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 93
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 93
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 93
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JAMES H. JONES
(Of Jones & Son, Grocers, Montgomery City).
Mr. Jones is of an old and respected family in Montgomery county . His father, Rev. William R. Jones, came to this county from Georgia away back in 1818. He was subsequently married here to Miss Mary Whiteside, formerly of Kentucky, and of another pioneer family in the county. They settled in the vicinity of Danville, where they re- sided until their deaths. The father was a worthy farmer of the county and a highly esteemed minister of the M. E. Church. He died in 1862. The mother died in 1870. They had a family of 11 chil- dren, of whom eight are living : John H., James H., Amanda, Emeline M., William R., Sylvester M., Thomas F. and Perry S. - all resi- dents of the county except Sylvester, who lives in Indiana. The two eldest daughters are the wives, respectively, of James B. Wilson and David Appling. James H. Jones was born near Danville, October 9, 1822, and was reared on the farm. June 23, 1853, he was married to Miss Margaret B. Leach, a daughter of Henry Leach, of this county. He then engaged in farming on Prairie fork, south-west of Danville, where he continued to reside until 1880. He still owns his farm there of 200 acres. For 12 years prior to settling down on his farm he was engaged in school teaching. In 1880 he came to Montgomery county, and has since been a resident of this place, engaged all the time in business. He and Stephen Ham were first in partnership in the grocery trade, but in the summer of 1882 his son, Milton F., bought out Mr. Ham's interest, and since that the business has been
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
carried on by Jones & Son. They have a large general stock of gro- ceries and an established, satisfactory trade. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have a family of five children: Eleanor, now Mrs. S. D. Ham ; Mil- ton F., a partner with his father in business and educated at Mont- gomery City College ; Lillian B., Fannie M. and Ada E. - Lillian and Fannie having been educated at Montgomery City College. The former has been successfully engaged in teaching in the public school at Montgomery City for two years, and the latter is a teacher in the country.
WILLIAM R. JONES
(Farmer, Post-office, Montgomery City).
Mr. Jones was born in Montgomery county, November 16, 1834, and was the fourth in the family of 11 children of William and Mary F. Jones. The parents were early settlers in Montgomery county from Kentucky, and the father died here in 1862.' William R., Jr., was reared on the farm where his father settled on coming to Montgomery county ; and in 1861 he was married to Miss Sarah J., a daughter of Henry H. and Frances Leach, formerly of Virginia. After his marriage he engaged in farming for himself, or rather he continued it, før he had already started out in life making farming his permanent occupation. In 1867, his father having died in the meantime, he located on the old family homestead, where he now re- sides and which he owns. This is a good farm of 150 acres. Mr. Jones' wife died in 1881, leaving him two children, Julia F. and Clara E. Julia is the wife of David H. Whitehead, of this county. In the fall of 1881 Mr. Jones removed to Montgomery City where he was in business and served as deputy postmaster. He returned to the farm, however, in 1883. During the war he served about a year in the Home Guard and State Militia. Mr. Jones' son-in- law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Whitehead, reside on the farm.
JAMES KELLAR
(Farmer and Stock-raiser, Post-office, Montgomery City).
Mr. Kellar, who is one of the more energetic, thorough-going farm- ers of this township, is a native of the county, a son of Edward and Sarah Kellar, and born November 27, 1853. In youth he had common school advantages and was reared a farmer. His father died when he was quite young, and he, therefore, was thrown on his own resources at an early age. He started out for himself without a dollar, and although still a young man has by his industry and good management accumulated a neat property. He has a good place of 140 acres, which he bought in 1870. He is making a specialty of stock, and is raising, trading in and handling them to advantage. His farm is well adapted for stock purposes, and will doubtless in- crease as years of prosperity come and go. In 1878 Mr. Kellar was married to Sarah E. Fipps, a daughter of David and Sarah Fipps.
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
Mr. and Mrs. K. have three children : Nellie, Pearl and Mamie Ethel. Mrs. K. is a church member.
ANDREW KIRN
(Proprietor of the Montgomery City Meat Market).
Mr. Kirn, who has had almost a life time experience in the meat market business, and who by his industry and good management has accumulated valuable property in Montgomery City, is, like many of the thrifty, intelligent citizens of this county, a German by nativ- ity. He was born in Baden, November 14, 1827. His parents were Zirig and Mary (Kepfer) Kirn, and in 1847 his father and family, in- cluding himself, his mother, however, having previously died in Ger- many, came to America, landing at New Orleans. After a short time here they came to St. Louis where the father also died. Andrew worked at different occupations at St. Louis and learned both the basket maker's and butcher's trade. In 1852 he went to California and spent 16 years in the Golden State engaged mainly in the meat market business. He returned to St. Louis in 1868 and soon after- ward came to Montgomery City, where he bought out William Fer- guson, and has since run the Montgomery City meat market. He has a two-story brick, 20x60 feet in dimensions, and is building another one adjoining, the same size. He also has a comfortable residence property at this place. December 24, 1858, he was married, in Eldorado, Cal., to Miss Louisa Willi, who was born in Hermann, Gasconade county, Mo. They have five children : Andrew, Emma, Julia, Emil and Elsie. Mr. Kirn's wife died December 20, 1883, and his daughter Emma is his housekeeper. Julia is the wife of James Gill. Mr. K. is a member of the Masonic order and of the I. O. O. F.
JAMES LAIL
(Stock Dealer and Shipper, Montgomery City).
Mr. Lail is well known here and in the wholesale markets as one of the active, enterprising stockmen of Montgomery county. He has been in the stock business more or less continuously from early man- hood and understands the business thoroughly, being conceded to be one of the best judges of stock in the county. He was a son of Eli- jah and Harriet ( Allen ) Lail, old and highly respected residents of Callaway county, but now deceased, and was born on his father's farm, October 12, 1846. He was one of a family of 12 children, the others being : Adoniram, George, Mary S., the wife of J. W. Arnold, of Audrain county ; John W., Amanda, deceased, wife of Thomas Hamilton ; Zachariah T., Joseph S., Elizabeth J., deceased, wife of W. R. Wells; Lucy, wife of J. P. Covington ; Harriet L., wife of Edward Annent, and Sarah C., wife of William Elmore. The parents came from Kentucky, where the father, before removing to this State, was largely engaged in farming and handling stock. He was the owner of a number of slaves. He died in Callaway county in 1869.
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
James Lail was reared in that county and received a common school education, remaining at home on the farm until he was 20 years of age. He was then engaged in merchandising at Shamrock, in that county, for about nine years, and also traded in stock to some extent during that time. Since then Mr. Lail has been in the stock business exclusively. For five years he was handling cattle in Colorado. He came to Montgomery City in the spring of 1882 and has since made this place his headquarters in business. February 1, 1870, Mr. Lail was married to Miss Susan C. Covington, a daughter of H. W. Cov- ington, of this county. They have two children : Andrew B. and Lelia M. They have lost two : Henry L. and Montie C. Mr. L. is a member of the A. F. and A. M.
H. CLARK LEWIS
(Of Lewis & Bruner, General Real Estate and Loan Agents, Montgomery City).
Howell Clark Lewis, of the above named firm, like his partner, Mr. Bruner, comes from an old and respected New York family. He was a son of Commodore Chauncy and Elizabeth Lewis, her maiden name having been also Lewis, but of a different family from that of her husband ; both born and reared in the Empire State. They met, however, and were married in Washington county, Mo., where she was reared, but he was partly reared in Indiana. Seven years after their marriage, in 1837, they removed to Wisconsin, where they resided until 1850, when they came back to Missouri, settling in Washington county. H. Clark Lewis was born before his parents removed to Missouri, on the 4th of February, 1839. He was reared in Wash- ington county, after his parents' return to Missouri, where he con- tinued to reside until he was about 22 years of age, the county line meanwhile, however, being changed so that his place of residence was included in Iron county. On the 2d of June. 1859, he was married to Miss Martha C. Evans, of that county. Prior to his marriage he learned the wagonmaker's trade, which he followed in Iron county until two years after that event, when he went to Carondelet and engaged in work on gunboats for the Government. He worked there until 1864 and then came to Montgomery county, where he followed farming for two years. Following this he came to Montgomery City and worked two years at his trade, but being attacked with inflam- matory rheumatism he had to retire from the active work of the shop. In 1870 he was elected. as justice of the peace and in 1873 he was elected mayor, being continuously elected every year except one aft- erwards until 1884. In 1872 he engaged in the real estate business with A. P. McCanne and for the last six years has been in partnership in this line with his present partner, Mr. Bruner. Their business has been spoken of in the sketch of Mr. B. on a former page. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis have six children : Ella, now Mrs. John Patton ; Mattie, a young lady at home ; William, engaged in boating on the Upper Mis- sissippi ; James R., at home, and Thomas E., in the insurance business in Kentucky. Miss Mattie is a popular teacher of the county and was
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
educated at the Montgomery City College. Mrs. L. is a member of the M. E. Church South, as is also Mrs. Patton and Miss Mattie and Thomas E. Lewis.
FELIX T. LEWIS
(Farmer and Stock-raiser, Post-office, Montgomery City).
Among the thorough-going farmers and responsible citizens of Montgomery township is to be mentioned the subject of the present sketch, Mr. Lewis. He is a native of the county where he still resides and where he was reared, and was born March 13, 1842. His parents were Ennis W. and Sarah ( Andrews) Lewis, his father born and reared in Missouri, but his mother originally of Virginia. She died in 1856. The father is still living in Montgomery county, one of its respected old citizens. Felix T. was reared on the farm, and remained at home until 1864, when he went to the State of Nevada and spent two years in Austin, of that State. Returning home then he engaged in farming in this county, and has since followed it continuously and with satisfactory success. He has a good farm of about 250 acres, which is substantially and comfortably improved. In 1872 Mr. Lewis was married to Miss Sarah Hoage, daughter of Samuel Hoage, formerly of Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. L. have six children : Katie B., Mannie, Ardie, Maggie, Isaac and Jesse K.
ASA P. McCANNE
(Attorney at Law, Montgomery City).
In presenting in this work biographical sketches of the representa- tive citizens of the county, it would be an inexcusable omission not to include at least a brief sketch of the subject of the present notice. In preparing an outline, however, of the life of Mr. McCanne we are met by two serious embarrassments- one, the absence of any suffi- cient or satisfactory data ; and the other, his own sensitive nature, which shrinks instinctively from being made the subject of public comment. Through what is almost over modesty, the writer thinks, Mr. McCanne has declined to give any appreciable data from which to write a sketch of his life. But being a representative citizen of the county we feel that he should be represented in this volume. Asa Parker McCanne was born in Randolph county, Missouri, October 31, 1844. His father was Thos. McCanne, in early life a teacher by profession, and later a farmer by occupation. His mother's maiden name was Polly A. Jones. Both were from Lincoln county, Ky., where they were married, and whence they came to Randolph county, Mo., in about 1830. They resided on a farm in Randolph county for some sixteen years, or until Asa P. was about two years of age, when, in 1846, they removed to the State of Texas, where they resided a short time and then went to the State of Louisiana. While residents of these States the mother died, and afterwards the father with his family returned to Texas. But in 1859 he removed to Missouri and
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
resettled in Randolph county, the old home and birthplace of Mr. Mc- Canne. He died there soon afterwards. Young McCanne's early youth was spent principally in the schools of the different neighbor- hoods in which his parents resided ; and he received constant instruc- tion from his father, who took a profound interest in his education. But his father dying whilst Asa P. was yet a youth, he was thus at an early age thrown upon his own resources. Already, however, he had acquired that taste for study which has ever afterwards been one of his most marked characteristics, and which has been instrumental in ad- vancing him to a worthy position in life. In 1863 he engaged in clerking in a mercantile house at St. Louis, and later along became interested in the real estate business at Kansas City. He had early formed a purposeto devote himself to the profession of the law, and he therefore subordinated everything to become a licentiate of the legal profession and, as he hoped, ultimately, a successful lawyer. By strict economy he had succeeded, in 1866, in accumulating suffi- cient means to enable him to prosecute, to a successful issue, his legal education. He therefore went to New York City and became a mna- triculate at Columbia College, taking a regular course in that institution and graduating with distinction in 1868. By this time his means were exhausted and he was compelled to resort, temporarily, to teaching. He went to Lincoln county, Ky., where his parents were reared, where he taught for two years. Such were his qualifications and success as a teacher, that at the expiration of his time he was earnestly solicited to accept the presidency of " Home College," in Marion county, of that State, to which solicita- tion he consented. Not yet being financially situated to locate in the practice of the law, he conducted that institution with marked success for four regular terms, when he was again elected but resigned his position to engage in the regular practice of law, He then returned from Kentucky to his native State, Missouri, and located at Martins- burg, where he practiced for two years. From that point he came directly to Montgomery City. His record here since then is familiar to the people of Montgomery county -a record that reflects only credit on the community of which he is a member. Mr. McCanne has had a most successful career in the criminal practice, and during his entire experience at the bar he has never lost a criminal case. On account of his success, indeed, in this direction, he has won the sobri- quet of the "jury lawyer." Mr. McCanne has held the office of mayor of this city and some minor positions, but has never made a business of politics or a pursuit of " office seeking." On the 13th of February, 1878, he was married to Miss Alice A. Crane, a refined and estimable lady, a daughter of Joseph G. Crane, of Callaway county. They have one child, a son, called by the euphonious and longitudin- ous name of Joseph Gresham Cowherd McCanne. He is a bright and promising boy. Mr. and Mrs. McC. are members of the Christian Church, and be is a prominent Odd Fellow and Mason. We again apologize for this imperfect sketch, but charge it to Mr. McCanne's diffidence and our eagerness to place him in this History.
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
JAMES W. MILLAM
(Architect and Contractor and Builder; and of Mounts & Co., Dealers in Lumber, Shingles, Laths, Hair, Lime, Etc., Montgomery City).
Mr. Millan, a member of the principal lumber firm of this place, is justly conceded to be one of the representative, thorough-going busi- ness men of the west-central part of the county. He has already achieved a degree of success in business affairs that would reflect no discredit on one far older than he in experience, notwithstanding he came up without the advantage of means to begin with, and with nothing but his own energy, industry and intelligence to rely upon. He was born in Bedford county, Va., February 22, 1849, and was reared to early manhood in his native State. His parents were John E. and Matilda (Hudson) Millam, the ancestry of each of whom have long been settled in Eastern Virginia. Young Millam's school advant- ages were limited to the neighborhood schools where he was reared, but he learned enough of books for all ordinary purposes. During the war the situation of affairs became such that he was twice com- pelled to shoulder his musket and do service in the Virginia State Guard, being in one or two engagements. In 1867 the family came to Missouri and settled near Wellsville, where they still reside. Here James W. learned the carpenter's trade, and also gave attention to the study of architecture. Having a natural aptitude for building and mechanical work he soon became proficient in this branch of in- dustry. He has followed it with success principally ever since he learned it, and for some years past he has been the architect and builder of most of the better houses in and around Montgomery City. He became a member of the firm of Mounts & Co. in the lumber trade in January, 1884. This firm is the successor to Frank Sabouren, and their trade will amount to 100 car loads of lumber annually. Mr. Millam has a neat and commodious residence property in the college building, and also some other valuable town property. August 18, 1872, he was married to Miss Hattie Mounts, a daughter of Asa Mounts, his partner, originally of Iowa. They have a family of four children : William H., Addie Belle, Dollie Irene and Lucy. Mrs. M. is a member of the O. S. Presbyterian Church.
JOHN W. OLIVER
(Farmer and Stock-raiser, Post-office, Montgomery City).
Mr. Oliver's father, John R. Oliver, a gallant old soldier in the War of 1812, was born and reared in Clark county, Ky. Two years before the war broke out he was married in that county to Miss. Margaret Miller, and when he was called tothe defense of his country was settled down in Clark county, quietly and successfully engaged in farming. Leaving his home he did not return until the close of the war. Among other engagements he was in the famous " Dudley's Defeat," from which so few escaped with their lives. Returning to
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
Kentucky, he continued to reside in Clark county until 1826, when he came to Missouri, and settled in Montgomery county, where his family was partly reared. His wife died here July 24, 1860, and he Sep- tember 1, 1870. John W. Oliver, who was the second in his father's family of children, was born in Montgomery county, April 12, 1833, and was reared on a farm in this county. On attaining manhood he followed in the footsteps of his father and became a farmer, an occu- pation he has ever since continued to follow. Having learned by ex- perience and by the example of his father, that only by hard work, economy and good management can one prosper as a farmer, he has made these three requisites his rule of life, and with substantial re- sults. He has become one of the well-to-do farmers and stock- raisers of the township, and has a good place of over 400 acres, well improved and stocked. Mr. Oliver married Miss Arthusa Ham, a daughter of Stephen Ham, the pioneer settler of this county referred to elsewhere. Mr. and Mrs. O. have six children : Bettie J., John C., Eldridge T., Frederick W., Stephen L. and D. A. Both parents are members of the Baptist Church. During the war Mr. Oliver served for about 18 months in the State militia.
REV. ISAAC M. OLIVER
(Minister of the Missionary Baptist Church, and Farmer and Stock-raiser, Post-office, Montgomery City).
Rev. Mr. Oliver is a brother to John W. Oliver, whose sketch pre- cedes this, and was born in this county August 1, 1835. The Oliver family, in religions views, are of the Missionary, or regular Baptist faith, and came originally from North Carolina. From there one branch of the family settled in Tennessee, another branch in Clark county, Ky., and still others in different parts of the country. Nu- merous members of the family have taken prominent places in church history. Among others in this State are called to mind at the moment Rev. Joseph Oliver, a prominent member of the Macon Baptist Asso- ciation, formerly of Clark county, Ky., who, in the course of his ministry, baptised over 300 persons. His remains now rest at Mt. Tabor cemetery, near Atlanta, in Macon county, where he was buried in 1877, after having reached his seventy-fourth year; and also Rev. Lunsford Oliver, a representative of the Tennessee branch of the family, who was the first settler of what is now Newton county. Speaking of the first Baptist associations formed in South-west Mis- souri, and referring particularly to the Mt. Olivet Church, of Lawrence county, organized in 1840, Campbell's Gazetteer of Missouri says : " Only 10 years before this, the first white man, Lunsford Oliver, a native of Tennessee, settled in this part of the State. He located in what is now Newton county, and had no neighbor within 40 miles." He was the pioneer Baptist minister of that section of Missouri, as well as one of its first settlers. Two brothers of John Oliver's family have become ministers of the Baptist Church, Rev. Isaac M. Oliver, the subject of this sketch, and Rev. Albert P. Oliver, a sketch of
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
whom is given on the next page. Rev. Isaac M. Oliver identified himself as a member of the church of which he is now a minister, when quite a young man, and soon afterwards determined to devote himself to the ministry. His general education was confined to what he could obtain in the ordinary district schools of the neighborhood, and in about 1863 he began to study for the ministry. Indeed, before this he had been a diligent biblical student for some time, and had sought to inform himself generally in matters of church government and in the more essential views and doctrines of the different denom- inations. On the 20th of October, 1865, he was licensed to preach by his church, and two years later, on the 29th of December, 1867, was regularly ordained by a presbytery composed of Elders R. S. Duncan, G. B. Smith and Caleb Bush. Since that time Rev. Mr. Oliver has been actively engaged in the labors of the ministry. His work has been largely of a missionary character. In 1873 he organ- ized the church at Salem, and in July, 1875, the church at White Hall. He has been pastor of the church at Wellsville, and for three years was pastor of the church at Salem, when he resigned the care of this church on account of approaching bad health. At this instance the church gave him a very high recommendation, which we here pub- lish : -
WHEREAS, Our beloved brother and former pastor, Bro. I. M. Oliver, has seen proper to resign his pastoral care of the church; therefore,
Resolved, That we, as a Church, cordially indorse him as a faithful pastor and true- hearted brother, whose labors to erect and complete our house of worship have been characteristic of an earnest worker in the vineyard of the Lord. May our blessed Lord continue to bless his labors in the future is the prayer of his brothers and sis- ters at Salem Church.
Resolved, That a copy of this be entered on the records of the Church, and a copy be presented to Bro. I. M. Oliver.
By order of the Church.
D. W. GRANT, Moderator. A. P. OLIVER, Clerk.
FEBRUARY 23, 1878.
Mr. Oliver is a man of earnest piety and takes a deep interest in the cause of religion. He is a man of much general information, and the fine general library he has, which bears the marks of long but proper use, shows that he is a man whose investigations are not confined to any narrow, prejudiced channel, but that he seeks the truth in all directions, or wherever it may be found, and is not afraid to recognize it when he meets it. In 1874, Rev. Mr. Oliver was married to Miss Margaret Allison, a daughter of Alexander Allison and wife, nee Eliz- abeth , both formerly of Tennessee, and her father a minister of the Presbyterian Church. Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Oliver have two children, Ira M. and Alex. J. Three are deceased, Isaac, Allison and Virgil. Rev. Mr. Oliver is a life member of the American Baptist Publication Society. After his marriage he located on the farm where he now resides, which he had previously bought. He has given a large share of his attention to farming interests, has been quite successful, and has accumulated a comfortable property by his own industry and
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