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 94
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in Mississippi and reared their family there. The death of Robert Scott occurred in 1858, when our subject was thirteen years old. His widow sur- vived until 1871. They were both buried on the old homestead. this custom being employed much in the South during the past generations up to a few years ago.
Andrew J. Scott grew to manhood on the home plantation and there worked when a boy, and received his education in the common schools. As stated above his sympathies were with the Federal government and in order to escape conscription in the Confederate army at the outbreak of the war between the states, he went to Alabama, and although was but seventeen years of age he raised the First Alabama Cavalry, which regiment was soon placed in active service. Mr. Scott enlisted June 11, 1863, and was dis- charged July 27, 1864, at Rome, Georgia. He had gone through Georgia with Sherman in his memorable campaign and took part in all the engage- ments of the same. After his discharge from the Alabama cavalry regi- ment he went to Nashville, Illinois, and on February 11. 1865. enlisted in the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, in which he served until September 25, 1865.
After the war Mr. Scott returned to Mississippi, and operated a flat- boat on the Mississippi river to New Orleans for three years, then went a second time to Nashville, Illinois, where he engaged in the contracting and building business for ten years, then engaged in the grocery business eight years. He came to Springfield, Missouri, in 1888, and for a period of twenty-two years was foreman of the Springfield Planing Mill and Lumber Company, his long retention in this important position would indicate that he gave the firm eminent satisfaction in every respect. During the past four years he has been in the contracting business and has been very successful.
Mr. Scott was married on May 19, 1880, to Laura Burns, a daughter of John C. Burns and wife of Nashville, Illinois, where she grew to woman- hood and received her education in the common schools. At the time of their marriage Mr. Burns was justice of the peace at Nashville, which posi- tion he held for a period of thirty-four years continuously, discharging the duties of the same most ably and was one of the influential men of that place. His family consisted of two sons and two daughters.
Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Scott, namely: Arthur B., born August 25, 1886, is chief clerk to the superintendent of the Oregon Short Line Railroad, married Helen Madden, and they have one child, Ar- thur; they live in Pocatello, Idaho. John T., second child of our subject, born September 1, 1888, is with the Whaples-Olvey Millinery Company of Springfield.
Politically, Mr. Scott is a Republican. He belongs to the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic. He is a member of Grace Methodist
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GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
Episcopal church, and has been a member of the official board for a period of twenty-three years and is one of the pillars of this church.
Mr. Scott owns the apartment house where he resides at 430 Kimbrough street, also a rental here in the city.
DABNEY COSBY DADE.
To rescue from fading tradition the personal annals of the pioneers of our country is a pleasing but laborious task; not so laborious, perhaps, as perplexing, by reason of memoirs from which many impressions of the early days have long since faded. To gather up the broken threads of strange yet simple stories of individual lives, to catch the fleeting chronicles and fireside stories and hand them down to posterity is a laudable ambition worthy of encouragement on the part of every one interested in his com- munity. Dabney Cosby Dade, long since a traveler to "that undiscovered bourne," of which the world's greatest poet wrote, was one of the pioneers of Springfield, who were in the van of civilization moving to new frontiers of the West, who passed through years of toil and hardship such as few now living have ever experienced. A western man in the broad sense of the term, and a native of the country which the Indians named "the high muddy water," he had the sagacity to realize what the people needed in his day and generation and with strong hand and active brain sought to supply the demand generously and unsparingly. It would require a volume to properly write the interesting life history of this man, his struggles for recognition during his youth, his hazardous journey across the wild west- ern plains with the famous band of "forty-niners," his life in the mines of the Pacific coast, his voyage around Cape Horn, the southernmost point in the Western Hemisphere, his struggles as a leading lawyer and politician, his efforts in behalf of the Union during the great crisis of the sixties and his influence as a citizen in the movements for the betterment of his locality, would all form chapters interesting and helpful to the rising generation. He ranked high among the citizens of Greene county of his day, and was in every respect a most commendable example of the courageous, unselfish suc- cessful self-made man.
Mr. Dade was born September 30, 1830, in Boonville, Missouri, and was a son of John and Agnes (Bullock) Dade, both natives of Kentucky where they spent their carlier years but removed to Cooper county, Mis- souri, in pioneer days, remaining there until in the early forties when they removed to Springfield. John Dade followed merchandising in his earlier years, but engaged in the real estate business after locating here, and he be-
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came owner of considerable land in Greene county. He was twice married, the subject of this memoir being the youngest of four sons, all now de- ceased, by his first wife.
Dabney Cosby Dade spent his early childhood in Cooper county and was about twelve years old when he came with his parents to Springfield and here he grew to manhood. He had little opportunity to obtain an edu- cation, but later in life made up for this lack by extensive home study and contact with the world, thus educating himself, and was through life a great miscellaneous reader. When but nineteen years old he made the long and dangerous journey across the trackless plains to California, with the great band of gold seekers, and there he worked in the mines for some time, later going to Oregon and many other places in the far West, and he made the return trip east by ship down the western coast around Cape Horn and up the eastern coast of South America to New York City. He then made the long journey to Texas and after much wandering finally settled permanently in Springfield, Missouri, began the study of law and was admitted to the bar in an early day and this remained his life work until the end. Possess- ing a brilliant mind and rare tact, industry and perseverance he forged to the front ranks of his professional brethren and for many years was re- garded as one of the leading lawyers in southern Missouri, his name figur- ing conspicuously in important trials in various courts and he met with uniform success. He was a man of pronounced convictions, always ready to take a stand for what he believed to be right, and while in Texas prior to the breaking out of the Civil war he announced that he favored the Union cause. He joined the Home Guards in Springfield in 1860 under Colonel Holland, but was not called into actual service. After the war he formed a partnership here with Judge Geiger which continued for sev- eral years. Active in politics and influential in local public matters Mr. Dade was elected to represent Greene county, on the Greenback ticket, in the state legislature, in 1879, and he served his time there in a faithful and commendable manner. At one time he was police judge of Springfield, be- ing the only Democrat elected on the ticket of that year, which is sufficient indication of his popularity here. He remained faithful to Democratic . principles the rest of his life. Religiously he was a member of the Christian church, and was prominent in church work, was a teacher in the Sunday school for some time. He was a member of the Masonic order from the age of twenty-one years.
Mr. Dade was married, January 1, 1872, to Donna Mack, who was born in Maury county, Tennessee, September 1, 1845. She is a daughter of John and Sarah V. Mack, the father a native of North Carolina and the mother of Virginia, the former born in 1800 and the latter in 1802. Mr. Mack's death occurred in 1854, and his widow survived until 1867. They were
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI
married in Tennessee and in 1852 the family removed to Greene county .. Missouri, locating in Springfield where they became well established, and here Mrs. Dade grew to womanhood, being seven years old when she came here with her parents and here sie was educated, being a student in the first college. She is one of nine children, six daughters and three sons, two of whom are living at this writing. Mrs. Donna Dade, and Mrs. Narcissa Edwards.
Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Dade, namely: Agnes, born April 26, 1873, is the wife of Dr. R. M. Cowan; Matilda, born September 18, 1876. is at home: Virginia, born on September 11. 1882, married George B. Rayfield, and they have one child. Dabney Dade Rayfield, born on Janu- ary 1. 1906, and is now attending school.
The death of Dabney Cosby Dade occurred on May 25, 1912. His life was an open book, known and read by his many friends, who found therein no blank pages and nothing to offend, for he always endeavored to measure his life by strict principles of rectitude, and few of his contemporaries could present a character so nearly flawless or a reputation against which so little in the way of criticism could be uttered.
JOHN HEGARTY.
It was nearly sixty years ago when John Hegarty first saw what was then the insignificant village of Springfield, a mere crossroads trading point, a general store or two, blacksmith shop or so, a post office and a small cluster of rude dwelling houses. Not all the time since then has he spent here, but during the major portion of it he has witnessed with satisfaction and interest the substantial growth of the place until it is now the capital of the Ozark region in importance commercially. He was for many years a . well-known grocer here, and now being well past his eighty-third birthday, he is living quietly in his little cottage in the heart of the city, still preferring to remain near his old place of business. He is Irish in blood, and, having many of the traits of that energetic and quick-witted race, has succeeded well in his life work.
Mr. Hegarty was born in Ireland, in June, 1830. He is a son of John and Anna (Galaspy) Hegarty, both of whom were born, reared, married and spent their lives in the Emerald Isle, dying there many years ago, the father passing away when our subject was a small boy, in about the year 1846. He was a tailor by trade and he and his wife both received good educations for that time. Their family consisted of ten children, two of the sons still living, namely: John of this sketch, and James, who lives in St. Louis.
JOHN HEGARTY.
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GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
John Hegarty grew to manhood in Ireland and there received a com- mon school education. He emigrated to the United States in 1847 and settled in Terre Haute, Indiana, where he remained eighteen or twenty years, at different times, during which period he was a commercial traveler, selling dry goods for a Terre Haute house, then spent a year in different parts of Illinois. He first came to Springfield, Missouri, in 1855, but not long thereafter returned East, but took up his permanent residence here in 1870, following farming near Springfield a short time. then moved into the city and for a period of twenty years engaged in the grocery business at Boonville street and Phelps avenue, having been in partnership with his brother James, under the firm name of Hegarty Bros. They enjoyed an extensive trade, and theirs was one of the oldest established grocery stores on Boonville street, one of the principal streets of the city since its begin- ning. Having accumulated a comfortable competency for his declining years, our subject quit business in 1894, since which time he has lived retired. At one time he was owner of a valuable farm, containing one hundred six- teen and one-half acres at Valley Mills, Greene county. He sold this place three years ago.
Mr. Hegarty has never married. Politically he is a Democrat, and is. a member of the Catholic church.
ALEXANDER McDONALD.
The veterans of the great Union army that saved the nation from disruption during its darkest period should be justly proud of what they have done for succeeding generations, having left an inheritance of which we should be very grateful; indeed we owe them a debt of gratitude that we can never pay. Now that the "sunset of life" is upon them and the "grand army of the republic" is continuously marching across the "great divide" to join the "phantom army of the silent land," let us of the after- math accord them every courtesy and honor, and prove our gratitude for what they have achieved while we have the opportunity. One of this worthy number is Alexander McDonald, who has a long successful business record here, having conducted a grocery store in the same locality on West Commercial street, Springfield, for a period of over a quarter of a century.
Mr. McDonald was born in Morgan county, Illinois, June 21. 1844. He is a son of William McDonald, who was owner of a large farm in the above named county and state and a well-known citizen there up to his death, which occurred many years ago. On this farm our subject was reared until he was seventeen years of age, obtaining in the meantime a meager
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
education in the old-time subscription schools. Then the Civil war began, and, although a mere boy, he enlisted in the First Missouri Cavalry, at Jack- sonville, Illinois, under Capt. Barber Lewis, of Company G, and he proved to be an efficient and brave soldier. He was first sent to Benton Barracks, St. Louis, then to Tipton, Missouri, later coming to Springfield with Gen. Fremont's army, in October, 1861, and served in this part of the state under the dashing Maj. Charles Zagonyi, and in February, 1862, as in the battle at Springfield when Price retreated, our subject's regiment being the first to raise the Stars and Stripes over the court house. They followed Price to Sugar creek, Arkansas, where another battle was fought, twelve men being lost in our subject's company. About a week later he was in the two- days' battle at Pea Ridge, Arkansas, where some five hundred of his com- rades fell. From Pea Ridge they went to Helena, that state, then back into Missouri, but later were sent to Little Rock and there engaged in a skirmish. Mr. McDonald was mustered out and honorably discharged at St. Louis, in August, 1865. after a faithful service of four years, during which he was not wounded, sick or a prisoner. Soon thereafter he went to Jacksonville, Illinois, and took a position as superintendent of the Jackson- ville Woolen Mills Company, with which he remained for a period of nine years, giving the firm eminent satisfaction in every respect. He then went to Bonaparte, Van Buren county, Iowa, where he was superintendent of the Meek Brothers' Woolen Mills for some time, later going to Lewiston, Illi- nois, where he continued in the woolen mill business, spending in all twenty- one years in that line of endeavor, and was a master of this business, which was an important industry in the Middle West a generation ago. In 1888 Mr. McDonald came to Springfield, Missouri, and for about six months was manager of the Springfield Woolen Mills, which was at that time "tottering to the fall." He then engaged in the grocery business on West Commercial street, and this he has coninued at the same locality to the present time, enjoying a large and lucrative trade all the while, owing to his honest and courteous treatment of his hundreds of regular customers. He has always carried a large and well-selected stock of staple and fancy groceries.
Mr. McDonald was married in Jacksonville, Illinois, in 1869, to Eliza- beth Wilson, a daughter of James and Jane Wilson, a highly respected old family of Jacksonville. They became the parents of six children, three of whom survive; they were named as follows: William is deceased; Sarah is the wife of Capt. J. A. Rutherford; Elizabeth, wife of Mr. McDonald, our subject : Samuel is deceased ; James is living in Long Beach, California ; Anna married a Mr. Buces, and they live in Seattle, Washington.
To Mr. and Mrs. McDonald one child has been born, Mary M., born in Jacksonville. She married Fred Garrett and they live here, Mr. Garrett being engaged in the shoe business.
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Politically, Mr. McDonald is a Republican, but he has never aspired to office. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic, and to the Wood- men of the World. He and his wife are inembers of the' Presbyterian church. She belongs to the Saturday Club.
EDWARD. A. SPENCER.
We are never ready to give up a member of the family or a close friend. It always seems to us that their lives might be prolonged indefinitely, but there is no staying the grim Reaper, whose name is Death when he gets ready to thrust in his sickle and reap, gathering both the flowers and the bearded grain; he does not heed our pleadings or our tears, and the only thing that we can do is to summon our fortitude, suppress our grief and go on with life's every-day affairs, not forgetting the lessons in the lives of those with whom we have been associated on the journey and now gone on, leaving us behind.
The late Edward A. Spencer was summoned from earthly scenes in the prime of life, when it seemed that his family needed him, but Fate decreed otherwise. He was a member of one of the best-known families in the southern part of Polk county, just over the line from Greene county on the north, and several of the younger members of this old family have also made their homes in Springfield for a number of years. Our subject was born on a farm, near Brighton, Polk county, Missouri, September 1, 1857, and his life was spent in his native vicinity where he followed general farming for a livelihood. He grew up on the homestead where he worked when a boy, and he received his education in the rural schools of his district. He was a son of Dr. Sebern and Nancy Ann (Tuck) Spencer. The latter was a native of Tennessee, from which state she came to Polk county, Mis- souri, when a child and there spent the rest of her life, dying many years ago. Dr. Sebern Spencer was a native of North Carolina, and was com- paratively young in years when he made the long overland journey from the old Tar state to Polk county, Missouri, where he spent the rest of his life practicing medicine and farming. He was a physician of the old school, was a self-educated man and rarely gifted by nature for the duties of a family doctor. He was very successful in his practice and was one of the best-known physicians among the pioneers in Polk county. He has been deceased many years. He was three times married, our subject being a child of his second marriage, which union resulted in the birth of four chil- dren, two sons and two daughters, all living but the subject of this sketch.
Edward A. Spencer was married, December 31, 1877, to Dallas S.
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
Ruyle, who was born on a farm near Brighton, Polk county, this state, April 20, 1858, and there grew to womanhood and received her education in the common schools. She is a daughter of Alvis and Susanna (Casey) Ruyle. The Casey family was well-to-do and was among the pioneers of the vicinity of Ozark, Missouri. Alvis Ruyle was born, reared and spent his life in the southern part of Polk county where the Ruyles have been a prominent family for three-quarters of a century. He was a son of Aaron Ruyle, one of the first settlers near the town of Brighton, where he became an extensive land owner and had numerous slaves in the early days before the Civil war. Alvis Ruyle devoted his life to farming, owning a place two miles west of Brighton. He has been deceased several years.
Four children were born to Edward A. Spencer and wife, namely : Jessie M., George S., Ben E., and Grace E., all living at home with their inother.
Politically, Mr. Spencer was a Democrat. He professed faith in Christ carly in life and joined the Baptist church at Slagle, in Polk county, but later in life inclined toward the belief of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, however never joining same, although intending to do so when his last illness overtook him. He suffered intensely for a year but bore it all with true Christian fortitude and never complained, and when he was sum- moned to his reward on September 18, 1911, at the age of fifty-five years, his last words were, "Climb higher, climb higher." He was a man of jovial disposition, never permitted life's common burdens to weight him down, as so many do.
After the death of our subject at his home at Brighton. Polk county, his widow and children removed to Springfield and bought a home on Lyon street, where they now reside.
MARTIN AUSHERMAN.
One of the early-day business men of Springfield who was distinctively the architect of his own fortunes, was Martin Ausherman, who was true and loyal in all the relations of life and stood as a type of that sterling man- hood which ever commands respect and honor. He was a man who would have won his way in any locality where fate might have placed him, for he had sound judgment, coupled with great energy and business tact, together with upright principles. all of which have ever made for success wherever they have been rightly and persistently applied. By reason of these princi- ples he won and retained a host of friends, who have never ceased to revere his memory.
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GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
Mr. Ausherman was born November 1. 1840, in Frederick county, Maryland. He was a son of John and Lydia (Arnold) Ausherman, and was one of thirteen children, all of whom are now deceased. The family was well known in Maryland for many decades, and they were all farmers except our subject who devoted his life to mercantile pursuits.
Martin Ausherman grew to manhood in his native state and there as- sisted with the general work on the farm when a boy and he received his education in the common schools of his native community. Early in life he began his career as a merchant, and remained in Maryland until 1876. when he came to Springfield, Missouri, and opened a grocery store and was very successful, building up a good trade, and he continued in the same until his death. By his first marriage, Mr. Ausherman had one daughter, Eva, who married D. R. Holt and lives in Oklahoma. They have three children.
Mr. Ausherman was married on February 20, 1872, to Mary Knox, who was born in Washington county, Maryland. She is a daughter of Jo- seph and Nancy (McCoy) Knox, natives of Ireland and Maryland, respec- tively. Mr. Knox was a manufacturer of wagons and carriages and built up a large business, there being a very ready market for his products owing to their superior quality and workmanship. His family consisted of two children, Mary, who married Mr. Ausherman, and one child that died in infancy. Mrs. Ausherman was reared in Maryland, and she received a good. public school education. She has a pleasant home on South Market street, Springfield.
To Mr. and Mrs. Ausherman three children were born, namely: Ida, born March 16, 1874, was educated in the Springfield schools, passing through the public and high schools and later taking the regular course in Drury College, from which institution she was graduated in due course of time, having made an excellent record: she has been teaching English in the local high school for the past twelve years, and is regarded by those familiar with her work as one of the most efficient teachers in her line in southwest Missouri. Her long retention in the important position which she now holds would indicate that she has given eminent satisfaction to all concerned. Her work has been commended by Prof. J. Fairbanks, and she is popular with both teachers and pupils. Chester, second child of our sub- ject and wife, was reared and educated in Springfield, and was a young man of much promise when his untimely death occurred in 1900 at the age of twenty-five years. M. Vernon, youngest of the children, was born May 17. 1877. was educated in the schools of Springfield, and he has conducted the grocery store left by his father, remaining in the same building, and during this period of twenty-five years he has become known over the city and county as one of the leading grocerymen of Springfield, having built up an extensive trade and carrying at all seasons a large and well selected stock
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GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
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