USA > Missouri > St Charles County > History of St. Charles, Montgomery, and Warren counties, Missouri, written and comp. from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri > Part 88
USA > Missouri > Montgomery County > History of St. Charles, Montgomery, and Warren counties, Missouri, written and comp. from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri > Part 88
USA > Missouri > Warren County > History of St. Charles, Montgomery, and Warren counties, Missouri, written and comp. from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri > Part 88
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CHARLES W. BATCHELOR
(Farmer, Post-office, Montgomery City).
Mr. Batchelor, though not reared on a farm, has a taste for farm life which induced him to quit business pursuits and engage in agriculture. In 1884 he came to Montgomery county from St. Louis, and bought the place where he now resides, where he went to work farming with as much apparent understanding of the business and as little fear of hard labor as if he had been reared a tiller of the soil. He has a neat place of 136 acres, about 100 of which are fenced and otherwise improved. Mr. Batchelor expects to make a specialty of raising and handling stock, and with his business qualifications, enterprise and industry, he can hardly fail of making it a success. He is a Kentuck- ian by nativity, born at Covington, April 26, 1847. His parents were Joseph Batchelor, originally of Pennsylvania, and Mary, nee Ashbrook, a lady of Kentucky birth. Charles W. learned the printer's trade in youth, and worked at it for some years in Kentucky, where he was reared. In 1869 he was married to Mrs. Lida A. Lawrence, a daugh- ter of William and Jane Faudree, of Ohio. After his marriage he came to St. Louis, where his father had before resided for a time, but not for some years before Charles W. located there. In St. Louis he engaged in mercantile life, and in 1880 began farming in St. Louis county. Two years later he came to Montgomery county, as stated above. Mr. and Mrs. Batchelor have one child, a son, Edwin F. They have lost one, Etta, who was 16 years of age at the time of her death, just approaching young womanhood, and a young girl of rare graces of mind and sweetness of disposition. Her death was a sore bereavement to her parents, one that seemed too hard to bear, for their affections were devotedly centered in her young and beautiful life.
THOMAS W. BRANDT
(Farmer, Fine Stock-raiser and Stock Dealer, Post-office, Montgomery City).
Men from the Eastern and Northern States have done a great deal for Missouri since the war in the various industries, in the different lines of business and generally in nearly every walk of life. The sub- ject of the present sketch, reared in New York and for a number of
834
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
years resident of Wisconsin, a farmer and stockman by occupation, is no exception to the general rule of Northern agriculturists settled in Missouri. Coming to this State and to Montgomery county in 1871, he has become well known in the county as one of its leading fine stockmen and farmers. He has one of the best farms in the county, kept in first-class condition. Meant mainly for a stock farm, every- thing is placed and provided to make the handling of stock the most convenient, and to keep them in the best possible condition, with the least trouble and expense. Mr. Brandt has some of the finest stock to be seen in the county, and believes it far more profit- able to raise the best grades, particularly in the line of horses. He has not less than four fine registered or pedigreed stallions. One a fine Messenger-Golddust, is a noted trotter, and has a record of a mile in 2.321/2. Two of the others are thorough-bred French-Nor- man draft horses, perfect pictures of that noted breed. The other is a fine two-year-old Golddust. He also has eight fine thorough-bred mares, veritable queens of the different breeds which they represent. His homestead contains 640 acres, and, besides this, he has 960 acres elsewhere in the county, making an aggregate of 1,600 acres - one of the largest land-holders in the county. Mr. Brandt was born in Rhode Island, in Providence county, May 28, 1831. His father was Thomas T. Brandt, for a number of years a prominent ship-builder in Rhode Island, and later a successful farmer of New York. Mr. Brandt's mother was a Miss Mary Garrett before her marriage, also originally of Rhode Island. The father is still living, at an advanced age, but well preserved and active. The mother, however, died last spring and in the eighty-fifth year of her age. Mr. Brandt was reared on the farm in New York, near Hornellsville, and in 1855 was married to Miss Elizabeth Stelle, a daughter of Benjamin Stelle, of Pennsyl- vania, now deceased, but formerly of New Jersey. After his mar- riage he continued to reside in New York until 1856, when he removed to Wisconsin. From that State he came to Missouri, as stated above, in 1871. His first wife died in 1875 ; and four of the children she had borne him are living : Nathan W., now of Los Angelos, Cal. ; Solon S., whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume; Howard W., in the file factory at Joliet, Ill., and Thomas R., engaged in the patent-right business. To his present wife Mr. B. was married in 1878. She was a Miss S. L. Cutter, a daughter of Gilbert Cutter, formerly of Pennsylvania. They have two children, John C. and Angie May Brandt.
SOLON S. BRANDT
(Stock-dealer, and Proprietor of Brandt's Livery, Feed and Sale Stables, Montgomery City).
Mr. Brandt, a thorough-going, enterprising business man in the west-central part of the county, is a native of Wisconsin, born at Janesville, April 15, 1858, He was reared at his place of birth, where he attended the local schools up to his thirteenth year,
835
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
when, in 1870, his father and family removed to Missouri, and settled on a farm which his father bought in Montgomery county. Young Brandt grew up on the farm in this county, and in 1878 began stock trading, in partnership with his father, and handling trot- ting stock particularly. He continued this on the farm in connection with farming interests until he came to Montgomery City in the fall of 1882 and engaged in his present business. Here he continued to handle stock, mainly horses and mules, in addition to carrying on his stables. For livery purposes he keeps a full stock and his es- tablishment is popular with the public, having a good patronage both local and transient. Mr. Brandt also handles the Columbus buggies, for which he is sole agent at this point, and for which there is a large demand. He brings on this make of buggies by the car load and keeps a full assortment constantly on hand. March 21, 1881, he was married to Miss Emma Sharp, a daughter of Dr. D. F. Sharp, of this city. They have an interesting little son, James Leonard.
THOMAS H. BRITT
(Farmer, Fine Stock-raiser and Stock-dealer, Post-office, Montgomery City).
Mr. Britt, who has one of the best stock farms in the county, a handsome place of 735 acres, started out in life for himself when a young man practically without a dollar in money and with only a horse, saddle and bridle, besides his wearing apparel, And although he is hardly yet more than a middle-aged man, he has made every dollars' value of property he is worth by his own industry, energy and good management. Mr. Britt is not only one of the leading farmers and progressive stockmen of this part of the county, but one of its highly respected, valued citizens as well. He is doing much for the county in introducing good grades of stock, and is raising fine short-horn cattle, pure-blooded Poland-China and Chester-White hogs. He also feeds and deals in stock to a considerable extent. Mr. Britt was the eldest son of Tandy H. and Martha J. Britt, early settlers of Montgomery county from Virginia. The father had been previ- ously married, and by both unions there were 14 children. He died in 1852. Five of the children are living: Mary Bethel, Sarah Pow- ell, Granville O., Virginia and Thomas H., the subject of this sketch. He was born in this county July 2, 1839, and was reared a farmer. In 1863, then about 24 years of age, he went to California, and was engaged in sheep-raising for some five years. He then returned to Montgomery county and bought the farm where he now resides. In 1869 he was married to Miss Malissa Stewart, a daughter of Osborn and Elizabeth Stewart, of this county, but formerly of Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Britt have four children : Wallace L., Avlett T., Emmet C. and Julia K. Three are deceased, two in infancy and Denard V., who died in his third year. Mrs. B. is a member of the Primitive Baptist Church, and is a lady of marked intelligence and culture. She was educated at the New Florence Academy and Franklin Female College, of St. Louis.
836
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
E. R. BROWN
(Of Devinna & Brown, Dealers in Notions and Variety Goods, Montgomery City) .
Mr. Brown, for two terms collector of Montgomery county and a well-do-do, progressive agriculturist, as well as an enterprising busi- ness man, is a Virginian by nativity, born in Albemarle county September 14, 1833. His parents were Bezaleel and Elizabeth (Price) Brown. His mother was of a branch of the Price family of Virginia from which sprang Gen. Thomas Price, of this State. E. R. was reared in Virginia, and came to Missouri in 1856 and engaged in farm- ing. On the 18th of April, 1880, he was married to Miss Lydia J. Harper, a daughter of Col. C. B. Harper, of this county, referred to in the sketch of Charles D. Harper elsewhere in this volume. Mr. Brown became identified with Col. Harper in business in Montgomery county, and was connected with him for about seven years. In 1861 he enlisted in the Southern service under Gov. Jackson's call for the State Guard. He served out the term of his enlistment - six months. After this he was at home until 1864, when he rejoined the Southern army under Price, and was out until the close of the war, participat- ing in numerous battles during both terms of his service. After the surrender he was in St. Louis until late in the fall of 1865, and then resumed farming in Montgomery county. In 1878 he became the Democratic candidate for county collector, and was successful. He was again elected to the same position, and in all served for four years. Mr. Brown made an efficient and popular collector. He has continued his farming operations all the time, notwithstanding other interests and duties which have required his attention. He has an excellent farm of 260 acres about four miles west of Montgomery City. Mr. Brown came to Montgomery City in 1883 and engaged in his present business during the summer of that year. The firm does business on the cash principle, both buying and selling, and are therefore able to sell their goods at the lowest possible figures consistent with good, safe business management. They have an adopted daughter, Miss Laura J., now a young lady.
PAUL BROWN
(President of Lacy & Brown Tobacco Co.).
The tobacco business has engaged most of Mr. Brown's time and energy from youth. He came to Montgomery City in this line in 1880, as a member of the firm of Lacy & Brown, and they then erected a large factory building and entered actively and extensively upon buying, putting up and shipping tobacco. In 1881, the present stock company was incorporated, F. H. Lacy, P. Brown, L. W. English, and A. C. Hudson being the original incorporators, and Mr. Brown was elected president of the company. Under the new system of management, the business has had a steady and substantial growth, and they now put up from 450,000 to 500,000 pounds of tobacco
837
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
annually. This has proven a valuable interest to Montgomery City, and has done much for the importance of the place as a business cen- ter. Mr. Brown comes of an old North Carolina family of that name, though his father, Warner Brown, lived a part of his life and died in Arkansas, and he, himself, was born in the latter State. Warner Brown was married three times and reared three families of children, twenty-four in all. Paul Brown was by his father's third wife, who was a Miss Annie Spain when a young lady, originally of Culpeper county, Va., when his father married her. He was the twenty-first of his father's children and was born in Union county, Ark., August 20, 1848. In youth he attended the district schools, and also a select male school of Eldorado, Ark. From there he entered the Wesleyan College, Warrenton, Mo., where he remained one year. After this, he worked in a tobacco factory for a short time, and then became a traveling salesman for the firm of W. H. Mizzy & Co., of Wentzville, Mo. Since that time to the present, he has been engaged in the tobacco business (with a few digressions into farming, merchandising, etc. ), either as salesman, proprietor, or manufacturer. He has had one or two reverses resulting from fire and other causes, but on the whole, his career has resulted successfully. Mr. Brown is a man of good education, superior business qualifications, thoroughly enter- prising, and of sterling character and trustworthiness. He stands high in the esteem of all who know him, and is justly popular with all. He has been married twice. In 1868 he was married to Miss Annie Hudson, a daughter of J. W. Hudson, of Warren county, Mo. She died in 1881, having borne him six children ; five of these are liv- ing. September 6, 1882, he was married to Miss Florence Clare, a daughter of Dr. Clare, a sketch of whom appears in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have one child. He and wife are both church mem- bers and much esteemed as members of society in Montgomery City and vicinity.
GEORGE W. BRUNER
(Of Lewis & Bruner, General Real Estate and Loan Agents, Montgomery City).
Mr. Bruner, an energetic and progressive business man of Mont- gomery City, is a son of that highly respected and worthy old citizen of this place, 'Squire David Bruner. The family came originally from New York, where 'Squire Bruner was reared, and in 1844 was married to Miss Rachel E. Salisbury. Of this union George W. was born in Cayauga county, N. Y., October 1, 1845. When he was five years of age his parents removed to Huron county, O., and lived there until 1854, when they came to Missouri. 'Squire Bruner bought a quarter of a section of land near Montgomery City, which had then just been laid off and platted as a town. He improved his land and resided on his farm until he came to Montgomery City, where he became post- master, a position he held for over 20 years. George W. was about 14 years of age when the family came to town, and he remained here attending school, clerking, etc., until he was about 20 years old. The
838
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
last two years of this time, however, he was engaged in the tin and hardware business on his own account. He then sold out and went to Kansas City, where he became book-keeper for a large English pork- packing house, a position he held for two years. After this he engaged in the grocery business in Lafayette county, and two years later went to Lincoln county. In 1871 he went to Sherman, Texas, where he obtained a position in a cotton commission house. From there he returned to Montgomery City, and in 1877 established his present real estate business. The following year Mr. H. C. Lewis was admitted to a partnership in the business, and since then they have conducted it together. They have been satisfactorily successful in their business, and have a large amount of fine land for sale in the vicinity of Montgomery City and throughout the surrounding country. They are also the agents for heavy Eastern capitalists in the loan business, and are prepared to supply applicants who have good security, on terms alike just and fair to lender and borrower. June 18, 1879, Mr Bruner was married to Miss Jennie A. Welch, a daughter of Gen. Aikman Welch, an eminent lawyer of Western Missouri and former Attorney-General of the State, but who has been dead for many years. Mrs. Bruner was born and reared at Warrensburg, Mo., and received an advanced general education, as well as taking a thorough course in music. She was a teacher of instrumental music in the Montgomery City College for some time prior to her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. B. are members of the Missionary Baptist Church.
" THE BUSBYS
(Dealers in Stoves, Tinware, House Furnishing Goods, Etc., Etc., Etc., Montgomery City).
The Busby brothers have been long and favorably known to the people of Montgomery City and surrounding country as thoroughly reliable and accommodating business men. The present firm was formed in September, 1882. They carry an excellent stock of goods in their line and command a good trade, which is steadily increasing with the growth of the country and the improvement of Mont- gomery City. Francis M. Busby was born at Palmyra February 27, 1847, and James P. at Fulton, February 3, 1836. They are sons of Lewis Busby and wife, who was a Miss Eliza McClanahan before her marriage. The family came to Missouri in about 1835 and located at Fulton, but the father is now settled on a farm in this county ; he is a cabinet maker by trade and followed that for many years. James P. received a common-school education as he grew up and after starting out for himself until 1856 was engaged in differ- ent pursuits ; he and George Bruner then formed a partnership at Montgomery City in his present line of business, and his brother, Francis M., learned the tinner's trade under him. Later along Bruner retired from the firm and Francis M. succeeded to his inter- ests. In 1871 they sold out, but in about a year afterwards Kemp & Busby (James P. ) succeeded to the business. They carried it on for
839
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
two years, and then Dr. Varnum bought Kemp's interest, the firm becoming J. P. Busby & Co. In 1876 James P. sold out to Dr. Varnum, and after this the firm underwent different changes, until finally the business came back into the hands of the Busby brothers in the fall of 1882, as stated above. During much of the time included between the above dates Francis M. was engaged in paint- ing, and for two years he was clerking for Gordon & Hance. During this time, also, they were burned out in business once, suffering a heavy loss. Both brothers are married. Francis M. was married January 12, 1876, to Miss Wenowa Mallerson, a daughter of M. N. Mallerson, of this city. They have one child, Francis M. Mrs. B. is a member of the M. E. Church South and Mr. B. of the Presbyterian Church. He is also a member of the A. O. U. W. James P. Busby was married September 11, 1860, to Miss Elizabeth Alexander, a daughter of Col. William K. Alexander. She died November 11, 1881, leaving three children : Effie T., who is now the wife of Rocky Uptegrove, of Moberly ; Leonidas A., now in Colorado, and William L., still at home.
WALTER CALDWELL, M. D.
(Physician and Surgeon, Montgomery City).
The Caldwell family is one of the old and highly respected families of this part of the State. Different members of the family came out to North Missouri from Kentucky in a very early day and settled in Pike, Ralls and several other counties. It is now one of the most numerous families in these counties, and its members almost invariably occupy worthy and respected positions in society. The family is of Virginia origin in this country, and came to America from England. The branch of the family to which Dr. Caldwell belongs was represented by Dr. James D. Caldwell, who came from Kentucky in about 1820 and located at New London, where he engaged in the practice of medicine. He resided there for many years and until his death was a leading physician of the county. His wife was a Miss Eliza L. Briggs, also from Kentucky. Of their family of children they reared five are living, namely : James D., now of Shelby county ; Martha, now Mrs. Charles C. Carter, of New London ; Maretta, now Mrs. Thomas Penn, of Hazelhurst, Miss. ; Malinda, now Mrs. Joseph Brown, of New London, and the Doctor, the subject of this sketch. Reared at New London, Dr. Caldwell received a good common English education, and a young man in his twenty-first year at the outbreak of the Mexican War, he enlisted in the army under Col. Willock, of Price's command. He was in the service for about 18 months, and at Santa Fe., N. M., he was appointed sergeant-commissary and quartermaster for the battalion, a position he held for six or seven months, or until the close of his service. He was for some time stationed at Taos, N. M., where he was en- gaged in furnishing supplies for the troops and fighting Indians and Mexicans. Returning home in 1847, sometime afterward he began the
48
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
study of medicine under Drs. Brown & Anderson, and in 1849 entered the Missouri Medical college, from which he graduated in 1851. He then located at Hannibal, but in the fall of 1852 went to Wisconsin, where he was successfully engaged in the practice for about seven years. Returning to Missouri he located at Middletown, and con- tinued there for 14 years, building up a large practice and taking a position among the leading physicians of the county. During the war, or rather at its first outbreak, Dr. Caldwell joined the Southern army under Gov. Jackson's call, and was appointed regimental surgeon, but was afterwards taken prisoner before he was able to join his com- mand. He was taken to St. Louis and required to do the medical practice of Myrtle Street prison for a time. He was then taken to Alton and made prison physician at that place, being himself of course a prisoner all that time, but was allowed the freedom of the city. Some six months after his capture he was released on a $5,000 bond, and took no further part in the war, but resumed his practice at Mid- dletown. On the 28th of February, 1851, he was married to Miss Sarah J. Burford, of Pike county. They have reared a family of four children : Eliza L., now Mrs. John F. Summers ; James A., Buford C., of Texas ; Dakota and Mollie P. Dr. Caldwell came to Mont- gomery City in 1873, and for the last 11 years has been actively en- gaged in the practice at this place. He is one of the leading physicians of Montgomery City, and, indeed, of the county, and has an extensive and highly reputable practice. He is now serving his sixth term as coroner of the county. He is also a prominent member of the State, County and District Medical Societies. Dr. Caldwell is a gentleman of character and influence, an able and successful physi- cian, and a man and neighbor who is highly respected by all.
WILLIAM N. CASON
(Dealer in Drugs, Medicines, Paints, Oils, etc., Montgomery City).
Dr. Cason, who has been engaged in the drug business continu- ously at Montgomery City for the last fifteen years, and is the oldest druggist, in duration of business, at this place, is well known to the people of this and surrounding counties. He carries a large and well selected stock of drugs, medicines, paints, oils and drug- gists' sundries, and has a large and well established trade. He is justly popular with the public both as a business man and as a citizen and neighbor, and has been quite successful as a druggist; and in a field where he has witnessed the failure or retirement of nearly 50 others, he alone has stood the test of time and has made his business an established success. In the preparation of prescriptions he is particularly safe and efficient, and on this account is largely patron- ized by the physicians of Montgomery City and in the territory tribu- tary to this place. Dr. Cason is a native Kentuckian, born in Har- rison county, February 2, 1839. His parents were Granville and Matilda (Williams) Cason, both of old and respected Kentucky families. He was educated in Kentucky, taking a course at Williams-
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
town Academy, both in the higher English branches and in Latin and Greek. He then engaged in the drug business at Williamstown, and during his leisure at the same time read medicine; and also soon afterwards resumed the drug business, which latter finally re- quired his whole time and attention. In 1869 he emigrated to Mis- souri, locating in Montgomery City. Here he has since been successfully engaged in the same line of business. December 13, 1868, Dr. Cason was married in Grant county, Ky., to Miss Addie De Jarnette. They have a family of three children : Arthur L., Hugh N. and Harry G. Mrs. C. is a member of the Christian Church. The Doctor is a prominent member of the local Odd Fellows' lodge, and is treasurer of the lodge. Dr. Cason is at this time erecting a handsome dwelling on the corner of Sixth and Sturgeon streets, which, when completed, will be one of the most commodious, comfortable and tastily built residences in Montgomery City. He also owns his business house, an excellent two-story brick building. Dr. Cason is one of the public-spirited citizens of the place, and is ever to the front to help along by his counsel, personal exertion and means, any and all movements calculated to promote the bestinterests, material or otherwise, of Montgomery City and the surrounding country.
JOHN E. CHADWICK (Montgomery City).
Mr. Chadwick, one of the successful business men of Montgomery City, engaged in the grocery business here in 1877, on a small capi- tal, but by close attention to business, fair dealing and enterprise, succeeded in building up one of the substantial business houses of this place. Mr. Bibb became his partner in 1883, and they continued until the fall of 1884. Mr. Chadwick is the present mayor of Montgomery City, having been chosen to this office at the spring election, but without any effort on his part. His election, however, was a compli- ment to him as an evidence of the high esteem in which he is held by his neighbors and fellow-townsmen. He was also appointed jus- tice of the peace in the summer of 1882. He is a New Englander by nativity, and was born at Hanover, N. H., April 29, 1852, and was the son of B. B. and Mary N. ( Hutchins ) Chadwick. While he was yet in tender years his parents removed to Wisconsin, and afterwards to Chicago, Galesburg, Kansas City, and finally to Law- rence, Kan., where they resided for a number of years. At the age of 16 John E. left Lawrence and engaged in work for the telegraph com- pany, and for nearly ten years afterwards was in their employ. He is a practical telegraph operator, but was also engaged for some time as superintendent of construction of telegraph lines. He constructed lines along different railroads, including the St. Joe & Denver, the Kansas Pacific, the M. K. & T., the Wabash, and others. In 1875 he had charge of the office at Montgomery City as operator, but re- tired from the telegraph business two years later. December 3, 1877,
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