USA > Missouri > History of southeast Missouri : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume II > Part 13
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Reynolds M. Finney was born in Johnson county, Illinois, in December, 1852. His father was a farmer and died when R. M. was ten years old. When the latter was just sev- enteen years old his mother married again and he felt it incumbent on him to look ont for himself. He had attended the public schools of his district, but he was very desir- ous of obtaining more education. He had no money to pay his expenses while he went to school, but that did not daunt him. He rented a piece of land and. having learned a great deal about farming from his childhood, he raised a good crop, which he sold. The next year he did the same thing and the pro- ceeds of the two years' work lasted him through a two and a half years' literary conrse at Ewing College, Franklin county, Illinois. At the end of that time his money
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was all gone and he taught for two years, after which he took two years' work at the State Normal, at the end of which time he re- ceived the highest certificate that was given by that institution. At that time, in July, 1881, he came to Dunklin county and taught in the high school at Kennett. He taught in Dunk- lin county for several years, but spent his time in the evenings and far on into the night reading law. In 1883 he was examined in open court and was admitted to the bar, with the right to practice in Missouri in any cir- cuit court and all courts of record. He had already practiced a little before he was ad- mitted to the bar and has practiced in all about sixteen years, during the last few years of that time having more general practice than he could attend to. From 1885 to 1889 he served as school commissioner and during these two terms he organized as many school districts as there were already and under his regime the first institute meeting that the county ever held was inaugurated, with the state superintendent in charge. From 1890 to 1894 he was prosecuting attorney, covering two terms of service. He was public admin- istrator for four years, all of these offices be- ing secured on Democratic votes. He was land commissioner, having been appointed by the courts to take care of lands. In 1900 he began to buy the farm which he now owns, investing in forty acres at a time. All the land that he bought at first was heavily tim- bered and he has had it all cleared. In 1906 he moved from town onto his farm, where he now owns about twelve hundred acres of land. He also owns another farm of two hundred and eighty acres just south of his large farm and he rents the smaller piece of land to a tenant. He has put up about twenty houses for his tenants and has very produc- tive land. He raises wheat, cotton, corn, peas, mules, horses, hogs, etc. He is making a specialty of white-face cattle, registered, and is the pioneer in this industry. He buys and ships cattle and hogs, besides shipping each year about three carloads of hogs and three carloads of cattle of his own raising. These he sells to the National Stock Yards, East St. Louis. Mr. Finney probably cultivates more land than any other man in Dunklin county. In 1906 he built a fine residence for himself, in addition to whch he owns several lots in town. He has helped to promote the Farm- ers' Gin and the Kennett Warehouse Com- pany, being secretary and treasurer of the latter. He was for a time president of the
Farmers' Gin, but he resigned, still retaining his directorship.
On September 17, 1886, he married Miss Maggie Fletcher, near Kennett. She was a native of Tennessee, but had lived in Missouri for many years. Three children were born to the union, all of whom are at home, as fol- lows: Nola N., Pauline M. and Reynolds M., Jr. Mr. Finney is a member of the Blue Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and belongs to the Chapter in Kennett, Royal Arch Masons, and to the Commandery of Malden.
It is difficult to say what Mr. Finney's ca- reer might have been if he had not been de- termined to get an education. He is so con- stituted that he must needs have been useful under any circumstances, but he would not have been able to do just the things that he has done for the good of the county and for the good of his fellow men. As teacher, law- yer and farmer he has been alike successful.
C. C. MITCHIM, the able and experienced editor of the DeSoto Press, has given his entire life to the newspaper business, and though he is just in his prime, his editorial training and experience have been varied and extensive.
Mr. Mitchim was born during the Civil war, November 21, 1863. His father, Lawson S. Mitchim, was in the Federal army, serv- ing as first lieutenant in an Arkansas regi- ment, to which state he had come from North Carolina when but nineteen years old. The mother of the present editor was Catherine Fronabarger Mitchim, of Atkins, Arkansas. The wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Lawson Mit- chim took place in 1858, and six children were born to the couple. The three sons, W. S., C. C. and J. F. Mitchim, are still living, also one daughter, Ollie, Mrs. S. S. Hancock. Connie and Byrne, twins, are deceased.
At the close of the war, Lieutenant Mit- chim moved to Mt. Vernon, Illinois, where he remained two years, and then moved to Jack- son, Missouri. Here he conducted a livery stable. In 1878 he moved to Doniphan, Mis- souri, and took up farming, and it was there that he died in 1879. His wife survived him ten years, passing away in 1889. Lieutenant Mitchim was a highly public-spirited man and contributed much to the upbuilding of Jack- son. Several residences in that city were built by him while he was conducting his liv- ery stable and buying horses and mules. In politics he was a Democrat; his church was
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the Methodist, South, and he belonged to the Masonic order.
C. C. Mitchim, the owner and editor of the Democratic organ of DeSoto, received his education in the schools of Jackson, grad- uating from the high school in that city. He was with his parents at Doniphan and a few years after his father's death, went into the newspaper business on the Sikeston Star at Sikeston, Missouri. Seeking wider fields of experience, he spent a time in Cape Gir- ardeau, where he was connected with the New Era for a while and later with the Potosi Eagle.
With this preliminary training, Mr. Mit- chim next entered into the journalistic realm as a proprietor when, in 1891, he bought the Williamsville Transcript. After conducting this paper four years, he sold it and bought the Willow Springs Index, which he pub- lished for twelve years. Upon disposing of the Index, Mr. Mitchim bought the Wayne County Journal, of Greenville, Missouri, and the Piedmont Banner, and for the next three years he successfully conducted both jour- nals. In 1904 DeSoto was fortunate enough to add Mr. Mitchim to her citizens, when he bought the DeSoto Press, of which he is still owner and publisher. The Press enjoys a large circulation and owns its own building through its editor, who is likewise the pos- sessor of a residence property in DeSoto.
Mr. Mitchim has been twice married, in 1901, to Miss Urannah Talley, at Williams- ville, the bride being a native of Marble Hill. The second marriage was solemnized at Iver- ness, Mississippi, where Miss Lillian Ward became Mrs. C. C. Mitchim on February 17, 1909. Two children of the former marriage, Nellie and Alma, are still living. One died in infancy. A son, Charles Francis Mitchim, has been born to Lillian and Charles C. Mit- chim.
As Mr. Mitchim is a newspaper man through and through, he is a member of the Missouri Press Association, in addition to which he holds membership in the Modern Woodmen, the Knights of Pythias and in the Elks. As has been implied, Mr. Mitchim is a Democrat, and both personally and as an editor is influential in the party.
LAWRENCE L. FELTZ, M. D. A physician and surgeon who has gained distinctive pres- tige in the work of his profession at Perry- ville, Missouri, where he has resided during the major portion of his active career thus
far, is Dr. Lawrence L. Feltz, whose name forms the caption for this article. Dr. Feltz was born in this city on the 15th of August, 1877, and he is a son of Florence and Mary (Jeuin) Feltz. The father was born in the city of Strassburg, in Alsace-Lorraine, when that province was French territory, Strass- burg having been consigned to Germany in 1871. As a young man he immigrated to the United States and he proceeded immediately to Missouri, locating in Perry county, where he was engaged in the cooperage trade up to the age of forty-five years. In his fortieth year he went to Keokuk, Iowa, where he at- tended the Eclectic Medical College, in which excellent institution he was graduated in June, 1876. He engaged in the active prac- tice of his profession at Perryville in 1876 and continued to devote his energies to an extensive and lucrative patronage during the long intervening years until his demise, which occurred in the year 1907, at the venerable age of seventy-five years.
Dr. Feltz, the immediate subject of this review, received his rudimentary educational training in the public schools of Perryville and for one year he was a student in St. Vin- cent's College, at Cape Girardeau, Missouri. In 1899 he was matriculated in the University of Missouri, at Columbia, and subsequently he pursued a three-year course in the Hering Medical College & Hospital, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1903, duly receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine. He later took an optical course, graduating from the National Optical Col- lege, St. Louis, Missouri, in July, 1910. He initiated the work of his profession at Perry- ville, where he has succeeded in building up a large and representative practice and where he is accorded recognition for his innate skill and acquired ability along the line of one of the most helpful professions to which man may devote his energies. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with the Western Catholic Union and with the Knights of Columbus, for the local lodges of which he is medical ex- aminer. In his political proclivities he is a stanch advocate of the principles and policies for which the Democratic party stands spon- sor and while he has neither time nor am- bition for public office of any description he is ever on the qui vive to forward the best in- terests of the community in which he resides and of the county at large. In his religious faith Dr. Feltz is a devout communicant of the Catholic church, in the different depart-
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ments of whose work he is an active and zealous factor.
ODA LAVINIA SEABAUGH, M. D., although a young physician, has attained considerable distinction in Patton. There is perhaps no calling in life the success of which depends so much on a man's personality, as well as his abilities and efforts, as that of a physician, and in both classes of these qualifications Dr. Seabaugh has been thoroughly tested and fully proven.
Born on a farm near the town in which he now resides, Dr. Seabaugh began life Janu- ary 9, 1885. He is a son of Christian and Sarah E. (Masters) Seabaugh, both of whom reside on their farm near Patton. The father, born on the 1st day of March, 1850. is a native of Bollinger county, as was Dr. Seabaugh's grandfather. Greatgrandfather Christian Seabaugh began life in North Car- olina and when a young man came to Mis- souri, where he was one of the pioneer set- tlers. He located on a Spanish grant of land situated about six miles east of Father Sea- baugh's home today. Christian Seabaugh (III) is the third of a family of eight chil- dren, three of whom are now living: F. M., Amos and Christian Seabaugh. Christian was educated in the country schools and at the age of nineteen he settled on a farm of one hundred and twenty acres-his home un- til 1890. He then bought and traded his farm, which had accumulated until it meas- ured ahout three hundred acres. and secured eleven hundred acres of improved land on Little Whitewater creek, four miles southeast of Patton. He has divided his land between two of his children, retaining eight hundred acres of his property for himself and others of the family; four hundred acres of this are cleared and in cultivation; he possesses twenty head of horses, thirty cattle, forty hogs and thirty head of sheen. He may justly feel satisfied with his achievements, as he has earned all he possesses. and not only has he acquired a competency for himself and his family, but he has been able to give his children excellent educational advantages. In 1869, the year that he commenced farming on his own responsibilities, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Masters, daughter of Christopher Masters, a well-known and hon- ored resident of Bollinger county. Mr. and Mrs. Seabaugh became the parents of ten children, eight of whom are living-Priscilla, born June 12, 1873, is the wife of C. F. Bol-
linger, of Patton, mentioned elsewhere in this work; Wilbur E., a farmer, whose birth oc- curred June 22, 1875, married Maggie Shell, who died, leaving one child, also deceased. His second marriage was to Miss Jennie Shell and they have had six children, four living-Paul D., Opal, Edna and Wilbur J., the two deceased being Roy and Terrey; Christian C., married July 3, 1911, Miss Texa Yount ; he is also a farmer, and the date of his nativity was January 12, 1879. Dr. Dayton, who began life August 22, 1882, is now practicing at Millersville, Missouri. He married Miss Lillie Limbaugh, and they have one son, Rusby. Oda Lavinia, born on the 9th day of January, 1885, is the physi- cian whose name initiates this sketch. Miss Effie made her first appearance into the. world March 13, 1887. Autie, the date of whose birth was July 19, 1889, married Flos- sie Limbaugh. Loy Arnold's birth occurred on the 13th of October, 1891. Father and Mother Seabaugh live a quiet, contented life, holding membership in the Methodist Episco- pal church, where they are highly esteemed.
Dr. Seabaugh was brought up on his fath- er's farm. receiving his preliminary educa- tional training in the Bollinger public school. In 1901 he entered the Sedgwickville Acad- emy, completed a two years' course there and in 1903 entered the State Normal College at Cape Girardeau, where he remained oue school year. In 1904, having determined to make the study and practice of medicine his life work, he entered the Barnes Medical Col- lege, at St. Louis, where his entire four years' course was characterized by the thoroughness with which he mastered the different branches of the immense field he was entering, his per- centage in all his studies for the complete course being over ninety-five per cent. Fol- lowing his graduation with honors in 1908 he served from May to September of that year as interne in the Centenary Hospital. Thus fully equipped, he returned to his native place and commenced the practice of medi- cine at Patton, as the successor to Dr. P. G. Murray. Dr. Seabaugh's residence and his office are both in Patton and during his three years of professional life he has built up an extensive practice in the community where he passed his boyhood. Dr. Seabaugh estah- lished his drug store at Patton in August, 1908, and conducts distinctly a complete pharmacy.
On the 15th day of September. 1910. the Doctor was married to Miss Anna Smith,
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daughter of Johnson Smith, formerly a merchant and now a farmer near Patton, Missouri. In fraternal connection Dr. Sea- baugh is affiliated with the Modern Brother- hood and with the Modern Woodmen of America; in a religious way he has adhered to the faith in which he was trained and holds membership in the Methodist Episco- pal church, South; while his political sympa- thies are with the Democratic party. In re-
lation to his profession he is a member of the American Medical Association, thus keeping abreast of the times by the interchange of ex- periences which is afforded through this so- ciety. His private reading of medical litera- ture is an outcome of his earnest desire to learn of every new discovery, that he may be more fully qualified to aid suffering human- ity.
REUBEN APPLEBERRY, M. D. Associated in active general practice with his younger brother, Dr. Daly Appleberry, at Leadwood, St. Francois county, the subject of this re- view merits consideration in this work as one of the representative physicians and surgeons of Southeastern Missouri, as does he also by reason of being a member of one of the old and well known families of this section of the state. The Doctor was born at Valley Mines, Jefferson county, Missouri, on the 20th of September, 1880, and is the elder of the two children of James and Fanny (Matthews) Appleberry, both natives of that same county and still residents of Valley Mines. The father was reared on a farm in the vicinity of Valley Mines and at the age of sixteen years he began work under the direction of his father, John P. Appleberry, who was super- intendent of the mines and one of the pioneers in connection with this industry in that sec- tion. In 1878 James Appleberry was made general superintendent of the Valley Mines, of which responsible office he has continued incumbent during the long intervening years, which have been marked by earnest and faith- ful application on his part. He is a man of sterling integrity of character and commands the high regard of all who know him. His political support is given to the cause of the Democratic party, he is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and is a most zealous member of the Baptist church, in which he has served to a considerable extent as a local preacher, ever striving to aid and uplift his fellow men. His marriage to Miss Fannie Matthews was solemnized in 1879, and of
their two children this sketch gives adequate record.
Dr. Reuben Appleberry gained his early experiences in connection with the work of the home farm of his father, near Valley Mines, and in that village he duly availed himself of the advantages of the public schools, after which he continued his studies for two years in the Farmington Baptist College at Farm- ington, the judicial center of St. Francois county. He was then matriculated in Barnes Medical College, in the city of St. Louis, in which excellent institution he completed the prescribed course and was graduated as a member of the class of 1903, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He has since been en- gaged in general practice at Leadwood, where his brother has been associated with him since 1906, and they control a large and represen- tative professional business, owing alike to their ability as physicians and surgeons and their sterling attributes of character, which have gained to them inviolable confidence and esteem in the community. They are local surgeons for the St. Joe Lead, Doe Run Lead and Desloge Consolidated Lead mines and also for the Mississippi River & Bonne Terre Railroad, besides which both hold member- ship in the St. Francois County Medical So- ciety, the Southeastern Missouri Medical So- ciety, and the Missouri State Medical Soci- ety. Both are enthusistic motorists and their automobiles afford them both pleasure and a means for rapid response to professional calls. He whose name initiates this review is a stalwart in the local camp of the Demo- cratic party but his profession is of para- mount importance and he has had no desire to enter the arena of practical politics. He is affiliated with the lodge and chapter of the Masonic fraternity, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Knights of Pythias, and both he and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, South.
In 1901 Dr. Reuben Appleberry was united in marriage to Miss Hattie Wilkinson, of Bonne Terre, who was summoned to the life eternal in 1904 and who is survived by two children,-Hattie May and Charles Homer. In 1906 he wedded Miss Minnie McDaniel, of Farmington, who presides most graciously over their pleasant home. No children have been born of the second marriage.
Dr. Daly Appleberry, who is his brother's able and valued coadjutor in their profes- sional work, was born at Valley Mines, Jeffer- son county, on the 30th of January, 1885, and
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after due preliminary discipline he entered Barnes Medical College, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1906, duly receiving hs well earned degree of Doc- tor of Medicine and forthwith forming a professional partnership with his brother, with whom he has since been associated. He is married, is a Democrat in his political al- legiance, and is affiliated with the Masonic and social organizations.
B. F. HIGHFILL. In Dunklin county one of the names most prominently associated with the commercial enterprise of this vicinity is that of Highfill. Mr. B. F. Highfill is mana- ger of the Hornersville Mercantile Company, one of a chain of stores now numbering seven situated in various towns of this section, and doing an immense aggregate of annual busi- ness. The enterprise was originally started by Mr. Highfill's brother, H. Highfill, now of Paragould, Arkansas. The success of these two brothers is pointed to as one of the best examples of business achievement in this dis- trict.
B. F. Highfill was born in Paragould, Arkansas, August 18, 1883, and was left an orphan when a child. He was educated in Paragould and attended a private school three years, thus acquiring a little more than a high school education. He began his busi- ness experience under his brother and con- tinued for five years, and then took the man- agement of the Hornersville branch store, where he has built up a splendid trade. He is a progressive young business man and has a large sphere of activity before him. Fra- ternally he is a member of the Elks lodge at Paragould and the Knights of Pythias at Cardwell.
ANDREW F. RUTH holds an enviable repu- tation as a soldier, as the first Republican in later years to hold office in the county, and as an enterprising and progressive citizen who has ever proved himself a kind neighbor and a loyal friend. He is now living, a re- tired farmer and stockman, on his fine farm three miles south of Fredericktown. His fine farm contains four hundred and forty acres, two hundred and ten of which are at present under cultivation.
Mr. Ruth was born October 23, 1841, in Kessel, Germany, located about seven hours ride from Hanover, and many of his sterling qualities can be traced to the fine German stock from which he sprang. He is the son
of Jacob and Dorothy (Werner) Ruth, who immigrated to this country in 1847, coming directly to Mine La Motte. Here the father, who was a stone-cutter, followed his trade and made his home for the rest of his life, passing in 1853, in the very prime of his life. Andrew F. was thus left an orphan, for his mother had died in the preceding year, 1852. Besides Andrew, two other children were left. Henry now lives in California, whither he went some fifteen years ago, and a sister, now Mrs. Margaret Halter, is residing in St. Francois county, Missouri. Andrew F., left as he was, was obliged to get most of his edu- cation in night school, and his success at edu- cating himself against such odds go to show the timbre of the man. When he was thirteen years old, he was apprenticed to a blacksmith at Mine La Motte, and was put to work in the mines. After fourteen months his administra- tor, not satisfied at the treatment he was re- ceiving from the blacksmith, gave him his time, when the boy was only fourteen years of age. He then followed mining until his enlistment, in June, 1861, in the Union army. He joined Buell's battery and with them was consolidated with the First Missouri Artil- lery and became a member of company I of that regiment. In the fall of 1863 Mr. Ruth veteranized and went into company H, of the First Missouri Artillery, as a non-com- missioned officer, and remained until the close of the great struggle. He was with Sherman on that memorable march to the sea, and after the Grand Review was mustered out of his country's service at Washington, D. C. He had served four years exactly, having en- listed on June 16, 1861, and was mustered out June 16, 1865. His discharge, which stands as a noble record of his service, was signed with especial recommendation by Cap- tain C. M. Callahan of Battery H., First Mis- souri Light Artillery, and by W. D. Hub- bard, captain of the Thirteenth Missouri Cavalry Volunteers. Among the many en- gagements in which he was an active partici- pant were the battles of Snake Creek Gap, Lloyd Ferry, Rome Cross Roads, Dallas, Old Church, Kenesaw Mountain, Jonesboro, Fort McAllister, Savannah, Columbia, Will Creek and the siege of Atlanta.
After the war was over he returned to Mine La Motte, and stayed until 1869, when he removed to Fredericktown and engaged in the liquor business for about six months. Then he went to Colorado, mined for another six months, and then returned to Frederick-
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