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 35
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51
William J. McElwain is an enterprising and prosperous busi- ness man of Nevada, Mo., who has achieved success by persevering and persistent work. He was born at Jericho Springs, in Cedar county, Missouri, April 6, 1884, and is the fifth child of a family of thirteen children born to J. W. and Caroline (Robinson) McElwain. The father is a native of Illinois, and when he was sixteen years of age, in 1870, he came to Missouri with his parents, and later settled in Vernon county. The mother is a native of Missouri. Their other surviving children are Warren McElwain, George F. M.Elwain, Harry R. McElwain, Hattie, who married Mr. Frank Stowell and lives in North Dakota, Zenia, the wife of Mr. John Stowell, and Leeta, also living in North Dakota. Those deceased were Zeff, Ella, who was married to Mr. Chant Kenni- cutt, Artie, who was the wife of Mr. John Amons, and three others who died in infancy.
Our subject's paternal grandfather, David Franklin McElwain, of Irish lineage, moved from Ohio, his native state, first to Illinois and later to Vernon county, Missouri, where he died on December 25, 1900, at the age of seventy-six years. His maternal grand- father Robinson enlisted as a soldier in the Civil War, but was stricken with a prevalent malignant disease and died before participating in any battle. He was of Scotch-English ancestry, the first representative of the family in this country, settling in North Carolina. William J. grew up on his father's farm and
907
BIOGRAPHICAL
acquired his education in the district schools. When nineteen years old he left the farm, and entered upon an apprenticeship in the Dempsey Candy Works at Nevada, and worked there one year. He then spent three years with Mr. A. C. Dempsey, and after that was one year with the Nevada Candy Company. Mr. McElwain next purchased a half interest with Mr. S. Dempsey in the same line of business which was conducted several months under the firm name of Dempsey & McElwain. On the dissolution of this partnership, Mr. McElwain associated himself with Mr. C. L. Braden under the firm name of McElwain & Braden. This firm continued till February, 1908, when he bought his partner's in- terest in the business and then, selling a half interest to Mr. J. W. Noyes, joined with him in organizing the McElwain Candy Com- pany. Besides a manufacturing department, which is under Mr. McElwain's personal supervision, there is also a high-class retail department, which supplies a large and constantly growing trade. Mr. McElwain has made a careful and conscientious study of his line of work, and with his years of experience has established a high reputation for the purity and wholesomeness of his products. He has given his attention closely to his business, so that he has found little time for outside affairs. He is interested in fra- ternal orders, and belongs to the M. B. of A., and the Knights of the Maccabees of the World.
Thomas L. McGuinn,* a native Missourian, comes of genuine Irish lineage, his father being a son of the late William McGuinn, who passed his life in Ireland, where he enjoyed local promi- nence. Our subject's parents, James and Esther (Dunne) Mc- Guinn, were both born in Ireland, whence they emigrated in their early lives, settling first in the state of Ohio and removing thence in 1886, to Bates county, Missouri. They settled on a farm and continued there some years, and then moved with their family to a farm in Center township, Vernon county, where the father still resides and where the mother died in 1896, in her sixty-third year. Of a family of seven children born to them, five, named respectively, Elizabeth, Hannah, Irene, Thomas L. and William, are living. The names of the two deceased are Ellen and James, the latter meeting a violent death at the hands of a robber, October 29, 1894, when he was thirty-four years of age.
908
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
Thomas L., who was born in Bates county, September 11. 1869, grew up on his father's farm, acquiring his education in the public schools, and helping in the farm work. Farm life has always had strong attractions for him, and, though called to give his attention to other matters, he has always retained his interest in farming operations.
In the spring of 1907 Mr. McGuinn was elected tax collector of Center township for the term of 1907-8, and gave such general satisfaction in managing the affairs of his office that the people again elected him, in March, 1909, for the term of 1909-10. Mr. McGuinn is an active member of the Modern Woodmen of America.
James F. McKay, an enterprising business man of Milo, Ver- non county, was born February 22, 1884, and is the youngest child of James and Josephine (Bartlett) Mckay. He grew to manhood on his father's farm, acquiring his education in the common schools of his native place and lived at home till he started in business for himself. In 1906, associated with his father and elder brother, under the firm name of J. M. McKay and Sons, he began buying, baling, shipping and selling hay at Milo, and continued in that relation three years.
The firm was then dissolved, and in 1909 he and his brother associated themselves under the firm name of Mckay Brothers, and established what has grown into an extensive and profitable business, dealing in hay, grain, lumber and building material, the capital investment having been increased from $5,000 to $10,000.
Mr. McKay is a careful, methodical business man, of sound judgment, progressive in his ideas and methods and just and upright in his dealings, and stands high in the estimation of the community and with his business associates.
Outside of his regular business relations, he is connected with other enterprises, being vice-president and a member of the board of directors of the Dale Saddlery Company, and a director of the Bank of Milo. He is also actively identified with the Modern Woodmen of America. On August 12, 1904, Mr. McKay married Miss Mayme Jones. Two children have been born to them of whom, C. R. Mckay, born January 1, 1906, is living.
The Mckay Brothers own 600 acres of good land which is well
909
BIOGRAPHICAL
stocked with the best to be had in the way of live stock and im- plements.
Hon. James McKill, deceased, was born in New York state in 1830, and when still young accompanied the family to Ohio, and thence, in 1846, to Morgan county, Missouri. His father, James McKill, finally settled where his son afterwards died, and where he himself departed this life (in Vernon county) in January, 1859; his wife, formerly Miss Rhoda Barker, survived until June, 1876. Robert McKill, the only child besides James, died about thirteen years before his father, in the same month. James was only about sixteen years old at the time of his loca- tion in this county, having come here shortly after moving to Morgan county. A pioneer citizen of the locality, he naturally became a man of prominence, and aided in many ways in the upbuilding of his adopted home. His occupation was that of a farmer, but his ability and intellectual worth often caused him to be called into official prominence, and among other positions in which he served was that of representative in the state legis- lature. April 13, 1854, Mr. McKill was married to Miss Belle Linn, an estimable lady, originally from Kentucky, who located here in 1849. Three living children blessed this union, Monroe, Ella and Arthur. Mrs. McKill was the daughter of John and Nancy (DePoyster) Linn, both natives of North Carolina, who subsequently moved to Kentucky and later to this county, where the father died February 6, 1873, and the mother during the year 1879. They reared to maturity six children: Monroe, Elizabeth, who married James Mayfield; William, H. W., John and Belle (Mrs. McKill). During the Civil War Mr. McKill entered the Eighth Missouri regiment as captain in 1861, and followed the fortunes of the Confederacy for a long time. finally being taken prisoner at Helena in 1863, after which he was con- fined in prison most of the time for twenty-one months at John- son's Island. Mr. McKill's death occurred June 26, 1885.
N. M. McMasters* is in the true sense of the term a self-made man who has achieved success by following steadily and dili- gently in the line of a well chosen calling. A native of Ireland, he was born in County of Antrim, February 9, 1838. to James and Jane (Gordan) McMaster. When thirty years of age, in
910
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
1868, he came to this country and for a time lived in Illinois. But after a few years, with a view to finding a place more to his liking for a permanent home, he went to California and found employment in the railroad business, but only for a short time. and in February, 1878, he returned and, finding what he wanted in Vernon county, Missouri, bought for $9 per acre a tract of 120 acres in section eleven, Drywood township, where he has since made his home. Mr. McMaster has since added eighty acres to his original purchase, and with the elaborate improve- ments he has made in the way of buildings, etc., has today one of the finest and most desirable farms in the township. What he has, he has acquired by his own efforts. He is esteemed as an upright man, a good neighbor, who knows what to do and who does, looks after his own affairs with diligence, and withal a public-spirited citizen interested in the welfare and betterment of the community in which he lives. Mr. McMaster keeps him- self posted and in touch with the trend of current local affairs and is justly recorded one of the level-headed, substantial and influential men of the community. He is a stockholder in the Bank of Milo, and in politics adheres to the principles of the Republican party.
Robert W. McNeil, a pioneer, as it were, among a race of pioneers, for many years an active business man and a well-known citizen of Vernon county, was a man whose name and fame was co-extensive with southwest Missouri. He came originally from the Empire State, having been born at Argyle, Washington county, N. Y., July 8, 1816, of Scotch ancestry. His paternal great-grandfather, Archibald McNeil, emigrated from that coun- try (Scotland) to America about the year 1745; Archibald had among other sons one named John, and the latter in turn became the father of David McNeil, who was born in New York. Upon reaching manhood David was married to Miss Nancy Hamilton, who bore him a family of children, Robert being one of these. The father was a life-long resident of his native state, and a person of excellent prominence as an agriculturist, an occupation to which he devoted himself with success during a long career. Young Robert was brought up in New York until eighteen years of age, obtaining a mercantile experience that was destined to prove of
911
BIOGRAPHICAL
inestimable value in later years. His schooling was such as could be secured in the common schools. In 1834 he left New York to remove to Ohio, and there he was engaged in business for some nine years, or until his removal to Missouri in 1843, a location being chosen in this portion of the state. For upwards of ten years he was engaged in farming and stock-raising in the vicinity of Harmony Mission, Bates county ; his next business enterprise being the purchase of the mill and mercantile establishment at Balltown, owned by Cecil D. Ball, an influential and prosperous resident of that place. This occurred in 1852, and from that time on for many years Mr. McNeil conducted his interests here, war troubles finally causing him to close out his store. Mention is made elsewhere of the loss to which he was subjected through the unprincipled conduct of men on either side. In every enterprise with which Mr. McNeil was connected his own individual interests . were made to subserve the interests of the county. With each step of the progress of his people and his section he was closely identified, and though it may be said that he did only his duty in this, it must be remembered that it is much to do one's duty in this day. Personally a refined, polished gentleman of the old school, he was a welcome member of the social circle. He was twice married. November 14, 1837, Miss Harriet L. Hosmer, of Newburg, O., became his wife; she died March 4, 1855, leaving eight children : John S., Mary W., Mrs. Isaac Sickles, Nancy J., Mrs. Wilkins, Robert M., Harriet, wife of Thomas Sickles; William D .; Andrew F .; Kate A., Mrs. J. E. Harding. On April 19, 1863, Mr. McNeil .married Mrs. Eliza R. Ball, nee Stearns, both by birth and bringing up a Massachusetts lady. She was first married in September, 1842, to Cecil D. Ball, above referred to, a man whose ability, sagacity and enterprise were unequaled. Mr. Ball was born in Massachusetts in 1810, but was reared in Vermont, learning the trade of shoemaker. He came west to Harmony Mission, Bates county, Missouri, in 1837, but afterwards was in business in St. Louis for two years, moving thence to Ball- town in 1839: He imparted a new impulse to the business move- ments of that section of country, entering actively and exten- sively into various branches of commercial trade. His death, which was sincerely mourned, occurred November 20, 1860. The death of Col. R. W. McNeil occurred December 16. 1900.
912
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
Samuel McQueen is a thrifty farmer and highly respected citizen of Washington township, Vernon county, Missouri. He was born in Warren county, New York, June 8, 1837, to James and Nancy (Richardson) McQueen. The father, who was a typical Scotishman, was born September 14, 1812, and moved with his family to Wisconsin, in 1851, and died there September 20, 1875; the mother passed away August 22, 1885.
Samuel grew up in the family home and spent his early man- hood farming. On October 21, 1861, in response to President Lincoln's call for volunteers, he enlisted as a private in Company A, Third Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Cavalry, and in March, 1862, went with his regiment to St. Louis and thence to Leaven- worth, where his company was detached and stationed at Ball- town in Vernon County, whence as headquarters, it was engaged in fighting the border ruffians. At the expiration of his three years' term of enlistment, he re-enlisted at Balltown in Company K, and served till the close of the war, and was honorably dis- charged in November, 1865. Among the many engagements in which Mr. McQueen participated with his regiment were, those of Platt City, Montevallo, Cabin Creek, Taberville, Cranby, Sui Mills, Marias Des Cygnes, Lexington, Blue River, Little Blue River, Westport, Marysville, Little Osage, Coon Creek and Mine Creek, Missouri; Devil's Back Bone, Dripping Springs, Crooked Creek, Van Buren, Waldron, Cane Hill, Dallas and Prairiegrove, Arkansas, Baxter Springs and Honey Springs, Indian Territory, and the numerous conflicts while pursuing the Confederate Army under General Stirling Price from the Mississippi to the Arkansas river in 1864. Returning to Wisconsin after the close of the war, Mr. McQueen lived there till the spring of 1906, when he moved with his family to Vernon county and settled on a quarter section of land in section 26, Washington township, where he now makes his home.
On June 2, 1882, Mr. McQueen married Miss Lorinda Benzie, at Glenndale, Wis., and they have a family of four children, viz. : Mat McQueen, born March 18, 1883; Dwight, born August 18. 1884, Ray, born September 6, 1891; and Lida, born July 30, 1894, all of whom have the advantages of a liberal education. Mrs. McQueen was born in Waukasha county, Wisconsin; her mother lived to be 99 years and six months old.
Mr. McQueen devotes himself to general farming, and is
913
BIOGRAPHICAL
recognized as one of the progressive and prosperous farmers in his community.
Abraham Meadows. Among the early settlers of Missouri, away back in the beginning of the present century, was Jeremiah Meadows, the father of the subject of this sketch. A Virginian by birth, he left that state about the time mentioned and became located in what is now Boone county, Missouri. His wife, for- merly Miss Sarah E. Wilson, was also a native of the Old Do- minion, and she became the mother of nine children, of whoin Abraham was the eldest. He was born in Cole county, May 22, 1833. In 1867 Mr. Meadows located in this county, and here his home has continued to be. In 1853 he was united in mar- riage with Miss Josephine H. Jones, originally from Tennessee, and to them nine children have been given: Delilah, wife of William H. Mayfield; Mary L., Ida B., Henry J., James M., Will- iam L., Josephine H., Emmaphine H. and Myrtie Lena, twins.
Dr. Wesley Melick, a leading citizen of Metz township, Vernon county, Missouri, is a native of Columbia county, Pennsylvania. He was born November 13, 1831, and was the fourth child of a family of five children born to Samuel and Sarah (Brown) Melick, both of whom died in Pennsylvania.
After leaving the public schools of his native place, Wesley attended Dickenson Seminary, at Williamsport, and Dickenson College, at Carlisle, and in 1857 was graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania. In the winter of that year Dr. Melick settled in Deerfield township, Vernon county, and practiced his profession till 1862, when he was commissioned as assistant surgeon of the Sixth Regiment Kansas Volunteers, Cavalry, and entered the United States Army. He served with his regiment till the close of the Civil War, and on his return home settled on a 1,000-acre tract of wild land in sections 23, 24, 25 and 26, Metz township, which he cleared and improved, and where he has since made his home. At the same time Dr. Melick carried on his medical practice in the country round about, and continued it in connection with his farming operations till 1901, when he practically retired from active work.
On June 8, 1859, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary A. B. Dodge, who was born in Metz township, September 24, 1840.
914
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
She is the elder and only surviving child of Dr. Leonard and Mrs. Mary B. (Choate) Dodge, their other child, Sarah A. A., who was married to Mr. Joseph H. Warden, having passed away November 13, 1876, at the age of thirty-four years.
Of nine children born to Dr. and Mrs. Melick, three died in childhood, and the survivors are, Anna B., who was born August 29, 1860, and is married to Charles P. Lovell, of Lake township, Vernon county; Victor H. Melick, who was born June 18, 1867, and lives in Williams, Ariz .; Dr. Prince A. Melick, of Williams, Ariz., who was born October 15, 1869; Laila, born May 24, 1874, and now the wife of Mr. W. P. Armstrong, of Joplin, Mo .; Effie P. Melick, born February 23, 1878, and Beulah A. Melick, born September 22, 1881. both of whom live with their parents. The Melick homestead is a model country home. The elegant, home- like and commodious family residence is furnished with every needed convenience. and situated in the midst of spacious and well kept grounds. whose rich lawns are beautiful with a variety of ornamental shrubs and carefully trimmed evergreen and other trees, and, coupled with the enchanting scenes of its environment, constitutes one of the beauty spots of Vernon county.
Though retired from active work, Dr. Melick continues the oversight of his large farm, being whole and hearty and well preserved for a man of eighty years. Both he and Mrs. Melick are honored members of the Presbyterian Church.
Mrs. Melick's family were among the earliest pioneers of southwestern Missouri. Her father, Leonard Dodge, was born at Underhill, Vermont, in 1805, to Rev. Nathaniel B., Sr., and Sallie (Gale) Dodge, natives of that state. The family moved, in 1821, to Bates county, Missouri, where the Rev. Nathaniel took charge of Harmony Mission, of which he was superintendent till 1835, when he was placed in charge of an Indian Mission at Neosho, Kan. After one year there, he settled with his family on a farm in Osage township, Vernon county, Missouri, and lived there, con- tinuing preaching till his decease, September 3, 1848, at the age of sixty-eight years. His widow passed away December 21, 1866, at the age of eighty-two years. Of their family of eight children who grew to maturity, Dr. Leonard Dodge, Mrs. Melick's father, was the eldest. He studied medicine under the direction of Dr. B. N. Belcher, who was the physician connected with Harmony Mission, and began his medical practice in Bates county, and
IN melick
mary A, B, Melick
915
BIOGRAPHICAL
continued it in Vernon county, till his decease, March 10, 1864.
His wife, Mrs. Melick's mother, whom he married in 1835, was born at Underhill, Vermont, in 1804; she came to Bates county, in 1833, as a teacher in Harmony Mission, and after her marriage settled with her husband in Metz township where she passed away May 12, 1866. Both Dr. and Mrs. Dodge were worthy members of the Presbyterian Church.
John H. Miers, deceased, was born on the present site of Milwaukee, Wis., October 15, 1823, the eldest of three children who blessed the union of his parents, John and Margaret Miers, both of foreign nativity. The former came originally from Switzerland, while the mother's birthplace was in France. John HI. continued to live in Wisconsin until eight years of age, when he accompanied his father to St. Charles county, Missouri, where he was reared on a farm until 1854. Previous to this time, in 1849, he took a trip to California, remaining there engaged in working in the mines until the spring of 1853, when he returned home, after obtaining satisfactory success while on the far-off coast of the Pacific. His journey to California was made over- land and consumed five months, but the return trip was by water to New Orleans. After residing in St. Charles county some time after this, Mr. Miers came to Vernon county, where he con- tinued to make his home. In 1854 Mr. Miers married Miss Susan Vierling, a native of Europe. Seven children are in their family : Maggie, Mrs. Perry Camron; James W., Alexander, John L., Benjamin F., George P. and Belle.
James Weaver Miller, senior member of the firm of Miller & Hopkins, druggists, at Nevada, Mo., belongs to her younger class of wide-awake business men. He was born in Howard township, Bates county, Missouri, March 30, 1884. When he was three years old, in 1887, his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Miles Miller, were killed in a cyclone, and he was reared by an aunt, growing up on a farm. When nineteen years of age, in 1903, he took up his residence in Nevada, where he found employment in the drug store of Mr. W. T. Ballagh and also attended school.
He continued in Mr. Ballagh's employ six years. On March 22, 1910, Mr. Miller joined with Mr. Guy S. Hopkins in a co-
916
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
partnership under the name of Miller & Hopkins, and purchased the store and business of George C. Baldwin, and the firm has since carried on a successful drug trade, their store being known as thoroughly modern and up-to-date. Mr. Miller is a regis- tered pharmacist and a thoroughly qualified business man, pos- sessing all the qualities required for a successful business career. Mr. Miller has a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, and is active in fraternal and benevolent organizations, being identified with the Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
William J. Miller, who has been a resident of Vernon county, Missouri, more than a quarter of a century, is a native of Osage township, Green county, Illinois. He is the eldest of seven sur- viving children born to Frank and Elizabeth (Finley) Miller, both natives of Green county, Illinois.
William J. grew to manhood on his father's farm in Green county, and there acquired his education in the public schools. In 1872 he was united in marriage with Miss Susan Mason, who was born in Jersey county, Illinois, in 1857. After his marriage he engaged in farming on his own account, working leased land till 1882, when the family moved to Vernon county, Missouri. After a few months' residence in Nevada, Mr. Miller, in the spring of 1883, moved with his family to Balltown, in Osage township, and for nineteen years employed himself at various occupations. In 1902 Mr. Miller became sexton of the cemetery and also leased from the cemetery company, for the period of his natural life, thirty acres of land, which he cultivates in connec- tion with his duties as sexton. Mr. Miller is a hard-working man who has made his way in the world by persevering and persistent effort, and by his straightforward, manly life maintains the con- fidence and esteem of all who know him.
In September, 1892, Mrs. Miller departed this life, leaving surviving, besides her husband, five children, viz., Maggie, who is married to Mr. Falkner, of Kentwood, La .; Ollie J., the wife of Mr. H. J. Combes, of Girard, Kan .; Edward E., who resides at home ; Thomas J., a resident of Osage township, and Bessie May, who lives in Girard, Kan.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.