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 17
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Mr. Brophy is a man of high character and is esteemed as one of the public spirited men of the city.
J. Robert Buchanan ranks among the leading physicians in Nevada, Vernon county, Missouri, where he has practiced his pro- fession since the fall of 1881. A native of Kentucky, he was born May 12, 1845, and is the youngest of a family of eight children born to Evan and Lucinda (Bryan) Buchanan, both natives of Kentucky. His paternal ancestors came originally from Scotland, whence three brothers immigrated to this country, settling, one in Mississippi, one in Tennessee and the other, our subject's grand- father, in Pennsylvania. His grandfather, Robert Buchanan, in his early manhood, moved to Kentucky and was an active par- ticipant in the stirring events of the early history of that state.
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He moved from Kentucky to Columbus, Ind., in 1865 and died there. Evan Buchanan, our subject's father, moved from Ken- tucky in 1850 and settled in Montgomery county, Missouri. His maternal grandfather, William Bryan, was born in Fairfax county, Virginia, March 12, 1762; was the father of five daughters and eight sons, five of whom were physicians; was a farmer by occupation, and an early settler of Jefferson county, Kentucky. Dr. Buchanan has one surviving sister, Emma, who is married to Mr. Samuel Mabry and lives in Lincoln county, Missouri. He received a good preliminary education in the public schools and supplemented this with a course of study in the Northwestern Christian University, now Butler University, at Indianapolis, Ind. He then taught district schools three years, studying medicine in the meantime, and after that attended the St. Louis Medical Col- lege, now the medical department of Washington University, where he was graduated with the class of 1872. Dr. Buchanan began his practice at Clarksville, in Pike county, Missouri, and continued there with good success till his removal to Nevada in 1881. Since settling in Nevada Dr. Buchanan has held a leading place in his profession and is a man of influence, not only as a physician but also in civic affairs. He holds membership in vari- ous national, state and county medical organizations, and for a number of years past has been councilor for the sixteenth district, comprised of Bates, Barton and Vernon counties. He is an active member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and in religious faith and fellowship is identified with the Christian church.
In 1876 Dr. Buchanan married Miss Ella V. Hicks, a native of Tennessee and a daughter of Judge William Hicks, of Memphis, Tenn. Mrs. Buchanan passed away in 1880 at the age of twenty- eight years, and on October 10, 1884, Dr. Buchanan married Miss Emma L. Ritchey, of Winchester, Ill., who died October 7, 1909, at the age of forty-five years. Dr. Buchanan has one daughter by his second wife, Mary Gwendolyn, who is married to Mr. T. B. Hatten, of Nevada. On June 1, 1911, Dr. Buchanan, accompanied by his daughter and her husband, removed to Twin Falls, Idaho, where they now reside.
Charles G. Burton, one of the foremost men of southwest Missouri, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, April 4, 1846. He is the youngest and only surviving child of a family of five children born
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to Leonard and Laura (Wilson) Burton, both natives of Ohio. The father was a moulder by trade and before finishing his studies in the public schools Charles G. enlisted in the nineteenth regiment, Ohio infantry and entered the army and took part in the battle of Pittsburgh Landing and the skirmishes before Corinth. After returning from the war he resumed his studies and having decided to fit himself for the legal profession, took up the study of law with Messrs. Hutchings and Forest, prominent lawyers of Warren, Ohio, and completed his legal course with Messrs. Hutchings and Glidden, and in 1867 was admitted to the bar. He then served a short time as clerk of the court of common pleas, but in 1868 went to Virgil City, Mo., and there, except for a short time spent in Kansas, practised his profession with success some three years. In 1871 Mr. Burton settled in Nevada and the following year was elected circuit attorney and filled the position till that office was abolished. In the legislature of 1879 he had the unanimous sup- port of the Republican members for United States senator, but failed of an election. In 1880 he was elected judge of the twenty- fifth judicial circuit and served six years to the satisfaction of all parties. In 1894 Judge Burton was a congressional candidate on the Republican ticket, and although the district is one of the most strongly Democratic in the state, he was elected by a majority of 2,500 votes. As a lawyer Judge Burton ranks among the fore- most in his section, being a thorough student and deeply rooted in the principles of legal lore. He was at one time and for many years vice-president of the Thornton Banking Company, a sub- stantial financial institution of Nevada.
In 1907, without his knowledge and to his great surprise, Judge Burton was appointed by President Roosevelt internal revenue collector at Kansas City, and desiring a respite from the exacting duties of his profession he accepted the appointment and removed thither, although he still has property interests at Nevada and claims the city as his home. Judge Burton is a man of vigorous physique, a strong, clear, thoroughly trained and cultivated mind, a pleasing personality, and is counted among the best citizens of his community. He stands high in Masonic cir- cles, being a Knight Templar and also is identified with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
On January 1, 1874, he was united in marriage with Miss
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Alice A. Rogers, of Clinton, Mo., a woman of fine attainments, sterling Christian character and a leader in social affairs.
They have had three children, viz., Pansy, who is an alumnæ of Monticello Seminary, Godfrey, Ill., is married to Mr. Ralph A. Coan and lives at Portland, Ore. ; a son, who died in infancy, and a daughter, who passed away when five years of age.
Theodore Douglas Bush is a leading farmer and stock raiser of Washington township, Vernon county, Missouri. He was born in Hancock county, Illinois, February 1, 1859, and is the second of a family of three children born to George and Nancy (Dorm- forth) Bush, the former a native of West Virginia and the latter of Indiana. The father acquired a good education in his native state and taught school there. He studied in Hancock county, Illinois, in the early days, and there followed his profession as a teacher some eight years, and for a number of years served as justice of the peace. In 1869 he moved with his family to Vernon county, Missouri, and settled on a half section of land four miles north of Nevada, in Washington township. He was a man of local prominence, who used his influence in favor of good schools, and kept himself in touch with the trend of current events. He was an ardent Democrat in politics and served as treasurer and clerk of his township and as a member of the school board. In religious faith he was identified with the Advent Christian de- nomination and was a deacon in the local church. His death occurred in 1878.
Our subject lived at home until he attained his majority and received a good common school education. When he started out for himself he had eighty acres of land which he inherited from his father's estate. He has been eminently successful in his farming operations and as a stock raiser, and has added to his landed possessions from time to time, and now owns 720 acres in Washington township, located in sections 4, 14, 15 and 22.
Mr. Bush is one of the leading citizens of his community and a man of wide influence. He takes a commendable interest in the local affairs of the Democratic party, and is an elder in the Antioch Church of the Advent Christian denomination and an earnest worker in the Sunday-school, where he has served ten years as superintendent.
On September 15, 1880, Mr. Bush married Miss Sarah E.
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Logan, who was born in Vernon county in 1861 and is a daughter of the late Pryor Logan, a pioneer citizen of Vernon county who died in 1900. His widow died in 1911. Mr. and Mrs. Bush have two children : Bert W., born July 10, 1881, and George A., born April 19, 1883.
W. E. Butts is a prosperous farmer of Washington township, Vernon county, Missouri. He was born in Mercer county, Ken- tucky, February 5, 1872, and is the third child of a family of five children born to James W. and Sarah (Burrns) Butts, both natives of Missouri. They were married in Mercer county, Ken- tucky, November 20, 1866. Of their other children Anna Tate Butts died December 1, 1887, and S. F. Butts was born in Ken- tucky.
The father was a man of high educational attainments, a careful student and a man who kept in touch with the trend of events. He was graduated from Liberty College, Missouri, in 1860 and in his early life taught school in his native state and in Iowa. Later he moved to Mercer county, Kentucky, and taught there till the opening of the Civil War, when he enlisted in the Confederate army and served in the regiment commanded by Colonel Price, who afterwards rose to the rank of general and became famous as an able and brave leader. He remained in the service till near the close of the war, and on returning to Mercer county resumed teaching. In 1882 he moved with his family to Vernon county, Missouri, and during the first year lived on a rented farm a short distance southwest from Walker. He then bought a quarter section of land in Washington town- ship, which he afterwards sold, and purchased eighty acres in section 34, same township, where he made his home till his decease, which occurred November 13, 1908. He distinguished himself for bravery as a soldier, served twelve years as justice of the peace in Washington township and was a man of com- manding influence in his community. He was a Democrat in poli- tics and a leader in the local affairs of his party. In religious faith he was affiliated with the Baptist denomination. Our sub- ject passed his boyhood and youth in Mercer county, Kentucky, acquiring his education in the common schools in Missouri, hav- ing accompanied his family to Vernon county, and has ever since lived on the home farm, and has never married. Mr. Butts takes
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an active interest in the local councils of the Democratic party, and in 1902 was elected township clerk and assessor and re- elected in 1904, 1906, 1908, 1910 and 1911, which term expires March 1, 1913. He is identified with the Modern Woodmen of America and in religious faith is a Baptist.
Dr. Larkin Callaway was born in this county and grew up here, and naturally gained a wide and respected acquaintance among those who have known him from boyhood. His birth- occurred June 23, 1855. His father, Dr. James B. Callaway, was a physician of extensive prominence. He was born in Warren county, Missouri, in 1818, where he was reared, first learning the mercantile business, after which, forming a taste for the practice of medicine, he prepared himself for that profession and com- menced the practice of medicine in his native county. Later on he went to Montgomery county, there opened a store and attended to his medical practice for a number of years. In 1855 Vernon county attracted his attention, and after coming here he devoted himself to both farming and professional duties. In 1852 he married Miss Letitia Logan, of Montgomery county. It is a fact worthy of mention that Dr. Callaway's mother was a great- granddaughter of the famous pioneer, Daniel Boone. May 8, 1883, after a career of successful and meritorious practice, Dr. Callaway was called away from earth, leaving a family of six children : Larkin H .; Sarah, now Mrs. G. R. Godfrey; Hugh ; Frank; Ella, wife of Eugene Parrish ; and William. The subject of this sketch, as has been intimated, was reared here, growing up first to an agricultural experience, following which he com- menced the study of medicine under the guidance of his father and Dr. J. H. Blake. He attended the American Medical College of St. Louis, and was graduated in the class of 1875, and soon afterwards he commenced practicing in the western part of this county, from whence he came to Nevada in 1876. In 1886 he attended the New York Polyclinic of New York, a school for practitioners of medicine, and was graduated from the Beaumont Hospital Medical College in St. Louis in the class of 1887. July 26, 1883, Dr. Callaway was united in marriage with Miss Julia C. Gordon, of Columbia. Mo., daughter of Hon. David Gordon. The doctor is a Knight Templar in the Masonic Order.
Le Roy Campbell, one of the progressive men and prosperous
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farmers of Vernon county, Missouri, was born in Illinois January 7, 1875, to John M. and Emma Campbell, both now deceased, the father dying in Kansas City, Mo., March 25, 1908, and the mother passing away August 23, 1898, at Council Bluffs, Iowa.
After leaving the public schools our subject attended and was graduated from the military school at Faribault, Minn., with the class of 1896. He also attended Grinnell College, Iowa, one year, also took a special course in chemistry at the University of Michi- gan and at Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, where he received the degree of Ph. D. He is a licensed pharmacist of the state of Iowa, and for eight years was in the drug business at Council Bluffs. On June 10, 1908, Mr. Campbell was united in marriage, at South Bend, Ind., with Miss Ada Helen Beitner, whose father, John G. Beitner, a pioneer merchant of St. Joseph county, Indiana, was a native of Germany.
Mr. Campbell bought 600 acres of land in sections 20 and 21, Harrison township, Vernon county, in 1905, and is engaged in farming on an extensive scale, happy in his work, optimistic and hopeful, and interested in the growth and development of Vernon county, Mr. Campbell stands high in Masonic circles and. is a member of the Mystic Shrine, and also is identified with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
Charles L. Carter, the popular and wide-awake proprietor of a prosperous livery business in Nevada, Mo., was a native of Boyle county, Kentucky. He was the second child of a family of five children born to John H. and Mary E. (Armstrong) Carter, who moved from Kentucky, their native state, about 1880 and settled on a farm in Washington township, Vernon county, Missouri, where the father died, and where the mother is now living-1911.
Charles L. was reared on his father's farm and acquired a common school education and until his removal into Nevada was engaged in farming and stock raising. In 1904 he purchased the livery business formerly owned and conducted by Mr. W. A. Mason in Nevada, then sold it to Messrs. Crockett and Gose, and in 1905 repurchased it, and since that time carried on a success- ful livery and sales stable business at Nos. 114-16 South Main street. Mr. Carter also owned a fine farm in Center township, where he bred and dealt extensively in cattle, hogs, etc., and car- ried on farming operations.
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Mr. Carter was a thorough man of affairs and was interested in fraternal and benevolent organizations, being a member of the Masonic order and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
In 1905 he was united in marriage with Miss Irene M. Gordon, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John M. Gordon, of Nevada.
After suffering with Bright's disease for about a year Mr. Carter suddenly succumbed and died on August 31, 1911, mourned by the general community.
Hugh M. Caton, deceased, was the son of Noah Caton, who was born in North Carolina, and when about four years old accompanied his parents to Kentucky, from whence they subse- quently came to Warren county, Missouri. After attaining man- hood he married Miss Fanny McDermid, who was a Kentuckian by birth, her father also being an early settler of Warren county, this state. Up to the age of seventeen years, Hugh M. lived at home in Warren county, then moving with his family to Carroll county in 1834, where he resided until 1837. While a resident of that locality, and during the season of 1837, he and his mother made a trip on horseback to Little Osage, in Vernon county, and became so favorably impressed with the locality that it was not a great while until their permanent settlement here. Previous to this time two sisters of Mrs. Caton had become residents of this county, one having married Moses Summers and the other Jesse Summers, mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume. January 1, 1839, Mr. Caton decided to remove to this section, which he did in March following, the father locating north of Nevada. Of his large family of children, ten grew to maturity : Christopher P .; Hugh M .; Jesse H., who went to Oregon in 1842; William S .; Elizabeth; Susan, wife of Thomas Myers; Roselle, who married first Isaac Jones, and after his death Sylvester Fuller; Nelson B .; Caroline, Mrs. John Wray; and Hester, wife of James Moore. After remaining here two years our subject returned to Carroll county, but in 1854 again came back. August 22, 1842, he was married to Miss Nancy A. Harvey, a native of Alabama, daughter of Ebenaezer and Sarah Harvey. Mr. and Mrs. Caton had a family of six children : Frances, wife of A. J. Longacre; Charles ; Theresa, Mrs. William P. Barnett; John W .;
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Mary, wife of W. H. Parman; and Lee. Mr. Caton and wife were members of the M. E. Church South.
James H. Caton* is a prominent citizen of Washington town- ship, Vernon county, Missouri, where he was born October 11, 1859. He is the fourth child of a family of five children (one of whom is deceased) born to Nelson and Mary (Griggs) Caton. The father was born in Carroll county, Missouri, in 1832, and moved thence to Vernon county in 1839, and died there in 1862. After his decease his widow purchased and settled on a farm in Virgil township, and our subject lived there with her till he was twenty-two years of age. The mother died in 1902, at his home. He owns a fine farm of 120 acres in section seventeen, Washington township, well improved and equipped with modern appliances, and carries on a prosperous dairy business, having a herd of twenty-five Jersey cows, and supplying milk and cream to the Hospital for the Insane at Nevada.
Mr. Caton has always been more or less interested and active in public affairs in the community. In politics he adheres to Democratic principles, and is serving as one of the county judges of Vernon county, to which office he was elected in November, 1910. He has also served years as tax collector, and is now a member of the school board of Washington township.
He has been twice married. His first wife, Sarah Bush, daugh- ter of Mr. F. M. Bush, whom he married May 18, 1880, died February 13, 1887, and on October 9, 1900, he married Miss Kate Bush, of Vernon county.
Dr. Albert Churchell was born in Susquehanna county, Penn- sylvania, March 17, 1836. Amos Churchell, his father, was a native of Connecticut and came of good old Revolutionary stock. While a young man he married Miss Nabbie Holley, of New York state, the daughter of a brave soldier of the War of 1812. Five children constituted their family. Albert, the third child and second son, was deprived of a father's watchful care and guid- ance when fourteen years old, and at that early age he started out in life on his own account. A few years were passed upon a farm to secure means for an education. He entered upon a course of study under the preceptorship of Dr. John Roe, and obtained a thorough knowledge of that calling, finally attending
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lectures at Cincinnati, Ohio, and commenced active practice in 1859; in 1857, however, he changed his place of residence to Louisiana. This he continued with satisfactory results until the outbreak of the war, when he enlisted as a private in the Confed- erate army, serving throughout the entire service, participating in many severe engagements. At the close of the war, Dr. Churchell went to Texas and devoted himself without interrup- tion to the practice of his chosen profession until the fall of 1866. Early in 1867 he came to Nevada and made his residence, rising to a position of recognized merit among his professional asso- ciates. The doctor was a large property holder, and in various ways was identified with the growth and development of the county. March 31, 1861, he was married to Miss Mary A. Guthrie, who was born at Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri. This union has been blessed with seven children: May; Belle, wife of W. F. Norman; Mary Alice; Ella Louise; Lula Viola; William Albert ; Edwin Ross, and Frank Lee. Dr. Churchell was a member of the A. F. and A. M.
James M. Clack is a public-spirited and enterprising citizen of Nevada, Mo., whose efficiency in various public offices has gained for him an enviable name in his city and county as a man of unusual ability and genuine worth. A native of Mis- souri, he was born October 7. 1873, in Ray county, and is a son of William S. and Relda (Baber) Clack. The parents, who are natives of Missouri, settled in Nevada in 1875, and still reside there. The father was engaged in mercantile trade twenty-five years, but in 1900 retired from active business.
James M. is the third child of a family of four children, the others being Belle, the wife of Mr. William Graham, of Pueblo, Colo .; Anna, a teacher in the Nevada high school, and John W., also of Nevada.
Our subject attended the public schools of Nevada and after his graduation from the high school with the class of 1890. he took a course of study at the Missouri State University, and after closing his studies there spent three years as a clerk for Messrs. Goss & Glenn, of Nevada. In 1896 Mr. Clack was elected city collector of Nevada and served in that office two terms. till 1900. In 1901 he was elected county surveyor, and is now serving his third term which expires in 1912. He was also in
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1901 appointed city engineer, and in that office is now serving his sixth term, which will expire in 1912. He also filled the office of county engineer for the term of 1908-10 and is now serving his third term, which will expire in 1912.
Mr. Clack has been for many years actively identified with various fraternal and benevolent organizations and is past master of Osage Lodge, No. 303, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, past high priest of the Nevada Royal Arch Chapter, past com- mander of O'Sullivan Commandery, Knights Templar, and past exalted ruler of Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
On October 17, 1900, Mr. Clack married Miss Margaret Mc- Gonigle, of Medina, Mo., and they have one child, named Marjorie.
Harvey C. Clark was born on a farm in Cooper county, Mis- souri, September 17, 1869, from which place his parents removed to Butler, in Bates county, early in 1870. He enjoyed excep- tional educational advantages. After graduating from the public schools and Butler Academy, he attended Wentworth Military Academy and the Scarritt Collegiate Institute, from which latter institution he graduated in 1891 as valedictorian of his class, with the degree of A. B. After completing his college course he was admitted to the bar in 1893 by Judge James H. Lay, pass- ing an examination upon which he received the highest com- pliment of the court. Upon being admitted to practice of the law he entered into a partnership with Judge W. W. Graves, now presiding justice of division one of the Supreme Court of Mis- souri, the firm name being Graves & Clark. This firm was recog- nized as one of the strongest in southwest Missouri and was engaged in some of the most important cases, both civil and criminal, in the history of the state. This partnership continued until dissolved by the elevation of Judge Graves to the supreme bench. In 1896 Mr. Clark was elected prosecuting attorney of Bates county by the largest majority ever given a candidate for public office in that county, and at the end of his term he was re-elected by an increased majority. It is said that his record of convictions is without a parallel, only one man having escaped conviction on trial in a court of record during his administra- tion. One of the cases he prosecuted, and which attracted wide attention both on account of the brutal nature of the crime and the seeming absence of a clue as to the perpetrator, was that of
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Noah McGinnis, the murderer of an old German farmer near Rockville. Through his efforts the guilty man was traced, cap- tured, convicted and executed upon purely circumstantial evi- dence. A little later, after his term of office had expired, he was employed by the County Court to prosecute Dr. James L. Gartrell, of Kansas City, for a brutal murder committed in Bates county. After a trial which attracted much attention on account of the personality of the defendant and the remarkable circum- stances surrounding the crime, Dr. Gartrell was convicted and hanged. But perhaps the most noted criminal case in which Mr. Clark has appeared as counsel was that of the State of Missouri vs. Charles Kratz, the St. Louis councilman, charged with bribery, and who was extradited from Mexico, to which country he had fled, through the personal efforts of President Roosevelt. He was the alleged leader of the combine in the municipal council of St. Louis, and every power of the state was invoked to convict him. After a legal battle lasting more than a week, in which the state was represented by Governor Folk, then circuit attorney of St. Louis, and the defendant by Mr. Clark as senior counsel, the jury returned a verdict acquitting the defendant. But while Mr. Clark has participated as counsel in many noted criminal cases, he has always preferred the civil practice. Perhaps one of the most noted cases in which he has participated was that to test the constitutionality of the act of the legislature requiring the governor to appoint election commissioners for the great cities from lists furnished by committees of the two parties. To- gether with Judge Williams, of Booneville, he represented the defendant Washburn, who had been appointed in defiance of the statute, and against whom ouster proceedings had been instituted by Attorney General Crow. The Supreme Court, in an opinion which attracted great interest by reason of the importance of the question involved, sustained the position taken by Mr. Clark and Judge Williams.
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