USA > Missouri > History of southeast Missouri : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume II > Part 38
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In 1902, in company with Mr. Schult and J. F. Gordon, he established an ice manufac- turing plant at New Madrid, Missouri, and still retains an interest in it. In 1904, with other business men, he bought a small ice plant in Caruthersville, enlarged it to its present capacity of fifty tons of ice a day,
and was manager of the plant from 1904 un- til 1910, when, owing to his multitudinous cares, he withdrew from his position. He is vice-president of the Caruthersville Ice and Light Company, which supplies the city with electric lights, the company, in which he holds one-fourth of the stock, having been in- corporated with a capital of one hundred thou- sand dollars. Mr. Wahl is also president of the Marianna, Arkansas, Ice and Storage Com- pany, in which he holds forty per cent of the entire stock; is president of the Southern Supply Manufacturing Company, which manufactures soda fountain supplies, fix- tures, and syrups, its plant being located in Memphis, Tennessee; a stockholder in and president of the Chaffee Cold Storage Com- pany, of Chaffee, Missouri; a stockholder of the Pemiscot County Bank; a stockholder in various companies of minor importance; and is financially interested in the Ice Cream Company recently organized at Caruthers- ville. Mr. Wahl likewise has other interests of great value, owning five business blocks and three residences in Caruthersville, and having both residential and cold storage property in Hayti, Pemiscot county.
Mr. Wahl married, in 1891, Conchie Doug- las, who was born in Milan, Tennessee, a most estimable and highly respected woman. Po- litically Mr. Wahl is an adherent of the Democratic party, and, though not an office seeker, he has served acceptably as an alder- man of the city. Fraternally he is a member of Caruthersville Lodge, No. 461. Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons: of Helm Chapter, No. 117, Royal Arch Masons; of Cape Girardeau Council; and of Cape Girardeau Commandery, No. 55, Royal and Select Masters; of Missouri Consistory, No. 1, at Saint Louis: of Moolah Shrine, at Saint Louis ; and of Memphis Lodge, No. 27. Benev- olent and Protective Order of Elks, at Memphis, Tennessee, of the Knights of Pythias and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
STEPHEN HUG. There are few records in human annals which cover a series of more stirring adventures, laid in more widely sep- arated regions of the earth, than those which constitute the life history of Stephen Hug, who at his beautiful rural home near Crystal City now peacefully reviews nearly eighty-two years and fearful conflicts with warriors of Africa, Russia and America. As eloquent proof that he was well to the
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front where the blows and bullets fell thick- est, he still carries in his body wounds re- ceived in the Dark Continent, from the brave Russians of the Crimea when he fought under the standard of his native France, and from the dashing Confederates at Wilson Creek while fighting with equal valor with the Stars and Stripes above him. Stephen Hug is a native of Pres de Col- mar, Alsace, department du Haut Rhin, Germany, where he was born on the 24th of December, 1829. He is of stable farmer stock, a son of Anton and Marianna (Kuhn) Hug. The father died at the age of sixty- four years. The son spent his early life in France and was educated in both French and German. He served in the regular army from 1848 to 1850, and then from 1850 to 1856; and at the age of eighteen he had en- listed in the French army and went to Africa. For seven years, from 1848 to 1856, he served in the Third Regiment of Zouaves in the province of Constantine. From there he embarked for the Crimean war at Galli- poli, Turkey, on the war vessel Gemap, and while en voyage traversed the Mediterra- nean sea and the Dardanelles. They de- barked from the Gemap in the port of Gal- lipoli and passed behind the Adrianople. Two days later, while on the march, the army was taken with cholera and within forty-eight hours three hundred and sev- enty-four soldiers and one hundred and sixteen officers died. They then counter- marched to Adrianople and took the route to Varna, then crossing the Black sea to Eupatoria, where on the following day the battle of Alma was fought; for this engage- ment their chief commander, General St. Arneaut, taking with him to the field one- half of each company of the whole army and holding the remainder in reserve on the vessels. The battle lasted for six hours and resulted in defeat for the Russian army. General Menchikoff, commander-in-chief of the Russian army, brought with him his family that they might have the pleasure and satisfaction of witnessing the repulse of the French and English army, boasting that he would drive them to the sea, but the honors were awarded to General St. Arneaut and his noble warriors. On the second day following, the latter general called a halt and ordered his men from the front to the rear and placed his command in charge of General Canrobert, telling him to take Se- bastopol as soon as possible with the forces
he had, "for," said the General to Canro- bert, "if you wait more than forty-eight hours you can not take it, as the enemy forces are close at hand." A short time after thus turning the army over to General Canrobert he very suddenly died.
For the service of Mr. Hug in those cam- paigns a medal was awarded him by Queen Victoria, on which is inscribed the fol- lowing battles: Alma, Inkerman, Balaklava (where he received a scalp wound from a sabre), Tcharnaija and Sebastopol (where he received a serious wound in the left temple from a shell and which laid him up about a month), and besides these battles many skirmishes and sorties. In the follow- ing spring he returned home, and in 1860 made preparation to come to the United States, which then threatened to become all but united. On arriving on these shores Mr. Hug first located in Pittsburg. A year afterward he moved to St. Louis, and at the outbreak of the Civil war joined the First Missouri Regiment of Union troops. He fought with them sturdily and skilfully, and gathered in two more wounds at the historic engagement at Wilson Creek.
After the close of the Civil war Mr. Hug located at Selma Kennett Castle, Missouri, where he remained for about five years, then taking up land on the island near Crys- tal City. In 1879 he removed to his present homestead, known as Hug's Landing. IIe has since improved his estate until it is one of the most beautiful and valuable farms in southeastern Missouri. With his fertile and thoroughly cultivated lands, substantial brick residence and neat concrete walks, a picturesque and peaceful country home overlooking the broad sweep of the Missis- sippi river, Mr. Hug is not only enjoying such comforts and charms of life, but the unbounded respect and affection of his many friends and the deep love of those closer to him. He has never dabbled in politics, although every one knows that he will be found at every election with a Dem- ocratic ballot in his hand. In his religions belief he has always been a Catholic.
Mr. Hug has been twice married, first, in 1856, while living in France, to Miss Ther- esa Maurrer, by whom he had two children : Theresa, now Mrs. Wittler, and Justine, now Mrs. Burges. Mrs. Theresa Hug died in 1895, and in the following year Mr. Hug married Mrs. Annie B. Rooney. He has had no children by his present marriage, al-
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though his wife by a former union is the mother of William Francois Didier and Margaret Didier, the latter now Mrs. Cos- ler.
Despite his years Mr. Hug is still hale and hearty and personally looks after his estate. He is a successful man and of that most inspiring and admirable type-the self-made man.
CHARLES T. HUBBARD. Among the repre- sentative Missourians is Charles T. Hubbard, who owns and operates a small farm on the edge of Clarkton and who in addition to his agricultural pursuits is also interested in the general merchandise business, being em- ployed in Godsey's store at Clarkton. He is loyal and publie spirited in his civic attitude and is ever on the alert to do all in his power to advance the general welfare of Dunklin county and the state at large.
Charles T. Hubbard was born at Clarkton, Missouri, on the 30th of May, 1874, and he is a son of M. W. and Elizabeth (Hodges) Hubbard. The father was a native of the fine old Bluegrass state of the Union, having been born and reared in Madison county, Ken- tucky, whence he removed to Dunklin county. Missouri, about the time of the outbreak of the Civil war. He was a farmer and merchant by vocation and at the time of his demise, which occurred in May, 1900, he was a man of extensive prominence and influence in this section of the state. Mrs. Hubbard, who is now living at Clarkton, was born in Smith county, Tennessee, and she is a daughter of Judge R. L. Hodges, who came with his fam- ily to Missouri in the early '50s. Of the four children born to Mr. and Mrs. M. W. Hub- bard, Charles T. is the subject of this notice ; Robert G. and Walter M. are mentioned on other pages of this volume; and Mollie is the wife of B. F. Jarman, a farmer near Clark- ton.
Mr. Hubbard, whose name forms the cap- tion for this article, was reared and educated at Clarkton and he remained on the farm with his father until the latter's death, in 1900. After that event he inherited a tract of thirty-seven acres of the old paternal estate and after disposing of some of his property as town lots he still retains twenty- seven acres, on which he is engaged in general farming. He makes a specialty of corn and cotton and has an acre and a half of land set out to apple and peach trees. He has ten hogs and a number of cattle and horses. In
the spring of 1911 Mr. Hubbard began to work as a clerk in Godsey's store at Clarkton and he expects to continue as such. In poli- ties he is a stanch Democrat and in fraternal circles he is affiliated with Lodge No. 8788, Modern Woodmen of America. He is also a valued member of the Domestic Workers of the World and of the Mutual Protective League. In their religious faith he and his wife are consistent members of the Presby- terian church, in the different departments of whose work they are most active and zealous factors.
On the 1st of June, 1904, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Hubbard to Miss Bettie C. Templeton, a daughter of S. G. and Luella (Williamson) Templeton, both of whom were born and reared in Tennessee. Mrs. Hubbard has one sister, Mrs. Anna Lee Murrill, of St. Francois county, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard are the fond parents of two children, Templeton, whose birth occurred on the 6th of June, 1905; and Martha Luella, born on the 4th of November, 1907. The Hubbards are popular and prominent factors in connec- tion with the best social activities of Clark- ton, where their attractive home is recognized as a center of most gracions hospitality. Mr. Hubbard is genial in his associations, kindly and courteous in his address and he is every- where accorded the unqualified confidence and esteem of his fellow men.
SAMUEL E. MITCHELL. It is entirely within the province of true history to commemorate and perpetuate the lives and character, the achievements and honor of the illustrious sons of the state. High on the roll of those whose efforts have made the history of medi- cine in Missouri a work of fame appears the name of Dr. S. E. Mitchell, who for the past five years has been numbered among the medi- cal practitioners at Malden, Missouri.
Mitchell is strictly a self-made man, his educa- tion having been obtained through his own well directed endeavors. In addition to the work of his profession he is deeply interested in real-estate and farming operations in the vicinity of Malden and he is also an active participant in public affairs, his intrinsic loyalty to all matters affecting the good of the general welfare having ever been of the most insistent order.
A native of the fine old Buckeye state of the Union, Dr. Mitchell was born in Lawrence county, Ohio, on the 21st of December, 1872, and he is a son of Everett and Ellen Mit-
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chell, both of whom are now deceased. The father was active in connection with the iron furnace at Ironton, Ohio, during the greater portion of his business career, having owned a half interest in that concern. Ile was about the only Democrat in his section of the state, where he was party leader and where he fre- quently served as judge of elections. Dr. Mitchell was reared to the age of fifteen years at Ironton, Ohio, where he received his pre- liminary educational training. In 1887 he began to teach school as a means to secure further education, continuing to be engaged in that particular line of work for a period of ten years and having as his ultimate goal the study of medicine: At one time he was principal of his home school at Ironton, hav- ing some seven teachers under his direct supervision. In 1901 he pursued a course of two years in the University of Ohio and in 1902 he came to Missouri, where he entered the medical department of the University of St. Louis, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1906, duly receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine. His me- dicinal course included two years spent in a hospital in St. Louis and a short time passed as demonstrator in the medical department of his alma mater.
In 1906, shortly after his graduation, Dr. Mitchell came to Southeastern Missouri on a homeseekers' excursion, and becoming deeply impressed with the attractions of the country and the prospects for a good practice he settled at Malden, where he has resided during the intervening years to the present time. Previously he had revisited Ohio and Vir- ginia in search of a location and had about decided upon Oklahoma as a choice field but he never reached that state. When Dr. Mit- chell landed in Malden he was about one thou- sand dollars in debt, but his energy and skill soon won him a large and representative patronage and he is now recognized as one of the foremost business men and citizens of this place. He has dealt extensively in real-estate in Malden, where he now draws rental from some ten or twelve modern residences, and in addition thereto he is also the owner of a fine farm of two hundred acres in New Madrid county, this state. He is a heavy stockholder in the Building & Loan Association and in connection with his medical work is a valued and appreciative member of the Missouri State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. Dr. Mitchell attributes a great deal of his splendid success to the
kind help given him by his old friend, Charles Mason, but without his own energy and ability no amount of assistance could have won him such distinctive prestige in five short years. While he usually votes the Democratic ticket in political affairs he is not tied down to party principles. He has served with unusual efficiency on the local register bureau of vital statistics and on the state board of health and in addition thereto has also been a member of the United States Pension Board.
Dr. Mitchell was united in marriage, in 1901, at Charleston, Illinois, to Miss Sally Cook, a daughter of John Cook, long a repre- sentative citizen of that place. Dr. and Mrs. Mitchell have no children. In their religious faith they are devout members of the Metho- dist Episcopal church, in which he is a mem- ber of the board of trustees and steward. In fraternal circles he is affiliated with the lodge, chapter and council of York Rite Masonry and he is also connected with the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America.
J. W. ADAMS. Distinguished as one of the leading barbers of Pemiscot county, J. W. Adams, of Caruthersville, has one of the finest equipped tonsorial establishments in South- east Missouri, and is widely known as an expert in his profession. He was born in Saint Clair county, Illinois, May 25, 1868, a son of C. W. and Margaret Ella Adams. His father, a miner, worked at his chosen occupa- tion in the mining fields of Illinois and Indi- ana. The parents had a family of four chil- dren, as follows: J. W., the subject of this brief biographical sketch; Edward, who died in Malden, Missouri, in 1888; Charles, who met with an accidental death in childhood, in Joppa, Illinois, having been drowned in a well; and Ida, the only daughter and the oldest child, married Elijah Smith, of Stod- dard county, Missouri, and died in Bell City, that. county, in 1893, leaving one daughter, Anna, now the wife of James Pate, of Deer- ing. Missouri.
Leaving Illinois when a boy, J. W. Adams worked in various places and at various employments, eventually locating at Tipton- ville, Tennessee, where he followed his trade of a barber for six years, gaining in the mean- time skill and experience in his chosen work. Coming from there to Caruthersville, Mis- souri, in 1896, Mr. Adams bought a barber's shop near the river, and while in that locality acquired a good reputation for skilful work-
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manship. Remaining there but a year and a half, he sold out and bought a shop in the business section of the city, and about four years ago, his constantly increasing patronage demanding more commodious quarters, he purchased the building in which he is now located and in which he is carrying on a large and highly remunerative business, in his establishment having five chairs and three bath-rooms. Mr. Adams has also acquired other property of value in Caruthersville, owning the building now occupied by the Gil Hill Drug store, and three good lots and houses in the city, one of which he occupies, his home, at the corner of Highland avenue and Sixth street being a fine, two-story house, well finished and well furnished.
Mr. Adams married, in Tiptonville, Ten- nessee, Clara Mooney, a daughter of Edward Mooney, of that city, and into their house- hold four children have made their advent, namely : Charles, born March 6, 1895, attends the Caruthersville High School; Edward, born March 20, 1897, is a pupil in the same school; Cora Allie, born November 27, 1900; and Ethel Marie, born March 15, 1902. Fra- ternally Mr. Adams joined the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Cape Girardeau, and is now a member of Caruthersville Lodge, No. 1233, of Caruthersville, having been transferred to it from Cape Girardeau Lodge, No. 639, of Cape Girardeau. Religiously Mrs. Adams and the children belong to the Metho- dist church, and take much interest and pleasure in forwarding its work as far as lies within their power.
EDWARD ALLEN, who is closely identified with the advancement of the agricultural in- terests of Dunklin county, is pleasantly located in the town of Campbell, where he is profitably engaged in the cultivation of the soil, in the management of his well-kept farm meeting with signal success. A native of this county, he was born, December 30, 1861, in Union township, and was there reared to man's estate.
His father, Elihu Allen, was born in Ver- mont, in 1822, coming from honored New England ancestry. In 1858 he became a pioneer settler of Missouri, and an extensive land owner for his times. Locating in Union township, he bought from the Government nearly five hundred acres of land, paying $1.25 an acre for the tract, and at once began the pioneer labor redeeming a farm from the wilderness. He met with success as a gen-
eral farmer, and in addition to tilling the soil was engaged in business as a grocer, building up an extensive and remunerative trade, which he continued until his death, February 20, 1881. He married Elizabeth Stout, who was born in Michigan, in 1840, and died in Union township, Dunklin county, April 15, 1896.
Brought up on the parental homestead, Edward Allen received his early education in the district schools, and remained on the home farm until twenty-five years of age, assisting in its labors as a boy, and in its management after the death of his father. Starting in life on his own account, Mr. Allen first purchased eighty acres of land now included in his present estate, and has since added by purchase seventy acres more, hav- ing now title to one hundred and fifty acres of rich and fertile land, all of which, with the exception of ten acres, is cleared, and divided into fields and pastures with wire fencing. He is an exceedingly skilful agri- culturist, having erected a substantial set of buildings, and placed in an excellent state of tillage, raising abundant erops each sea- son of corn, potatoes and peas. Mr. Allen also raises Hereford and Durham cattle, keep- ing about thirty head; and has likewise seventy Poland China hogs, and nine head of horses and mules.
Mr. Allen married for his first wife, in 1886, Mary E. Crawford. She died January 9, 1899, leaving three children, namely : Fred, born in 1891 ; Myrtle, born in 1894; and Edith, born in 1896. Mr. Allen married for his sec- ond wife, Mylissa Rennick. Politically Mr. Allen uniformly casts his vote in favor of the Democratic party. Religiously he is a member of the Missionary Baptist church, of which he was clerk for six years. Frater- nally he belongs to Pittsburg Lodge, No. 273, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Camp- bell, in which he has passed all the chairs.
WILLIAM T. BRACKENRIDGE, a recent resi- dent of Malden, has already shown his fellow citizens that he is a man who is worthy of their respect. They have not needed to inquire as to his record before his advent in Dunklin county, since his general demean- or and actions during his sojourn in Malden have gained for him a cordial reception from all who have come within the circle of his sympathetic presence.
Mr. Brackenridge's birth occurred at Fort Wayne, Indiana, on the 3rd day of October, 1863. He is a son of Joseph Brackenridge,
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a native of Indiana, the father born August 24, 1832, in the town of Brookville; there he was educated and engaged in the profession of a lawyer. When a young man he moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, there met Miss Eliza J. Taylor, whose nativity occurred at Cazeno- via, New York, January 3, 1832, and the acquaintance terminated in marriage in 1860. Three children were born to this union,- Edith, Robert and William T., all reared and educated at Fort Wayne, and there the father and mother resided until they were summoned to their last rest. Judge Brackenridge died May 30, 1891, and his widow survived him fifteen years, her demise occurring on the 2nd day of June, 1906.
Mr. William T. Brackenridge attended the public schools of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and remained in that city until the month of Octo- ber, 1910. After completing his schooling he began studying law and was employed by his father. In the year 1911 he incorporated the Wayne Heading Company, one of the largest manufacturers of barrel headings in the country; it turns out twenty thousand sets of barrel headings per week. Mr. Brack- enridge is secretary and treasurer of this concern, which was incorporated under the name of The Hannah Brackenridge Company, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, whose distributing point is Malden. Since coming to Malden Mr. Brackenridge has purchased a section of land and it is now all cleared. A big ditch has been put through the property and the land is rapidly rising in value.
On the 14th of October, 1894, Mr. Brack- enridge was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Schermerhorn of Delphi, Indiana, and they are the parents of four children,- Joseph Hale, born July 12, 1897; Janet, whose birth occurred July 5, 1902; William Taylor, his father's namesake, whose nativity occurred on the 26th day of July, 1904; and Reed Case, born Jannary 5, 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Brackenridge are both members of the Epis- copal church.
JERRY M. MCELVAIN. Of all the qualities which are essential in order to ensure success there is none more important than the ability to stick to a thing, to surmount all obstacles, to disregard all unpleasantness, to climb up after falling down, to hope in spite of failure -such has been the attitude of Mr. McElvain, the stock dealer who is so well-known in Caruthersville. There is no kind of a man that nature hates so much as a quitter; with
men, as with horses, the supreme test of mettle is the ability to stay in, and to give the extra burst of power when it is required, thus qualifying to start in another contest.
Mr. McElvain is a native son of the state of Illinois, born in Hamilton county, that state, August 3, 1866. He is a son of W. R. and Minerva (Shelton) McElvain, born in Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively. Mr. McElvain, Sr., followed the occupation of a stock-raiser and dealer. He was not success- ful in making much money and could not give his children many educational advan- tages. Jerry M., the sixth in order of birth of the ten children born to his parents, obtained such little education as he was able to procure in his native county, and at the age of about fourteen he left school and started to battle for himself in the busy world. He went into the stock business, but met with one misfortune after another, difficulties that would have discouraged most men; he failed, lost everything he possessed except a covered wagon and a team of horses, but he simply looked around for some other location in which to make a fresh start. He came to Caruthers- ville in the spring of 1899, arriving April 18th, in his covered wagon, traveling almost like a gypsy, and without losing any time he went to Tom Miles, an old liveryman, and so impressed Mr. Miles that he gave the en- terprising young man a load of horses to sell on a commission of fifty per cent. This was Mr. McElvain's fresh start in life and from that time he has continued to make money in the stock business and as a liveryman. In twelve short years, beginning with a capital of a covered wagon and a team of horses, he has become the owner of the largest retail business as a stock dealer between Memphis and St. Louis, and his capital is more than sixty-five thousand dollars.
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