USA > Missouri > History of southeast Missouri : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume II > Part 66
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TOLBERT E. BELLON. In this record of the noble and useful lives of the citizens of South- eastern Missouri it is indeed fitting that there should be included a sketch of the life of the late Tolbert E. Bellon. He was born in the days when the county still maintained the characteristics of the frontier, for the Mis- souri of 1855 still indicated the "far west" to many people. He was the son of Joseph and Sarah (Smith) Bellon, the former of whom was born in New Madrid county in 1832, and the latter of whom was born in 1843. The father, who had a butchering business, passed away in 1867, and his widow makes her home in New Madrid, aged about seventy years.
Following his early training in the local public schools Tolbert E. Bellon learned the backsmith's trade and remained therein for nine years, after which he tended bar for a period of thirteen years. Prior to 1901, he was engaged in farming for a year or two, but in that year he entered upon his prosper- ous business as a retail liquor dealer and re- mained in the same one location until his death, January 3, 1912. Besides the activities already mentioned, Mr. Bellon had under- taken the construction of sidewalks and sew- erage and had been employed in the water- works, both in the office and the building de- partment.
In 1888, in New Madrid county, was so- lemnized the marriage of Mr. Bellon to Miss Amelia E. Toney, who was born in the county in 1869, the daughter of William and Ollie (Lane) Toney. Their home has since been blessed with the following children: Tolbert E., Jr., employed as a carpenter, married Miss Anna Jones and has an infant son, Sydney ; Welton; Alleen, wife of Roger Jones; and Henry, all of whom remain in the home town.
In his political affiliations Mr. Bellon was a Democrat, and he evinced his interest in the welfare of the municipality by serving as alderman from the Second ward for eight years.
His death, at the first of the year 1912, is keenly felt as a great loss not only to his widow and family, but to his many friends.
JOHN EDGAR DUNCAN is a lawyer in Ca- ruthersville who has achieved success. Be- ginning as a very young man Mr. Duncan applied himself diligently to the study of every great subject which had any bearing on the one branch of learning which he proposed to master-that of the law. There is no at- torney in Caruthersville who is more able to
advise in legal matters than Mr. Duncan, its former city attorney.
John Edgar Duncan was born in Pope county, Illinois, August 11, 1874. His father, John Duncan, Sr., was a native of the same place. He enlisted in the Union army during the Civil war, serving three years, one month and a half in the Thirty-first Illinois Volun- teer Infantry. His company participated in many hard-fought battles, but though he was many times in the thick of the conflict, he es- caped without wound or capture. On his honorable discharge and his return to the life of a civilian he engaged in the grocery busi- ness in Saline county ; later moved to a farm he had purchased in Saline county, Illinois, and devoted his time to its management. He remained thus engaged in agricultural pur- suits until the year 1889, when his demise oc- curred ; he was buried in Walnut Grove ceme- tery. When a young man Mr. Duncan was united in marriage to Miss Frances Wilson, a native of Kentucky. Her family moved to. Illinois, locating in Pope county, near Mr. Duncan's home; thus the two young people became acquainted and later married in Pope county, Illinois. Mrs. Duncan's death took place in Saline county, Illinois, and five of her seven children survived her, the remain- ing two having died in infancy. The names of those who grew to maturity are as follows: Alice, who married Sherman Shufflebarger and lived in Pope county, Illinois, where her death occurred ; Olive E., the wife of William J. Hutchinson, residing at Darrisville, Illi- nois; Cordelia, married to H. N. Finney, of Carrier Mills, Illinois, where Mrs. Finney's demise occurred ; J. E., the lawyer who is the subject of this biography ; and Violet V., who is married to Lewis Pattinson and resides in Illinois. Father Duncan never took any ac- tive part in politics; his interests were di- vided between the post of the Grand Army of the Republic, of which he was a member, the Masonic fraternal order, the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows and his every-day duties, while his wife was an active member of the Baptist church.
The first seventeen years of John Edgar Duncan's life were spent on his father's farm, where after he was old enough, his time was spent in the performance of those tasks in connection with the work of the farm which were within his capabilities, with such little schooling for which he found time. When he was seventeen years of age his father died and the youth, not intending to follow an
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agricultural life, determined to receive a thorough general education. To that end he entered the State Normal school at Carbon- dale, Illinois, where he took a three years' academic course. Upon its termination he had decided that he would become a lawyer and he read and studied with Ira Moore, of Golconda, Illinois. By dint of close applica- tion, combined with his natural aptitude for grasping the subject, he soon became fully qualified to tender legal advice, although he was not admitted to the bar until 1899, when he successfully passed the examinations held at Charleston, Missouri, with H. C. Riley as the presiding judge. Mr. Duncan had taken up his residence in Caruthersville in 1898, and on his admission to the bar he commenced to practice alone. In 1902 he formed a part- nership alliance with C. E. Braggunder and the two did business under the firm name of Duncan & Braggunder for a period of six years, at the end of which time Mr. Duncan again continued in business alone. In March, 1911, on the return of Mr. MeCarty from the legislature, he united his powers to those of Mr. Duncan and the firm of Duncan & Mc- Carty was formed, whose office is on Third street, Caruthersville, where the two able men conduct their prosperous business. They find their time fully occupied, as they have a large clientage.
Mr. Duncan has been twice married. He was united to Miss Robbie MeGaugh, daugh- ter of William McGaugh, and she died in the month of March, 1905. On the 21st day of June, 1906, Mr. Duncan married Miss Myrtle Crowe, who was born July 17, 1884, a daugh- ter of Dr. B. D. Crowe and Emma (Kirk- patrick) Crowe. By this second marriage Mr. Duncan became the parent of three chil- dren. one of whom is dead; the names of the two living are,-Madge Lee, born April 16, 1908. and John Sterling, whose birth oc- curred June 29, 1910.
Mrs. Duncan is a devoted member of the Baptist church, while Mr. Duncan's time is devoted to the conduct of his business and to the support of the Republican party. He is ever anxious for the improvement of condi- tions in the community in which he lives, and in recognition of his generally conceded abili- ties and his uprightness of character his fel- low citizens elected him to the office of city attorney of Caruthersville, in which capacity he served with honor both to himself and his party. He was formerly mayor of Hayti, Missouri, and served as chairman of the com-
mittee of the Fourteenth congressional dis- trict. He has not sought public offices, but the honors he has received have been bestowed on him because of his evident fitness for re- sponsible positions.
FRANK HAINES. Of the younger business men of Portageville whose enterprise and well known reputations for thoroughly reliable up-to-date methods spell continued prosper- ity for New Madrid county, none is better known for his alertness and sound credit than Frank Haines, now engaged in saw-mill busi- ness. He was born March 6, 1871, at Logans- port, Indiana, a son of Edwin Charles and Louisa (Morris) Haines. He was the grand- son of Charles and Emmaline Haines, natives of the Dominion of Canada, who immigrated to this side of the boundary line about thirty years ago. Concerning E. C. Haines, the father of the immediate subject of this re- view, special mention is made on other pages of this compilation.
Frank Haines spent his early life near Logansport, Indiana, and attended the dis- triet schools of that place before coming to Missouri, where he continued his schooling. He then went into his father's saw-mill, and for a time was in partnership with his brother Bert. In 1911 he established himself in a saw- mill business alone, his mill now running with a daily capacity of fifteen thousand feet. In partnership with George Atkinson he oper- ated a grain and grist mill until August, 1911, which grinds on the average two hundred and fifty bushels a day. Mr. Haines purchased his partner's interest in August, 1911, and now conducts the business alone. He also makes a business of shipping logs wholesale.
On the 25th of November. 1905, Mr. Haines was united in marriage to Miss Rose Lillicrap of Union county, Kentucky. She is the daughter of George and Kate Lillicrap, the former of whom was born in England, De- cember 8, 1851, and the latter of whom was born in Caldwell county, Kentucky, Novem- ber 29, 1853. Mr. and Mrs. Haines have since been blessed with one child, a danghter, Louise, born February 16, 1906. Mrs. Haines is a member of the Episcopal church.
Fraternally Mr. Haines is affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, being a member of the Blue Lodge, No. 166, of which he has been secretary for six years. He is a thirty-second degree Mason of the Chapter. Council and Consistory at St. Louis. He has been through all the chairs and has
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been district deputy for two years in the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows. He is also a member both of the Woodmen of the World and of the Modern Woodmen of America.
JOHN THOMAS SHEEHY. When a kindly disposition and whole-hearted sympathy with all human distress is added to perseverance and progressiveness the person possess- ing that combination of qualities is sure to be held high in the affection and respect of the community in which he lives. That well- rounded genial character certainly has won for John Thomas Sheehy, the popularity that he enjoys in New Madrid and in the county.
John Thomas Sheehy was born in the city of Saint Louis, in 1856, the son of John H. and Katherine (Kelly) Sheehy, both natives of the Emerald Isle. His father, whose birth occurred in Ireland in 1830, died in New Madrid in 1881, and his mother, whose birth occurred in the same land in 1824, also died in New Madrid, the date of her demise being December 27, 1887. The father of John Thomas Sheehy, prior to his immigration to this country, was an English soldier. He was a baker by trade and upon moving to this country, engaged as a baker at St. Louis for Joe Jarneau. Kendall & Company and others. Later, in 1860, he went to New Orleans. where he was employed at the Commercial bakery for a time, and then went to Vicksburg, Mis- sissippi, and opened up a bakery, but war times in the south meant ruin for him as well as for thousands of others, and he later moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and finally settled in New Madrid, in May. 1867. It will be remembered that the elder Mr. Sheehy was one of those who helped in the raising of the bodies of the Union soldiers, when they were disinterred for shipment to the burial grounds of the north. He was also associated in the unsuccessful attempt to lav a plank road from New Madrid to Dunklin county, started by Biggins and O'Bannon. Follow- ing that venture he again opened a bakery at New Madrid, which he conducted during the rest of his active life. When he passed away, September 18. 1881, though he had only heen in New Madrid a comparatively short time, he left a host of friends to mourn a very sin- cere loss.
John Thomas Sheehy spent his youth from about eleven years of age in New Madrid. at- tending the public schools of the locality and the parochial schools of the Catholic church. in which faith he was reared. His first expe-
rience in the business world was obtained while assisting his father in the management of the bakery, but in 1875 he began business of his own in a small way, opening a confec- tionery and grocery store, later increasing his grocery stock to fair proportions.
In 1890 Mr. Sheehy formed a partnership with A. O. Cook, and for four years the two built up a prosperous trade in the "Famous" grocery store, after which Mr. Sheehy bought out his partner and ran the business alone un- til 1895, when he sold the grocery to Mrs. Alvin Moore, and engaged in the retail liq- uor business in the building he had previously erected. On September 27, 1899, his build- ing, with many others, was destroyed by fire and in 1900 Mr. Sheehy erected his present brick block, with the ample dimensions of eighty-five by one hundred feet. a two-story building that adds to the substantial appear- ance of the street on which it stands. He also owns four hundred and sixty acres of fertile farm land, and has a real estate business of considerable size, owning and renting twelve residence properties in New Madrid.
In 1899 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Sheehy to Mrs. Anna G. Rochelle, nee G. Se- coy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Secoy. They have no children, but Miss Linda May Rochelle, the step-daughter of Mr. Sheehy, makes her home with them.
LEO A. GREENWELL. Conspicuous among the younger generation of the live, wide- awake business men of Pemiscot county is Leo A. Greenwell, who has already attained some degree of prominence in the financial world, being cashier of the Citizens' Bank of Haytì, a responsible position which he is ably and faithfully filling. He was born February 24, 1888, in Andyville, Meade county, Ken- tucky, coming from excellent ancestry on both sides of the family. His father, Thomas Greenwell, born in 1863, married Mollie Burch, whose birth occurred in 1873, and they are now living in Canady, Missouri.
Spending his earlier life in his native state, Leo A. Greenwell was there educated, attend- ing first the public schools of Andyville and later continuing his studies at the State Nor- mal school in Brandenberg. Anxious as a young man to start in life on his own account, he entered the employ of N. M. Sanders & Company, a commission firm of Louisville, Kentucky, for a year having charge of their branch house at Hardinsburg, Kentucky. He next had charge for three months of the
It & Garrett
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Adams Express Company's business at Louis- ville, Kentucky, and for a year following that time was with the Louisville and Evansville Packet Company. Mr. Greenwell was subse- quently clerk on the Lee line of steamers, plying between Memphis and Cincinnati and Memphis and Saint Louis, for four years. Giving up that position he located at Caruth- ersville, Pemiscot county, Missouri, and for three months was bookkeeper in the Pemiscot County Bank. Coming from there to Hayti, Mr. Greenwell was made assistant cashier of the Citizens' Bank, and on May 3, 1911, was promoted to the cashiership of this institution, which was capitalized at $10,000, and has now deposits amounting to $17,000, with a surplus of $2,100.
Mr. Greenwell married Lillian G. Tinsley, a daughter of John O. and Katie Tinsley, well-known and highly esteemed residents of this county, and they have one child, an infant named Clelland J. Greenwell. Fraternally Mr. Greenwell is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and of the Mod- ern Woodmen of America. Religiously both Mr. and Mrs. Greenwell are faithful and valued members of the Catholic church.
H. CLAY GARRETT. Conspicuous among the leading citizens of Caruthersville is the mayor of the city, H. Clay Garrett, who for four years represented Pemiscot county in the State Legislature, and who during his entire active career has been intimately associated with the advancement of the best interests of his community. A "true son of the soil," and proud of the distinction, he comes of honored pioneer ancestry, among his fore- bears of a few generations ago having been some of the original settlers of Indiana. while at a later perior his father, Corydon Garrett, aided in pushing the frontier line westward into Missouri. He was born January 11, 1840, in Vanderburg county, Indiana. and was there reared and educated.
Corydon Garrett, a native of Kentucky, married Sarah James, who was born in Vanderburg county, Indiana, and subse- quently engaged in agricultural pursuits. In March, 1858, he came to Missouri, journeying down the Mississippi river on a flatboat to Pemiscot county, bringing with him the first two-horse wagons ever seen in this region. Buying a traet of wild land near Cottonwood Point. he erected from the lumber which he and his son. H. Clay Garrett. had started from Evansville, Indiana, for that purpose in July.
1857, the house in which the family resided for many years and which is now owned by this same son. He subsequently continued to improve the property, and ere his death, which occurred in 1862, had quite a piece of the land under cultivation.
H. Clay Garrett came with his parents to Pemiscot county, Missouri, in 1858, and in the redeeming of a farm from its pristine wildness was of great assistance to his father. In 1862 he enlisted as a soldier in the First Missouri Volunteer Infantry, and served under command of Colonel Bowen. He was for a short time ill with typhoid fever while in the army, and was in the hospital at Mem- phis for a little less than a month. He took part in the battle of Shilo. and when the city of Memphis was taken he was captured by the enemy, but was at once paroled. Returning home at the close of the conflict, Mr. Garrett had charge of the parental homestead from 1865 until 1896, as an agriculturist being quite successful, and he was also in the mercantile business at Cottonwood Point. Disposing of that business, he located at Caruthersville, and for ten years conducted a drug establish- ment in that city, but since September, 1910, he has been general manager for a large jewelry firm, a position for which he is well qualified. He still owns a valuable farm (the old homestead), one hundred and seventy acres of which are under cultivation, while sixty acres are unimproved, and in its manage- ment he takes much pleasure.
An active supporter of the principles of the Democratic party, Mr. Garrett has ably filled various publie positions of importance. In 1887 he was elected as a representative to the Missouri Legislature, and while a member of the House served on several committees and at a special session was one of the promoters of the bill in which was incorporated the "Swamp Angel Railway Law." He is now rendering his fellow citizens excellent service as mayor of Caruthersville, filling the chair with credit to himself and to the honor of his constituents. Fraternally he is a member of Caruthersville Lodge, No. 461. A. F. & A. M .: of Kennett Chapter, No. 117. R. A. M .; of Cape Girardeau Council, No. 20, R. & S. M .; of Cape Girardeau Commandery, No. 55, K. T .; and also of Caruthersville Lodge, No. 1233. B. P. O. E.
Mr. Garrett married. in 1864. Amanda Jack- son, and to them two children were born, Eva and William. Mr. Garrett married for his second wife Mrs. M. A. Hudgings. a native of
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Missouri, and they have two children, Walter and Georgia.
THOMAS GALLIVAN is one of the progressive lawyers of New Madrid. In considering the achievements of a man like Mr. Gallivan a comparison is suggested between his condition and that of other men who commenced their business or professional career with no more educational advantages and no more outside help than Mr. Gallivan; and yet many of them eke out a bare existence, while Mr. Galli- van is regarded as a man of means. Circum- stances doubtless have a great effect on a man's progress in life, and yet it is but due to Mr. Gallivan to say that the successful man makes his own circumstances, or at any rate' he is so constituted and equipped as to be able to take advantage of them and to grasp the opportunity when it presents itself. Mr. Gal- livan has ever been ready to seize the oppor- tunity and in consequence has become promi- nent among the members of the legal pro- fession.
Thomas Gallivan was born November 20, 1873, in Columbia City, Indiana. His father, John Gallivan, is a native of Ireland, born there about 1833; he spent the first twenty- one years of his life in the Emerald Isle; there received his education and there en- gaged in agricultural pursuits. His opera- tions, however, were cramped by the condi- tions which prevailed in Ireland, and he came to the United States, took up his residence in the state of Indiana, and continued as a culti- vator of the soil under new circumstances. Beginning in a small way, he gradually in- creased his holdings until at the time of his death, in the month of September, 1899, in Columbia City, Indiana, he was the owner of a large farm, which was in a highly cultivated state. A few years after his arrival in In- diana, Mr. Gallivan had made the acquaint- ance of Miss Mary McKelligott, born in Ire- land in 1842, and who came to America when a young girl. In 1867 she was united in mar- riage to Mr. Gallivan, and to this union six children were born,-John, Dennis, Thomas, Patrick, James and Katherine. Mrs. Galli- van lived ten years after her husband's death, her demise having occurred in December of the year 1909, in Columbia City, Indiana, her home during the years of her widowhood, and for some time previous thereto, though her marriage had been solemnized in the Catholic church at Warsaw, Indiana.
Thomas Gallivan, the third of the five sons
in the family, was reared on his father's farm and as soon as he was old enough he attended the school in his neighborhood. He made such good use of his time that at the youthful age of thirteen he was adjudged competent to teach, and then commenced his own independ- ent career. For the ensning eight years his time was divided between teaching and at- tending school, and his spare moments were devoted to the gaining of knowledge. Thus it happened that by the time he had arrived at the age of twenty-one, he had a good, gen- eral education, and he proceeded to fit him- self for his chosen vocation. To that end he studied law with one of the most ahle ex- pounders to be found in Columbia City- Andrew A. Adams, now on the appellate bench of Indiana. In 1898 Thomas Gallivan was admitted to the Indiana bar, and for six years he was engaged in practice in Columbia City, in partnership with Mr. Whiteleather, the firm doing business under the name of Whiteleather & Gallivan. On the 28th of May, 1898, Mr. Gallivan enlisted in the One Hundred and Sixtieth Indiana Volunteers, but as his company was not called on for active service he was able to continue his pro- fessional work without interruption. In 1905 he moved to Parma, Missouri, remained there two years, then in 1908 he came to New Mad- rid and entered into partnership with Mr. Brown. The firm, known as Brown & Galli- van, is doing a prosperous business, both men having a high standing both legally and per- sonally. .
On the 24th of May, 1899, Mr. Gallivan was married to Miss Emma N. Nix, daughter of John and Mary May Nix, residents of Huntington, Indiana, where Mrs. Gallivan was born May 8, 1873, where she passed her girlhood days and in whose Catholic church her marriage was solemnized. She is the mother of four children-three daughters and one son,-May, born February 22, 1901; Leona, whose birth occurred May 7, 1904; Mildred, the date of whose nativity is Novem- ber 14, 1907; and Thomas, Jr., born on the 8th of March, 1911. Mr. Gallivan has de- voted most of his time to his professional work, though his political sympathies are with the Democratic party, and in fraternal connection he is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and with the Knights of Columbus.
GEORGE SHELBY COPPEDGE. One cannot think of Mr. Coppedge, of Caruthersville,
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without being impressed with his cleanness, and that is not because he is engaged in the laundry business but because his methods of dealing and his own character are so irre- proachable. Caruthersville boasts of many men of acknowledged commercial ability and with these Mr. Coppedge has a high standing. He has been connected with various lines of work since he first commenced his business ca- reer, and he has gained valuable experience in these different enterprises. From his very nature he is a man who is bound to succeed in any walk of life.
Mr. Coppedge was born on the 2nd day of May, 1871, in Haywood county, Tennessee. His father, Thomas C. Coppedge, is a native of Virginia, his birth having occurred in Sep- tember, 1822. He received his education in the Old Dominion commonwealth, and later moved to Haywood county, Tennessee, where he engaged in the occupation of farming and also conducted a store at Stanton, Tennessee. When a young man he married Miss Fannie McGee, whose girlhood days were spent in Haywood county, Tennessee, and there she was married and there lived in happy compan- ionship with her husband and her four chil- dren,-Thomas B., Charles W., Anna and George S. Mr. and Mrs. Coppedge lived a quiet, simple life, both members of the Method- ist church and active in religious work. Mr. Coppedge was a Republican in political belief, and was affiliated with the Masonic fraternal order. His death occurred at Stanton, Ten- nessee, in the month of September, 1886.
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