USA > Missouri > History of southeast Missouri : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume II > Part 67
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Until the time George S. Coppedge was twenty-one years of age-beginning from the date when he first entered school-his time was divided between his educational training and clerking in various stores and locations. He attended the public school of his district and his first experience in the commercial line was obtained in his father's store when he was a little lad. In 1897, on the 17th day of March, Mr. Coppedge came to Caruthers- ville and for the ensuing five years he served J. M. Ward in the capacity of bookkeeper. In 1902 he organized the Bradley-Coppedge Mer- cantile Company-an incorporated concern which Mr. Coppedge successfully managed for two years and a half, at the end of which time he sold his share in the company. In 1904 he engaged in the livery business, in which line he continued for four years, sell- ing out then to Medlin & Fisher, the present owners of the business. Coincident with his livery experience Mr. Coppedge bought a Vol. II-23
steam laundry, devoting part of his time to the livery and part to the laundry business, and since 1908 he has devoted his entire at- tention to the conduct of the laundry-the only steam laundry in Pemiscot county. He has enlarged his building and increased his facilities and is still making improvements. He does a large business and employs nine assistants. He is the sole proprietor of the business, which is a paying concern.
Two years after he came to Caruthersville Mr. Coppedge was married to Miss Mattie Ward, a native of Pemiscot county, Missouri, where her birth occurred January 9, 1880. She is a daughter of W. A. and Mary (Gar- rett) Ward. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Coppedge, two of whom died in infancy. The names of the living are Mar- tha, William and Thomas. Mrs. Coppedge is a member of the Catholic church at Ca- ruthersville. Mr. Coppedge was formerly a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and is now affiliated with the Masonic fraternal order. He is ever inter- ested in all matters of public betterment and his fellow citizens showed their sense of ap- preciation of his sterling character and acknowledged abilities by electing him to the office of justice of the peace, in which eapac- ity he served two years, as the Republican candidate.
MURRAY PHILLIPS has had the advantages of the broad training which the colleges of the state afford, having spent the time before his majority in the schools of the state. Born in 1877, he went first to the public schools of St. Louis and then to the State University, obtaining his B. A. degree at the age of twenty-one, class of 1898. While at the Uni- versity he became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, an organization which has many distinguished alumni of this and other large universities. After completing his collegiate course he went to St. Louis and graduated from the law school there in 1900, being ad- mitted to the bar in the same year.
New Madrid county elected him prosecut- ing attorney on the Democratic ticket in 1900, but after one term in office Mr. Phillips has preferred to confine himself to his other busi- ness. He is now a grain dealer and this takes all his time and attention.
The same year of his graduation from the law school and of his election to county attor- neyship of New Madrid county, Mr. Phillips was married to Miss Eddye Newsum, like
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himself a native of the county. She was born February 13, 1878, and her parents were Ed- ward and Adelia (Phillips) Newsum. The former has been deceased over thirty years and the latter is residing at New Madrid. Mrs. Phillips is a communicant of the Catho- lie church and Mr. Phillips of the Episcopal church. They have three sons: Murray, Richard and Howard, born in 1901, 1903 and 1907 respectively. Mr. Phillips is a member of the Elks' lodge of Cape Girardeau. He was a sergeant of Company M, Fourth Mis- souri Volunteers, during the Spanish-Ameri- can war, continuing in service some four months.
Murray Phillips is a son of the late Mur- ray and Anna (Howard) Phillips. Murray, Sr., who died at Hot Springs, Arkansas, Au- gust 6, 1911, was born January 19, 1847, in New Madrid county, Missouri, on a farm near New Madrid, and was reared and spent his life here as a farmer. He was a son of Shap- ley R. Phillips and wife, who was formerly Sallie Graves. Shapley R. was born in Vir- ginia, came to Louisville, Kentucky, and thence as an early settler to New Madrid county, Missouri, where he was a farmer. He was a very extensive land owner and one of the largest slaveholders of the country, own- ing some three hundred slaves. Mr. Murray Phillips, Sr., was the youngest of eight chil- dren, all now deceased and all of whom fol- lowed agricultural pursuits. Anna Howard was born in New Madrid county, Missouri, in October, 1853, and resides at New Madrid, Missouri. Her parents were James H. and Elizabeth (Byrne) Howard. The latter was of a very old family of New Madrid county. Mr. Howard was also an extensive farmer.
LOUIS SEGAL. There are no more interest- ing stories than the records of men who have come from the old and downtrodden countries of Europe and here in the new country and republican atmosphere found ample oppor- tunities for their talents and their industry. Louis Segal, now the prosperous proprietor, with his partner, Mr. Barkovitz, of a stock of dry goods, notions, hats, caps, boots, shoes, cloaks. furs, furniture, etc., was born in Po- land, in 1876. He was educated in that coun- try and when eighteen years of age, deter- mined to get a chance in life where the coun- try was new, the field was broad and ability was needed, he immigrated to the United States. Here he knew no one except his brother-in-law, and when he landed he was
literally without a dollar of his own. He went to Louisville, Kentucky, where he stayed for one and a half years before coming to Portage- ville in 1893. For a year he was engaged in peddling throughout the neighboring coun- try in an endeavor to get a start, and he also ran a wagon from house to house for about six months. He then opened a store, only six by ten feet and with a two hundred and fifty dollar stock, in partnership with Mr. Barko- vitz, who has been his partner all this time and who was also a native of Poland.
The venture of Segal and Barkovitz pros- pered and they were soon able to enlarge their business. They moved into their pres- ent building, fifty by one hundred and twenty feet, eight years ago. It is interesting to note that the friendship of Mr. Segal and Mr. Barkovitz has lasted from their boyhood days in Poland, and they have not often been separated in their lives in this country. It is related that in 1892 they left Mayfield, Ken- tucky, together and driving over the country peddled their little stock of goods until, just opposite Hickman, Kentucky, they came to the state of Missouri. In making their first entrance into the state, however, there seemed to be no cordiality of greeting, for the season was wet and the roads were muddy almost to the point of being impassable. When they came to ford the swollen stream, for the bridge had been washed away by the torrents, their horse got beyond his depth and the two friends had to wade out in water up to their arm pits to save the animal from drowning. Needless to say the stock was damaged, and any other two men would have been discour- aged. Not so these young Hebrews. They went to Portageville, and it was the goods they had rescued from the stream that served as their first stock in the store they at once opened.
In 1896 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Segal to the bride he had chosen in Poland to share his fortunes. Their home has since been blessed with three children, by name, Nathan, eighteen years of age; Benny, seven- teen, and Abie, fourteen. All of them make their home with their parents.
Politically Mr. Segal is an advocate of the men and measures of the Republican party, but his interest in politics has never extended beyond the interest of any good citizen who supports the measures he favors at the polls, and Mr. Segal has never desired the emolu- ments of public office. He was selected by the Republicans of New Madrid county as one
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of the committeemen to attend the Republi- can convention at Chicago in June, 1912.
Fraternally he is affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons, holding the thirty-second degree in the same. He has had the honor to have passed all chairs in the Blue Lodge of that order. He is also a char- ter member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows' chapter of Portageville.
B. A. TOLLE. An able, enterprising and in- fluential business man of Deering, Pemiscot county, B. A. Tolle is identified with one of the leading industries of this part of the state, being manager of the Wisconsin Lumber Company's store. A son of A. F. Tolle, he was born September 28, 1881, at Roxbury, McPherson county, Kansas.
A prosperous farmer and landholder, A. F. Tolle is a man of prominence in his commu- nity, and very active in local affairs. In 1882 he was elected sheriff of McPherson county, Kansas, and has since been much in evidence in political circles, at the present writing be- ing postmaster at Roxbury. He married Olive Matthess, and they reared five children, as follows: Charles H., living in San Fran- cisco, California. married Ella Kirkpatrick ; M. Morgan, of Hailey, Idaho, is engaged in mining pursuits; F. May, wife of Henry Bartz, a farmer living near Kenton, Kansas; Carrie Frances, wife of Carl G. Elvin, prin- cipal of a business college at Merwin, Mis- souri; and B. A., the special subject of this brief personal record.
Leaving home when a young man, B. A. Tolle made his way to Trumann, Arkansas, where for four and one-half years he had charge of the store operated by the Spring- field Lumber Company, his experience in that capacity proving of inestimable value to him in his subsequent mercantile career. Coming from there to Deering, Missouri, he was first in the employ of the Deering Harvesting Company, but is now manager of the Wiscon- sin Lumber Company's store, which carries a stock of merchandise valued at eighteen thousand dollars, and occupies a building forty feet by one hundred feet in dimensions. Mr. Tolle is recognized by the firm as a man of excellent executive and business ability, and in addition to managing the store has charge of the Company's bowling alley, pool room and ice cream and soda parlors, all of which are in a flourishing condition and very popular with the employes and the people in general.
Mr. Tolle married, September 28, 1909, Martha Pemberton, of Sikeston, Missouri, and they have one child, Tyrus Morgan, born September 27, 1910. Fraternally Mr. Tolle is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to the lodge at Trumann, Arkansas.
THE DAWSON FAMILY. The history of the New Madrid branch of the Dawsons begins with Robert Doyne Dawson, who came to the county from Maryland in the early part of the nineteenth century, in about 1815, and founded the line which has given so many prominent and honorable citizens and soldiers to the county. The profession of Robert Doyne was that of a physician. He had been a surgeon in the army and came to Missouri in the interest of one Mr. Waters, who had several grants of land here from the Spanish government. Robert Doyne Dawson not only became a large land holder in New Madrid county, but he was active in the public af- fairs of his adopted state. He was a member of the first constitutional convention of the state and the representative of his county in the state legislature.
He located on the old Dawson homestead west of New Madrid and in 1818 married Me- linda Walker, who was born in Pemiscot county, on the present site of Caruthersville. Their six children grew up in the county and settled near New Madrid. Thomas lived on the old farm; Pamelia married Dr. W. W. Waters, of New Madrid. This town, too, was the home of Mary, Mrs. A. A. Augustine; of Mrs. A. A. La Forge (Laura Dawson) ; of Sarah, whose husband was Mr. Richard Wat- son; and of George Dawson, who married Miss La Vallee. He was a captain in the First Missouri Infantry, under Colonel Boyne, and was killed in the service in 1862.
Thomas H. Dawson, the son of Robert and father of William Dawson, was born Septem- ber 19, 1822, in the house which is still stand- ing in New Madrid. He married Agatha La- Forge, who was born in this county in 1827, February 4, and died here in September, 1903. Two of their eight children died in in- fancy. The others were Robert A., born April 15, 1846; William and G. W., whose lives will be ontlined subsequently; Ada, born August 22, 1854, died single; Weston, born January 23, 1857, now in the lumber business ; and Eliza, born in 1859, now Mrs. E. T. Riley, of New Madrid. Weston W. and Thomas died in infancy.
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Thomas Dawson enlisted in the Home Guards and was first lieutenant under Gen- eral Watkins. He was captured and forced to take the oath of allegiance to the United States and also obliged to sign away five thousand dollars because he refused to lead General Polk's army around Island No. 10. Mr. Dawson was kept in the guard house un- til the bond was signed. Thereafter, though barred from service in the field, he was a strong financial supporter of the Confederacy. After the war he became a merchant and was in partnership with his brother-in-law, R. J. Watson. They were large fur-buyers for a Louisville fur company. He had also en- gaged in this business before the war. The Democratic party, of which he was a life-long member, elected him sheriff, and later collector of the county. He died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. E. T. Ryan, in New Madrid, Missouri, June 29, 1906.
William Dawson's record is one of long and efficient public service. Born in 1848, he was educated at the Christian Brothers' College of St. Louis, from which he graduated in 1869. The year following his graduation he taught in the college where he had been a stu- dent, and in June, 1870, came home to begin the arduous work of public career. For four years, beginning in 1870, Mr. Dawson was sheriff and collector of the county. In 1878 he was elected to the legislature, and re- elected in 1880 and 1882. In 1884 the Demo- cratic party, to which he is allied by inheri- tance and by choice, sent him to congress for one term. In 1892 Governor Francis ap- pointed him a member of the World's Fair Board at Chicago. After the first few months Mr. Dawson was secretary of that organiza- tion. In 1899, at Jefferson City, he was again called upon to fill a public office, this time as clerk of the committee on accounts in the house of representatives. Later he was regis- ter of lands under Mr. Allen, who was then auditor. His last service for the state was taking inventory of the state property at the penitentiary. Since that time he has spent his time on his farm.
This home was the scene of Mr. Dawson's marriage to Miss Ella Hunter, daughter of W. W. and Amanda (Watson) Hunter. The event took place in 1874, on the day before Christmas. Of their children the following is given : One died in infancy, and another, Thomas II., at the age of one year. Nellie, born in 1875, is now Mrs. W. A. Boone. Will- iam, ten years younger, works in Hunter's
Bank of New Madrid. Lillian, the youngest daughter, is still at home, also Robert, born in 1889.
Another member of the Dawson family who has won distinction is Dr. George William Dawson. He was born March 12, 1852, and like his brothers Robert and William was sent to school in St. Louis. Dr. Dawson took his medical course iu the Louisville Medical Col- lege, from which he graduated in 1875. Upon completing his course he returned to his home county and has practiced here ever since. He has been in the medical profession longer than any other physician in New Madrid county.
The Doctor's wife is the daughter of James H. and Elizabeth Byrne Howard. Mary Howard was born in New Madrid February 4, 1862. She was wedded to Dr. Dawson May 10, 1883, and has borne him a large family of children. Two sons, Thomas and West, died at about two years of age. The others are Agatha, born February 4, 1885; I. Doyne, January 4, 1888; Colombe, January 15, 1892; Laura, April 25, 1894; Mary, February 16, 1896; Emma, November 10, 1899; G. Gaillard; Paul, December 2, 1903; Luke Byrne; Ralph, November 20, 1905; and Harold, October 24, 1907. Like the other branches of the family, the Doctor's family belong to the Catholic church.
Robert Alexander Dawson is the unmarried brother of the house. He is a man fond of outdoor life and in the early days, when it was possible to kill a deer whenever you felt so inclined, he was known as a great hunter and also as a famous fisherman. These were his diversions, however, not his occupations. He was born on April 15, 1846, and worked on the farm until he went to the Christian Brothers' school in St. Louis. When he re- turned to the city he worked on a wharf boat for a while and then assisted his father in running a saw-mill. Later he disposed of the mill and went to farming on his present place of two hundred and eighty acres, four and a half miles northeast of town. Mr. Dawson bought this place in 1870, and has lived on it ever since. In 1875 he was elected sheriff and held the office for three terms-something which he is probably the only man in the state ever to accomplish. The cause of this long tenure of office was occasioned by the revision of the state constitution just at that time.
At the time of the World's Fair at Chicago Robert Dawson was in charge of the forestry exhibit of the state of Missouri. He and
m. N. Baird
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his brothers are interested in timber lands. He follows the family tradition in the mat- ter of politics and gives his support to the Democratic party.
MARTIN VAN BUREN BAIRD. Some men are content to serve their country in a single call- ing while others, more blessed perhaps in native talents, find on every hand tasks for the strong man's heart and hand. The long and useful life of Martin Van Buren Baird, known throughout the county and beyond its confines as Parson Baird, has behind him the splendid records of the farmer, the soldier and the minister of the gospel, and today, though he has passed the psalmist's allotment, he is hale and vigorous and alertly interested in whatever affects the welfare of Clarkton and Dunklin county.
Born June 7, 1837, in Wilson county, Ten- nessee, Martin Van Buren Baird is the son of Thomas J. and Mary (Martin) Baird. He had the following brothers and sisters, to all but the first two of whom he was only half brother : Presley T., who died in Tennessee thirty years ago; Nancy Jane, who married Louis Laferney, the son of a farmer in Dunk- lin county, and died in 1878, leaving four chil- dren, all now deceased except Martin, who makes his home in Arkansas; Francis, who was born in Arkansas but who was married and passed away in Dunklin county, ten years ago; Mary Louisa, who also married a resident of Dunklin county, Mr. Jack Koen, and died some twenty-five years ago, leaving several children; Mattie, the wife of R. M. Harris, who died thirty years ago, leaving a family, of whom Minnie, the wife of Samuel Hassel, of Dunklin county, and Fred, established in Holcomb, are still living; Ella, the wife of J. L. Bradsher, and the mother of six children, all surviving and in Dunklin county, who makes her home near her brother Martin; Amanda, who owns a farm, and, with her chil- dren, makes her home in Holcomb; Eddie, married to Finas Rasberry, and the parent of three children; and William Thomas, a farmer who married Miss Nettie Wright, and died ten years ago.
Thomas .J. Van Buren. the father of the im- mediate subject of this sketch, after the death of his wife in Tennessee' in 1848, came to Dunklin county, Missouri. At that time Martin was a young man of twenty-three. The father hought land, two hundred acres at first, later increasing the amount by purchases in other places. He finally decided to locate
in Clay county, Arkansas, and after disposing of his holdings here bought land in that vicin- ity and took up his residence in that place. In 1849 was solemnized his marriage to MISS Martha Clements, and some time atter her death he was married to Miss Irene Steward.
Martin Van Buren bought his hrst land in 1860, and it consisted of an eighty acre tract formerly the property of W. G. Wadkins. He later increased his holdings by the purchase of three more fertile eighty acre tracts, in 1865, 1880 and at another later date. In 1890, twenty-one years ago, he gave up active man- agement of the farming lands and divided two hundred and forty acres among his sons.
When the Civil war was precipitated upon the nation, making of her fair unity two fac- tions, the North and the South, Mr. Baird, fol- lowing his convictions, became a Confederate soldier under Price's command, and while under Marmaduke and under Colonel Ketch- em's division he saw active service in several battles of the sanguinary struggle, including those of Belmont and Parlet Mound. At one time he was taken prisoner, but escaped and managed to regain the Confederate camp by keeping to the thickets and bushes. He re- mained in the service, a brave and valiant soldier in the most trying crises, for two years, and at the expiration of his service was mustered out with the rank of lieutenant.
In 1860, before his enlistment in the South- ern cause, Mr. Baird was united in marriage to Miss Ollie B. Hopper of Gibson county, Tennessee, March 30th being the date of their wedding. They became the parents of two children : Walter P. passed to his eternal re- ward after his marriage to Miss Matilda Harvey, of Kennett, leaving the bereaved widow with two sons, both now attending the normal school at Cape Girardeau. Thomas J., the second son, was married to Miss Eliz- abeth Helm, of Kennett, and at the time of his death was the principal of the school at that place, besides being engaged in the insurance business and managing considerable land, which he owned. His two children, Kittie, aged seventeen, and her brother Thomas are attending the state normal school at Cape Girardeau. It is interesting to note that at the time of his demise, their father, the younger son of Martin Baird, was master of the Masonic lodge at Kennett, having been one of the most prominent members of that his- toric order. Before taking up the pedagogic profession he had attended the state normal school at Cape Girardeau. In fact, he was the
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first student from Dunklin county to attend that institution. He led the class in which he graduated.
When he was twelve years old Martin Van Buren Baird joined the Baptist church in Wilson county, Tennessee, and from that time until this he has been an eager supporter of all for which the Christian doctrines of the church stand, and has ever exemplified in the manner of his daily thought the beliefs that he sustains, so that he can well be looked upon as a Christian gentleman whose example has ever tended to nourish those same beliefs in others. Upon coming to Dunklin county he joined the Oak Grove Baptist church, and it was there that he first rendered service to the Master by preaching His word. Later he be- gan to preach throughout the county, and take charge of the various churches of the faith. From 1864 on he has been continuously identi- fied with the history of Baptist churches of this section. Wherever churches were needed, his hand was at the helm to push along the good work of their building. In 1868 Rev. Mr. Baird was elected clerk of the Black River Baptist Association, and has served as Moder- ator for more than twenty-five years. Almost continuously since 1868, he has served in some official capacity. It was he who organized the churches at Kennett, Malden and Campbell, and he still is an active worker in their inter- est. In 1891 Rev. Mr. Baird was married to Mrs. Lillian Adams, nee Harvey, the daughter of Benjamin and Emma (Ivey) Harvey, and she has been to him a gracious and sympa- thetic help-meet.
Fraternally Mr. Baird was formerly iden- tified with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. During his residence of fifty- two years Rev. Mr. Baird has married more couples, officiated at more funerals and baptized more people than any other man in Dunklin county or of this portion of Southeast Missouri. With such success to himself and gratification to others has he followed his triple calling that one can do no more in speaking of him than to quote the words of the immortal Shakespeare, "Take him for all in all. there is a man."
JAMES H. KIMBROW. One of the oldest families of Southeastern Missouri is repre- sented by Mr. J. H. Kimbrow, near Senath in Dunklin county. Few of his fellow citizens of like age have the distinction of being na- tives of the county. He has spent all his life
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