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 II > Part 107
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1925
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
pulls on it, so that it is impossible for it to slip. It is a handy, automatic combination, all-purpose wrench for the machinist, engineer, plumber, chauf- feur and farmer. It is simple, handy and always ready. It is made of 80 to 90 carbon drop forged tool steel and constructed with links like the chain of a bicycle, and withal, is strong, durable and inexpensive, and is one of the most wonderful inventions of its kind in the history of the world. The construction and mechanism of its different parts are so perfectly arranged and fitted together that each function has part of the work to do. There is no mechanical science or mathematical rule discovered by which to figure out how to get the strength, length and size in the double-compound, balance leverage connection, in the different sized wrenches.
Hubert H. Hayward was married on February 17, 1902, to Ora Frieze, daughter of Richard Denton Frieze and Emily (Perkins) Frieze, both na- tives of Dade county, Missouri, where they grew to maturity, were edu- cated, married and established their home, Mr. Frieze becoming a prominent farmer there, owning a fine farm of over two hundred acres, in fact he spent his life on the farm on which he was reared, dying in April, 1908. Politically he was a Democrat, and he belonged to the Church of Christ, to which his widow also belongs, she having remained on the home place. To these parents seven children were born, namely: Ora, wife of Mr. Hay- ward of this sketch; Claude lives in Dade county; Maude is the wife of Flavin Davis; Macy L. is the wife of A. R. Lee, who lives in Dade county ; Jessie is the wife of C. E. Martin, who lives in Jasper county, Missouri; Ernest, who at this time is a young man of eighteen years of age, lives with his mother on the homestead in Dade county; Norma, wife of J. C. Tygart, lives in Dade county, Missouri.
To Mr. and Mrs. Hayward eight children have been born, named as follow: La Vernice, Cleo, Theta, Clinton and Denton, twins; Wilbur, Ray- mond and Maude.
Politically Mr. Hayward is a hard-working Republican. He belongs to Lodge No. 9160, Modern Woodmen of America, at Dadeville, Missouri. He and his wife are members of the Church of Christ at Bona, Dade county.
CAPT. JOHN HALSTEAD.
Everybody in the western part of Greene county knows Capt. John Halstead, real estate agent and general manager of the Brookline Inn and feed barn. He has long been a resident of this locality, whose interests he has had at heart and sought to promote, and as a booster for his town and township he has done as much as any other man and is deserving of the high esteem in which he is universally held.
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GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
TUCKER-FERGUSON WAREHOUSE & TRANSFER COMPANY.
One of the thriving business firms of Springfield which is worthy of specific mention in this volume is the Tucker-Ferguson Warehouse and Transfer Company. They maintain three large warehouses, located as fol- low : Office building, a one-story concrete building with 30,000 square feet of floor space, at 666 East Chestnut street; a three-story brick building, corner Summit and Chestnut streets. It is equipped with electric elevator, con- taining 400,000 square feet; a three-story brick building, corner Phelps. avenue and Grant street, containing 300,000 square feet of floor space, with electric elevator. There is five hundred feet of private trackage, and there is also a large barn for live stock, accommodating twenty-five head of draft horses. The company operates three solid, enclosed, padded moving vans, and all household goods is guaranteed not to be soiled by bad weather, dust or scratched in transit. Three stake wagons are also kept for freight- ing and ordinary moving; also two curtain vans for household goods, other equipment, such as floats, trunk and delivery wagons and a special wagon for safes and heavy hauling. Eighteen experienced, skilled and reliable men and drivers are constantly employed, and prompt and first-class service is the aim of the firm at all times. Special carload consignments are given prompt attention, and they handle about four hundred carloads annually. Household goods are packed for shipment by experts. Their slogan, "The. quality service merchants of Springfield."
The firm was incorporated in 1909, for twenty-thousand dollars, fully paid up. E. G. Tucker, a complete sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this. work, is president and manager, and E. A. Mckay is secretary and treas- urer. Some estimate of the reliablity and efficient management of the firm may be obtained by the mention of the fact that one sugar company alone. entrusts them with $500,000 of sugar for storage and distribution.
Elmer Alexander McKay was born in Knox county, Missouri, July 25, 1881. He is a son of James G. and Clara J. (Bryson) Mckay. The father was born in Lafayette county, Indiana, May 13, 1845, and when fourteen years of age came with his parents to Knox county, Missouri, where he followed farming for nearly forty years, and at this writing he is presi- dent of the Home Bank in Knox, Missouri, and is one of the prominent citizens of Knox county. Politically he is a Republican. He belongs to the Presbyterian church and is a member of the Knights of Pythias. Clara J. Bryson, mother of E. A. Mckay, was born in Knox county, this state, October 28, 1858, and there grew to womanhood, received her education, and, in fact, has lived there all her life.
Elmer A. Mckay was reared in his native community and obtained
1927
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
a good education; he was graduated from the Knox high school in 1895, from the Kirksville State Normal in 1901, and from the University of Missouri at Columbia in 1906. After leaving the university he took a posi- tion in the Home Bank at Knox, where he remained until in June, 1911, when he came to Springfield and bought an interest in the Tucker-Fer- guson Company, of which he is secretary and treasurer, and the large suc- cess of the same has been due in no small measure to his industry and fore- sight.
Mr. Mckay was married on June 20, 1907, to Mary Asbury, who was born in Farmington, Missouri, February 12, 1883, and there grew to womanhod and received her education at Elmwood Seminary and Uni- versity of Missouri. Mrs. McKay is a member of the Saturday Club, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and state treasurer of the Missouri Parent-Teachers' Association.
To Mr. and Mrs. McKay one child has been born. James Asbury Mc- Kay, whose birth occurred September 14, 1912.
Politically Mr. Mckay is a Republican. He belongs to the Presby- terian church, and fraternally is well known in Masonic circles, being a member of Edina Lodge No. 219, Free and Accepted Masons, at Edina, Missouri; Edina Chapter No. 61, Royal Arch Masons, also at Edina; and Zabud Council, Royal and Select Masters. He is a member of the Young Men's Business Club, and is secretary of the same.
RICHARD MASSEY.
The Massey family is one of those who cast their fortunes in the locality of which this history treats when it was little better than a wilder- ness, but being courageous and resourceful people, they forged to the front ranks and have been well and favorably known in Greene county since the pioneer epoch. One of the best known of the family is Richard Massey, a contractor of Springfield, who has spent his life of over fifty-seven years here and is therefore a connecting link between the first period of develop- ment of this vicinity and the present.
Mr. Massey was born September 15, 1857, just east of Springfield, on the old homstead. He is a son of Capt. James and Martha (Anderson) Massey. The father was born in Ireland, where he spent his boyhood and attended school, and when eighteen years of age he ran away from home and sailed on the broad Atlantic toward the United States to seek his fortune. He first settled in Knox county, Tennessee, at the foot of the Cumberland Mountains, regarding whose picturesque inhabitants so much
1928
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
has been written, and in that locality he was married and made his home until the year 1832, when he made the tedious and somewhat hazardous overland trip to Greene county, Missouri, bringing his family in a primitive wagon, and thus the Masseys were among the earliest pioneers of this locality. He secured a tract of land just east of what is now the thriving city of Springfield, but which was at that time an encampment of the Kickapoo Indians. He set to work with a will, cleared, broke and fenced his land, erected a log cabin and by perseverance and hard work became very comfortably fixed in due course of time, and was a man of influence among the early frontiersmen, his neighbors being, however, very few and most of them some miles distant, until more Tennesseeans followed him, the Fulbrights, the Freemans and others. Although he devoted the major portion of his life to farming, he was a mechanic by trade and a skilled workman. He made the first separator, or "ground-hog" thresher, ever seen in this part of the country. During the War of 1812, he enlisted in defense of his adopted country, gladly fighting against the flag under which he was born, and for meritorious conduct on the field of battle he was promoted from a private to a captain, and served with distinction through- out the war. Politically he was first a Whig, then a Republican after that party was organized in the fifties. His death occurred on his farm here in 1863. His wife was a native of Tennessee, where she grew up and received a limited education. She lived to an advanced age, dying in Stone county, Missouri, in February, 1899. To these parents nine children were born, only four of whom are living at this writing: Robert, Richard of this sketch, Sally and Emma.
Richard Massey grew to manhood on the old homestead, where he helped with the general work when a boy, and he received his education mostly by home study. When his father died he was a small boy, and as soon as he could, he was compelled to work and assist in supporting the family. He followed farming for some time, then took up carpenter work, then railroad grade contracting and at the present time he is engaged in general contracting. He has been very successful in his line and has handled some large jobs, among which was the Valley water falls, the Grant street subway, did the work for the filtering plant at the pump station for the Springfield water works, and he built the first piece of special road that was ever seen in Greene county. He has been very successful in a business way, and owns a commodious home on South Campbell street, surrounded by a lot containing five acres.
Mr. Massey was married, first on April 14, 1874, in Stone county, Missouri, to Hannah Price, who was born in Henry county, Iowa. Her death occurred in Stone county. She was a daughter of Allen and Mary (Brown) Price, who were pioneer settlers in Henry county, Iowa. By this
1929
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
first union of our subject seven children were born, namely: Clara, Guy, James Allen, Robert E., Ernest, Laura and Sally. Mr. Massey was mar- ried a second time in Stone county, to Mary J. Price, a sister of his first wife, and to this union five children have been born, namey: Floyd Glenn, Zella, Percy, Carrol and Kenneth.
Politically Mr. Massey is a Democrat. He belongs to the Knights and Ladies of Security, and is a charter member of the Supreme Court of Honor. The Massey family are members of the Christian church.
CHARLES LEE LLOYD.
One of Greene county's farmers who evidently saw long ago that mind is superior to matter is Charles Lee Lloyd, of Brookline township, for he has made and is making a pronounced success as a general farmer, not only producing good general crops but specializing also in fruits and breeding and raising a superior grade of live stock. He was born September 22, 1864, near Weston, Platte county, Missouri. He is a son of Manlius B. and Martha (Pence) Lloyd, who emigrated from near Georgetown, Scott county, Kentucky, about 1860, to Platte county. The paternal grandfather, Littleton Lloyd, was born near Roanoke, Virginia, and his wife, Naomi Burton, was born in Virginia. Their parents were from Scotland, having emigrated to America shortly after the Revolutionary war.
Our subject has two brothers living and two who died in infancy; four sisters are living and three died in infancy. The brothers are: Will- iam Ernest, a farmer of Brookline township, this county; Edgar B., a well known veterinary surgeon, lives at Brookline. The sisters are: Ollie, who married E. B. Boland and they live at Dallas, Texas ; Fannie married F. M. Parson and they are now living in Brookline; Zadie married W. H. Pen- nington, of Springfield; Alta is single and lives in Dallas, Texas; Minnie married A. M. Crabb, of Stone county, Missouri, and she died in 1888; Eddie married W. T. Parsons, of Paragould, Arkansas, and she died in 1898. Her son, Clifford, now sixteen years old, is making his home with the subject of this sketch.
Charles L. Lloyd was reared on the home farm in Platte county, and there he received his education in the common schools. He has always fol- lowed farming and dealing in live stock, starting out on his own account before he became of age. His present farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Brookline township is situated on the main highway between Springfield and Republic on one of the highest points in this section of the Ozarks, from which a commanding panorama may be had of the surround-
1930
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
ing country for many miles, and the place is appropriately named "High- land Farm." His residence is an attractive eight-room house, surrounded by a fine grove of walnuts and elms, and his convenient and substantial out- buildings include two large barns, machine shop, garage and a concrete chicken house. No better farm buildings are to be found in the county, and everything about the place is well kept. Mr. Lloyd has become interested in fruit culture, showing decided preference for cherries, and has over one hundred trees just coming into bearing. He is a well known Shorthorn cattle breeder and is also a breeder of a big type of Poland-China hogs, and is very successful with both, his fine stock being greatly admired by all in- terested in such, owing to their superior quality. He has frequently ex- hibited at various fairs, and has never failed to carry away the blue ribbons, although contending with the best exhibits the county affords.
Mr. Lloyd was married in February, 1893, to Delilah McElhany, a. daughter of Warham and Stella Jane (Robertson) McElhany.
Fraternally, Mr. Lloyd is a member of Republic Lodge No. 570, An- cient Free and Accepted Masons, and Zabud Council, Royal Arch Chapter No. 25, of Springfield. He also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Brookline. Religiously, he is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. Politically, he is a stanch Democrat and is influential in the affairs of his party. He has been elected to serve in several township offices, including school director and road commissioner, holding the latter office at present. He has given satisfaction in all positions of trust.
SAM M. WEAR.
It is not so much the different things which men do as the way and spirit in which they do them, that makes the greatest difference between men. The man whose daily work is simple drudgery, is, in spirit, a serf. He regards himself as only a means to the end of accomplishing certain fixed tasks. It is the very bitterness of serf's condition that he is a mere instru- ment, a tool, and that he cannot rise above that relation to his work. Hence, there can be for him but small delight in his employment. His labor can possess no dignity for him, because he possesses none in himself. Labor and service are invested with dignity only when the individuals who per- form them are brought into a true and responsible relation to them. It is the person who dignifies the work. If he exists, or supposes himself to exist, only for his drudging tasks, they share in his degradation. Only as the individual is lifted into something of the dignity of true, responsible, personal life, can his duties and work assume new and higher meanings.
1931
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
This is true just because it is not the simple performing of the duties which impart to them their meaning, but the purpose, spirit, and way of doing them. In the instance.of this word-setting to Sam M. Wear, the present popular and able prosecuting attorney of Greene county, it may be recorded of him that during his career he has given dignity to his profession, the law, although he is a plain, unassuming gentleman, but he communicates dignity to every duty he performs. He infuses the new and higher mean- ings into all his work, and his purpose, spirit and way of doing it, is what addresses our attention. In his relations with his fellowmen there has ever beeen the evident purpose and spirit of an honest personality. This spirit and purpose are illustrated along his private path-ways as well as in his career at the bar, his uniform integrity and fairness impressing all with whom he has come in contact.
Mr. Wear was born at Cassville, Barry county, Missouri, January 14, 1880. He is a son of A. H. and Ona (McConnell) Wear, both born, reared, educated and married in Missouri. For a number of years they made their home in Barry county, from which county they removed in 1886 to Greene county, locating in Springfield. The elder Wear was at that time appointed receiver of the United States land office here, filling this responsible position with credit and satisfaction to all concerned for a period of four years. He was a lawyer by profession, and practiced with success in Barry and Greene counties for many years. In 1894 he was elected prosecuting attorney of the latter county, the duties of which office he discharged faithfully and well until 1898. His death occurred in Novem- ber, 1910, at the age of fifty-six years, his wife having preceded him to the silent land in 1896. They were both members of the Cumberland Presby- terian church, and were highly respected by all who knew them, and polit- ically he was a Democrat and was long influential in local public affairs. To these parents one other child besides our subject was born, Madeline Wear, an accomplished young lady who makes her home in Springfield.
Sam M. Wear was six years old when the family moved to Springfield, and here he grew to manhood and received his education, attending the public schools when he became of proper age until 1895, when he entered Drury Academy here, from which he was graduated in 1898, then entered Drury College proper, made a good record for scholarship and was graduated with the class of 1902. When a mere boy he determined to follow in the footsteps of his father in a professional way and began the study of law, which he continued at spare moments until completing his college course, whereupon he entered the Cumberland View Law School at Lebanon, Tennesee, from which he was graduated in 1904, and was at once admitted to the bar and began practice in Springfield with his father, with whom he remained for two years, then entered. as a partner, the well-
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GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
established firm of Farrington & Pepperdine, the firm then becoming Far- rington, Pepperdine & Wear, which continued thus successfully for two years, then Mr. Wear and Mr. Farrington formed a partnership, which continued until both were elected to office, our subject being elected prose- cuting attorney of Greene county in the fall of 1912, and he is filling the same in a manner that reflects much credit upon his ability, fidelity and courage and to the eminent satisfaction of all concerned, irrespective of party alignment. He is fearless and energetic in the performance of his duties and has proven himself to be thoroughly grounded not only in the basic principles of jurisprudence, but also with the statutes of Missouri. He always goes into court well prepared and he has great weight with juries and the bench by his earnestness, clarity of his statements of facts and interpretation of the law. In view of his eminent success at the bar so early in life, the future must needs be replete with greater honors and suc- cesses for him.
Politically Mr. Wear is a Democrat and loyal in his support of the party. Fraternally he belongs to the Knights of Pythias, the Improved Order of Red Men and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Ke- ligiously he is a member of the Presbyterian church.
Mr. Wear married Susan McClellan, a lady of many commendable characteristics. She is a native of Claremore, Oklahoma, where she was reared to womanhood and educated and where her family has long been prominent. The union of our subject and wife has been blessed by the birth of two children.
SAMUEL A. HOOPER.
Nearly eighty-nine years have dissolved in the mists of the irrevocable past since Samuel A. Hooper, one of the oldest citizens in Greene county, a well-known and venerable farmer of Clay township, first saw the light of day. He has lived through one of the most remarkable, and in many respects the most wonderful, epochs in the world's history. There will never be an- other like it, for it embraced the period when the strong-armed homeseekers from the Eastern states invaded the great West (he being among the number ) and redeemed it from the wilds, bringing it up through various stages to the present high state of civilization. It was nearly sixty-four years ago that our subject took up his abode in this locality, which he has helped de- velop and where he has seen wonderful changes take place, of which he talks interestingly, for the pioneer days were altogether different from those of the present; and, we agree with him, that they were in some respect bet- ter than these advanced times. It seems at least that people were then hap-
1933
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
pier ; they neither wanted nor needed so much; they were more helpful, neighborly and less selfish.
Mr. Hooper was born in Caswell county, North Carolina, February 28, 1826. He is a son of Samuel and Susan (Alford) Hooper. The father was born in Virginia in 1769, and was reared and educated about eight miles. from the city of Richmond, and he spent most of his life in that locality. Finally he moved to North Carolina, where our subject was born, and from there to Tennessee, in 1833. After remaining in that state until 1851, he moved to Missouri, and settled in Greene county, where our subject rented a farm on which he and his father lived until the latter's death, in 1862. The mother of our subject was born in Caswell county, North Carolina, where she was reared and educated. She spent her declining years at the home of our subject, dying at the advanced age of eighty-eight.
Samuel A. Hooper grew to manhood in Robertson county, Tennessee, and he received such educational advantages as those early times afforded. He made the overland trip from that state, with his parents, in 1851, in ox wagons, locating in Greene county, Missouri, on one hundred and twenty acres, most of which he cleared and put under culitvation, in Washington township, and there engaged successfully in general farming until fourteen years ago, when he sold out. For some time he has been living in Clay township in retirement.
Mr. Hooper was married November 18, 1852, to Martha Jane Smith. She was born in Washington township. Greene county, Missouri, August 29, 1837, and was here reared on a farm and educated in the country schools She was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. Her death occurred in 1877. After this event our subject went to live with one of his children, and at this writing makes his home with one of his sons. Before coming to Missouri, he made a trip to Texas in 1847, returning to Tennesee the following year. Since coming to Greene county he has made a trip to- California. He is one of five children, namely : Henry, who is far advanced in years, lives in Texas; Pleasant, Allen and Dabner are all deceased; Samuel A., our subject, is the youngest.
Thirteen children were born to Mr. Hooper and wife, namely : William lives in Greene county; Milton lives on a farm in Clay township, and our subject is living with him; Mrs. Mary Jane Kinser lives in this county; Thomas makes his home in Springfield; Mrs. Deniza McDaniel, Robert, John and David all live in Greene county ; Donald is living with his father, our subject : Albert lives on the adjoining farm; Mrs. Margaret Ann Snyder lives in Kansas City; Abner Morris is deceased.
Politically Mr. Hooper is a Republican, and has always been loyal in- the support of the party. He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian- church.
2043
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