History of southeast Missouri : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume II, Part 85

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

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nine years; Christopher C. died in childhood ; Mary B. is the wife of James F. Higginbo- tham, and they reside at Bernie; Clementine V. is the wife of Mr. William Johnson, as previously noted; Terie E. died in child- hood; Georgia Alice is the wife of Granville Hefner, of Bell City, Missouri; John Ell- dridge is engaged in farming operations near Bernie; Jefferson D. is likewise a farmer in the vicinity of Bernie. Mr. and Mrs. John- son have five children,-Robert L., of Bernie, who is engaged in the saw-mill business; Al- bert Sidney, engaged in the great basic in- dustry of agriculture near Bernie, married Anna Smith and they have one daughter, Ruby Jewell; Benjamin H., associated with his father in the work and management of the home farm; Millie F., who remains at home, and Winnie E., who is the wife of

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Elza Felker, of Bernie, and they have one son, Haskell Hale Felker.

Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have resided, the former for about forty-four years, the latter for some fifty-four years, in the immediate vicinity of their present home.

JOHN A. HICKMAN. In all Stoddard county it would be difficult to find a man of more diversified and important interests than Jolin A. Hickman, owner of Puxico's large de- partment store, which carries on a business approaching seventy-five thousand dollars per annum ; president of the Bank of Puxico, or- ganized by him in 1898 and now incorporated for twenty-five thousand dollars; owner of large milling interests and one of the county's large landholders. He has been identified with Puxico since 1882 and has contributed in most definite manner to its growth and prosperity, his splendid executive ability and fine judgment being of the sort which makes fine realities out of big ideas. His fortunes have been bound up with those of Puxico since September of the year men- tioned and his thirty years' residence here have seen the place grow from a hamlet to a thriving municipality. It was the subject who opened the first store here, when the railroad right of way gave new importance to the village newly laid out and named. He built his store, a small frame edifice, and with a stock of six hundred dollars worth of goods began his career as Puxico's first merchant. He succeeded and his business capacity has more than kept pace with the town. The re- quirements of his trade forced him into larger quarters and in 1904 he entered his present fine store, built the preceding year. This is a two-story brick building, thirty-five by ninety feet in dimension, and having a base- ment half that large. This building is mod- ern and substantial and was built at a cost of eight thousand dollars. Mr. Hickman oc- cupies it all. He also deals in hardware, gro- ceries and harness as a part of his large mer- cantile business, but in a frame building thir- ty-six by ninety feet, adjoining the new brick structure, besides having two ample ware- houses. He maintains a complete department store, handling a little of everything, and a great deal of most things, including dry goods, groceries, men's clothing. boots and shoes. undertakers' goods, hardware and ag- ricultural implements. In short, his stock is worth twenty-five thousand dollars, and his annual business reaches a large figure. Mr. Vol. II-29

Iliekman also owns a grain elevator, with a capacity of fifty thousand bushels annually, and handles hay and the like. About three miles east of Puxico he owns and operates a saw, planing and shingle mill, and in this concern alone employs twenty-five men in addition to those who do piece work. In these three thriving businesses Mr. Hickman does a gross business of upwards of one hun- dred thousand dollars annually, and thus is of inestimable benefit as an employer of men and one who affords market for many things. This is all the outgrowth of the original six hundred dollars investment, for the subject is a thoroughly self-made man, with no one but himself to thank for his success.

Mr. Hickman, with others, organized the Bank of Puxico, February 9, 1898, the insti- tution having in the first place a capital of ten thousand dollars, which in 1906 was in- creased to twenty-five thousand dollars. There is a surplus of twenty thousand dollars and deposits amounting to eighty-five thou- sand dollars. Mr. Hickman is more than half owner of the bank and it is largely due to his sound and well directed administrative dealing that this monetary institution has earned the general confidence it enjoys.

Mr. Hickman is the owner of two thousand five hundred acres of the bottom land to whose improvement so much attention has been given lately in the way of drainage, and of this vast tract about seven hundred acres are under cultivation, much of this being un- der his own supervision. It is largely devoted to grain and hay, and a part of the land is in the drainage district. He owns other town property in addition to what has already been mentioned, a store building being located in the same block as the store and bank, and this is occupied by a drug store, a grocery store and the Bell Telephone offices upstairs. Mr. Hickman also uses a portion of this build- ing as an undertaking department. He bought most of his land at a low price, vary- ing from two dollars and a half an acre to forty, and much of it is timbered, the result of the clearing supplying his mill with mate- rial. For seven years he maintained a branch store at Leora, but sold this in 1897 to his brother, W. H. Hickman, and W. F. White, who conducted it until about 1906, when Mr. W. H. Hickman sold his interest to Mr. White, and is now associated with the Clark Store Company, of Puxico. Mr. Hickman. some twenty years ago, incorporated, in asso- ciation with Mr. E. L. Hawks, the Puxico

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Milling Company, and he retained his inter- est in this concern until about four years ago, when, his business increasing rapidly in all directions, he found it advisable to dispose of some in order to give closer management to the others.

John A. Hickman was born in Obion county, Tennessee, April 25, 1858, and came to Missouri in 1873, at the age of fifteen years, in company with his parents, Smith and Margaret (Glover) Hickman, both of whom were natives of the state of Tennessee. The father, who was a farmer, located with his family some four miles south of Puxico and east of the town of Asherville, and there continued engaged in agricultural pursuits until summoned to the Undiscovered Country about ten years ago, at the age of sixty-one years. The mother died, at the age of sixty- six, several years later. This worthy couple were the parents of eight children, equally divided as to sons and daughters. The sub- ject is the eldest and the others are as fol- lows: J. M., engaged in farming in Stoddard county ; T. S., Jr., a farmer in this county ; W. H., now engaged in the management of the Clark Store Company; Parlee, wife of Francis M. Williams, of Stoddard county ; Mollie, wife of John A. Hodge, of Stoddard county ; Minnie, wife of Matt P. Ligon, of Stoddard county ; and Ida, wife of James Me- Coy.

Mr. Hickman has been twice married and is the father of five children, two sons and three daughters, one son having died at the age of nineteen, and he has ten grandchil- dren. His first wife, who died in 1895, was formerly Miss Emma Norrid, of this county. On August 9, 1896, he married Miss Clara Stapp, the present mistress of his household.

He whose name inaugurates this review is a popular member of three lodges, these being the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; the Knights of the Maccabees; and the Modern Woodmen of America. His interests are all in Stoddard county and none is more loyal to the general welfare of the section than he. HIe gives heart and hand to the Democratic party and is very active in county affairs, his opinion being of profoundest weight in mat- ters of public moment. Mr. Hickman served a term as mayor of Puxico, in 1910.

C. A. ROBERSON. As county superintendent of schools of Butler county, Missouri, now in his second term, C. A. Roberson, with his up- to-date. progressive methods, has accom-

plished remarkable results in the line of work in which he is engaged. Under his superin- tendency the last log schoolhouse in the county has given place to modern construc- tion and equipment; parents have been awakened to the educational needs of their children; and teachers have been inspired to do better work. Standing at the front in educational activities in this locality, as he does, a personal sketch of Mr. Roberson is of interest in this connection, and is herewith presented.

C. A. Roberson looks north to Indiana as the place of his birth and the home of his early childhood. It was in Crawford county, that state, April 25, 1882, that he was born, son of J. and Mary Roberson; and there he spent the first thirteen years of his life. In 1895 the family moved south to Missouri and took up their residence in the northern part of Butler county, on Cane creek, sixteen miles northwest of Poplar Bluff. Here his father acquired title to a farm, a few acres of which had been cleared, and which was the birth place of Mr. Henry Turner, the well known lumber man of Poplar Bluff. Subsequently selling this farm, his father moved to a smaller one near Poplar Bluff, where he still lives. He has served as justice of the peace and filled other offices, and is recognized as a citizen of influence in the community. C. A. Roberson passed his "teens" on his father's farm, assisting with the work of clear- ing and cultivating, and about four months each year attending school in one of the log schoolhouses equipped with rough benches. His ambition was to teach school. He diligently made the best of his opportuni- ties, and at the age of nineteen he entered one of the rural schools as teacher instead of pupil. This was his stepping stone. He had spent seven months in high school at Poplar Bluff, and after he began teaching he alter- nated teaching with attending summer school, and in this way pursued both a normal and a practical business course of study. He was the first teacher in the county to receive sixty dollars a month for his work. In 1909 he was elected to the office of county superin- tendent of schools, and in 1911 was re-elected. During this comparatively brief period he has been successful in accomplishing many things that have contributed to the upbuilding of the school interests in Butler county. Many new school houses have been erected, the last old log schoolhouse has been set aside as a back number, and the children of the rural

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districts now have the advantage of modern equipment in the schools. Seventy per cent of the teachers employed in the county have had normal school training, the patrons take an enthusiastic interest in the schools, and the attendance is increasing. Mr. Roberson gives his entire time and attention to school work, visiting each school in the county at least once a year. He is a forceful and agree- able speaker, and is rapidly coming to the front among the educators of Southeastern Missouri.

On May 20, 1906, in Crawford county, In- diana, C. A. Roberson and Miss Cordie K. Myler were married, and they are the parents of one child. Fraternally Mr. Roberson is identified with the I. O. O. F. and the M. W. of A.

CHARLES A. DELISLE. No history of the business institutions or the growing impor- tance of Portageville as a town could omit the record of the DeLisle family, who have been in this section so long and have been so in- timately connected with every good work pro- mulgated in the county as to be as firmly established in the affection and esteem of the community as the government itself. Charles A. DeLisle, the immediate subject of this review, was born in this county, September 16, 1877, the son of Edward and Mary (De- Lisle) DeLisle, both of whom were natives of New Madrid county. He is the grandson of Eustace and Clemence DeLisle, of Frenel ancestry, who immigrated from the Dominion of Canada and came to this country early in the nineteenth century. Charles DeLisle was born on his father's farm, located about five miles notheast of Portageville, and after a preliminary education in the public schools of the county was sent to the state normal school, located at Cape Girardeau, in which place he was raised and lived for the fifteen years preceding the year 1896. His father had deemed it best to move his family to that place so that his children might take advantage of its educational opportunities.

Charles A. DeLisle after the completion of his course at Cape Girardeau entered the merchandise firm of his father. Besides his connection with the DeLisle Supply Com- pany Charles DeLisle is interested in the Bank of Portageville, the DeLisle Lumber Company, the Farmer's Bank, and the Pink- ley Store Company. He is also the owner of six hundred acres of most arable farm land, which he lets to tenants to cultivate.

In 1909 MIr. DeLisle was united in mar- riage to Miss Sarah M. Faherty, who was born in Tipton, Missouri, in 1885. Mrs. De- Lisle is the daughter of James E. and Helen (O'Hara) Faherty, the former of whom was born in Redbird, Illinois, in the year 1848, and the latter of whom was born in the same place in 1854. Mr. and Mrs. DeLisle have one child, Edward, born July 1, 1910. Both are communicants in the Catholic church.

Fraternally Mr. DeLisle is affiliated with the Woodmen of the World and the Modern Woodmen of America, and he is a Knight of Columbus. In the field of politics he may be found beneath the standard of the Dem- ocratie party.

EMMETT C. NICKEY, county surveyor and highway engineer of Butler county, Missouri, has proved himself both a competent and popular official, fitted for the special work he is doing, and doing it in a way to please his constituents. Some personal mention of him will be found of interest in this connec- tion, and, briefly, the facts regarding his life are as follows:

E. C. Nickey was born in Johnson county, Indiana, March 14, 1882, son of Leander F. and Addie (Lyman) Nickey, both natives of the Hoosier state. Leander F. Nickey spent most of his time in Missouri from 1879 to 1908. The first named year he landed in Butler county and made settlement on a farm about three miles north of Poplar Bluff. On his arrival here he had one hundred dollars in cash and very little besides, but with this small capital he made good in a financial way. He bought and sold and traded real estate and other property and had from time to time various interests here, including a meat market and grocery at Poplar Bluff. Also for a time he operated a lumber mill. He was active here, politically, and helped to organize the Republican party in Butler county. At this writing he is in western Texas, operating a large stock farm. His wife, Addie Nickey, died at Poplar Bluff about twenty years ago, and their son, E. C. Nickey, is now the only one of the family left in Butler county.

At an early age E. C. Nickey showed an inclination toward studies along the line of civil engineering and as a boy accompanied surveying parties engaged in field work. After he had learned to handle engineering instruments he decided to prepare himself for expert work in this profession. Accord-

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ingly he entered the Ohio Northern Univer- sity, at Ada, Ohio, where he took a civil en- gineering course. In 1904 he was elected county surveyor of Butler county, on the Re- publican ticket, and so efficient did he prove himself in this capacity that four years later, in 1908, he was re-elected to succeed himself.

He is the Republican candidate in 1912 for re-election to the office of county surveyor, and was re-appointed highway engineer in February, 1912, this being his second re- appointment. He is a member of the Benev- olent and Protective Order of Elks, of Poplar Bluff.

Mr. E. C. Nickey married at Poplar Bluff, Missouri, February 14, 1905, Miss Bessie Flanigan, daughter of Charles Flanigan, then of this city. Mrs. Nickey is a native of Boone county, Indiana, coming to Missouri as a child and she was reared and educated in this state. She is a member and treasurer of the Rebekah lodge of Poplar Bluff.

Mr. Nickey owns a farm of four hundred acres, two miles north of Poplar Bluff, which he operates as a stock and grain farm, giving it his personal supervision. His chief time and attention, however, are devoted to the duties of his office, and there is probably no man in the county better posted on lands and highways than he.

JONAH DELISLE. An important member of the DeLisle family with whose fortunes the history of New Madrid county is so closely en- twined is Jonah DeLisle, the present treas- urer of the DeLisle Supply Company. He is the grandson of Eustace and Clemence De- Lisle, who immigrated from the Dominion of Canada before the war of 1812, and whose son, Edward, born November 22, 1848, five miles notheast of Portageville, in New Madrid county, became the father and mother of Jonah.

Edward DeLisle married his cousin, Miss Mary DeLisle, who was also born within the confines of New Madrid county, in the year 1853, and who passed to her eternal home on June 14, 1904. Edward DeLisle passed his early life amid the pleasant and health- giving surroundings of the home farm, nn- til in 1870 he joined his brother in a part- nership and bought the general merchandise stock of Dr. Harvey, which establishment has the honor to be one of the oldest in Portageville. Four years later his brother Umbra died. and Alphonse was admitted to the partnership in his place, the business

being continued under the name of DeLisle Brothers. The original investment was four hundred dollars, and the success which at- tended the enterprise can readily be seen when it is recorded that the partnership was capitalized in 1900 with a capital of twenty thousand dollars under the title of the De- Lisle Store Company, and later, in 1906, re- incorporated with a capital of thirty thou- sand dollars as the DeLisle Supply Com- pany.

Jonah DeLisle attended the district school, and subsequently attended the state normal school at Cape Girardeau, Missouri. He later obtained a business education by com- pleting the course offered by the Bryant and Stratton Business College at Saint Louis, Missouri, in June, 1905.

After his return from Saint Louis Jonah DeLisle went into business with his uncle and father, and later became the treasurer . of the establishment whose history is re- corded in a preceding paragraph, an incor- porated mercantile company which has an annual volume of business amounting to about $125,000. He is also a stockholder in the Portageville Bank, organized by his father in 1903; the DeLisle Lumber and Box Company; and the Pinkley Store Com- pany.

In 1895 Miss Katie Bloomfield, a native of New Madrid county, and the daughter of James and Mary (Hill) Bloomfield, became the bride of Jonah DeLisle. Her father was born on Erin's Isle but her mother was a native of New Madrid. Four children, all of whom are still at the parental home, were the issue of this union, namely: Lloyd, Lil- lian, Bernard and Elma.

Fraternally Mr. DeLisle belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America, and he is a Knight of Columbus. He and his wife are members of the Catholic faith and are rais- ing their children in the same.

Politically the party of Jefferson, Jackson and Cleveland claims the loyal support of Mr. DeLisle, and he has served his party on various committees. He has been an able member of the Democratic central committee, and also that of the court of appeals in Saint Louis.

CAPTAIN CHARLES F. HINRICHS. Among the venerable and highly esteemed citizens whom Poplar Bluff has been called upon to mourn within the past few years is Captain Charles F. Hinrichs, a native of Germany,

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who served his adopted country bravely dur- ing the Civil war and was afterwards equally as loyal in assisting in its develop- ment and advancement. He was born Feb- ruary 5, 1828, in Warin, Mecklenburg- Schwerin, Germany. His parents, C. D. and Louise (Priester) Hinrichs, came to America at the instigation of their son, Charles F., in 1847, locating in Cape Girar- deau county, Missouri, where the father died a short time later, the mother passing away in 1861.

Brought up in the Fatherland, Charles F. Hinrichs remained there until after attain- ing his majority, securing a good education. Subsequently a letter from the mayor of the village in which he was born to the minister of the province declaring that he was of age permitted him to immigrate to America, and after a voyage of thirteen weeks in a sailing vessel he landed at Galveston, Texas, a stranger, without means. Laboring hard, he saved some money, and in 1847 he worked his passage back to Germany, and on his re- turn trip to this country brought his father and mother to Cape Girardeau county, Mis- souri. His father dying soon after, he be- came the main support of his widowed mother and her little family.

In 1861 Mr. Hinrichs enlisted in the state militia, and the following year enlisted in Company L, Tenth Missouri Cavalry, and was mnstered in as first lieutenant of his company. In 1863 he was commissioned cap- tain, and served as such until the close of the war, taking an active part in over sixty en- gagements. He subsequently engaged in mercantile pursuits, opening a country store in Cape Girardeau county, but afterwards removing to the southern part of Butler county. He there engaged in shipping stock from 1867 until 1879, making rapid finan- cial progress in his operations. In 1879 his house was entered by burglars, who killed his nephew and stole all of his valuables, mate- rially crippling him financially. He was afterwards a resident of Poplar Bluff until his death, September 15, 1910.

Mr. Hinrichs was well educated, a close student of the Bible, and a prominent mem- ber of the Seventh-day Adventist church. He always retained a good knowledge of the German language, speaking and writing it correctly, and was one of the best-informed and clearest-thinking men of his time. A de- vout Christian, he held strictly to the teach-

ings of the Bible and made a close study and research of its more obscure portions, espe- cially the closing portions of The Revelation of Saint John opening up its meaning to Mr. Hinrichs in a distinct vision. He was dele- gated to translate Luther's version of that portion of the scripture into English for use in his church, and his careful study of it led him to conclusions at variance with many of his fellow-churchmen, and with all superfi- cial students. So inspired was he with the importance of a true interpretation of the real mission of Saint John and its far-reach- ing influence upon the future that he wrote his "Apocalypse Interpreted," a volume showing keen research and great familiarity with the Bible, and with other versions than the one commonly used, setting forth his own views with wonderful clearness, the interest of the reader being retained from the begin- ning to the end. No Bible student should fail to read this remarkable exposition and illumination of those grand visions and prophecies. The Seventh Day Adventists' Association of Battle Creek, Michigan, re- quested Mr. Hinrichs to translate the last half of the Revelation of Saint John for Rev. Uriah Smith, editor and publisher of the Ad- vent Review and Herald, and this led to his other writings.

Mr. Hinrichs married, in 1861, Malinda Moye, who was born in Cape Girardeau county, Missouri, and there died in 1879. In 1880 he married for his second wife Belle Cook, who survives him. He reared five chil- dren, namely: Paul, who passed to the higher life July 19, 1910, aged twenty-six years; Charles F., living at home; Arvid, at home; Mary, wife of John A. Galvin; and Abraham Lincoln, living at home. Politic- ally Mr. Hinrichs was a stanch Republican. He was a valued member of the Grand Army of the Republic and Captain C. F. Hinrichs Post, of Poplar Bluff, was named for him.

RUSSELL L. ALLEN. The present efficient and popular incumbent of the office of cash- ier of the substantial monetary institution known as the Bank of Bernie is Russell L. Allen, who has long figured prominently in public affairs in this city and who, in addi- tion to his banking interests, is a member of the legal fraternity of Missouri and is an or- dained minister of the Christian church, though he has never been active along either of those lines. He is a man of splendid and

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vigorous mentality, is possessed of tremen- dous energy and in his present vocation, that of banker, is reaping an admirable success.

Russell Lafayette Allen was born in Cape Girardeau county, Missouri, the date of his nativity being the 14th of April, 1868. He is a son of Jacob M. and Elizabeth (Link) Allen, the former of whom was born at Okawville, Illinois, and the latter of whom was born in Cape Girardeau county, this state. The mother was a representative of the old North Carolina family of the name of Link, and her father, Daniel Link, was born in 1795. He married Elenors Keepers, of what is now Bollinger county, Missouri, and there he and his wife passed the residne of their lives. Jacob M. Allen was brought to Missouri by his parents about the year 1850. In his early manhood he was a rail- road engineer but later in life turned his at- tention to milling enterprises. He has passed most of his life in Cape Girardeau county, but he now resides in Stoddard county, Mis- souri, having reached the age of sixty-six years. Mrs. Jacob M. Allen was summoned to the life eternal in the year 1892, at which time she was survived by three children.

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History of southeast Missouri : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume II, Part 85

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