Church South, and also belongs to Wakanda Grange No. 935, P. of H. He is a prominent and very successful farmer, and a leading and influential citizen.
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