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 49
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Mrs. Wilkerson's father was born near Hadlyme, Connecti- cut, in 1817, and died March 14, 1911. Her mother passed away in 1865, at the age of fifty-seven years. . They had a family of eight children, Mrs. Wilkerson being their first born. The other five survivors are : Mrs. T. J. Myers, of Nevada, Missouri; Mrs. Elizabeth Barrows, of Rich Hill; Mrs. Harry Rhodes, of Blue Mound township; Albert H. Badger, of Nampa, Idaho, and Mrs. J. K. Hill, of Nevada.
After his marriage, Mr. Wilkerson moved to Benton county, Arkansas, and gave his attention to farming till the fall of 1880. Returning then to Vernon county, he settled on a farm of eighty acres in section 16, Virgil township, a gift from Dr. Badger, and there the family have since made their home.
Mr. Wilkerson is a man of domestic tastes, devoted to his family and home and among his neighbors and friends is esteemed for his genuine, manly worth. He is a Democrat in political matters, but has never held or desired political office.
Of the twelve children born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilkerson, eight are now-1911-living; these are : Alberta and Jessie twins, who live in Virgil township, the former the wife of Mr. O. M. Palmer, and the latter of Mr. George Zaring; Kate, the wife of Mr. Ed. Eshinger, of Virgil township; Nellie. who is married to Mr. L. A.
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Leuty, of Nevada ; Oscar, who resides in Livingston, Mon .; Sadie, the wife of Mr. Frank Doubet, of Nevada, and Ernest and Lelah A., who reside with their parents.
E. P. Williams, who was born in North Wales, January 1, 1849, is a son of Robert and Elizabeth (Prichett) Williams, both natives of that country. He spent his boyhood in his native country and when nineteen years old came to this country. He first found employment in Kansas City, Mo., and spent six months -as a street laborer there. Then going to Fort Scott, he worked two years in the coal mines, and, in 1886, came to Vernon county and bought and settled with his wife and eight children on 120 acres of land in section 31, Harrison township. Mr. Williams is a thoroughly practical farmer, and has his place well stocked and finely improved and gives particular attention to raising cattle and growing hay.
In August, 1873, Mr. Williams was united in marriage with Miss Winnie Hughes, of Fort Scott. Of eight children born to them, the six who are now living are: Mary, born September 4, 1879; Robert L., born August 17, 1881; Jennie, born March 4, 1883; Ellen, born February 18, 1885; Winnie, born March 20, 1888, and Frances, who was born December 25, 1889.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Williams are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Arcadia, Kansas. The whole family are consistent members of the same church.
He is known as an enterprising citizen, and in his political opinions holds to the principles of the Republican party.
Hugh E. Williams, a native of Missouri, was born in John- son county, March 1, 1866, and is the second child of a family of six children born to Hugh L. and Margaret E. (Baker) Williams, natives of North Carolina and Tennessee, respectively. Of the early history of this branch of the Williams family little is known except that members of the family three generations back, immigrating from Wales, settled in North Carolina. Our subject's maternal grandfather, James H. Baker, was a pioneer Baptist minister in Missouri and served a number of years as pastor of different churches in Johnson and Camden counties. and spent his last days in Vernon county, where he died in 1880. Our subject's parents settled in Missouri more than fifty years
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ago, and are still living at Nevada, the father having led a busy life, variously engaged in farming and mercantile pursuits. Of their six children Dora, the eldest, is married to James E. McGrew, of Wheatland, Wyo .; Sallie M. is the wife of D. F. Jordon and lives at Sheldon, Mo .; Emma C. is the wife of Dr. O. D. Sharpe and lives at Neodesha, Kans .; Ida M. is married to Mr. A. S. Dyer and their home is in St. Joseph, Mo., and Mary Ethel, the youngest, is married to Mr. A. G. Trinder, and they live in Moberly, Mo.
Our subject's parents moved to Vernon county when he was six months old and he grew up on his father's farm there and acquired his education in the public schools. When twenty years old he engaged in mercantile business with his father at Sheldon, under the firm name of Williams & Son, and so continued seven years with good success. Mr. Williams then spent four years clerking in the mercantile house of Col. H. C. Moore, at Nevada, after which he spent three years with the Goss & Glenn Clothing Company. He next associated himself with Mr. Albert W. Jones in the abstract business, and so continued one year, when Mr. Jones sold his interest to Mr. Edric L. Pottorf, and the present firm of Williams & Pottorf was formed. This was in 1902. Besides a large abstract business, the firm deals extensively in buying and selling real estate, negotiates farm loans and places insurance, and is widely known as one of the leading business concerns of Nevada. Mr. Williams is a thorough man of affairs and is interested in whatever relates to the welfare of his city and community. He is actively identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. On December 21, 1897, he married Miss Ruby B., daughter of Joseph H. and Martha C. (Bradshaw) Stearnes, of Nevada, and they have four children, named respectively, Roger S., Edwin P., Herbert L. and Eugene B.
Mr. Williams is an active member of the Baptist Church and it may be said of the Williams family that their loyalty to and work for the Baptist Church is a source of pardonable pride to them. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Williams, Christopher Bradshaw, was an old-school Presbyterian minister and was identified with the work of Harmony Mission. He is buried at Ball Town.
Mr. Williams, in politics, is a straight Democrat.
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J. D. Williams, editor and publisher of the Metz "Times," was born in Linn county, Kansas, December 25, 1868. His first schooling was in a rude log school house on the bank of the Osage river. His parents removing to Walnut, Kan., he there finished his studies in the public schools, and at the age of 16 became an apprentice in the office of the Walnut "Journal." After working there three years he was able to "hold cases" on the morning dailies, and worked in different cities in Missouri and Kansas. In 1895 he established the "Star" at Sallissaw, I. T. (now Oklahoma), sold it and, after working at Kansas City a few years, went to Texas and established the "Herald" at La Porte. After publishing that paper some four years he sold it and, returning to Missouri in May, 1904, bought of Mr. W. A. Logan the Metz "Times." Besides numerous other improve- ments he made the paper an "all home product," and the sub- scription list, which then numbered 150, at once began to increase and grew to many times that number. The first issue of the Metz "Times" was printed in November, 1901, and the paper was first admitted at the postoffice as second-class matter January 2, 1902. The paper was established by Mr. M. S. Brady, of Richards. It was put in charge of Mr. W. A. Logan, who afterwards bought it and published it some two years, and then sold it to the present proprietor, who issued his first number May 26, 1904, since which date the paper has made its appearance every week. On March 21, 1905, Mr. Williams was united in marriage with Miss Lillie M. Baze, and with their adopted child, Baby Dryden Baze, a nephew, whom they took in December, 1909, theirs is one of the happy homes of Metz.
Though not wealthy Mr. Williams owns his paper, has a com- fortable home and is rightly counted among the thrifty, enter- prising and prosperous citizens of the town, interested in and ready and able to do his part to further all worthy projects for its betterment.
Thomas E. Williams is a prominent and influential citizen of Metz township, Vernon county, Missouri. He was born in Trumbull county, Kentucky, May 4, 1844, to Josiah and Annie (Morgan) Williams, the former born in Trumbull county, Ken- tucky, May 8, 1808, and the latter in Maryland on April 11, 1808. The father owned some 200 acres of land and six slaves in Ken-
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tucky, but in 1850 sold his farm there and moved to Macon county, Missouri, going by boat from Louisville to Hannibal, and from there by team and wagon. He bought a quarter section of land and added adjoining government land, owning in all 400 acres, and lived in Macon county till 1860, when he traded his farm for 400 acres at Metz, in Vernon county, then owned by his eldest son, Morgan Williams. He lived here with his family till 1878, then sold and bought a small farm of forty acres in the same township and lived there till the death of his wife, June 5, 1884. He then made his home with their son, John J. Williams, in Nevada, Vernon county, and passed away there December 24, 1899. They had a family of six children, named in the order of their births, respectively, Morgan, who was born in Trumbull county, Kentucky, and now lives in Macon county, Missouri ; Martha, who was married to Major Padgett, of Knox county, Missouri, and is now deceased; Newton, who lives in Kirksville, Mo .; Jasper, now deceased ; Thomas E., our subject, and his twin brother, John J. Williams, a resident of Nevada.
Thomas E. was 16 years old when the family settled in Vernon county, and he attended the district schools in a log school house and studied the "blue covered speller" and worked on the farm.
In June, 1861, he enlisted as a private in the Confederate army and served two years under Captain Stone, of General Price's brigade, and was then sent home on account of illness,' and there taken prisoner by the Union forces and compelled to take an oath of alligiance to the United States government.
Remaining on the home farm till 1871 he then went to La Plata, Mo., and studied pharmacy two years under Dr. Keif, bought a drug store and moved it to Balltown, in Osage township, and there conducted a drug business till 1880. Selling that store he established and operated a drug business at Sprague, in Bates county, till he was burned out in 1896, and then settled on his present farm in Metz township. Prior to this, between the close of the Civil War and 1871, Mr. Williams, associated with his brother, John J., began buying land in Metz township, and owned at one time about 1,000 acres; they also dealt extensively raising, buying, selling and shipping cattle to St. Louis, and did a thriving business. Since resuming farming in Metz township, where he owns 320 acres in section 10, Mr. Williams, in connection with his other farming operations, deals largely in cattle, buying, feeding
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and shipping. He also, in August, 1906, joined with others in organizing the Metz Banking Company, with a capital stock of $10,000, and bought the Metz Bank, which had a capital of $5,000 and had been conducted by J. M. Downing, president; T. E. Williams, vice-president, and B. H. Peck, cashier. The present officers are O. W. M. McAllister, president; T. E. Williams, vice- president, and F. I. Rucker, cashier. Mr. Williams is also a director of this bank.
Mr. Williams has never sought or held political office, but is a Democrat in political sentiment and action. He stands high in Masonic circles, being a member of the Blue Lodge and Chapter at Rich Hill, of the Commandary at Butler, and of the Mystic Shrine at Kansas City, Mo.
On December 4, 1873, Mr. Williams was united in marriage with Miss Cora Amanda Hedden, of Anderson county, Kentucky, and a daughter of James and Jane (Naylor) Hedden, natives of that state. Mrs. Williams passed away April 15, 1875. In 1877 he married Miss Sarah Elizabeth Madison, a native of Hickory county, Missouri, and a daughter of Thomas and Ella (Favis) Madison, both natives of Missouri. Mrs. Williams was born in 1861 and died October 4, 1910.
Vincil O. Williams, a wideawake, progressive and successful physician of Nevada, Mo., was born at Versailles, in Morgan county, March 16, 1880, and is a son of Dr. O. A. and Alphia (Davis) Williams, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Missouri. The father was for fifty years a practicing physician in Morgan county, Missouri, whither he came with his parents when he was 10 years old, and where he died in 1905 at the age of 69 years, and where his widow still lives. His parents, Daniel and Mary (McLaughlin) Williams, were natives of Wales.
Our subject's maternal grandparents were Porter and Addie (Stevens) Davis. He was a native of Mississippi. Our subject, after thorough preliminary education, entered the medical depart- ment of the St. Louis University, where he was graduated with the class of 1904. After his graduation Dr. Williams served, during 1905, as interne at the Alexian Brothers' Hospital, at St. Louis, Mo., and in 1906-07 served as assistant physician at State Hospital, No. 3, at Nevada. Dr. Williams began his general practice at Nevada in 1908, devoting himself to his professional
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work, with which he is thoroughly in love. Dr. Williams is inter- ested in several fraternal organizations, being identified with the Masonic Order, the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
William H. Wilson, who has made his own way in the world, rising from obscurity to a place among the substantial citizens of Vernon county, Missouri, was born in Fulton county, Illinois, October 18, 1846, to Harvey J. and Elizabeth (Nolan) Wilson, natives of Kentucky. The father moved with three children to Vernon county, Missouri, in 1858, after the death of the mother, January, 1857, and settled in Harrison township. A short time before the Civil War he located a claim in Kansas, but before he could realize any benefit from it he was warned by the Kansas "Jayhawkers" to leave the state within twenty-four hours; and knowing that he would remain at the risk of his life he at once set out on horseback to join General Price, but met his death by being thrown from his horse. This calamity was the cause of the family being scattered, each having to care for himself. William H., who was then 13 years old, went to work as a farm laborer for Mr. Reynolds, an early settler of Vernon county, for $8 per month and his board. After being thus employed for a few years in Vernon county he went to Illinois and worked there till 1882. During this time, on January 12, 1871, he was united in marriage with Miss Ella M. Porter, in McDonough county, Illinois. In 1882 he returned to Vernon county with his family and settled on a tract of 200 acres, which he bought in Harrison township, and where he has since made his home, having added 85 acres to his original purchase.
Mr. Wilson is a thoroughly practical general farmer, pro- gressive in his ideas and up to date in his methods. Hay, corn and horses being his special products. He is a member of Garland Lodge, No. 108, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in his political opinions adheres to the principles of the Democratic party as expounded by William Jennings Bryan.
Mrs. Wilson is a member of the "Eastern Star." Of twelve children born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilson the five survivors are Clara, who was born January 10, 1876; Sussie, born July 8, 1882; Nora,
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born December 18, 1884; Thomas, born March 1, 1888, and Minnie, who was born February 3, 1891.
Charles Wesley Wise, one of the substantial farmers of Vernon county, Missouri, has lived in Harrison township since his father's family settled there in 1868. He was born in Ohio, March 16, 1852, to Daniel and Eliza Wise, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. They moved from their Ohio home to Lake county, Indiana, and after a residence of fifteen years, thence, in 1868, with their family of eleven children (six of whom · are now living, 1911) to Vernon county, Missouri, where the father died in 1871. He was a man of limited education but a successful farmer, and owned, at the time of his decease, 221 acres of land in section 5, Coal township. He was a man of sterling worth and noble character and devoted to the interests of the church. His widow, who was endowed with splendid womanly qualities, passed away in 1901. Charles Wesley has devoted his life to farming with marked success, and owns a beautiful farm of 450 acres in section 5, Harrison township. where he makes his home with his family. In political opinion and actions Mr. Wise is a Republican.
On February 28, 1877, Mr. Wise was united in marriage with Miss Pauline Heuser, in Vernon county, and there have been born to them ten children, eight of whom are living, viz .: Anna, who was born January 24, 1880, and is now the wife of Mr. B. A. Brown and lives in Oklahoma; Clarence, born June 18, 1886; Ethel, who was born March 14, 1889, and is married to Mr. Bert Johnson, of Vernon county; Frank, born April 11, 1892; Lorain, born October 24, 1894; Ruth, born August 4, 1898; Lloyd, born March 23, 1902, and Russell, who was born October 18, 1904.
Mr. Wise's great-grandfather was a soldier in the War of 1812, and Mrs. Wise's great-grandfather served under General Washington in the Revolutionary War.
David Woods. One of the carly settlers of Moundville town- ship, and one who commanded sincere respect during the entire time of his residence here, was David Woods, now deceased, whose children are still citizens of this community. By birth Mr. Woods was a Virginian, born in 1809. He continued to live in his native state until some twenty years of age, passing his youth, boyhood and early manhood in a manner not very different from the boys
:
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of the present day, occupied principally in agricultural pursuits. But about the year 1829 he moved across the river to Ohio, living there and in Kentucky for ten years, at the expiration of which time he removed to Knox county, Illinois. There his home con- tinued to be for quite a period, but finally, possessed of a restless spirit and desiring to locate still further west, he settled in Mis- souri-in Clay county, where he was numbered among the pioneer settlers. In 1844, however, he became attracted to Vernon county and accordingly moved here, making it his home for between thirty-five and forty years. On the 26th of February, 1880, he was called away from earth, following to the grave his worthy companion, formerly Miss Jane Lynd, whom he married in 1832 and who died December 31, 1874. Their family embraced eight children, seven of whom grew to maturity: William, Harmon, John L., James W., Eliza J., who married L. C. Jones, George W. and David L.
Edgar Lyle Wood* is a successful business man of Nevada and a native Missourian. He was born at Metz, in Vernon county, March 25, 1874, and is a son of C. M. and Amanda (Hewitt) Wood, natives of Virginia and Indiana, respectively. In 1868 they settled at Metz, in Vernon county, where the father was engaged in mercantile business several years and where he died in 1887. When they came to Metz the country was but sparsely settled, there being but two houses on the route to Fort Scott, Kansas, then the nearest shipping point, and which was reached after a tiresome journey over an obscure trail. The incidents of these early days and experiences are still fresh in the recollection of the mother, who is still living at Nevada and who fondly re- calls and recounts the experiences of the pioneer times. Another son, Anson Lynn Wood, is a prosperous jeweler at Denver, Colo- rado.
Edgar Lyle after leaving the public school was graduated from the high school of Nevada with the class of 1895, and began his business career as a bookkeeper for Messrs. Conklin Brothers. After one year's service there he filled a similar position with the Clark & Bates Lumber Company, of Nevada, one year, and then for five years was employed as bookkeeper with the Badger Lum- ber Company and another year with the Logan & Moore Lumber Company, its successor. During the next two years Mr. Wood
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was manager of the Sheldon Lumber Company, at Sheldon, Mis- souri, and in 1894 returned to Nevada and there during the past seventeen years has had the management of the Clark & Bates lumber plant, which under his wise and energetic control has steadily increased in volume and extent, keeping pace with the growth and development of the city and the constantly growing demands of the trade. Mr. Wood is recognized wherever known as a thorough business man, and his fair dealing and straight- daughter of J. N. and Ada (Knowles) Parks, of Vernon county,
On February 18, 1900, Mr. Wood married Miss Inez Z., a . dence and esteem in the community.
forward, manly demeanor have gained for him universal confi- and two children, Leah Madeline and Hall Anson, have been born to them.
George W. Woods, a native Missourian, was born in Clay county, November 11, 1843, and is the youngest surviving child of a family of six children born to David and Jane (Lynd) Woods. The parents were married in Ohio and moved from there to Illi- nois, thence to Iowa, and in the early forties went to Clay county, Missouri, whence, about 1857, they moved to Vernon county and settled on a farm in Moundville township. In 1864, on account of the disturbance incident to the Civil War, the father moved his family back to Clay county, but returned the following year and continued to cultivate and improve the homestead in Mound- ville township till his decease. He was born in Virginia in 1806, and died in 1880. The mother was born in Ohio in 1803, and passed away at the family home in 1874.
George W. had meager educational privileges in the rural schools of the early days and grew to manhood on the home farm, doing his part toward the support of the family. On attaining his majority he farmed on his own account and, in 1867, bought a tract of land in Center township, which he cultivated and improved, making, it one of the choicest farms in the township, and where he lived continuously thirty-five years. Mr. Woods was a model farmer, progressive and thrifty, and always kept abreast of the times in the matter of modern improvements and methods and withal, was financially successful, so that in 1902, having acquired an ample competence, he sold his farm and moved into Nevada, where he has since lived retired from active work.
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On July 7, 1867, Mr. Woods was united in marriage with Miss Margaret A. Jones, a daughter of Mr. W. P. Jones, of Carroll county, Missouri. Mrs. Woods was born on April 8, 1853, and passed away on January 16, 1878, leaving five children, to-wit : Artie J., who is married to Mr. R. L. Caton, of Davenport, Iowa ; Addie A., wife of Mr. C. B. Brooks, of Nevada; Mary Ellen, wife of Mr. J. L. Lantrim, of Butte, Neb .; Nettie E., the wife of Mr. E. U. Goddard, of Kansas City, Mo., and Louisa Florence, now deceased, who had intermarried with Mr. Elmer Zaring about 1897. On December 4, 1892, Mr. Woods married Mrs. Mary J. Killian who was born in 1855, and who departed this life Decem- ber 7, 1899.
Of Mr. Woods' brothers and sisters James W lives in Center township, and David L. lives on the family homestead in Mound- ville township, while William H., John L. and Matilda, who was married to Mr. Lewis Jones, of Carroll county, Missouri, and Eliza J. are deceased.
James W. Woods is a native of Lawrence county, Ohio. He was born January 7, 1837, and is a son of David and Jane (Lynd) Woods, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Ohio. His grandmother's uncle, William, by name, was killed in battle during the Revolutionary War, being shot in the thigh, but he con- tinued in the fight until exhausted from loss of blood, and his last words to his comrades were, "Go on; I cannot go farther." His maternal grandfather settled in Vernon county, Missouri, in 1841, and there acquired a large quantity of land, some of which is now owned by our subject. He died in 1856. David Woods, a farmer by occupation, in 1844 settled on a farm in Drywood township, Vernon county, and died there in 1869. His widow passed away in 1875. James W. had but meager educational privileges in early life, attending a school that was supported by subscriptions and held in a rude log school house with hewn rails for seats .. This same building is still standing in sight of Mr. Woods' home, having been remodeled and converted into a dwelling. On leaving home when he was 20 years old Mr. Woods worked as a farm laborer, receiving $13 per month the first three years and the next two years $18 per month. With his savings from the money thus earned he bought forty acres of land in Center township when about 20 years old and sold it for $100, being a profit of $25.
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After the war he purchased land in Center township until his entire holding amounted to 2321/2 acres, which he has apportioned among his children, leaving him the modest holding of ten acres. Mr. Woods is a practical up-to-date farmer and well known as an excellent judge of stock, and for a number of years was in the employ of Mr. A. G. Andrews, of Nevada, selecting, herding and driving cattle. Mr. Woods has always been an earnest advocate of good schools, and has devoted much time and energy in securing them, and organized the first school and built the first school house in his school district. Although he was deprived of educational privileges in his early life he has supplied that lack by close observation of men and affairs by reading and study and, · keeping himself in touch with the trend of current events, is thoroughly posted on what is transpiring in the world about him.
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