USA > Missouri > History of southeast Missouri : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume II > Part 9
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On the fifth day of July, 1859, Dr. Keith was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Ann McFarland, of St. Francois county, Mis- souri, daughter of Reuben H. and Martha Benton McFarland, and this ideal union was further cemented by the birth of six chil- dren. Dr. Frank L. Keith, mentioned on suc- ceeding pages of this work devoted to repre- sentative citizens of Southeastern Missouri, was the eldest in order of birth. The others are: Bettie C., Wendell Linn, Martha Ellen, Marvin L. and Finis W.
Dr. Keith was a devoted Methodist and was one of the founders of the church of such denomination in this locality. He was gath- ered to his fathers April 22, 1897, but his cherished and devoted wife survives and makes her residence at Bonne Terre.
FRANK LEE KEITH, M. D. One of the best known and highly honored physicians and surgeons of Southeastern Missouri is Frank Lee Keith, M. D., who in addition to his gen- eral practice is surgeon for the Doe Run Lead Company. He is the scion of one of the oldest and most distinguished families of Mis- souri and the history of his forbears includes some of the most gallant pages of our na- tional and colonial history. Dr. Keith is a native of St. Francois county, his birth hav- ing occurred May 26, 1860. In his choice of profession he is emulating his honored father, Dr. Abram Wendell Keith, who was a well- known physician. The maiden name of the mother was Margaret McFarland, and more
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complete biographical record of his parents is given in preceding pages.
This locality is dear to Dr. Frank Lee Keith by many years' association. His early education was secured in the public schools and in Arcadia College at Arcadia, Missouri, which at that time was under the manage- ment of the Methodist Episcopal church. In the meantime, having come to the conclusion to adopt the profession of which he is now such an ornament, at the age of nineteen years, he entered the St. Louis Medical Col- lege and was graduated from that institution in 1881, with the well-earned degree of M. D. He began practice at Bonne Terre and after two years satisfied an ambition for additional training by going to New York and taking post-graduate work in the Bellevue Hospital Medical College and after finishing there he remained in the east for a year, practicing in the city of Brooklyn. He then returned to Saint Francois county and resumed his prac- tice and is at the present time located at Flat River. He was superintendent of State Hos- pital No. 4 at Farmington for two and one half years, beginning with the year 1903, and he gave to that institution a most able admin- istration. At the present time he is surgeon of the Doe Run Lead Company. He is asso- ciated with all those organizations calculated to advance the interests of the profession, such as the County, State and American Medical Associations and he is a constant student of all that pertains to the advance- ment of the great science with which he is identified. He cares for a large practice and is known over a wide expanse of territory.
Dr. Keith laid the foundation of a happy household and congenial life companionship when on June 20, 1883, he was united in mar- riage, in Brooklyn, New York, to Miss Mary Frances De Lisser, of that city. Mrs. Keith is descended from an old Knickerbocker family and the daughter of Richard L. DeLisser, a native of Jamaica and a manufacturing chemist. To their union have been born the following seven children: Marion, Gertrude, Frank DeLisser, deceased ; Wendell DePeys- ter, deceased; Mildred Fisher; Marguerite Williams; Glenwood Linn; and Dorothy Carolyn. Dr. Keith is a Mason. exemplify- ing in himself the principles of moral and social justice and brotherly love, for which the order stands; he is Presbyterian in church faith and his political convietion is in harmony with the tenets of the Democratie party.
Dr. Keith's paternal grandmother was a de- scendaut of Andrew Baker, who located in this part of the state in 1796, on a Spanish grant. He was a brother of that Jacob Baker who was one of the staff of General George Washington. The Doctor's maternal grand- mother was a niece of Senator Thomas H. Benton, who was United States Senator from Missouri for about thirty-two years.
ROBERT J. BAGBY. The passing stranger, as he travels through Franklin county, Mis- souri, will see many beautiful farms, with well-kept buildings, fine horses and cattle and much attractive scenery, but as he nears New Haven he will exclaim with pleasure at the beauties of nature as exhibited on the five hundred acres of growing verdure com- prising the New Haven Nurseries. These nurseries are one of the leading horticultu- ral enterprises of the Mississippi valley, and one of the oldest west of the river. The in- cipient efforts which resulted in this exten- sive nursery business came from Julian Bagby, father of the subject of this review. It was in 1868 that he planted the first seed some twelve miles south of the city of New Haven, and thus laid the foundation of this far-famed nursery. Only a few acres were comprised in his holdings there, and it was merely a patch in contrast with the full- grown enterprise of the present day. In 1871 Mr. Bagby changed his location to the lofty hills overlooking the Missouri river and renewed his horticultural efforts, but it was not until 1880 that he decided to branch out more extensively and exploit his prod- nets with the aid of road salesmen. For a period of ten years this method of advertis- ing the nursery was conducted, and the vol- ume of business so taxed the capacity of the plant as to warrant the management in mak- ing it a wholesale and retail institution, and as such it is now conducted.
The New Haven Nurseries comprise five hundred acres, with an ideal equipment for caring for stock and splendid homes for its proprietors. Of this extensive tract two hundred acres are planted in trees, compris- ing chiefly peach trees, and from seven hun- dred thousand to nine hundred thousand young trees are budded annually, fifty per eent of them being of the Elherta variety. A branch nursery of one hundred and sixty acres is located at Altamont. Kansas. The entire business is conducted through the home office, however, and under the efficient
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supervision of Robert J. Bagby. In 1892 the plant was incorporated under the laws of the state for thirty thousand dollars, with Julian Bagby as president, John L. Bagby as secre- tary, and Robert J. Bagby as treasurer and general manager. The history of the Bagby family, therefore, is largely a history of the New Haven nurseries, the extraordinary suc- cess of the latter being mute evidence of the business capabilities of the former.
Julian Bagby, the father of our subject, was born November 28, 1834, in Cumberland county, Virginia, the son of Madison H. and Martha J. (Hudgens) Bagby. In 1854, Mr. Bagby came to Missouri and, being a well- educated and highly intelligent man, he en- gaged in teaching school for a number of years. As stated in the beginning of this sketch, he turned the first ground for the New Haven Nurseries in 1868, in the mean- time continuing his pedagogie labors until the trees and plants should be of sufficient size and hardiness to afford him a livelihood. But the Civil war broke out, and Mr. Bagby, a loyal southern sympathizer, was en route to the Confederate army to offer his services for the cause he considered right when he was captured by the Federal troops, held prisoner for some time, and finally paroled.
On the 24th of June, 1857, Julian Bagby was united in marriage to Mary E. Bridges, the daughter of Andrew W. and Elizabeth (Leech) Bridges, the former of whom was a hardy Scotchman, born in 1789, who set- tled in Missouri in 1839. He had purchased some land in the hilly country of Missouri, and worried along, eking out a scant living from his tobacco fields, the while the rich bot- tom lands lay wild and untamed. This fail- ure to discern the most fruitful land was one of the drawbacks with which the pioneer set- tler had to contend, as he had no government reports, agricultural colleges, or others' ex- perience by which to profit. Mr. Bridges furnished tobacco to the boat traffic of the "Big Muddy," and lived to a comfortable old age.
By the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Julian Bagby seven children were born, as follows: Dr. Oliver, one of the prominent men of Vin- ita, Oklahoma; Robert J., of this review; Mrs. Martha Patton. of New Haven : John L. and James Edward, twins, the latter of whom died at the age of nineteen years; Wil- liam. a dentist of Washington, this county ; and Dr. Louis, a practicing physician of Vin- ita, Oklahoma. Mr. and Mrs. Bagby have
traveled life's path together for over fifty- five years, and are both comparatively well, though the strenuous life would break the physical vigor of people of less hardy stock.
Robert J. Bagby, the worthy son of a wor- thy father, was born in Franklin county, Missouri, August 28, 1861, and his early life did not differ much from that of other boys of an agricultural community. He attended the rural schools of Franklin county, but with a desire for more knowledge supple- mented this schooling by a course in the high school at St. Louis, and he engaged in teach- ing, as did his father before him. However, the confinement of the school-room was not to his liking and he taught but a few months when he decided that he, too, would farm. Accordingly he followed farming on a small scale for a short time, when he associated himself in business with his father, it being his belief that the enterprise so well be- gun by his father could be increased and broadened into a profitable business, and how well he prophesied is proven to-day. At the same time John L. Bagby entered the con- cern, and it was the stimulus given to the business by this young blood that has caused the exceeding growth and prosperity of the New Haven Nurseries, of which more ex- tended details were given in the beginning of this sketch. Robert J. Bagby is also one of the promoters of the Farmers' Savings Bank of New Haven, being president of that institution.
In politics Mr. Bagby gives his vote and al- legiance to the Democratic party, but he has never desired any of the official positions of the party. He is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and is also a Woodman. He and his wife are devout mem- bers of the Missionary Baptist church, Mr. Bagby being a member of the official board.
On May 30, 1889, Robert J. Bagby joined the rank of the Benedicts when he was united in marriage to Lillian Armstrong, who was born December 26, 1870, a daughter of Ed- win and Martha (Walton) Armstrong. Ed- win Armstrong was a native Missourian. his father being a pioneer settler in that state, whence he migrated from Kentucky. Mrs. Armstrong was a member also of an old Mis- souri family, and her father lived to the ex- treme old age of ninety-six years.
Mr. and Mrs. Bagby are the parents of a family of sons and daughters of whom they are justly proud. They are ten in number. and are as follows: Carroll, who graduated
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from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1911, is a second lieutenant in the army, being the second youngest man bearing a commission; Oliver W. is a mid- shipman in the United States navy and a member of the class of 1912, his boat now cruising in European waters; Ralph is in the William Jewell College, class of 1914; Lew W. is a freshman in the same college; and Robert E., Mary, Helen, Walter J., Lillian and John complete the interesting family.
Much of the success of the New Haven Nurseries is due to the untiring efforts of John L. Bagby, a younger brother of Rob- ert J., of this review, and the secretary of the concern. He was born in Franklin county, Missouri, on the 15th day of October, 1868. His education, like that of his brother, was received in the common schools of his native county, and when he was still a young man he entered the nursery business in con- nection with his father and brother. His his- tory is practically reviewed in the preceding paragraphs. Suffice it to say that he is in every way a good example of the enterpris- ing, energetic and progressive business man.
John L. Bagby was married at New Haven, this state, on August 10, 1892, the lady of his choice being Alice Schleef, who was born May 20, 1872, a daughter of Samuel and Lou A. (Pihle) Schleef, the former an early set- tler in Missouri from the Fatherland and un- til his death a prominent New Haven mer- chant. To Mr. and Mrs. John L. Bagby have been born two children, Harold and Ray- mond, both in school.
This brief review of the Bagby family is a striking illustration of the old axiom, "Op- portunity knocks once at every door,"-yes, but one must be ready to meet it more than half way, and must know the proper method of treatment when it "comes a'knocking."
MARTIN BIRD MINTER. Among the most prominent, progressive and generally praise- worthy of the citizens of Lodge, Bollinger county, is Martin Bird Minter, who answers to the dual calling of merchant and farmer, and among whose many claims to honor is that of being a veteran of the Civil war, for he served as a soldier in the Union army during the latter part of the great conflict between the states. Mr. Minter has conducted a general store in Lodge since the year 1907, and has a large and satisfied patronage. He has a small farm at present in this county,
but in years past he has been more exten- sively engaged in the great basie industry.
Martin Bird Minter, is a native Kentuck- ian, his birth having occurred in Marshall county of the Blue Grass state on the 16th day of January, 1846. He is a son of Joseph and Mary (Griffith) Minter, natives of Ten- nessee and Virginia, respectively. The sub- ject was reared upon a farm, his father be- ing of that calling, and his preparation was of that practical sort which comes from ac- tual experience. As was the case with the young men of his day and generation, his youthful years were disturbed by the events preceding the Civil war and at the age of eighteen years he enlisted in the Union army, as a member of Company L, of the Twelfth Kentucky Cavalry, under the command of Colonel Crittenden and General Stoneman. The date of his enlistment was January, 1864, and he was in time to see some of the most active fighting of the war. His service was for the most part in Tennessee, North Caro- lina and Virginia. He participated in the battles at Paducah, Kentucky, and Bristol, Virginia, not to menton numerous other en- gagements. He received honorable discharge in August, 1865, and returned to the pursuits of peace.
For a number of years Mr. Minter resided in the Big Bend state, where he engaged in farming in Marshall county. In 1880, hav- ing become favorably impressed with the ad- vantages of Bollinger county, Missouri, he severed his former associations and removed to this locality. At that time he bought one hundred and thirty-five acres of wood land, which he proceeded to clear. In 1886 he sold this at an advantage and bought one hun- dred and twenty acres in the vicinity of Lodge. After operating this for a time he sold half, but still retains sixty acres, which he farms.
Mr. Minter is also a successful business man and he built his store here in 1907. He carries a stock of general merchandise, and in the years in which he has been identified with business interests here he has enjoyed an excellent patronage.
Mr. Minter was married on the 9th of Sep- tember. 1866, the lady to become his wife be- ing Julia Morgan, daughter of T. J. and Em- eline Morgan, natives of North Carolina and Tennessee. The union of the subject and his wife was solemnized while he was living in Marshall county, Kentucky. The worthy
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wife and mother was called to her eternal rest in April, 1893, leaving seven living chil- dren, two others having died previously, and five survive and are as follows: Mary Eme- line, born in 1867, the wife of R. C. Alexan- der; Jo Ellen, born in 1872, wife of A. J. Bess; Hattie, born in 1877, wife of Dines Bess; Blaine L., born in 1881, whose wife's maiden name was Jennie Shell; and Henry Clay, born in 1883, and still residng at home. Mr. Minter married his present wife in De- cember, 1895. She was Sarah A. Hahn, of Bollinger county.
Mr. Minter has ever taken an interest in public matters and has occasionally given ef- ficient service in public office. He was ap- pointed justice of the peace of Lorance township, Bollinger county, and held the of- fice for six years and for the past thirteen years he has held the office of postmaster of Lodge, being in fact the present incumbent of that office. He is a Republican and stands high in party councils. In his church faith he is affiliated with the Missionary Baptist church, of which his wife is also a member. He and the members of his family play a prominent part in the many-sided life of the section.
SAM BYRNS is the eldest of nine chil- dren. His father, Thomas Byrns, was born in St. Louis county, where he grew up on a farm and married Miss Margaret J. Bowles, of the same county. Later he moved to Jef- ferson county, where Sam Byrns was born in the year 1848, on the 14th of March. The elder Byrns was a Mason, a member of the Baptist church and a Democrat in politics. He represented Jefferson county in the state legislature in 1870 and was always regarded as a leading citizen of the county.
Sam Byrns spent his early life on the farm, as his father had done, but received the greater educational advantages which the later time has provided. After completing the course in the common schools he attended the Steelville Academy at Steelville, Mis- souri, and also the St. James Academy in St. James. At Washington University he en- joyed the advantage of the wider training of collegiate study. After leaving Washington University he read law and was admitted to the bar in 1872, and entered upon the prac- tice of his profession in Jefferson county.
The Democratic party found him a valua- ble member of their organization and have testified their appreciation of his ability to Vol. II-4
advance the principles of their party by con- ferring various political honors upon him. Mr. Byrns has served in both the senate and the lower house of the Missouri legislature and in 1890 was returned for congress from the Tenth district of Missouri. While in Washington he was a member of the rivers and harbors committee. Upon the comple- tion of his term in congress he returned to DeSoto, where he has since practiced law in partnership with Mr. Bean.
Mr. Byrns has been twice married; in 1872 to Miss Laura Honey and in 1884 to Miss Melissa Moss. No children were born of either union. Mr. and Mrs. Byrns are mem- bers of the Methodist church.
GEORGE A. LACY, a well known farmer near Kennett, after experiencing many set-backs and discouragements has finally come to a place where all is apparently smooth sailing. Of all the qualities whch are essential in or- der to insure suecess there is none more im- portant than the ability to stick to a thing, surmounting all obstacles, disregarding all unpleasantness, cilmbing up after falling down, hopeful in face of failure, optimistic in all. Such has been the attitude of Mr. Lacy throughout his difficulties.
George A. Lacy was born on a farm in Tennessee, September 2, 1868, and on that tarm the first six years of his life were spent. In 1874 he came to Dunklin county with his parents, who took up their residence near Vincit, but before three years had elapsed both father and mother had died, leaving the boy nothing but a heritage of a strong con- stitution, a determination to achieve, and a cheery disposition, combined with other per- sonal traits that have assisted him as boy and man. Mr. O. B. Harris took his young or- phaned brother-in-law to his own home and cared for him with an almost paternal inter- est. giving him the advantage of a common school education and also giving him prac- tical education in agricultural pursuits. George Lacy was an inmate of Mr. Harris' home for thirteen years, at which time George, a stripling of twenty years, obtained work on the different farms in the neighbor- hood and in 1894 began farming operations of his own on a tract of rented land in the neighborhood of Kennett, near the place where he now maintains his residence. The farm was in a wild state and the enterprising young man cleared one hundred and forty- five acres and put it under cultivation. A
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short time after he commenced his independ- ent agricultural pursuits he experienced a heavy loss, when his large barn was entirely destroyed by fire; this was followed by a se- ries of misfortunes which prevented his get- ing ahead as fast as his ambitious nature would have chosen. In 1905 he rented a farm of one hundred and forty-five acres of land, owned by J. J. Rogers, of Kennett, and there he now lves.
In 1894 Mr. Lacy married Ruth Herron, whose birth occurred November 11, 1868, near Caruth. Mrs. Lacy has lived her entire life in Dunklin county, her parents, Thomas and Rhoda Herron, being old residents of that part of Missouri. Of the three children who were born to Mr. and Mrs. Lacy two are living, Berley B. and Arthur T. Mrs. Lacy shared all the early discouragements of her husband, as the year which marked his first farming venture was the one in which they were married, starting their life together with no capital but the pluck and determina- tion of husband and wife alike.
Mr. Lacy is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, his direct membership being with the Caruth lodge. In politics lie is a Democrat, but his life has always been too busy to permit of his devoting much time to political matters.
CLYDE OAKES. The people of Kennett who only know Clyde Oakes as a lawyer and a man of business would never imagine that he spent some years of his life teaching. He is so thoroughly well fitted to fill the posi- tions he occupies now that it is hard to think of him and pedagogy together. Yet, as a matter of fact, he was a most successful teacher. As a rule a successful teacher may become a prominent professional man, but rarely makes a success of business. Mr. Oakes has from first to last been a success, not that we wish to put him in the class of the "has beens," on the contrary, he is doing excellent work in Kennett to-day and will doubtless continue in his activities.
Clyde Oakes was born in Lake county, Tennessee, November 2, 1877, where he re- ceived his education. In 1900 he came to Missouri and taught for three years in Dunklin county. He soon made his presence felt and in 1903 he became deputy county clerk, holding the office for four years under P. C. Harrison. He studied law and was admitted to the bar by Judge Fort. In 1909 he was made assistant cashier of the Cotton
Exchange Bank and after one year was pro- moted to the position of cashier, in which capacity he is now serving the bank.
In 1904 he married Miss Terah Ward, a native of Dunklin county, daughter of W. J. Ward. Two children have been born to the union, Gertrude and Berniece.
Mr. Oakes is a member of the City Council and is secretary of the Commercial Club. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, and in his church work as in all else is putting all his energies. He is a man who is well known in Kennett and during the few years that he has been here he has made himself very prominent in the business mart and in political circles, being Secretary of the County Democratic Central Committee. A later history will recount the events which will yet occur in his life and the efforts that he will hereafter put forth for the betterment of his county and state.
CHARLES E. CASHION. Ideas backed with indefatigable energy,-the desire and power to accomplish big things,-these qualities make of success not an accident but a logical result. The man of initiative is he who com- bines with a capacity for hard work an in- domitable will. He recognizes no such thing as failure and his final success is on a parity with his well directed efforts. Charles Ed- win Cashion is a self-made man in the most significant sense of the word. As a youth he learned the printer's trade and he has been interested in the newspaper business during the major portion of his active business career, being at the present time one of the owners of the Perry County Republican, a de- cidedly progressive and well edited publica- tion. In 1910 he was elected to the office of county clerk of Perry county and he is dis- charging the duties connected with that posi- tion with all of honor and distinction.
Charles E. Cashion was born in Perry county, Missouri, on the 11th of November, 1871, a son of John B. Cashion, who was like- wise born in this county and whose birth oc- curred on the 1st of September, 1844. The father was reared to maturity on the old Cashion homestead, in the work and manage- ment of which he early began to assist his brothers. He was orphaned at a very early age, his parents having been William and Sally Cashion. On the maternal side he traces his ancestry back to stanch Holland stock, his mother having been a representa- tive of an old North Carolina Dutch family.
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