USA > Missouri > Greene County > Past and present of Greene County Missouri, early and recent history and genealogical records of many of the representative citizens, Volume I > Part 91
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On March 4, 1875, Mr. DeGroff was united in marriage to Jennie- LaMance, at Pineville, Missouri. She is a daughter of James P. and Cynthia H. LaMance, one of the well-known pioneer families of McDonald county. These parents were both natives of Tennessee, where they were reared and married, and from there emigrated to Missouri before the Civil war and established the family home in McDonald county. Mr. LaMance enlisted for service in the Confederate army in 1861, and served in the southwestern- part of the state, for the most part; he was a gallant soldier and rose to the rank of captain for meritorious conduct. He remained in the service about three years. He engaged in the mercantile business at Pineville for many years and enjoyed a good trade with the people of that town and the surrounding country. He went to California in later life, where he resided five years. His family consisted of eight children; one of his sons was a soldier in the Civil war, enlisting in 1861, and serving four years.
Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. DeGroff, five of whom are-
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living, namely: Edgar N. is the chest; William H. and Robnett are both deceased: Bessie A., Edna L., Addie 1. and Jennie F. are all living
The death of Moses R. DeGroff occurred at the pleasant family home on Broad street, Springfield, August 8, 1901. We here quote, in part, from an article which appeared in a newspaper at Pineville, Missouri, at the time of our subject's death :
"There was scarcely a man or child in McDonald county who did not know M. R. DeGroff. Genial, manly and enterprising, he made friends wherever he went. But 'Mose,' as he was familiarly called, belonged especially to us. 'It was to McDonald county he came as a young man; in Pineville that he married his wife; in Pineville that all his children were born; here that he served as county clerk, and here that he was for years an acknowledged leader in county politics. We all knew him as the best of neighbors, a public-spirited citizen and a most affectionate husband and father. Will H. DeGroff, his second son, formerly a clerk in the Frisco store department, died May 1. 1901. Mr. DeGroff was a sincere Christian and tried to be reconciled to the Lord's will, but he was in feeble health and the blow occasioned by his son's death was more than he could bear. Ilis anxious family did everything possible to restore him, but in vain, and he passed away, leaving the record of a well-spent life behind him."
GEORGE WASHINGTON FRICKE.
No business man in Springfield of a past generation was better or more favorably known than the late George Washington Fricke, who, during his residence here of over forty years did much for the general good of the city, having had unswerving faith in its future from the first and always lending such support as he deemed furthering the material, civic and moral interests of the community. He was held in highest esteem by all who knew him and that included the major portion of the people of Greene county at one time or another. They esteemed him because of his business ability, public spirit and scrupulous honesty in all the relations of life.
Mr. Fricke was born on a farm near Independence, Jackson county, Missouri, in October. 1825. His father died when he was a child and his mother married again and moved to Scott county, Missouri, where our sub- ject was reared and resided until he was forty-five years of age. He re- ceived his early education in the common schools of Scott county, which was supplemented in later life by actual contact with the business world and by extensive home reading. His earlier life was spent in agricultural pur- suits and he was successful both as a farmer and business man and accumu-
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lated a handsome competence through his own efforts and owned consider- able property in Scott county. He was in his younger days a mate on a steamboat on the Mississippi river. He was identified with a number of successful enterprises prior to moving to Springfield in 1869. During the gold rush to California in 1849 and 1850 Mr. Fricke was one of the sturdy Missourians to cross the great western plains. He spent a number of years in the northern part of California, where he was quite successful as a gold miner. During the Civil war he offered his services to the Union and be- came captain of a company of State Militia or Home Guards, during the. early part of the war, but he was not called upon for active service at the front.
When he first located in Springfield, Mr. Fricke was associated with Silas Eversol in the milling business, for a period of about ten years, the partnership marking the opening of a large mill on Boonville street. Theirs was one of the best known and most popular flouring mills in southwest Missouri and the high-grade products of their mill found a ready market over a wide territory. Mr. Fricke then engaged in the grain business for a period of fifteen years in partnership with Job Newton, now head of the Newton Grain Company, the firm having been known as Newton & Fricke They maintained a large business house where the present Springfield Seed Company's store is located at Campbell and Walnut streets. The part- nership existed for many years, during which time they did a large and profitable business. Our subject was about this period associated with a Mr. Harper in the hay business. their interests being principally in Barton county, this state. He was finally compelled to retire from the active af- fairs of life on account of his advanced years and failing health. As a former partner, Job Newton paid him a tribute when he stated that Mr. Fricke was a very conscientious and energetic business man, a dealer pos- sessing sound judgment and one whom everyone looked upon as a thorough and competent business authority. In his earlier career Mr Fricke en- gaged extensively in the lumber business, having large interests in the swamp country in the southeastern part of Missouri, and much of the cypress tim- ber of the great Eads bridge across the Mississippi river was furnished by him.
Mr. Fricke was married on March 20, 1863, to Margaret Harris, of Commerce, Missouri. She was born in Ripley county, this state, April 19, 1842, and there grew to womanhood and received a good education. She is a daughter of Essex and Martha (Pieburn) Harris, who lived on a farm in Scott county, Missouri, for a number of years and were highly respected people. Mrs. Fricke is living in a beautiful home on Cherry street, Springfield.
To Mr. and Mrs. Fricke six children were born, namely: Charles,
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deceased; Horatio, deceased; Dora is the wife of Coleman Ware, of Springfield: Flonie is the wife of Walter Stork, of Neosho, Missouri; Harry lives in Beaumont, Texas; Gussie is the wife of Thomas J. Jolut- ston, of Springfiell.
Politically, Mr. Fricke was an ardent Republican and more or less ac- tive in public affairs for many years. Religiously, he was a member of Grace Methodist Episcopal church and liberally supported the church and all worthy causes.
Mr. Fricke was summoned to his eternal rest on May 23, 1912, at the advanced age of eighty-six years, after a long, useful, successful and highly ltonorable life-a career of which his descendants may well be proud.
EZRA FOUNT HANNAH.
In writing this biographical history one fact, among other interesting ones, has been revealed, a very large percentage of the men who are now performing the business of the various avenues of endeavor are native Mis- sourians. It is true the innate restless spirit in the human race has sent a very large portion of the young men who were born in this city to other cities and states where they are residing, and while most of the men who are working here at present are natives of this state, the majority of them were born outside of Springfield. The young men, especially, who fill the offices, work in the shops, run the trains and perform a large share of the professional work here, have come from surrounding towns and counties. One of this number is Ezra Fount Hannah, superintendent of the gas de- partment of the Springfield Gas and Electric Company.
Mr. Hannah was born in Howard county, Missouri, November 10, 1873. He is a son of W. Frank and Mary ( Padgett) Hannah. The father was born in Ireland, July 21, 1856, and on June Ist, of the same year, and also in Ireland, occurred the birth of our subject's mother. There these parents grew to maturity, received the usual education of children in that country of the middle classes, and there they were married, in February, 1871. and at once immigrated to America, and located in Paulding county, Ohio, but later established the family home in Howard county, Missouri, where Frank Hannah devoted his attention to general farming until his death in 1896. Politically he was a Republican. He belonged to the An- cient Order of United Workmen, and was a member of the Baptist church. His widow survived him eleven years, dying in 1907.
Ezra F. Hannah grew to manhood on the home farm in Howard county, and there assisted his father with the general work. He received
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a good education in the public schools of his native community, and in the State Normal at Warrensburg, Missouri, from which institution he was graduated in 1892. Soon thereafter he began teaching in the rural schools of Howard county, which he continued with much success until 1898, in which year he began the study and experiment in the manufacturing of gas, and in due course of time mastered the various phases of the same, work- ing meanwhile in various minor positions at different places until 1906, when he came to Springfield and accepted a position with the Springfield Gas and Electric Company, with which he has remained to the present time. He soon proved to the company here that he was well advised on the gas question and was a young man that could be implicitly trusted, and, in 1911, he was made superintendent of the gas department, which position he has held to the present time.
Mr. Hannah was married on December 26, 1893, to Belle Downey, who was born in Saline county, Missouri, June 8, 1873, and there grew to womanhood and was educated. To this union four children have been born, namely: Bruce F., who lives in Tucson, Arizona, where he is as- sistant superintendent of the Tucson Rapid Transit Company; J. Howard is attending high school; Beulah is also a high school pupil, and Ezra F., Jr., is in the ward school, now in the eighth grade.
Politically Mr. Hannah is a Democrat, and religiously a Baptist. He is very active in fraternal circles and is a member of the Knights of Pythias, of which order he is past chancellor; is past grand of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; is past Venerable Consul of the Modern Woodmen of America; he is at present lecturing knight of the Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks, and is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of the World.
OSCAR S. CLEMENTS.
Such a young man as Oscar S. Clements, superintendent of the elec- trical department of the Springfield Gas and Electric Company, with offices in the Woodruff building, is a credit to any city or community, and his life forcibly illustrates what energy and consecutive effort can accomplish when directed and controlled by correct principles and high moral resolves. The qualities which have caused him to win in life's battle have no doubt been inherited from his worthy New England ancestors, and he himself hails from the far-away Pine Tree state.
Mr. Clements was born in Bucksport, Maine, October 3, 1881. He is a son of Wesley P. and Dora I. (Mayo) Clements. The father was .also born in the above named town and state, about the year 1853, his
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parents having located there in an early day. He there grew to manhood and was educated: he became a mining engineer and was an expert in his fine. Ils untimely death occurred in 1883 at the early age of thirty years. The mother of our subject was born in Ellsworth, Maine, in the year 1858, and there grew to womanhood and was educated. She is now living at Saco, York county, her native state.
Oscar S. Clements was only two years of age when his father died. He grew to manhood in his native state and received his primary educa- tion in the public schools. Being of a mechanical turn of mind he decided to take up the gigantic study of electricity, the real substance and possibili- ties of which no man seems to know, and in order to equip himself for this line of work he went to Boston, Massachusetts, and entered the Rallo Institute, and took the course in electrical engineering, in which he made rapid progress. After finishing his studies there he went to Lynn, Massa- chusetts, where he secured employment with the General Electrical Manu- facturing Company, doing practical work in shop testing. During the earlier years of the building of the Panama Canal, he went to the Isthmus and was a government employee under Col. George Goethals, and had charge of the construction and operation of the power houses at Colon and Cristobal, doing his work in a highly acceptable manner. Leaving the Isthmus of Panama in 1908. he went to Eastport, Maine, as superintendent of the electric light company for one year, after which he did construction work for a while, then went on a long voyage to Kwanchenstz, Manchuria, in the northern part of China, where he built a steam-driven turbine generator power house, a complete plant, inside and outside, including a steam-heating plant. This job was for the Chinese government, and he did his work faithfully and most acceptably. He finished his work there and left China in 1911, and returned to Lynn, Massachusetts, where he remained six months, then came to Springfield, Missouri, and on January 1, 1914, took charge of the electrical department of the Springfield Gas and Electric Company as superintendent, and during the short time that he has been here he has proven most conclusively that he is a master of his vocation, thorough and up-to-date in every respect. His long years of study and his practical experience, especially abroad, have equipped him for his life work in a most splendid manner, and, judging from his past record and the fact that he is only a young man, one must necessarily predict for him a bril- liant and useful career in future years as an electrician.
Mr. Clements was married in August, 1907, to Myrtle A. St. Clair, who was born in Lubec, Maine, December 28, 1888, and there grew to womanhood and received a good education. To this union two children have been born, Beatrix T. Clements, who is attending school, and Paul W. Clements.
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Politically Mr. Clements votes independently, and in religious matters is a Congregationalist. He is a young man of genial and pleasing manners, and at once impresses the stranger as an experienced and traveled man of the world.
MCCUTCHEON BROTHERS.
One of the most extensive, best known and reliable vehicle firms in the Southwest is the Mccutcheon Bros. Vehicle and Harness Company, manufac- turers' sales agents for Pekin and New Ebbert farm wagons, Blue Ribbon vehicles, and wholesale manufacturers of light and heavy harness, whose large and modernly appointed place of business is located at 233-235-237 West Commercial street, Springfield, Missouri.
The firm was incorporated under the laws of the state of Missouri in 1908, located and started business at the corner of Campbell and Commer- cial streets, at which place the firm is still doing business, occupying a commodious, substantial and attractive brick block, conveniently located, especially as to shipping facilities. They carry a complete line of buggies, wagons and farm implements of standard makes and representing the high grade of workmanship and material. From the first their business prospered and since has shown a substantial gain in volume from year to year.
Springfield has proven itself important as a distributing center for the Ozark country on a large list of commodities, and it seemed to the Mc- Cutcheon Bros. that excellent opportunities were offered for the wholesaling of vehicles and agricultural implements, with Springfield as distributing point. Therefore, during the early part of 1912, they completed arrange- ments with several manufacturers of vehicles, wagon and implement lines to represent them in the sale of their lines in southwestern Missouri, north- western Arkansas and Oklahoma. They also equipped and installed a mod- ern factory for the manufacture of harness goods. The manner in which dealers of this territory have patronized this firm is ample proof that the faith of these gentlemen in the project was not misplaced and that the dis- tributing arrangements were thoroughly appreciated.
The firms which the Mccutcheon Bros. represent are the Durant-Dort Carriage Company, manufacturers of Blue Ribbon vehicles ; Pekin Wagon Company, manufacturers of Pekin and New Ebbert wagons; the Reeves Pulley Company, manufacturers of Recves gasoline engines ; Racine Sattley Company, manufacturers of corn planters, etc. The Mccutcheon Bros. also distribute for Bucher & Gibbs Plow Company, Acme Harvesting Machine Company, Pattee Plow Company, Hayes Pump and Planter Company, and the American Seeding Machine Company. The firm also manufactures a
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
complete line of harness goods which are sold under the name of "Quality Brand" harness, and which, owing to their superiority to other brands, find a very ready market over a wide territory.
The officers of the company are O. J. Mccutcheon, president ; and L. C. MeCutcheon, secretary.
DUERRETT WHITE DOZIER.
Whether the elements of success in life are innate attributes of the individual or whether they are quickened by a process of circumstantial development, it is impossible to clearly determine. Yet the study of a suc- cessful life, whatever the field of endeavor, is none the less interesting and profitable by reason of the existence of this same uncertainty. So much in excess of those of success are the records of failures or semi-failures, that one is constrained to attempt an analysis in either case and to deter- mine the measure of causation in an approximate way. But in studying the life history of the late Duerrett White Dozier, a man of profound knowledge along electrical lines, whose career was a varied and interesting one, his last years being spent on a fruit farm at Springfield, Missouri, we find many qualities in his make-up that alivays gain definite success in any career if properly directed. as his was evidently done, which resulted in a life of good to others as well as in a comfortable competency to his family. A man of strong mentality and vigorous moral fiber, he achieved signal suc- cess in a vocation in which few rise above mediocrity. Broad-minded, charitable and courteous in disposition. he never lacked for friends wherever his life work took him. They all heard with profound regret the news of his transition into a higher sphere of action, when he was still in the prime of manhood.
Mr. Dozier was born in Richmond, Kentucky, October 30. 1853, of fine old Southern stock on both sides of the house. He was a son of John and Nancy (Johnson) Dozier, the former a native of Virginia and the latter a native of Madison county, Kentucky. There they spent their child- hood. later moving to near Richmond, Kentucky, where the father owned and operated an extensive plantation, and owned a large number of slaves ; he also engaged in merchandising and was a successful business man. He finally established the family home in Carroll county Missouri, and was at one time sheriff of that county and prominent in Democratic politics. There the death of our subject's mother occurred when he was about twelve years ·of age. The father died in St. Louis in 1904. Their family consisted of .eleven children, four of whom are still living, namely: William Cassus, died
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D. W. DOZIER. DECEASED.
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in infancy ; Margaret is next to the eldest; Mary is living; Elizabeth Holland died in infancy ; Eliza Andrew died in infancy ; Nancy Jane, deceased; Melisa, deceased; Susan, deceased; George Ann, living; Duerrett White, of this memoir; John, who is the youngest.
Our subject had little opportunity to get an education, but later in life he made up for this deficiency by wide home reading and by contact with the world. He was a fine type of the self-made man. When but a boy he turned his attention to electrical and steam engineering. He had the dis- tinction of starting the first threshing engine in Missouri, which was while he lived in Carroll county. He eventually became a superintendent and designer of power houses and superintended the building of some of the finest electrical power houses in the United States. After leaving Carroll county he became erecting engineer for the E. P. Allis Company, of Mil- waukee, Wisconsin, remaining with this firm seven years, during which time he did a great deal of traveling, giving the company eminent satisfaction. In 1884 he came to Kansas City and was with the Metropolitan Street Rail- way Company for a period of sixteen years, successfully filling the responsi- ble positions of superintendent and chief engineer. He then went to Wash- ington, D. C., where he followed the same line of work for a year, then returned to Kansas City and resumed his position with the company with which he was before and retained the same for nine years, or until 1902, having given his usual high-grade service and being one of the potent factors in the building up of that great street railway system. He then became inspector of the glucose factories in Chicago and all factories east of that city under Dr. Wagner, of Chicago. Resigning after six months with this concern he went to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and took charge of the Twin City Rapid Transit Company, of Minneapolis and St. Paul, remaining there five years, during which time he had charge of the entire system, electrical and steam, under the direction of the president of the company, C. C. Goodrich, successor to Mr. Lowery. He was largely instrumental in build- ing up one of the finest and most efficient street railway systems in the United States, but owing to failing health he was compelled to resign in 1907. He came to the Ozark country in the hopes of benefiting his health, and purchased the forty-acre orchard on South Campbell street, Spring- field, which was considered one of the most desirable apple orchards in this section of the country. Later he purchased the five-acre tract on the Country Club lane, an attractive and desirable property, where his widow now resides.
Mr. Dozier was married October 23, 1888, in Kansas City, to Mamie L. Keough, a native of Hartford, Connecticut, and a daughter of William and Theresa (Carroll) Keough. The father was born in Canada, twelve miles from Montreal, in 1827, and his death occurred in Kansas City in
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1912. Mrs. Dozier's mother was born in Ireland in 1820, and from that country she emigrated to America when a child. Her death occurred in Kansas City in 1898. These parents were married in Connecticut. Mr. Keough was a building contractor by profession, and was a successful busi- Hess man. His family consisted of five children, two of whom are still living, namely : Mamie L., who married Mr. Dozier of this memoir : Susan is deceased: Nellie lives in Kansas City; William C. is deceased : John P. also deceased.
Mrs. Dozier received excellent educational advantages. After passing through the public schools she attended the Episcopal Seminary at Dubuque. Towa. from which institution she was graduated. Having decided natural musical talent she made herself proficient on the piano. She is a lady of culture and of amiable nature. She is a member of the St. Agnes Catholic church.
Mr. Dozier left two sons, namely: Edward, who is married and lives- in the West: Thomas M., born November 14, 1882, was educated in the schools of Kansas City, and on June 18, 1913. he married Erma H. Law- son, born December 3, 1886, of that place, and they make their home in Kansas City.
Politically Mr. Dozier was a Democrat, but was never an office seeker. He was a member of the Catholic church and faithful in his support of the same, and when he was summoned to his eternal rest on January 14, 1912. his many friends felt that a good man and a good citizen had gone to his reward.
JOHN CLEMENT HAYDEN.
The Greene county bar has an able exponent in the person of John Clement Hayden, of AAsh Grove, formerly a well known and successful contractor. His habits of study, industry and critical research, his ability to grasp and understand the law, to sift it, segregate it, weigh, deduce, and apply it, make him an informed, fortified, reliable and certain lawyer, and, necessarily and logically, a successful lawyer. He is characterized by fair- ness in stating the position of an adversary, and is strong enough and broad enough to seek or desire no undue advantage. His utterances are expres- sive of a calm dignity, a tolerant spirit, but a fixed purpose. In his dis- cussion of the law he is terse, clear. precise, incisive, and to the jury he is a cautious, deliberate, impressive. reasoning advocate.
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