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 31
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Missouri. His settlement in Vernon county 'was made in 1844, in March. He took an active part in the War of 1812, serving all through that struggle. His first wife was Polly Young, and after her death he married Mary Ann Boyd, a native of Penn- sylvania. Eleven children were born of these two marriages. In 1860 Mr. Jent was again united in matrimony to Mrs. Christina Bacon, who died in 1871. His death occurred in June, 1883. Benjamin F. Jent is one of the native-born residents of the county, and was born February 19, 1850. September 7, 1882, he married Miss Lizzie J. White, of Illinois, daughter of Joseph P. White. Mr. Jent's mother died in 1859.
James B. Johnson, a successful lawyer, of Nevada, Vernon county, Missouri, was born in Louisiana, Mo., September 30, 1849, and is one of five survivors of a family of six children born to James H. and Margaret A. (Beers) Johnson. The father was born in Kentucky, June 20, 1813, and the mother in Indiana in 1823. They were married at Louisiana, Mo. Their other children are Mrs. L. S. Gray, Mrs. M. T. Cunningham, Mrs. Kimbrough Winston, and Henry H. Johnson.
The father, a blacksmith and millwright by trade, followed those occupations at different times, and also was for a time employed as a steamboat captain. After his marriage he settled in Louisiana, Mo., and passed his life there, dying in April, 1861. . In 1862 his widow was united in marriage with Dr. J. N. B. Dodson, a former resident of Vernon county, whither he returned in 1865. The mother came in 1866, and made her home here until her decease in August, 1884.
James B., after leaving the public schools of his native place, studied for a time at the Christian Brothers College at St. Louis, and the St. Louis University, and afterwards at Watson Seminary at Ashley, Pike county. He spent the school year of 1867-68 in the Missouri State University, and his failure to gain admission to the Kemper School at Booneville in 1868, because the quota was full when he applied, led to his taking up the study of law after consulting with his guardian at Louisiana. He prosecuted his studies under the direction of Hon. John B. Henderson and Mr. D. P. Dyer, a prominent law firm at Louisiana, and remained in their office untill November, 1870, though he was admitted to the bar before the circuit court at Bowling Green, Pike county,
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March 10, 1869. Mr. Johnson began his professional career at Nevada in the spring of 1871, his first office being over the store of Messrs. Tyler and Roberts, but the next year moved to the offices which he has occupied continuously ever since.
Mr. Johnson is a Democrat and has been more or less active in the affairs of his party. He was a Democratic nominee for the office of circuit judge in 1904, but failed of an election, as did the entire Democratic ticket. On the death in 1906 of Judge Shafer, his successful competitor for the office, Mr. Johnson was appointed by Governor Folk to fill the vacancy and served till his successor was elected. At the special election held in De- cember, 1908, he was elected to the state legislature to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Mr. John O. Morrison, who had been elected at the general election in November preceding. During ten years from 1894 to 1904 Mr. Johnson was city coun- selor and resigned the office when he became a nominee for circuit judge, and also has served as tax attorney under two dif- ferent collectors. In 1906-7 he was president of the school board of Nevada and during his encumbency the present high school building was projected and built.
In religious faith Mr. Johnson is an "old school" Pres- byterian.
On October 22, 1876, Mr. Johnson was united in marriage with Miss Sallie K. Gordon, who was born in Cole county, Missouri, February 13, 1856. Mrs. Johnson is a daughter of James A. and Mary A. (Goodall) Gordon, who settled in Vernon county with their family in 1869.
William J. Jones was one of the most worthy and highly esteemed citizens of Nevada, in whose decease, July 22, 1906, the city suffered a loss that was universally felt. A native of Benton county, Missouri, he was born July 1, 1837, and was a son of James J. and Margaret (Phillipps) Jones, who moved from Kentucky, their native state, to Missouri in the pioneer days, while Indians were still there. They had a family of eleven children, one of whom, besides our subject, James W. Jones, of Oklahoma, still survives. William J. was their second child; spent his boyhood on the home farm in Benton county and there acquired his early education in the district schools. He also in early life learned the locksmith's trade, but after
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following it a short time turned his attention to mercantile busi- ness, both in the grocery trade and in the dry goods line. Mr. Jones first came to Nevada in 1866, but finding no suitable opening for business went into Center township, Vernon county, and spent some eighteen months there. Returning to Nevada in 1868 he opened a dry goods store, and by good management and careful attention to business established a fine trade and was one of the well-known dry goods merchants of the city, when, on account of failing health, he retired from active work about a year prior to his decease. He was a man of high ideals, broad- minded, kind-hearted and public-spirited withal, and was always ready to do his part in helping on any worthy cause or in aid of any movement for the welfare and betterment of the com- munity. He served on the local school board and as a member of the city council and was six years mayor of Nevada. In religious faith and fellowship Mr. Jones was affiliated with the Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church, South, whose church edifice he helped to build, as he did all the churches in Vernon county. Mr. Jones also stood high in Masonic circles, being a Knights Templar, a Chapter Mason, etc.
On April 1, 1856, Mr. Jones was united in marriage with Miss Frances Duren, a daughter of Mannen and Margaret L. (Gibbs) Duren, of Benton county. Mrs. Jones is a woman of domestic tastes and charming qualities, and in her home has always been known and admired as a devoted mother and as a worthy helpmeet of her late worthy husband. She and her twin brother, William C. Duren, of Nevada, are the only survivors of a family of eleven children.
Of two children born to Mr. and Mrs. Jones, James M., who was born November 12, 1857, died September 14, 1904, at Pitts- burg, Kan., where he was engaged in mercantile business, and Dora is married to Rev. J. W. Howell, of Nevada.
Mrs. Jones' father, Mannen Duren, a farmer, moved from Georgia, his native state, to Tennessee when young and grew up in Nashville. He went thence to northern Missouri at an early date, and in 1825 settled in Benton county. Her mother was a native of Christian county, Kentucky.
Thomas Jones, of Milo, Vernon county, is a native Missourian and was born in Callaway county, November 26, 1836. He is the
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seventh child of a family of ten children-of whom three are now living-born to Hezekiah and Elizabeth C. (Perkins) Jones, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Kentucky. Elvira Jones, born December 20, 1820, died March 14, 1848. Milton Jones, born June 3, 1824, died July 30, 1875. Newton Jones, born December 6, 1826. Elizabeth Jones, born February 13, 1829. Virginia Jones, born May 4, 1831. Nancy Jones, born January 24, 1834. Thomas Jones, born November 26, 1836. Tilla Jones, born November 24, 1839. Lucy Jones, born June 5, 1842. Nathaniel Jones, born January 23, 1845.
Elizabeth C. Perkins was born July 2, 1806, and married April 29, 1819.
Milton Jones married Mary Ann Sholl June 18, 1846. Elvira Jones married William N. Peters May 6, 1847. Elizabeth Peters was born February 18, 1848, and married Robert Hults January 30, 1873. Eliza Jones married A. Read February 9, 1848. New- ton Jones married Amanda Bord September 26, 1849. Virginia Jones married S. Clark September 27, 1849. Tilla Jones married J. C. Read November 19, 1857. Thomas Jones married Elizabeth Harrison June 30, 1859. Lucy Jones married Duke Hults Au- gust 31, 1864. Nathaniel Jones married Jineta Lozed July 15, 1856.
The father settled in Callaway county prior to 1820 and spent his life there, passing away December 5, 1882. He was a successful general farmer, hard-working, industrious, frugal and thrifty and acquired 400 acres of fine farming land on what is known as Grand Prairie, within seven miles of Martinsburg. He was entirely self-educated and was a careful student and ex- tensive reader and kept himself thoroughly posted on the topics of the times. He was in no sense an extremist, although he held decided opinions on many subjects, being ready to grant to others the same independence of thought that he claimed for himself. He was a rigid temperance man and opposed to every kind of secret order. In politics he was an ardent Republican, and in his day heartily supported Abraham Lincoln, whom he greatly admired. He was withal a kind-hearted man and always ready to help those who were willing to help themselves. Both he and his wife were consistent members of the Baptist denom- ination. After his decease his widow made her home with our subject and passed away March 29, 1892.
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Thomas had meager school privileges, attending the district schools two months in the year and walking a distance of two miles. He grew up on the home farm and lived there till he attained his majority.
On starting for himself his father gave him a horse and 120 acres of land in Cedar county, Missouri. Here he lived and carried on general farming some twenty years or more with eminent success, and was justly regarded as one of the sub- stantial farmers of his community. On February 28, 1879, he moved with his family to Vernon county and settled on a quarter section in section 7, Dover township, and carried on general farming twenty-seven years, till 1906, when he retired from active business and moved into his commodious and comfortable home in Milo, where he lives in the enjoyment of the fruits of his busy life. Mr. Jones is identified with the Masonic order, is independent in political matters and with his wife is affiliated with the Christian Church.
On June 30, 1859, Mr. Jones married Miss Emma E., daughter of Jeremiah Harrison, a pioneer settler and prosperous farmer of Cedar county. Nine children were born to them, of whom the seven living are: Tillie J., born September 21, 1860; W. Heze- kiah, born November 15, 1863; Stonewall Jackson, born February 9, 1869 ; Cora Lee, born February 9, 1871; Nora J., born March 25, 1874; George W., born August 25, 1876, and Maude, born February 18, 1879.
Mrs. Jones departed this life in January, 1905, and 'on May 24, 1906, Mr. Jones married Mrs. Elizabeth Wescott, who had four surviving children by her former husband, named, . respectively, Phoenix W., Emma, William and Minnie Wescott. Their father died in 1867. Mr. Jones' second wife died July 8, 1911.
Michael Jordan was for many years a business man and resi- dent of Vernon county. His birth occurred in 1838, in Ireland, from whence in 1844 he emigrated to the United States in com- pany with his parents, Patrick and Sarah Jordan, who were also natives of the Emerald Isle. The father chose a settlement at Boonville, Cooper county, Missouri, and there young Michael was principally brought up, his first principal business venture being as a railroad contractor. Subsequently he moved to Lexington,
1
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Lafayette county, lived there ten years, and afterwards for sev- eral years he made his home in both Jackson and Cass counties. or until 1870, when a permanent settlement was made in this county. Here he was actively engaged in different branches of mercantile life. At first the grocery business received his atten- tion, and later on he was occupied in milling, but in August, 1885, he lost his mill by fire. In 1886 he entered into partner- ship with Mr. R. J. McGowan in the boot and shoe trade. Mr Jordan has been prominent in business circles, and in official capacities he gained many friends. Besides serving satisfactorily as city treasurer he has been a member of the city council, and for six years he was active in educational matters; he was secre- tary of the board of education. In 1862 Mr. Jordan was united in marriage with Miss Nannie J. Thomas, whose birthplace was in Cass county, Missouri.
James B. Journey comes of sturdy stock, tracing his ancestry in this country back to Colonial days. His great-great-grand- father, Peter Journey, was a Virginian by birth and served in the Revolutionary war for independence. His son, James Journey, our subject's grandfather, moved from Virginia, his native state, and was one of the pioneer settlers of St. Charles county, Missouri. Our subject's maternal grandfather, Benja- min Baugh, also settled in St. Charles county in the early days, and thence removed to Vernon county, where he passed the remainder of his life. He was born near Harrodsburg, Ky., and married Miss Maria, nee Boone, who was a daughter of Squire Boone, a brother of Daniel Boone, and who came to St. Charles county, Missouri, with his brother, Daniel Boone. James B. is a native of Vernon county, and was born December 4, 1862, to' Angus L. and Patsy A. (Baugh) Journey, both of whom were born in St. Charles county, Missouri. Removing to Vernon county, in 1853, they settled on section 21 in Center township and there established the family homestead and reared their family. They endured many perils during the Civil War and witnessed the burning of Nevada, but retained their home and Iived to see the growth and development of Vernon county into one of the most prosperous and progressive agricultural and com- mercial centers of the state. The father died in 1883, when
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sixty-five years old, but the mother survived till 1908, passing away at the age of seventy-six years.
Our subject was reared on the family homestead and acquired his early education in the common schools of the county and later attended the Fort Scott Normal School. When eighteen years old he began teaching in the district schools and continued in that occupation, in various rural and village schools, some ten years. During that time he began the study of law, which he pursued until he passed his examination and was admitted to the bar in January, 1887, at Stockton, Cedar county, Missouri. After his admission he taught for a time in the school at Monte- vallo, Vernon county, and began the practice of his profession at Nevada in 1889, and has continued it uninterruptedly since with gratifying success, attaining to an honored place among the progressive and successful lawyers of the Vernon county bar.
Mr. Journey, while not caring for political office, has been an active political worker, and is prominent in the local councils of his party, and was secretary of the Democratic central com- mittee from 1894 to 1900. He has always been especially inter- ested in matters relating to the early settlement and history of his locality and was a chief factor in organizing the Old Settlers' Association of Nevada.
Mr. Journey has been twice married. His first wife, Miss Ewing K., nee Dale, whom he married in September, 1887, died in 1891, leaving one child, Rockwell C. Journey. In September, 1894, he married Miss Jennie, daughter of Wesley and Caro- line (Barger) Wilcox, of Nevada, and there have been born to them three children, viz., James Randall, Marjorie E. and Eleanor.
George A. Kaupp is a prosperous business man of Nevada, Mo. He is of German-English lineage and was born near Will- iamsport, Pa. His parents, Godfrey P. and Mary A. (Winner) Kaupp, are both natives of Pennsylvania and moved thence in 1882 to Lafayette county, Missouri, where the father carried on general farming ten years. In 1892 the family moved to Nevada and here the father turned his attention to gardening and established what has grown to be the largest and finest greenhouse plant anywhere in this section of the state, the sev- eral houses having 30,000 feet of glass-covered space. This was
-
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the first exclusive lettuce plant in the locality. Beginning in a small way, new equipment has been added to meet the needs of a constantly increasing business, which has far outgrown the demands of the local trade, flowers, plants and other products of the establishment being supplied throughout a wide range of surrounding country. For many years the business has been carried on under the firm name of Kaupp & Son, our subject being junior partner in the firm, but Mr. Kaupp, Sr., who is known far and near as a thorough and practical horticulturist, also is actively engaged in the management of the business.
George A., after leaving the public schools of Nevada, took a commercial course in the Lewis Business College at Glasgow,. Mo., then pursued a scientific course at Odessa College, finishing with the class of 1891, and later attended Baker University at Baldwin, Kan. He taught in the rural districts two years and also was for a time principal of schools at Mayview, Mo. It was some two years after this that he became a partner with his father.
Mr. Kaupp takes an active interest in fraternal and benevo- lent organizations, being identified with the Masonic order, Knights Templar, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias. In religious faith he is affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church.
He married Miss Lydia E., daughter of Mr. D. B. Johnson, of Nevada. They have one child, Theodore J.
Charles W. Keck is an enterprising and wide-awake citizen of Nevada, Mo. A native of Kane county, Illinois, he was born January 12, 1869, and is one of a family of eight children-six of whom survive-born to William and Aurilla (White) Keck, natives of New York. The father, who is of German lineage, came west when a boy and in 1876 settled on a farm in Virgil township, Vernon county, Missouri, and is now living in Illinois. The mother died in 1885.
Charles W. grew to manhood in the country, working on the farm and attending the district schools and acquired a good English education. On attaining his majority, in 1890, he secured employment in the postoffice at Nevada as mailing clerk, and a little later was appointed assistant postmaster there. During the years 1895-7 he was employed in the railway mail
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service, running from St. Louis to Kansas City, after which he returned to Nevada and again assumed the duties of assistant postmaster, and has continued in that position to the present time-1911-his being the longest continuous term of service of any employee in the Nevada office. During these years of Mr. Keck's connection with the Nevada postoffice the volume of business has grown to large proportions, the number of employees has increased from two clerks to an efficient force of six office clerks, six city carriers and six rural carriers, and the office itself, outgrowing its former narrow quarters, has been transferred to the new $75,000 federal building, which was completed and equipped in 1910. Mr. Keck is known as a man of industrious habits, careful, methodical and faithful in whatever he under- takes, and by his uniform courtesy and gentlemanly demeanor, combined with his efficiency and recognized probity of character, holds the confidence, good will and esteem of all.
In 1891 Mr. Keck married Miss Olive, a daughter of Joseph and Ann (Hoskins) Sterling, of Vernon county, and they have a family of four children, named, respectively, Loy E., Forest H., Delpha A. and Sterling T.
Clyde E. Keeling, the popular and enterprising proprietor of the Keeling Studio, at Nevada, is a native Missourian, and was born in Saline county, May 22, 1871. He enjoyed good educa- tional privileges in early life and later studied at the State Normal School and State University, and for some years followed teaching as a profession. He was principal of the Sheldon schools two years, and also taught literature and history in the Nevada High School.
Mr Keeling is a man of decided artistic tastes and has made a thorough study of photography in all its phases and branches and is recognized as a most skillful expert and operator in his class of art. His present studio was established in 1904 and is a perfect model in all its appointments, equipped, as it is, with every facility and appliance for turning out the highest class of work, producing portraits on platinum, in water colors and sepia, etc., with every variety and style of finish and mounting. Mr. Keeling also produces the finest class of commercial and view work, and is the official photographer of the National Guard of Missouri. In various public expositions of photographic art,
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where work from all parts of Missouri has been on exhibition, Mr. Keeling's productions have, in several instances, received the highest awards given in the state, and he now holds eleven gold and silver medals for the superior excellence of his exhibits. Fine specimens of his artistic work may be seen on the walls of the handsomely furnished parlors of his studio, which are open to all lovers of art, and besides himself Mr. Keeling has in his employ three skilled assistants, each an expert in his particular line, so that every patron is reasonably safe in getting the best results in pose and expression at the first sitting.
Mr. Keeling is identified with the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and in 1909 was elected secretary of the State Photographers' Association.
In 1900 he married Miss Mattie Clayton, of Rich Hill, Mo.
Lamoreux N. Kennedy, a member of the bar of Nevada, Missouri, is a descendant of one of the oldest pioneer families of Missouri, his great-grandfather having settled in the state in 1807. He traces his ancestry back through four generations to John Kennedy and Mary (Rowan) Kennedy, his great-great- grandparents who came from Ireland to Virginia about the year 1750. John Kennedy had four sons who were soldiers in the Revolutionary War; one of them, Thomas Kennedy, great-grand- father of our subject married at the close of the Revolutionary War, and settled in the State of South Carolina near Charleston, where he lived for about fifteen years. Leaving South Carolina about the beginning of the Nineteenth Century, he moved west- ward into the state of Tennessee, stopping near Nashville for two or three years, then crossing the Mississippi river into what was at that time an unknown world he finally located, with his family, in the fall of 1807, at a point that is now Warren county, Missouri, being the fourth English speaking family to settle in Missouri, west of what is now the St. Charles county line. Here he estab- lished a home and built a fort which was known by his name. At that time, so far as is known to history, Kennedy's fort was the most remote western fort or settlement of Americans in the United States. James Kennedy, grandfather of our subject, was the oldest son of Thomas Kennedy, being seventeen years old when the settlement was made in Missouri. He was a soldier in
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Captain Callaway's Company of Rangers in the War of 1812, and in 1815 having retired from the army, he was married to Sallie Lyle and settled on a farm three miles from the old fort, where he raised a family of four boys and three girls.
On this same farm, the subject of this sketch was born on February 21, 1856. His father was Lewis Kennedy, second son of James. Lewis was a merchant and farmer of Warren county, but later moved to Nevada, where he died in 1894. The mother of our subject was Catherine (Stewart) Kennedy, a native of. Virginia, who came to this state when a child with her father, Grief Stewart, in 1830. Mr. Stewart was a large land owner and slave holder, and was a man of affairs in his day. He was a member of the first grand jury ever empanelled in Warren county.
Lamoureux N. was reared on a farm in Warren county, and after finishing at the public schools, attended Central Wesleyan College, at Warrenton, Mo., where he graduated with the class of 1880. He then entered the law department of the State University at Columbia, and was graduated in the class of 1882, having the distinction of being one of three selected out of a class of twenty to prepare and read a thesis on a legal subject at the university commencement.
In the fall of 1882, Mr. Kennedy located in Nevada, and began the practice of his profession, and with the exception of six years spent in St. Louis, Kansas City and Denver, he has continuously resided here since. On his return to Nevada in the spring of 1905, he opened an office and again entered the practice of law as a member of the Vernon county bar.
On September 9, 1885, Mr. Kennedy was united in marriage to Mellie, daughter of the late James B. Walker, of Henry county. Of this marriage there are five children, respectively : Lewis L., James F., Harry C., Catherine and Nellie. Mrs. Kennedy had one daughter by a former marriage, Mrs. Noni Clack Bailey, who resides in Nevada.
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