USA > Missouri > Vernon County > History of Vernon County, Missouri : past and present, including an account of the cities, towns and villages of the county Vol. II > Part 14
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A man named Swearingen settled on the Asylum grounds in 1840, but in a year or more sold his claim to Henry and John Heriford, and removed to Big Drywood.
After 1850 and before the war some of the first settlers were P. A. Logan, Hugh Logan, William Groom, William Ellis, Willis Ellis, J. I. Moore, Elias Deane, Thomas Deane, and Murray.
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Dr. White, who lived in the southwest part of the township, was an early settler. Alfred and Willis Clinton located in sec- tions 10 and 11 in 1856, coming from Camden county. Elias Deane located in the southwestern portion of the township. Dr. Callaway was an early settler in this township. It is claimed that William Waldo's trading post or store was on the Mar- maton, in this township, at the crossing of the Nevada and Ball- town road (nw. 1/4 sec. 17), but the weight of testimony is to the effect that it was at the Cephas ford, in Osage.
The first school house in the township was built on section 9. It was a frame, and the lumber used in its construction was brought from Pleasant Hill. The first teacher was Phil Henson.
Washington township experienced a few foraging raids dur- ing the war, but did not suffer materially or especially. It did not settle up as rapidly after 1865 as some other portions of the county, but in time it has become well occupied and developed, and now contains a thrifty and prosperous community.
The Pleasant Hill, Nevada and Joplin branch of the Mis- souri Pacific railroad runs across the township north and south, with a shipping point at Wales.
CHAPTER XL.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Frank Albright, who is justly ranked among the progressive citizens of Coal township, Vernon county, Missouri, is a native of Niagara county, New York. Born August 11, 1851, to William and Mary E. Albright, both natives of the Empire state. The father, who was a carpenter by trade, was also a farmer. He lived for a time in Michigan and in 1868 moved from that state with his wife and two children to Vernon county and settled on a small farm of forty acres in section 32, Coal township. While living here he worked at his trade and constructed many of the substantial farm houses and other buildings in the township. He was a man of decided opinions and in his religious convic- tions was known as a freethinker. He died April 19, 1900, and his decease was followed by that of his widow on April 28, 1905.
Our subject grew up in his father's home and acquired com- mon school education and had the experiences common to the Western country boy. He left school at the age of fifteen.
Before he was twenty years old, on April 7, 1872, he was united in marriage with Miss Emma Profett, of Coal township, Vernon county. Mr. Albright purchased his farm of 120 acres, situated in sections 29 and 30 in 1881 and has there given his attention to systematic farming with gratifying results and is well known as one of the progressive, up-to-date farmers of the community. He is a Democrat in his political opinions, but takes no active part in political affairs, more than to perform his duties as a good citizen.
There have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Albright seven chil- dren, of whom three are deceased. The names and dates of birth of those surviving are Fred C., born April 6, 1878; Royal W., born September 17, 1886; Charles W., born July 6, 1888, and Edith, who was born September 7, 1890.
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Frank P. Anderson is by no means the least prominent of those to whom reference has been made within the present work. On the contrary, few men have manifested the energy and de- termination or brought to successful accomplishment affairs with which they have been connected that Mr. Anderson has. The following outline of his life will serve to show something of what he has done during his eventful career. Born near Jefferson City, Cole county, Missouri, March 21, 1836, he commenced his life at the age of fifteen as a school teacher, having been favored with fair educational facilities in his youth. This he continued in connection with bookkeeping until 1859, when he came to Nevada, and at once entered upon an active and what was des- tined to be an important career. At first he taught a three months' term of school and then was employed in the office of the circuit and county clerk, and subsequently was appointed to assess the county in 1860, and after performing this duty he served in the county clerk's office as deputy until the outbreak of the war. In the winter of 1861-62, as elsewhere stated, Colonel Hunter came up and took the county records to Arkansas. Mr. Anderson now turned his attention to the stock business, trading in horses and mules, etc .; the winter of 1864 he passed in Illinois. In November, 1865, he returned to Nevada, soon embarking in the mercantile business, and after the reorganization of the county he was appointed its treasurer, but refused to qualify. In 1866 he was elected to that office, and again in 1868; serving through two terms. In 1869 he engaged in the real estate business with Maj. W. W. Prewitt, but in 1870 discontinued this to embark in railroad contracting, a calling for which he seemed to be peculiarly fitted. In 1873 he went to Utah territory and followed freighting during that and the two succeeding years. In 1875 and 1876 his time was not as fully occupied as previously, but during 1877-78-79 he was made collector of this county, receiv- ing an appointment from the county court. In 1880 he resumed again the contracting business, remained thus occupied until 1883, during which time he built the Lexington and Southern division of the Missouri Pacific railroad, from Rich Hill, Mo., to Joplin, Mo., an enterprise which has proven to be of incalculable benefit to Nevada and Vernon county in general, and to which Nevada owes largely her past and present prosperity. It was owing to Mr. Anderson's untiring energy and never ceasing
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watchfulness that this great North and South thoroughfare was secured to Nevada instead of being diverted to Fort Scott, a rival town in Kansas. In 1883 he engaged in coal mining at Rich Hill; he continued this during that and also the following year. In 1885 Mr. Anderson succeeded in prevailing upon the management of the Missouri Pacific railway to build the Ne- vada and Minden railroad, from Nevada, Mo., to Chetopa, Kans., an enterprise which he originated himself and on which he spent much time and a large amount of money during its embryo stage. For these two important lines of railroad Nevada owes much to Mr. Anderson, as the building of them has brought Nevada promi- nently to the front as the first city of commercial importance in southwest Missouri. In 1886 he took the contract for building the St. Louis, Kansas City and Colorado railroad through Frank- lin county, which contract he finished in July, 1887. He invested a large amount of money in the West Eldorado Townsite Com- pany in the fall of 1887 and took the contract to build the El- dorado railroad, in which he invested a large amount of money. His time for four years was given to this enterprise up to 1891. The townsite and railroad company failed and he lost every dol- lar invested in the townsite and railroad company in four years' time, which broke him. During this time he did under contract the grading for the building of the lake and driveway around it at Artesian lake and built the district sewerage in Nevada, and put down the present sidewalk on Cherry street in front of the high school block. These tiling blocks he shipped from the factory at Washington, Franklin county, Missouri.
In 1892 he was chosen chairman of the Democratic committee in Vernon county and took an active part in politics, state and county, for three or four years, with fairly good success in behalf of others, but disastrous to his own interests.
In 1895-96 he served as steward of the Nevada Lunatic Asy- lum No. 3. In the spring of 1897 he moved to Joplin, Mo., and engaged in mining, with varying success, and also took a contract to build a railroad in the Creek Nation, Indian Territory. This company failed and left him in the lurch again. In 1901 he closed out his mining interests in Jasper county and went to Port Ar- thur, Texas, to look into the business of rice culture. He was pleased with it and took an option on a 500-acre rice farm and canal and pumping plant for irrigating the land at the price of
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$20,000, including all stock and machinery on the farm. A few days before he had succeeded in making the financial arrange- ment to swing the deal they struck oil at Beaumont on Spindle Hill. His option expired about the same time and ten days later the farm sold for $50,000 cash. He then went to Henyetta, Creek Nation, Indian Territory, and opened up a coal mine for the Kansas & Texas Coal Company. In 1902 he spent most of the year in securing coal leases in the Creek Nation. In 1903 he moved his family from Joplin to the Indian Territory and engaged in coal mining.
In 1904 the great oil strike was made at what is known as the Glenn Pool near Tulsa, Okla .; also the numerous gas strikes in Kansas and Oklahoma. These two fuels coming into general use south and west, where they expected territory for selling coal, put the coal men in that vicinity out of business. Conse- quently the coal mining business proved a failure. In 1909 he moved his family, wife and daughter, back to Joplin, where they are now living. Since returning to Joplin he has not en- gaged in any business, but is now working to get a number of mineral leases in Maniteau, Cooper, Morgan and Cole counties. Should he succeed in getting them he expects to dispose of them to eastern parties, but may conclude to develop some of them himself in connection with other parties.
January 2, 1867, Mr. A. was married to Miss Julia R. Nelson, of Vernon county, a native of North Carolina. They have four children : Prince, Fountain, William Nelson, Minnie Scales and Charles Bruce. It seems almost superfluous to attempt any empty words of comment to this plain statement of facts as here given. That Mr. Anderson has labored under some disadvantages, phys- ically, is known to all, for since ten years of age he has been under the necessity of using a crutch, having been afflicted with white swelling at that age. Notwithstanding this he has accom- plished what many would have given up, and as a result stands today among the leading citizens of his county.
James T. Armstrong, a prominent citizen of Osage township, Vernon county, Missouri, is a native of Sangamon county, Illi- nois, and was born February 10, 1842. He is the second of a family of six boys and three girls born to William and Statariah (Ficklin) Armstrong, the former born in Orange county, North
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Carolina, in 1806, and the latter in Bath county, Kentucky, in 1813. They were married in Sangamon county, Illinois, whither the father moved from Tennessee about 1839 and where the mother settled with her parents about 1836. They passed their lives on a farm in Sangamon county, his death occurring in the fall of 1884 and hers in 1886. Our subject's paternal grand- parents moved from Orange county, North Carolina, to William- son county, Tennessee, in 1812, and here William Armstrong grew to manhood on his father's farm.
James T. attended the public schools and a Methodist academy in his native place and remained on the home farm with his parents till after the opening of the Civil War. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company A, Seventy-third Regiment, Illinois Vol- unteers Infantry. This was known as the "Preacher Regiment" from the fact that most of its officers were preachers; it is also a matter of note that more than 600 men in this regiment were church members. Young Armstrong took part in numerous bat- tles, among others that of Missionary Ridge, Franklin, Tennessee, Nashville, Murfreesboro and others, in which the army of the Cumberland was engaged. At the battle of Murfreesboro he was wounded by a twelve-pound cannon ball which struck the ground and bounding, hit and broke his right leg just below the knee. He entered the service as a private and was promoted to the rank of sergeant and served till the close of the war, receiving his honorable discharge June 24, 1865, at Camp Butler, near Springfield, Ill. Returning home, he turned his attention to farming on a tract of 130 acres, given him by his father (who owned two sections of land in Christian county), and continued there till early in 1884, when he traded his farm for 270 acres in sections 7 and 8, also 17 and 18, Osage township, Vernon county, whither he came in February of that year and where he has ever since made his home, engaged in farming operations. Mr. Armstrong is especially known as a breeder of high grade cattle, having brought with him on coming to Missouri a car- load of thoroughbred shorthorn cattle. His present farm con- sists of a quarter section, he having sold the remainder of his original farm to his sons. Mr. Armstrong is a stanch Republican, a member of Post McGregor, Grand Army of the Republic. at Metz, and also belongs to the Masonic order. He united with the
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Methodist Episcopal church in 1862 and is now an honored member of the church of that faith in Metz.
On December 29, 1869, Mr. Armstrong was united in marriage with Miss Ella Rollins, who was born in Poplarplains, Ky., in November, 1842, and who passed away in 1899, leaving besides her husband six sons, viz. : William P. Armstrong, of Joplin, Mo .; Arthur R. Armstrong, of Pittsburgh, Kans .; Thomas W. Arm- strong, of Osage township; James A. Armstrong, of Kansas City, Mo .; Russell N. Armstrong, who is cashier of a bank in Stone- wall, Okla, and Warren Blaine Armstrong, of Osage township.
On September 23, 1900, Mr. Armstrong married Miss Edna B. Williams, who was born in Adams county, Iowa, June 6, 1882, the daughter of Fred P. and Alice (Vance) Williams, who are natives of Illinois and Kentucky, respectively, and who settled in Osage township in 1896.
Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong have six children named respectively Ina P., James Fred, Ralph E., Horace A., Edna A. and Lyle Vance Armstrong.
Dr. T. L. Ashbaugh, who was born in Delaware county, Ohio, May 13, 1844, is one of a family of thirteen children born to John M. and Mary C. (Artz) Ashbaugh. His paternal grand- father, John Ashbaugh, immigrated from Amsterdam, Holland, accompanied by two brothers, Armenius and Cyrus. His mater- nal grandfather, John Artz, was a soldier in the War of 1812. The father, John M. Ashbaugh, a potter by trade, lived in Dela- ware county, Ohio, till 1849, and then moved to Mercer county, Illinois, where his father-in-law, John Artz, bought a saw and grist mill near Millersburgh, which he operated till 1868. He then came to Moundville, Vernon county, where he bought 640 acres of land in section 4, Moundville township, and engaged in farming till his decease in 1881. T. L. lived in his native place and attended the public schools till 1862, when he ran away from home and enlisted in Company K, One Hundred and Second Regiment, Illinois Volunteers Infantry, and entered the Union army. At the battle of Resaca he was severely wounded by a shell hitting him on the head, but recovered and served through the war and was with Sherman in his famous "march to the sea" and took part in the grand review at Washington, and was mustered out at Chicago, June 5, 1865. In the army he studied
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medicine and in 1866 was graduated from Burlington Medical College and also attended Rush Medical College at Chicago. Dr. Ashbaugh began his medical practice at Pre Emption in Mercer county, Illinois, in 1867, and in the spring of 1868 settled at Moundville, Vernon county, Missouri, where he resided eleven years, in the meantime completing his course at Rush Medical Col- lege, where he was graduated with the class of 1876. He also was graduated from the Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary at Chicago Going to Central City, Colo., he practiced his profes -- sion several years there, when he removed with his family to As- pen, Colo., returning to Moundville in 1896. He was united in marriage at Pre Emption, Ill., with Miss Pauline Hardy, who was born in Tazewell county, that state. Their only child, Flor Ashbaugh, is an alumnus of the law department of Michigan University and has served as county and district judge in Colo- rado for some twelve years. Dr. Ashbaugh served as coroner of Pitkin county, Colorado, practically during his entire residence in Colorado. After his return from Colorado Dr. Ashbaugh set- tled on the family homestead, which he had purchased from his father. This home, with its handsome and commodious residence, surrounded by spacious lawns and adorned with massive trees, choice shrubbery, an artificial lake and other beautiful an ! home- like improvements, and situated in the midst of charming environ- ments, presents a picture of rural beauty, unsurpassed. and is admired by all as one of the beauty spots of Vernon county. Dr. Ashbaugh has practically retired from professional work and with his wife lives a life of comparative ease and enjoys the fruits of his busy life.
He is a stanch Republican in his political opinions and takes a commendable interest in the local affairs of his party and for several years served as postmaster at Moundville, his appoint- ment dating from January 8, 1870.
Dr. Ashbaugh is an active man of affairs. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is identified with the Patriotic Sons of America, the Foresters, the Knights of Maca- bees and is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Charles R. Ashmead, the popular proprietor of Ashmead's Cafe of Nevada, is the eldest of a family of four children, who were left orphans when he was but eleven years of age. He is
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a native of Warrensburg, Johnson county, Missouri, and was born April 16, 1865, to Charles Hamilton and Sarah (Collins) Ashmead, natives of Ohio and Indiana, respectively.
The father was a soldier in the Civil War of 1861-5, and after his return home bought a tract of land and moved to Cedar county, Missouri, near Virgil City. He was a wagonmaker by trade and also a stock dealer. He moved to Nevada, Vernon county, in the fall of 1873 and followed his trade till his decease on September 10, 1876, at the age of fifty-four years, his death having been preceded by that of his wife, who passed away May 13 of the same year, when she was forty-two years of age. Their other children are Jacob Ashmead, William Ashmead and Eliza, who is married to Mr. S. N. Yates, of Emmett, Idaho.
Charles R. was reared on a farm in Washington township by Mr. James A. Wilson, with whom he lived till he was twenty years of age, when he started to learn the baker's trade in Perry's bakery at Nevada. A little later, associated with his foster father, Mr. J. A. Wilson, they together bought this business and it was carried on under the firm name of Wilson & Co. some three years and then sold, Mr. Ashmead going to Lamar, Mo., and working at his trade there several years. Returning to Ne- vada, he took a position as baker at the State Asylum No. 3 in February, 1890, and continued to fill it til April, 1896. During the next four years till December, 1896, Mr. Ashmead turned his attention to dairying and stock raising, making a specialty of high grade pedigree hogs and fancy blooded chickens, and since February 1, 1911, has been proprietor of the popular cafe that is now conducted under his name.
Mr. Ashmead has always devoted himself closely to his busi- ness affairs and has found little time for other matters. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.
On May 10, 1893, he was united in marriage with Mrs. Laura Romine (nee Mitchell), of Nevada.
Mr. Ashmead sold out his cafe August 14, 1911, at a good profit and is now engaged in improving a farm about six and one- half miles just north of the city, where he intends to make his home.
Thomas H. Austin. No history of Vernon county, especially that part which refers more particularly to the town of Nevada,
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would be complete without mention of the name of Thomas H. Austin, for his connection with its affairs dates back to a period which only a few can remember, when Vernon county was a wil- derness and its inhabitants few and far between. He came orig- inally from East Tennessee, Anderson county, where he was born July 28, 1818, the oldest of eight children, four boys and four girls, which blessed the union of Daniel and Nancy Austin, nee Edwards. The latter was born in Maryland. Daniel Austin was a native of Green county, Kentucky, though he afterwards lived in Alabama, and finally moved to Putnam county, Indiana, from whence in 1835 he came to Missouri, settling in what was then Pulaski but is now Miller county. This was his home until going to Buchanan county, and some five years later, or in 1846, he came to Vernon county, continuing to live here until his death. His wife also passed away in this county. Thomas H. Austin was brought up on the old homestead and very naturally acquired a knowledge of agricultural pursuits. His educational advantages, however, were somewhat limited, owing to the scarcity of schools in that early day. He accompanied his father on the various moves made by that person, as already enumerated, and finally in 1846 took up his residence in this county. Upon his location here he entered 240 acres of land and forty acres of this tract were afterwards taken for the site upon which Nevada stands. Some little idea can therefore be formed of the part which Mr. Austin had taken in the upbuilding and growth of Vernon county. In 1869 he moved to a place on Osage river, known as Belvoir, and for ten years conducted a ferry across the river at that point. In 1879 he moved into Nevada. He was the first postmaster of the place then called "Haletown," and for some years filled the position of justice of the peace, also serving as coroner of Bates county for two years. Though not a political aspirant he was never found wanting in the discharge of the duties of those positions to which he was called. In April, 1841, Mr. Austin was married to Miss Louisa Blevans, a native of Ala- bama, and daughter of Stephen A. Blevans. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery. His death occurred in October, 1895.
Dr. Albert Badger. No worthy history of Vernon county could be written which failed to include a sketch of the life of
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this esteemed pioneer citizen, a man whose personal acquaintance and popularity contributed only less than his long residence in the county, giving him an enviable reputation wherever his name was known. Dr. Albert Badger was born in Windham county, Connecticut, in 1820, the oldest of three children in the family of his parents, Albert and Asenath (Crosby) Badger. The former was born in 1797 and died in 1825; he was a son of Edmund Badger, who for many years kept a hostelry in Philadelphia, a favorite resort for well-known Whigs, among whom were Clay, Webster and others, he died in 1849. Mrs. Asenath Badger was born in 1798 in Hadlyme, Conn., and died in Vernon county, Missouri, in 1864, at the age of sixty-six years. She was a con- sistent member of the Congregational Church. During the Revo- lutionary War her parents were living at New London, Conn., and in common with many others suffered many hardships and were obliged to undergo many privations; the father's death occurred in 1816, but his wife reached the advanced age of ninety-six, having lived a life somewhat remarkable in its nature. Young Albert Badger, the subject of this sketch, deprived of the watchful guidance and care of his father when about four and a half years old, was reared by an uncle until the age of fifteen, his home being in Hadlyme, Conn., where he attended school during the winter months and worked on the farm in summer seasons. Subsequently, and up to the fall of 1839, he lived with his grand- father at Philadelphia, Pa., and there completed an excellent education. Going to Port Hudson, La., in 1839, he commenced the study of medicine and later on was graduated from the New Orleans Medical College, thoroughly fitted to enter at once upon a professional career. In 1844 Dr. Badger left Louisiana and journeyed up the Mississippi, Missouri and Osage rivers as far as Osceola, St. Clair county, Missouri, from which point he rode overland to his location, purchasing his claim from an old settler for $30. Since that time this county continued to be his home. His was the first "modern" house in the community, for it was hewed both outside and inside and had glass windows and a "nailed-on" roof. Immediately after his settlement here he com- menced the practice of medicine and soon met with a ready pat- ronage, for professional men were not numerous in that early day. The only physicians besides himself in this county then
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