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 48
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Our subject's father was fourteen years old when his parents removed to Missouri and settled in Vernon county, and he grew to manhood here, and it was his pride and claim that he was a thorough Missourian in all that the name implies.
At the close of the Civil War he was appointed county judge of Vernon county and helped in its reorganization; was subse- quently elected to the same office and then re-elected, but resigned before the expiration of this last term. He was a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and in 1858 was licensed to preach. In the fall of the following year he began traveling as a supply preacher, and for a year and a half was on the Fort
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Scott circuit, in Bourbon county, Kansas, and then spent a year supplying on the Nevada circuit. He had an extensive acquaint- ance throughout southwestern Missouri and was universally esteemed and beloved as an upright citizen and a man of the highest ideals of Christian manhood. After 1880 Judge Weyand, on account of impaired and failing health, made his home at Eureka Springs and passed away there in 1888, leaving to his family and a wide circle of friends the memory of a well-spent life and the heritage of an honored name. His wife, our sub- ject's mother, a native of Licking county, Ohio, and a daughter of Humphrey Dickenson, once a resident of Vernon county, died at the family home in Richland township, Vernon county, January 19, 1877. Enoch S., our subject, acquired a common school educa- tion and grew to manhood on the family homestead, and from the time he attained his majority till 1910, when he sold his farm and moved into Nevada, was a successful and prosperous farmer. He was a man of influence in his community, served on the school . board, was a member of the town board and a number of years served as justice of the peace. He is a Democrat in political sen- timent and action, a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and in religious faith and fellowship is affiliated with the Metho- dist Episcopal Church.
On February 27, 1881, Mr. Weyand was united in marriage with Miss Lydia Jane Young, a daughter of John Adam and Catherine (Terryberry) Young, and they have one child, Lulu Grace, who is married to William Crowley, of Richland township, Vernon county.
Mrs. Weyand's father settled in Richland township in 1876 and was one of the largest and most prosperous land owners and stockmen in that section, owning six hundred acres, finely im- proved and highly cultivated.
He was born in Canada, April 15, 1829, and was a son of Adam and - - (Frainor) Young, the former being an extensive lum- ber manufacturer in Canada.
John Adam Young went to California in 1850 and after six years of financial success returned east and lived in Bourbon county, Kansas, till his settlement in Vernon county in 1858. He first settled on Chaslow Creek in 1859 and lived there till 1876, when he moved to section thirty in Richland township, where he established the family homestead and where he died, July 25,
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1895, at the age of sixty-seven years. His wife, Catherine, who was born in 1833, died July 14, 1900. They had a family of six children, Mrs. Weyand being the third in order of birth. Of the others William T. was born in 1851 and died in 1901; Charles K. resides in Marceline, Missouri ; Joseph lives in Richland township ; Frank A. died in 1881, and John Adam, Jr., who is also deceased.
Hon. Enoch S. Weyand. There are but few, if any, persons living within the boundaries of Vernon county to whom the name of Judge E. S. Weyand is not as familiar almost as a household word. It is proper, therefore, that mention should be made of him in this connection. He was of German-English origin, an- cestors of his parents having been natives of Germany and Eng- land. Peter Weyand, his father, was a Pennsylvanian by birth, born November 29, 1798. He was brought up in that state, learned the trade of hatter, and afterwards engaged in mercan- tile pursuits, subsequently going to Ohio in 1834; where he lived until removing to Missouri in 1838. His location was made in what is now Vernon county, and here he lived until his death, January 7, 1847. The maiden name of his wife (to whom he was married July 12, 1821) was Rebecca Yocum, and her birth oc- curred November 21, 1801, upon a farm now included in the site of Philadelphia. She died April 3, 1860, leaving three children : William Henry, born in Pennsylvania, March 29, 1832 ; Enoch S., and Jane, now Mrs. Elijah Rhea, of this county. Enoch S. Wey- and first saw the light October 4, 1824, in Perry county, Pennsyl- vania. He lived in his native state until eleven years of age, then accompanying his father to Ohio, from whence he came to (the present) Vernon county, Missouri, in 1838. He was principally reared in Missouri. Immediately after the war he was appointed county judge and afterwards helped in its reorganization ; sub- sequently he was elected and later re-elected to the same posi- tion, but resigned before his term expired. In July, 1858, he was licensed to preach in the M. E. Church South and in the fall of 1859 commenced traveling, preaching as a supply one and a half years on the Fort Scott circuit, in Bourbon county, Kansas. In the fall of 1865 and for a year after he traveled as a supply on the Nevada City circuit. October 14, 1845, Judge Weyand was married to Miss Carolina Dickinson, of Licking county, Ohio, daughter of Humphrey Dickinson, once a resident of this county.
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She died January 19, 1877, leaving six children : Washington P., Tillman H., died September 14, 1878; Milicent, Mrs. L. B. White, Marion L., died February 8, 1864; Archibald A., and Enoch S. Archibald A. Weyand was born in this county May 6, 1857, and both he and his brother, Enoch, were reared to a farm experience. The former was married in 1884 to Miss Rosa Williams, of Penn- sylvania. E. S. Weyand, also a native of Vernon county, born Feb- ruary 15, 1860, married Miss Lydia Jane Young, of Bourbon county, Kansas, February 27, 1881.
Washington P. Weyand, who was born in Metz township, Vernon county, Missouri, December 6, 1846, and is the eldest child of Enoch S. and Caroline (Dickison) Weyand, the former born October 4, 1824, in Perry county, Pennsylvania, and the latter a native of Licking county, Ohio. They were married October 14, 1845, and the mother passed away January 19, 1877.
Washington P. acquired his education in "subscription schools" of Metz township and in the private school of Mr. J. H. Wardin, at Ballstown, and lived on the home farm with his parents until he attained his majority, teaching school one year. In 1868 he was put in charge of the county and circuit clerks' and recorders' office at the court house in Nevada, and in the fall of 1870 was elected clerk of Vernon county, taking his office on January 1 following, and serving four years. Prior to this Mr. Weyand had bought a quarter section of land in Coal town- ship, whither he moved in the spring of 1875. He improved this farm with a substantial farm house, barns and other buildings and lived here, engaged in farming operations till 1902, when he removed to his present home in Richland township. Mr. Weyand has always been an influential man in the community and has filled numerous local offices, having been justice of the peace and notary public since 1875, and also having served many years as township trustee. In politics he has always adhered to the prin- ciples of the Democratic party. He became a stockholder of the Richards Bank in 1903, and since that date has served as secre- tary of its board of directors. In religious faith and fellowship he is affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church South, at Richards, in which he has been steward, recording steward and trustee for twenty-five years last past.
Mr. Weyand has the distinction of being the second oldest
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native male resident of Vernon county. On June 25, 1871, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah J. Harris, who was born in Tennessee in 1849, a daughter of John G. and Caroline (Shrop- shive) Harris, both natives of that state. They moved to Fort Scott, Kan., about 1853, and in 1868 came to Vernon county, settling first in Richland township and later removing to Coal township, where the mother passed away in 1877, and the father about 1882. Mrs. Weyand died December 25, 1908. Of six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Weyand, Fannie C., born May 16, 1875, is married to Mr. Albert Pettibon, of Deerfield, Mo., and has four children, viz .: Hulda, Alva, Herbert and Gaylord Petti- bon ; Harry L., born March 16, 1880, lives on the home farm ; lie married Miss Hester J. Russell, a daughter of Charles C. Russell, of Richards. Mary L., born February 22, 1883, is the wife of Mr. Emmett M. Vetter, of Richards, and has three children, viz .: Mildred, Ralph and Rachael, twins; Gertrude, born June 11, 1885, is married to Ezra U. Hoobler, of Newton county, Missouri, and has four children, viz .: Oscar, Marcellus, Glenna and Ella ; Nettie J., born April 16, 1888, is the wife of Mr. Jay Simmons, of Green River, Utah, and has three children, viz .: Powell, Wayne and Gladys ; and Janie, born August 6, 1890, is married to Mr. Walter E. Wright and resides at Heavner, Okla.
Charles Franklin White was born in Dade county, Missouri, in 1842, and died in Nevada, Mo., November 26, 1911. He was the youngest son of Eber E. and Frances L. (Smith) White. His parents were married in Tennessee, their native state, and moved to Dade county in an early day, where they entered a large tract of government land near Greenfield, Mo., and reared their family and passed their lives. The farm is now owned by C. F. White's youngest son, Paul Thomas White, now fifteen years old.
C. F. White attended the public school in Dade county and later the academy at Springfield, Mo., and at Bonham, Texas. The school at Bonham being under the supervision of Robert Graham and Charles Carlton, whose memories he loved and cherished as long as he lived. The Civil War broke out before his school days were over, and he enlisted in the Confederate Army at the age of eighteen, joining Company B, of Col. D. C. Hunter's regiment, where he served as a brave soldier until its close, and was ever active in ex-Confederate organizations as
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HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
long as he lived. After returning from the war, he turned his attention to mercantile pursuits, farming and stock raising, being for a time at Greenfield, Dadeville and Arcola, Mo. Was also engaged in the mercantile business with his son, Clyde C. White, at Nevada, Mo., in 1892 and 1893, and being quite successful, had accumulated considerable of this world's goods.
Mr. White was twice married. Elmer R. White (deceased), Clyde C. White and Thee H. White are sons by his first marriage.
He was married to Miss Mary J. Ewell, a daughter of Pleas- ant D. and Julia A. (Young) Ewell, who settled on a farm in Virgil township, Vernon county, Missouri, in 1865, when Mrs. White was eight years old. Her father was a native of Tennessee and her mother of Kentucky. Her father now resides at Gar- field, Wash., being eighty-four years of age.
There was born to C. F. and Mary J. White, two sons, Homer F. White and Paul Thomas White.
Jacob Ditzler White was born forty-two years ago on May 8. 1868, on the farm he now occupies in Richland township, Vernon county, Missouri. He is the eldest of two surviving children of Henry and Sarah J. (Fry) White, the other being Mary H., who was born February 26, 1872, and is married to Mr. T. J. McCord. of Henry township, Vernon county; the other child, Sarah E. White, born December 30, 1877, died August 20, 1900.
Our subject's father, Henry White, at one time owned about 120 acres of land near the center of Richland township, where he lived two years, making his home the remainder of the time on his father's farm, now owned by Jacob D. He was an influential man in the community, a Royal Arch Mason, and many years an active and devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He passed away September 13, 1901. His widow, Sarah J., is a native of Richland township and was born November 21, 1847, and since the fall of 1849 has had her home in Vernon county. Her father was a soldier and a member of the Company of Dragoons who were stationed at Ft. Scott, Kans., in the early 40's. About that time she, who afterwards became his wife, moved with her family from Tennessee, her native state, to Har- risonville, Cass county, Missouri. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Fry, about 1845, settled on a farm in Vernon county, whence they moved to Harrisonville, Mrs. Fry's early home, in the
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spring of 1849, and she died there soon afterwards. Upon her decease, Mr. Fry joined the United States Army and was sent to Independence, Mo., where he died of cholera, a month after the death of his wife. Their only child, our subject's mother, was taken after their decease and reared by her uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Hale, of Vernon county, and since her husband's death, has made her home with her son.
Jacob D. acquired his education in the district schools of Richland township and the high school at Nevada and lived on- the family homestead till his father's decease. In 1893 he bought the farm of 265 acres in sections 28 and 33, formerly owned by his grandmother, Mrs. E. J. White, and on which he was born, and has since bought 190 acres in section 22, making in all 455 acres in Richland township. Mr. White carries on general farm- ing, but for many years has given special attention to breeding . and raising high grade stock, especially Poland-China swine.
Mr. White adheres to the principles of the Democratic party, but has never sought or cared for office. He is a Royal Arch Mason, and a Master in his lodge, and also belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America and the Order of Eastern Star.
On March 6, 1888, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary D. Collins, who was born in Mason county, Illinois, May 21, 1868. Her parents, James and Mary (Stufflebeam) Collins, the former born near Memphis, Tenn., in February, 1839, and the latter in Indiana, 1849, after their marriage lived in Illinois till 1871, when they moved to Kansas, whence they returned in 1881 and settled on a farm in Richland township; they went to Colorado in 1889, returned in 1893 to Vernon county, their present home.
Of two surviving children born to' Mr. and Mrs. White, Harry Alton was born November 25, 1894. and Henry Edward was born February 6, 1897.
In religious faith and fellowship the several members of the family are affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which Mr. White's mother has been a devoted member since 1858.
Sheldon A. Wight, a prominent lawyer and influential business man of Nevada, Vernon county, Missouri, is a native of St. Law- rence county, New York, and a son of Alexander and Anna
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(Sheldon) Wight, both natives of New York. The father was a prosperous farmer, and in 1867 moved with his family to Vernon county, Missouri, where he passed away in 1877. Sheldon A. grew up as a farmer boy and attended the common schools at Gouverneur, and later studied at Fairfield Academy. His ambi- tion was to fit himself for the legal profession, and with this purpose in view he became a student in the law office of Mr. E. B. Winn., at Watertown, N. Y. In 1861 he enlisted in the army and, as a member of the Thirty-fifth Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, took part in numerous battles, notably those of Manassas, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg and Chancelorsville and proved himself a brave soldier. After his
honorable discharge Mr. Wight resumed his legal studies at the Albany Law School, where he was graduated with the class of 1864. Soon thereafter he went to Fort Scott, Kan., with a view to locating, but, in 1865, took up his residence in Nevada and began his legal practice, in which he has been eminently success- ful, being recognized as one of the ablest men of the profession in the state. Mr. Wight also, in connection with his professional work, became extensively engaged in real estate operations and acquired a vast amount of land and other property, owning at that time some 2,000 or more acres, and it was he who laid out the town of Sheldon, which bears his name.
Mr. Wight has never sought political office, but in 1870, with- out solicitation on his part, he was sent to the state legislature and, in 1874, was elected to the state senate. Here he served on the committee on banks and corporations and on the judiciary committee, and discharged his duties in a way to win popular and well deserved approval. Mr. Wight was elected mayor of Nevada in 1900 and re-elected in 1902, therefore serving four years.
Mr. Wight is known for his executive and financial abilities, and for years served as financial agent of Vernon county. For more than a quarter of a century he has been connected with Thornton Bank of Nevada as legal adviser or director, and at the present time (1911) is president of that strong financial institution, which ranks with the most substantial banks in Missouri. Mr. Wight stands high in Masonic circles and is a member of the Knights Templar.
In October, 1869, Mr. Wight was united in marriage with Miss Mary V. Douglass, of Vernon county, who passed away in 1882.
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leaving three children, named, respectively, Katie, Douglass and Frances H. Wight. On January 13, 1886, he married Miss Agnes Barr, a native of Illinois.
John Wiley is a successful farmer and substantial citizen of Moundville township, Vernon county, Missouri. He was born in North Carolina, November 27, 1845, the third child of a family of five children, born to Norwood and Alice (Gossip) Wiley, both natives of that state. The mother passed away in 1863 and the father, a carpenter by trade, died in 1894.
John attended the common schools till he was fifteen years old and remained with his parents till he attained his majority. A little later, on October 1, 1867, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Neff, and there have been born to them four children, viz. : Robert W., who was born March 27, 1870; Edward F., born October 30, 1872; Nannie Belle, born January 12, 1876, and Franklin Norwood, who was born September 8, 1878.
Mr. Wiley is a thoroughly practical and systematic farmer, a public-spirited citizen and stands high in the esteem of his friends and neighbors.
He takes a commendable interest in political matters, adher- ing to Democratic principles as expounded by William Jennings Bryan.
Hamite A. Wilhoit, of Richland township, Vernon county, Missouri, was born in Oldham county, Kentucky, September 22, 1838, the second child of a family of eleven children born to Gib- son and Amanda (Hardin) Wilhoit, both natives of that state. They moved from Kentucky with five children to Lafayette county, Missouri, in 1839, and lived on land which is the site of the present town of Odessa, till 1868, when they settled in Vernon county, their home being in section 1, Richland township, where they passed their lives. Their eldest child was drowned while traveling across the plains on his way to California. Their two surviving children, besides our subject, are: Dennison Wilhoit, who lives near Charleston, Ark., and Mary Eliza, the wife of Mr. Benjamin F. Potter, of Metz, Vernon county.
Hamite A. lived with his parents till he reached manhood, and in 1861 enlisted in an infantry regiment of the Confederate Army, which was disbanded after three months, after which he
.
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joined a cavalry regiment and served till the end of the war. In 1865 he went to New Mexico, but returned at the end of four months and lived with his parents till the fall of 1866. After his marriage he cultivated leased land for a time and in the fall of 1868 moved with his family to Vernon county and bought and settled on forty acres of land in section 1 Richland township, where he has since had his home. He now owns 160 acres in that section, besides 260 acres in section 6, Lake township, and 43 acres of timber land in Metz township. Mr. Wilhoit, in his farming operations, has given particular attention to buying, raising and feeding for the market, cattle, hogs and mules, with marked success, and is counted among the well-to-do citizens of his community. He is a Democrat in political opinion, but has never held office.
On September 16, 1867, Mr. Wilhoit was united in marriage with Miss Martha Potter, who was born in Indiana in 1846. Mrs. Wilhoit died August 14, 1876.
Of two children born to them, Allie, who was married to Mr. Ira McConnayhey, died December 23, 1884, and Julia passed away, at the age of fourteen years, March 18, 1890.
In 1879 Mr. Wilhoit married Mary E. Bradley, a native of Jackson county, Missouri, and they have four children, viz. : Ella, who lives with her parents; James, who lives in Lake town- ship; Lulu. the wife of Mr. James Potter, of Nevada; and Jessie, who lives in Richland township.
Charles Wilker, who has lived in Vernon county, Missouri, since he was a young lad, is a native of St. Charles county, Mis- souri, and was born October 27, 1863. He comes of German ancestry, his parents being John H. and Mary (Lambrock) Wilker. The father came to this country from Germany, his native land, and settled in St. Charles county, Missouri, in the early days, and lived there till 1858, when he moved to Bates county, but returned to St. Charles county in 1863. Soon afterwards he came to Vernon county and in the fall of 1869 bought 105 acres of land in section 11, Moundville township, and there established the family home. He was a prosperous and thrifty farmer, and dealt extensively in, cattle, and owned, at the time of his decease, in 1884, 360 acres of land. He was an upright citizen and in political opinion a Democrat.
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Charles acquired his early education in the district school of Vernon county, which he attended till he was nineteen years old. He lived at home till he attained his majority and after his father's death, worked the home farm for his mother. At the age of twenty-three, on February 8, 1887, he was united in mar- riage with Miss Alver Thornhill, and after his marriage settled with his wife on an eighty-acre tract in section 10, Moundville township, which he inherited from his father's estate. He has since purchased other land and now owns 300 acres of highly productive, fertile land, well stocked and finely improved. Mr. Wilker has given particular attention to breeding and feeding for the market, cattle and hogs, and has been eminently success- ful in his operations.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilker have two children, viz .: Francis Elmer, who was born September 10, 1888, and Genevieve Pearl, who was born October 2, 1890.
John R. Wilkerson, a native of Badger township, Vernon county, was born January 30, 1855, and is the second of six sur- vivors of a family of twelve children born to Thomas W. and Orrie Ann (Bradford) Wilkerson, natives of Smith county, Ten- nessee, where the father was born September 25, 1825. The other surviving children are James, who lives in Montevallo township; Thomas D. and Jefferson D., of Hill county, Texas; Mrs. J. B. Grimsley, of Stamford, Texas, and Mrs. W. C. Caldwell, of Hills- boro, Texas. . The parents settled in Badger township, Vernon county, Missouri, where the father located a claim in 1854. After the opening of the Civil War he enlisted under Colonel Hunter in the Missouri Home Guards, and when General Price came through the county, joined the Confederate Army and served till the close of the war, after which he joined his family in Arkansas, whither they moved about 1863, taking with them their slaves, also those belonging to Dr. Badger and three other families. Dr. Badger's slave returned to him in the spring of 1866 and in the fall of that year Mr. Wilkerson's family returned to their home. In 1870 they sold their farm to Mr. Ewell, of Benton- ville, Arkansas, and moved to Benton county, Arkansas, where the mother died in 1873. The father then made his home with his, children till 1894. when, in company with his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Caldwell, he went to Hill county,
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Texas, where he passed away July 5, 1910, aged eighty-four years, nine months and ten days. Mr. Wilkerson was a man of upright, sterling character, a devoted husband and indulgent father, and after his wife's death took the place of both father and mother to his younger children and left his family the best and most cherished of all heritages, the influence. and example of a noble, manly life. He was a Democrat in political affairs and at the time of his decease was affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church, with which he united after moving to Hillsboro, Texas.
John R. acquired his early education in Vernon county, and in Benton county, Arkansas, and grew up on the farm in the last named place; returning to Vernon county in 1873, he made his home with his uncle, Mr. Dick Butler, of Badger township, and attended school that and the following year at the old Badger school house. On January 13, 1875, he was united in marriage with Miss Emily A. Badger, who was born April 15, 1854, in Badger township, to Dr. Albert and Sarah E. (Halley) Badger, of that place.
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