History of southeast Missouri : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume II, Part 6

Author: Douglass, Robert Sidney. 4n
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 802

USA > Missouri > History of southeast Missouri : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume II > Part 6

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future. To a large extent, therefore, the future of Dunklin county rests with the superintendent. A tremendous responsibil- ity, but we believe that Mr. MeAnally is equal to the burden and prophesy a glorious future for the county.

DAVID A. WHITENER. This gentleman, who is a prominent young citizen and farmer of Bollinger county, Missouri, is one of the progressive and up-to-date representatives of the great basic industry. He claims this county as his birthplace and none more than he is interested in its prosperity. He was born on the 20th day of August, 1878, and is the son of Henry B. and Eliza C. Whitener, the mother's maiden name having been Bol- linger and both parents were natives of this state. David was reared upon his father's homestead, gaining his education in the dis- triet schools and spending a great portion of his time assisting in the manifold tasks to be encountered upon every farm. Like most farmer's sons, he learned by experience that there is never a shortage of work upon the · farm and in this way he secured that thor- ongh training in his chosen calling which has since stood him in such good stead. In 1900 he started out in life independently, begin- ning agricultural operations on one hundred and sixty acres of land deeded to him by his father. This is a valuable tract and is situ- ated near Castor Post Office. Here he re- sided for two years and at the end of that period sold it to advantage. In 1902 he and his father built a grist mill at Marquand and for six years he devoted his time to the con- duet of this enterprise. On September 15, 1905, his father died and Mr. Whitener sold out his milling interests and again made him- self the proprietor of a farming property, buying four hundred acres in association with his brother, Robert Whitener. Here they engage in farming and stock raising and have met with very definite success. The subject is a Democrat.

Mr. Whitener was happily married on the eleventh day of August, 1909, his chosen lady being Miss Lizzie Hughes, daughter of Michael and Mary (Vance) Hughes, natives of the state of Missouri. Mrs. Whitener, who is one of Bollinger county's popular and ad- mirable young women, is a native daughter of the county, her birth having occurred within its pleasant boundaries on the sixth day of November, 1886. Her paternal grand- parents were named Leonard and Mary (Ri-

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HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

ley) Hughes and were natives of Germany and Ireland, respectively. Like her husband, Mrs. Whitener was reared upon the farm and attended the district schools. She began to teach school in 1902 in Bollinger and for six years continued in this useful capacity, prov- ing a faithful and intelligent instructor. She and her husband are held in high regard in the community in which their interests are centered.

O. B. HARRIS is one of the successful farmers of Southeastern Missouri, where he has maintained his residence for a period of forty years, and that he has attained a high standing in the community is the result of his own efforts. There is a deep satisfaction in the thought that everything a man owns is the result of his own work and thought, and such satisfaction Mr. Harris is justified in feeling.

O. B. Harris was born on the 14th of Oc- tober, 1857, in the central part of the state of Tennessee. The scene of his nativity was the farm on which his father had lived and prospered for many years, but at the time when Oliver Harris was born, both agri- cultural and commercial interests were very much disorganized, on account of the threat- ened hostilities between the north and the south. In 1861, when the smouldering em- bers flamed into open war, the elder Mr. Har- ris decided to move from Tennessee and try his fortunes further north. He would have liked to take part in the struggle for eman- cipation and himself assist in freeing the ne- groes, in whose midst he had lived and whose slavery he had witnessed, but he realized the necessity of making a living for his family, and so disposed of the little farm for such money as it would realize, selected such fur- niture from the old homestead as he felt was absolutely necessary, bought a wagon on which he packed his few belongings, and started with his wife and child on the jour- ney to Illinois. He remained in that state for a period of ten years, but never felt that it was his permanent home, and in the spring of 1870 moved to Missouri, where he believed the agricultural advantages as well as the educational conditions were better. He set- tled in Dunklin county, two miles west of Caruth, on a farm owned by Alexander Douglas, god-father of the author of this work. After four years spent on this farm Mr. Harris rented a desirable tract in the vicinity and continued to engage in agri-

culture until the time of his death, in 1892, his demise occurring two years after that of his wife.

Oliver Harris spent the first four years of his life on the farm in Tennessee where he was born, but he remembers little about his southern home. He has indistinct recol- lections of the jolting wagon in which he traveled from Tennessee to Illinois, and of the difficulties which his father encountered on the journey, but has a vivid remembrance of the school which he attended in the Prairie state. The schools in the district where the family lived were then poor, and, as much on that account as any other, his parents went to Missouri, where the educational ad- vantages Were much better. The boy, how- ever, was not able to take advantage of the opportunities there afforded, as his father needed his help on the farm, and he left school after the removal of the family to Caruth. When Oliver Harris was twenty years of age he started to work around for the neighbors, for which he received the sum of fifteen dollars a month at first. He later received more remuneration and was able to save most of the money he earned and in- vested it in land. He now owns a good farm of eighty acres, worth seventy-five dollars an acre, and has made all the improvements on this land himself. He has erected a good barn, built fences and fertilized the land un- til it is very productive. For the most part he raises corn and cotton, to which his land is admirably suited.

On the 27th of January, 1878, Mr. Harris was united in marriage to Miss Dora Lacy, who is a life-long resident of Kennett. One daughter, Annie, was born to the union, and she married Will Bass; they have one son, Buel B., born in February, 1910. Both she and her husband live on the farm with Mr. Harris.

Mr. Harris is a Democrat, but he has never felt that he could spare the time to be a pol- itician ; he is, however, always anxious to see his party win at the elections, and is deeply interested in the local improvements of his county and state. He is affiliatel with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Ken- nett, and has a high standing with the mem- bers of the local lodge. What his career might have been if his parents had never come to Missouri it is hard to say, but he would have made a success of life, no matter where his lines were cast, and he has no rea- son to be dissatisfied with the results of his

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labors in Dunklin county, as he has made money and reputation, and has won regard and friends among its inhabitants.

GEORGE HAROLD BOND, postmaster of Crys- tal City, Jefferson county, is one of the bright young men of the state, whose family is es- pecially well known in connection with the public affairs of Ste. Genevieve county. His grandfather, George Bond, was one of the stanch and popular pioneers of that section of the state, having been a resident at St. Mary's for more than eighty-two years. In the Civil war he served with credit as col- onel of state militia, and for many years was one of the leading and honored merchants of the town. Interest in the public affairs of his county kept pace with the attention which he paid to his private affairs, with the re- sult that he was often called to participate in the legislation of county and state. The two terms which he served as legislative rep- resentative from Ste. Genevieve county added much to both his solid reputation for ability and to his name as a straight-forward and honorable man. His death on January 11, 1911, removed from the community a strong. broad and upright character, who has justly earned-both respect and affection.

George C. Bond, the postmaster's father, is also widely known and universally respected in Ste. Genevieve county. He spent his earlier business years as a commercial trav- eler, but for some time past has been engaged in quarrying limestone for the Pittsburg Plate Glass Company. For many years he has been one of the most active and influen- tial Republicans in Ste. Genevieve county, having served as chairman of the county con- vention upon numerous occasions and been mayor of St. Mary's for several terms; and this despite the fact that he has never sought political position of any kind.

In 1887 George C. Bond was united in marriage with Miss Cora M. Rozier, by whom he has become the father of George Harold, the immediate subject of this sketch; Valley S., Anna May and Katherine.

George H. Bond, who was born at St. Mary's July 27, 1888, received his early edu- cation in the parochial and public schools of his native place, after which he went to St. Louis and pursued a course at the Jones & Henderson Business College. Returning to St. Mary's, he secured a position, as book- keeper and cashier, with the Rozier Store Company, which he most creditably retained

for six years. Mr. Bond then moved to Crys- tal City, where for a time he was identified with the Pittsburg Plate Glass Company. His executive ability and probity of charac- ter had, in the meantime, so commended them- selves to the good graces of his townsmen that he was warmly pressed for the postmas- tership, and his appointment by President Taft, during the Sixty-second congress of 1911 met with general approval, which has been strengthened by his administration since. Like his father and his grandfather, the postmaster is a Republican and a stead- fast Catholic; also an active member of the Woodmen of the World and the Modern Woodmen of America.

JOSEPH A. ERNST, proprietor and pub- lisher of the St. Genevieve Herald, has had an interesting career. He has always felt that education was a man's best capital and has lost no opportunity in helping to educate others. Men who have achieved legitimate success without education obtained in schools and universities are numerous and many of them in America try to belittle education, but in the years to come the so called self made man, competing in the battle of busi- ness with scholarly rivals will go down to cer- tain defeat. Mr. Ernst feels this and has not only been highly educated himself, but he seeks to be of service to others who have been less fortunate than he.

Joseph A. Ernst was born at Westphalen in Germany, December 10, 1836. His father, Francis Ernst, was a native of the same place and was a builder by occupation. His wife, Mary Ann (Wilmes) Ernst was also a native of Germany, where she and her husband both died. They had seven children, one son and six danghters.

Joseph's boyhood days were spent in his native town, where he attended the public school. After he had finished his school course, he had the desire for further education and his father, ambitious for his only son, made great sacrifices that he might send his son to the university. He took a classical course, graduating in 1857. The following year he came to America, landing in New York city. He went direct to Alton, near St. Louis, thence to Cincinnati. He taught school for many years, from 1862 to 1886. He taught in Ohio and Indiana, coming to Missouri in 1868. He went direct to St. Genevieve county and taught school about eight miles from St. Genevieve for about six years. Then he

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moved to the city of St. Genevieve, where he taught in the public school and became prin- cipal of the St. Genevieve schools, which posi- tion he held until 1886. In 1882, in addition to his school duties, he established the St. Generiere Herald. an independent paper which he still publishes. In 1886 he resigned his position in the schools and gave his entire time to journalistic work.

On the 26th day of September, 1865, he married Miss Adeline M. Hechinger, the daughter of Protase and Abigail (Lord) Hechinger, a German who settled near Cin- cinnati, Ohio, where his daughter Adeline was born. March 17, 1843. She died October 8, 1901, having borne two sons and one daugh- ter who grew to maturity. The eldest was Frank J. A., the second John E. and the vonngest Florence A., now the wife of Ed- ward S. Cross, of St. Genevieve county.

Mr. Ernst is one of the old settlers of St. Genevieve county and from the first has been greatly interested in public affairs. He is personally a Republican, but he tries to keep his own political views out of his paper, mak- ing it truly independent. He is one of the stockholders of the St. Genevieve Brewing and Lighting Association. During the fifty years that Mr. Ernst has been in the United States he has become well known as an edu- cator and also as a journalist. He has re- ceived benefits from the Americans, but he has bestowed many more. He is popular with young and old, his life having been such as to command respect as well as admiration.

A. M. BARRETT, resident of Lorance town- ship. is well and favorably known as a farmer and a progressive business man. The one characteristic which has done more than any- thing else to give to the United States its agricultural and commercial supremacy is enterprise. The man in Lorance township who has this characteristic to a remarkable extent is Mr. Barrett. By enterprise is meant the ability to hustle, to make things go, to bring things to pass that a less capable man would deem impossible.

The birth of A. M. Barrett ocenrred August 19. 1877. in Bollinger connty. He is a son of S. Ilouston and Missouri Barrett, the father a native of Tennessee and the mother of Mis- souri birth and of North Carolina ancestry. When S. Houston Barrett was a mere lad his parents moved from Tennessee to Missouri; there he was edneated, there engaged in agri- cultural pursuits, and there he was married.

Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Barrett became the par- ents of six children, who were carefully trained and educated.

A. M. Barrett was the fifth in order of birth; he received his educational training in Bollinger county, and made such good use of his opportunities that at the age of eighteen years he was adjudged competent to instruct. Beginning to teach in 1893, he spent the en- suing eight years as an educator, while at the same time he studied as much as he could and in the summer time he was engaged in agricultural pursuits. In 1904 he abandoned the pedagogical field and during the last ten years has farmed continuously. However, his is such an active nature that he is compelled to be occupied in some more exacting enter- prise and while he devotes a fair share of his energies and attentions to his farm, he is a traveling salesman for the J. R. Watkins Medical Company, of Winona, Minnesota. He is continually adding to his responsibil- ities ; in the year 1909 he bought one hundred acres of land on Hog Creek, and in 1911 he purchased a tract of sixty-eight acres.

In 1906 Mr. Barrett was united in mar- riage to Miss May Huskey, daughter of Thomas Huskey and his wife, Amanda, who reside near to the Barrett farm. Two chil- dren have been born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Barrett,-Thelma L., born October 1, 1907; and Albert R., the date of whose birth was November 5, 1910.

In a fraternal way Mr. Barrett is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and with the Masonic order, holding mem- bership with the Blue Lodge, No. 545, Ancient Free and Acepted Masons. He has many friends not only in Lorance township, but throughout the whole of Bollinger county.

WILLIAM H. LEWIS, of Flat River, is well known through the lead belt as a prominent Democrat and former member of the state legislature and a newspaper man. He was born at St. Jo, Texas, in 1879, but has lived in Southeastern Missouri practically all his life. His father, the late Shelby H. Lewis, who died at Farmington in 1899, was likewise a newspaper man and was editor of the Farmington Herald at the time of his death. He was born in Bardstown. Kentucky, in 1833. He was a very active Democrat and a member of varions party committees. He married Miss Elizabeth Hornsey, and three of their eight children are living :- Dr. James

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HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

J., of Texas; Miss Hattie; and William H. The father was a member of the Masonic order.

Coming to Missouri during his childhood, William H. Lewis received his education in the common schools and at Carleton College in Farmington, and during most of his career has been identified with Southeastern Mis- souri journalism. He was formerly proprie- tor of two Democratie weeklies in St. Fran- cois county and also connected with papers at Piedmont and Poplar Bluff. For several sessions he was clerk of the state senate and in 1905 was assistant secretary. During 1907-08 he represented St. Francois county in the legislature. As chairman of the house committee on mines and mining and member of the labor and printing committees, he took an active part in the legislation of that ses- sion, and was author of several labor and mining bills. At the last county election he was defeated by a narrow margin for the office of recorder in a county that had given heavy -majorities for the Republican candi- dates for several elections. Mr. Lewis is a member of the Masonic order, the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica.

GEORGE E. CONRAD. Although the man without ancestors who succeeds in making his own way in the world has doubtless a great deal to contend with, he is without the obliga- tions which are self-imposed on the desceud- ant of a family which has always amounted to something. The untranslatable French phrase, "noblesse oblige" is at the founda- tion of many actions, and is a man's safe- guard if he is conscientious, although at times he may chafe under the obligations. George E. Conrad, the well-known attorney and farmer, whose family has been so closely iden- tified with the history of Southeastern Mis- souri for many years, has not only lived so as to satisfy his immediate family and his fel- low men, but has also lived up to the stand- ards set forth by his ancestors. He has made his life count for something-has not only made a competency for himself and his fam- ily, but has done honor to the name he bears, has been of assistance to individuals and has aided in the advancement of his state and county.

Mr. Conrad's birth occurred on the 22nd day of March, 1852, in Bollinger county (originally Cape Girardeau county). His an- cestor, Peter Conrad, the founder of the Con- Vol. II-3

rads in America, belong to an old Prussian family of ancient lineage; he was educated in Prussia, where he learned the weaving trade, and while still a young man he immigrated to America with his two sons, Jacob and Ru- dolph, locating in North Carolina, his home until his death. Jacob settled in Pennsyl- vania, near Pittsburg, while Rudolph re- mained in North Carolina all his life. His son Peter was born in Lincoln county, North Caro- lina, as he was his son David Rudolph, father of George E., and in 1820 the father and ten- year-old son migrated to Cape Girardeau county, now Bollinger county, Missouri; re- sided for two years on Crooked Creek, two miles below Lutesville, then permanently set- tled at Apple Creek in Perry county, where Peter Conrad remained until his death. In 1833 his son David Rudolph bought a Span- ish grant which had been confirmed to Freder- ick Slinkard on Big White Water, Bollinger county, survey No. 801, and there he resided on his six hundred and forty acre farm un- til his death, in the month of November, 1890, at the age of seventy-nine (born Feb- ruary 5, 1811). During the years that Mr. David Rudolph Conrad lived in Bollinger county he was one of its most esteemed resi- dents and his fellow citizens showed their ap- preciation of his abilities and lofty character by bestowing honors on him. For many years he was justice of the peace; he was county judge from 1852 until 1861. He was captured in October, 1861, and held prisoner some seven weeks by Colonel Jeff Thompson, the noted Confederate of this section. Sub- sequently he was elected to the office of state senator and served in that capacity from 1866 to 1870. The original land which he purchased on Big White Water is divided and is now the property of different members of the family. Mr. David Rudolph Conrad had thirteen children, seven of whom are living.

Mr. George E. Conrad is no less well con- nected on his mother's side of the house. Her maiden name was Mary Bollinger, the daugh- ter of Moses Bollinger and Elizabeth Statler. Moses Bollinger was a son of Mathias-broth- er of Major Bollinger, who led many of the first settlers into Bollinger county, which was so named in honor of the brave Major. The Bollinger family are of Swiss descent.

David R. Conrad's mother (grandmother of George E.), was an Abernathy, while Peter Conrad's mother (George E. Conrad's paternal grandfather's mother), belonged to the old family of Shell. With these few

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IHISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

fragments from the ancestry of the Conrad family we will proceed to relate a few facts in regard to the life of George E. Conrad himself.

Mr. Conrad remained on the old homestead until he had attained his majority, before which time he had received an excellent public school education and at the age of twenty had been appointed to the office of assistant county clerk, under his brother J. J. Conrad, who was the worthy county clerk in Bollinger county from 1866 until 1875. In the month of September, 1873, Mr. George Conrad entered the Missouri State Uni- versity and for the ensuing ten years his time was divided between teaching school, farming for one year and studying in the literary and the law departments of the above named institution. In 1882 he re- ceived the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Principal of Pedagogies and the following year he was graduated from the law school with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. In 1884, a full-fledged lawyer, he commenced his legal practice in Marble IIill; the very same year was elected to the office of prosecuting attorney, serving a term of two years. He was again elected in 1906, and re-elected in 1908; it was during these two terms that a quietus was put upon the illegal sale of in- toxicants. It is needless to say that his service in the above mentioned capacity was eminently satisfactory. His conduct of the prosecutor's office was generally satis- factory, as has been his whole legal practice -covering a period of more than a quarter of a century.

Mr. Conrad married Miss Flora Jamison, danghter of B. F. Jamison, of Bollinger county, where he resided since 1876, at which time he migrated from Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Conrad have a family of six chil- dren :- Rhoda J., born March 14, 1894; Rudolph Rhadamanthus, born June 26, 1896; Caswallen Caractacus, born November 8, 1898; Plutarch Pericles, horn November 29, 1900; Benton Bollinger, born June 6, 1905; and Mary O'Neal, born April 22, 1911. The family attend the Presbyterian church, where they are held in high esteem. Mr. Conrad is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of the Modern Wood- men of America, of the Mutual Protective Leagne and of the Improved Order of Red Men.

In addition to his professional reputation Mr. Conrad is also well-known as a farmer.

He owns one hundred and twenty acres of land between Marble Hill and Lutesville, his residence being in Marble Hill. He also owns a tract of one hundred and sixty acres of land in the southwestern corner of the county, and there are few farms in the coun- try which are more admirably conducted than those which Mr. Conrad personally supervises. Thus in legal and in agricultural realms Mr. Conrad has become a man of note in the county, a man who is respected for his own sake and not on account of his ancestry, who is liked because of his own genial person- ality.

ELTON W. POE. A man of versatile talents, possessing much mechanical skill and in- genuity, and endowed with far more than average business tact and ability, Elton W. Poe holds a place of note among the leading citizens of Senath, where, within the past few years, he has built up an extensive and lucra- tive trade as a dealer in furniture, in the sea- son of 1910 having sold sixteen car loads. A native of Missouri, he was born on a farm in Washington county, June 22, 1871, a son of Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Poe, who located at Senath in 1910.

Receiving his preliminary education in the public schools of his native county, Elton W. Poe accompanied his parents to Bollinger county, Missouri, when eleven years old, and was there a resident ten years, during which time he continued his school life for awhile, and assisted his father on the farm. He sub- sequently served an apprenticeship of three years at the blacksmith's trade and at the trade of a wagon maker. Locating in Stod- dard county about 1894, Mr. Poe worked as a farm laborer six months, and then went to Leavenworth, Kansas, where he became pro- ficient at the trade of a painter and paper hanger, after which he traveled throughout the country west of the Mississippi for two years, gaining wisdom and experience in his wanderings. Tired of roaming about, he joined his parents at their new home in Stod- dard county, and in 1896, having helped his father on the farm for a year, Mr. Poe came to Dunklin county in search of congenial em- ployment. He subsequently took unto him- self a helpmeet, and a year later, in 1900, lo- cated in Senath, withont a penny in the world that he could call his own. Securing work in the shop of Mr. McDaniels, a black- smith, he remained with him two years, re- ceiving a dollar a day for his labor. Saving

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History of southeast Missouri : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume II, Part 6

Author: Douglass, Robert Sidney. 4n Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 802

Author: Douglass, Robert Sidney. 4n
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago : The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 802