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 19
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MADISON CAMPBELL VINTON.
Although the business of farming requires, in its operations, constant industry and the exercise of thought and study in its every detail, in order to make it successful, yet it affords greater opportunities for the best and right living and the achievement of happiness than any other business. Realizing this fact, Madison Campbell Vinton, one of the leading agricul- turists and stock raisers of Jackson township, Greene county, left the city of Springfield, where he had become a successful merchant, and turned his attention to farming many years ago. In the country he has found not only a large degree of material success, but health and contentment. He has no desire to return to the commercial world and the city.
Mr. Vinton was born three miles south of Springfield on the Campbell street road on September 18, 1855. He is a son of Samuel S. and Margaret Eugenia (Campbell) Vinton, one of the well-known and highly esteemed old families of this locality. The father was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on January 28, 1828, and the mother was born in Tennessee. Samuel S. Vinton came west with Major Barry when fourteen years of age, and he finally became owner of a fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres south of Springfield, where he engaged in general farming and stock raising and trading on an extensive scale. He was a very successful man of affairs. For some time he followed merchandising in Springfield, where his death occurred, January 16, 1890. His wife died when the subject of this sketch was four years old. To these parents three children were born, namely: Mrs. Juliet R. Williams lives in Springfield: Madison C., of this sketch; and Samuel S., Jr., of Springfield.
Madison C. Vinton was taken to St. Louis by his father when he was six years old, where he lived until he was fourteen years old, when he returned
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M. C. VINTON.
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
to his native county. He received a good education. He began his business career by clerking in a store in Springfield, going to Marshfield, Webster county, about a year later, and worked in a store for seven years, later went into the grain business for himself. He subsequently returned to Springfield, where he engaged in merchandising in 1880. Selling out he started a shoe store and for a number of years enjoyed a good business on the south side of the public square, under the firm name of Vinton-Baxter Shoe Company, "The Jumbo Shoe Store." Selling out in 1887, he bought the farm in Jackson' township where he now lives, which contains two hundred and eighty acres,.
VINTON PLACE.
which he has brought up to a high state of improvement and cultivation and which ranks among the best farms of Greene county. He has a beautiful. home and large and convenient barns and other buildings, and he carries on general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale, paying particular attention to the raising of a good grade of live stock, handling a large number of mules annually. For some time he operated a dairy on his place.
Mr. Vinton was married, first, in 1878, to Elizabeth McGinty, by whom four children were born, namely: Harry C., who lives in Texas, working for- the National Lumber Company ; James K. lives in Denver, Colorado, and works for the Colorado Southern Railroad Company; Walter B. lives in
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Greene county ; William A. is at home. The mother of these children died December 8, 1893, in Springfield, Missouri, and Mr. Vinton married Bessie Dabbs by whom one child has been born, Juliet Lee Vinton, whose birth occurred July 24, 1904. His first wife was a daughter of A. C. McGinty and wife, and the present Mrs. Vinton is a daughter of William P. Dabbs and wife.
Politically, Mr. Vinton is a Democrat. Fraternally, he is a member of the Royal Arcanum lodge. He is a self-made man, well informed and a pleasant gentleman to meet.
J. B. RUFFIN.
Among the large percentage of Southern people in Greene county is J. B. Ruffin, and, like most of them, is the possessor of the personal charac- teristics of those bred in fair Dixie land, which makes him a desirable citi- zen, one who wins and retains friends easily. From his early youth he has been a lover of horses and has become an expert judge of them and also an expert in their successful handling, and he is at this writing the owner of a number of good ones which he keeps in his modernly appointed livery stable in Springfield.
Mr. Ruffin was born in Panola county, Mississippi, September 2, 1866. He is a son of James and Mary (Brahan) Ruffin. The father was born in Hardman county, Tennessee in 1838, and the mother was born in Missis- sippi in 1848. They each represent old families of the South and grew to maturity in their respective communities, received good educational advan- tages, were married and have always lived in the South, still living at Sar- dis, Mississippi, where they are widely and well known. James Ruffin at- tended medical college when a young man and received his degree of Doctor of Medicine and became a successful practitioner, engaging in the practice in Tennessee and Mississippi for many years. Having accumulated a com- fortable competency he is now living retired. Having been long a prominent and influential Democrat in his locality he was in 1906 elected deputy sheriff of his county, and was also elected a representative to the state legislature in Mississippi, serving one term of two years in a highly creditable and satisfactory manner. During the war between the states he enlisted in the Confederate army and was promoted from time to time for his gallantry and merit until he became captain of his company and served all through the war, taking part in many important engagements. Fraternally he is a member of the Masonic order. He is a fine type of the Southern gentleman of the old school, and his descendants may well be proud of his record as a soldier, physician, public servant and citizen. His family consisted of nine children, all still living but one, namely: J. B. of this sketch; Maggie Belle,
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Rosa, Mary, Willie, Sallie, Haywood, Mrs. Catherine Lee, and one who died in infancy.
J. B. Ruffin grew to manhood in the South and he received his early education in the common schools in Mississippi, also attended high school. He began his active life by selling goods, later going into the live stock business, paying particular attention to race horses, and he has owned a large number of fine ones, with excellent records. He engaged in farming and stock raising in Tipton county, Tennessee, for some time and his operations met with gratifying results. He remained there until 1906 when he came to Missouri and located in Aurora where he engaged in the livery business on a large scale, which he followed until 1912 when he came to Springfield and continued the same line of business, his present location being at 310 Boonville street, where he has a large and modernly equipped barn, keeping some of the finest horses and buggies in the city, and maintains a boarding stable in connection, everything being first-class, and promptness and uni- form courtesy are watchwords with him. He is enjoying a large and rap- idly growing patronage.
Mr. Ruffin was married in February, 1892, in Tipton county, Tennessee, to Mamie J. Culbreath, who was born in that county and state on October 28, 1873, and she was reared and educated there. She is a daughter of J. Clark and Sallie (Cockrell) Culbreath, natives of western Tennessee, where they grew up, were educated and married. Her father served all through the Civil war in the Confederate army.
Four children have been born to our subject and wife, namely: James is now a student in Drury College; J. B., Jr., is attending the Springfield high school; Josephine and Clark are both in the ward schools.
Politically, Mr. Ruffin is a Democrat. He is a member of the Wood- men of the World and the Loyal Order of Moose. He belongs to the Meth- odist Episcopal church, South. He and his wife have made many friends since locating in Springfield.
JOHN R. FERGUSON.
John R. Ferguson, who is a scion of a sterling old Southern family, was born near Louisiana, Pike county, Missouri, on February 10, 1842. He is a son of John S. and Elizabeth ( Allison) Ferguson, the father born in Virginia and the mother in Franklin county, Kentucky. John S. Ferguson was a soldier in the war of 1812, and he came to Missouri before or about the time this state was admitted into the Union, and was therefore one of the pioneers of the state, locating in Pike county upon land bought of the
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GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
government, which land he converted into an improved farm and there resided until his death about 1852. On this old homestead the subject of this sketch was born and spent his early boyhood. His parents died when he was less than twelve years of age, and the farm was then rented out by the administrator of the estate, who also was guardian of our subject. He worked on farms of the neighborhood, and attended short terms of school during the winter months until he was about eighteen years of age, when, with the consent of his guardian, he contracted, in the fall of 1860, with a St. Louis medicine manufacturing concern to travel and "peddle" their goods, which he did for one year. At the termination of his contract he returned to his native county and enlisted in the Fifth Missouri Militia, in Col. T. J. C. Fagg's regiment for six months, and at the expiration of this service he enlisted for three years or during the war in Company E. Tenth (later the Third) Missouri Cavalry, State Militia, in April, 1862, at Louisiana, Mis- souri. For meritorious conduct Mr. Ferguson was promoted first to cor- poral, in 1863, and in 1864 to sergeant. He proved to be a faithful and courageous soldier in defense of his state. He was mustered out of the service at Macon City, Missouri, on April 14, 1865, at the expiration of his term of service. In May, 1865, he was appointed clerk in the paymaster general's office at Jefferson City, which position he held until his resignation in the spring of 1867, and soon engaged in the drug business at Ironton, this state, and in 1869 removed to Springfield and followed the same business for ten years. After twelve years of diversion in farming and politics, he returned to the drug business in 1891, becoming a member of the Hall- Ferguson Drug Company, wholesale, of Springfield, now the Hall Drug Company, and he took the road as a traveling salesman for the firm, later sold his stock in this company, and accepted a position as traveling salesman for a wholesale drug company in St. Louis, which position he held for over twelve years. He gave this firm eminent satisfaction in every respect and was one of their most faithful and trusted employees. He is now living practically retired, keeping a set of mercantile books and doing the chores about his pleasant home on East Elm street.
Mr. Ferguson was married on May 8, 1867, to Virginia Anna Smith, a daughter of Jared E. and Roberta (Mack) Smith, of Springfield, Missouri, and to this union the following children have been born : Dora Roberta, died in infancy ; Ernest N., Mrs. Florence Morris, deceased; Jared E., deceased ; Mrs. Ony Elizabeth Tucker, John R., T. Franklin, Mrs. Virginia C. Andres, Charles A. and Mrs. Mary N. Hilt.
Mr. Ferguson is a Republican and has long been active in the affairs of his party. He has been a member of the city council, was treasurer of Springfield, was clerk of the circuit court for eight years, and was recorder of deeds of Greene county four years. At this writing he is secretary of the
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board of managers of the State Federal Soldiers' Home of Missouri, on which board he is serving his third term as a member. As a public servant his record is without blemish. He is a member of Capt. John Matthews Post, No. 69, Grand Army of the Republic. Fraternally he belongs to Solomon Lodge, No. 271, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He is a member of the South Street Christian church and is an elder in the same, and has long been active in the work of the church. His wife is also a devout member of this congregation.
THOMAS L. HASLER.
The fair Oriole state, while not so rich or vast in area as some of her sisterhood in the Union, is one of the best beloved. "Maryland, My Mary- land," has long been a favorite song, formerly more so than now, however; but all of us, from whatever section of America we may hail, admire the state that has produced so many splendid citizens. From the early Colonial days down to the present she has given to the nation leading men and women in all walks of life. Among the citizens of Greene county, Missouri, who originally came from within her borders, is Thomas L. Hasler, one of the well known locomotive engineers of the Frisco System, with which road he has been connected for a period of forty years, and it goes without saying that he has been capable and trustworthy, for that is a very long time to re- main with one company.
Mr. Hasler was born in Baltimore, Maryland, July 14, 1852. He is a son of Eli and Maria (Divine) Hasler, the father, of Pennsylvania Dutch stock, having been born in the Keystone state in 1825, and his death oc- curred October 12, 1903. The mother of our subject was born in Ireland in 1826, immigrated to the United States when young in years, and her death .occurred March 21, 1909. These parents received limited educations in the common schools and they were married in Pennsylvania. Eli Hasler was a cabinet maker by trade, which he followed in a number of the large cities of the East, finally locating in St. Louis, where he lived a while, and in 1860 moved to Phelps county, Missouri, where he purchased a farm and there spent the rest of his life, but his widow spent her last years with her son, our subject, in Springfield. During the Civil war Eli Hasler was a member of the Home Guards at St. James, this state. His family consisted of eight children, namely: William lives in St. James, Missouri; Thomas L., of this review; Marira, George, Agnes, John and Frank are all living; Edward is deceased.
Thomas L. Hasler was but a boy when his parents brought him to Mis-
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souri and he grew to manhood in this state and received his education in the schools of St. James. He worked on the home farm until 1873, then began his railroad career on the Atlantic & Pacific railroad, which subsequently be- came known as the Frisco. He began as fireman and worked his way up to engineer on a passenger train, in which capacity he is still employed, his run being between Springfield and Fort Smith, Arkansas. He has long been re- garded by the company as one of the safest and most capable of its engineers, sober, reliable and careful.
. Mr. Hasler was married on September 3, 1879, in Springfield, to Lucy E. McCleane, a native of Illinois, and a daughter of Archie and Lucy E. (Bird) McCleane. The father's death occurred in Jefferson county, Mis- souri, and the mother of Mrs. Hasler died in England. Mrs. Hasler received a good common school education.
To our subject and wife seven children have been born, namely: Allen is employed in the Frisco shops here; Mamie; Archie is employed in the Frisco shops; George is also a machinist in the local railroad shops; Agnes, Della and Eli, the latter working in the Frisco shops.
Politically, Mr. Hasler is a Democrat. He belongs to Division 83, United Brotherhood of Engineers. He is a member of the Knights of Co- lumbus, and he and his family are Catholics.
BRANDT McQUISTON.
Works of biography and history, for the most part, record the lives. of only those who have attained military, political, literary or professional distinction, with now and then a captain of industry, or those who in any other career have passed through extraordinary vicissitudes of fortune. But the names of men who have distinguished themselves in their day and gen- eration, in the ordinary walks of life, for the possession of those qualities of character which mainly contribute to the success of private life and to the public stability-of men who, without special talents or genius, have been exemplary in all their personal and social relations, and at the same time enjoyed the confidence and esteem, the respect and good will of those with whom they associate or come in contact-ought not to be permitted to per- ish; for all are, or should be, much benefited by the delineation of those traits. of character which find scope and exercise in the common walks of life. Among the individuals of this class of a past generation in Greene county was the late Brandt McQuiston, for a long lapse of years one of the best known locomotive engineers on the Frisco system. Those who knew him well say that his life history was marked by the most substantial qualities of
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GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
character and exhibited a long and somewhat strenuous career, and his mem -. ory will continue to be cherished by his many friends for many years to- come.
Mr. McQuiston was born on October 22, 1859, in Indiana where he- grew to manhood and received a common school education. He came to. Springfield, Missouri, when a young man and went to work as fireman for the Kansas. City, Ft. Scott & Memphis Railroad Company, which was leased. by the Frisco system in 1900, later he went with the Frisco as passenger engineer, his run being between Springfield and Thayer. He was then pas- senger engineer for the former road, commonly known as the "Gulf" from. 1886 until this road was absorbed by the Frisco and he continued in his regular run after that for the latter road until his tragic death on October I, 1903. He met death in a head-end collision between extra freight train. No. 251, going east on the Southern division, and passenger train No. 202, bound from Memphis to Kansas City, at half-past five o'clock in the morn- ing of the above mentioned date, at Horseshoe Curve, five miles north of Thayer, Missouri. It is the supposition that the freight had mistaken its order and was running on the passenger's time. A sort of mist or fog pre- vailed at the time, which added to the darkness of night and prevented the. crews from seeing very far ahead of their trains, which were running at full rate of speed. The two trains were almost totally wrecked and a section of the track about the length of four cars was torn up. Mr. McQuiston, engineer of the passenger train and his fireman, Ernest White, were instantly killed, while John Finch, engineer of the freight, and John Tune, the fire- man, both died soon thereafter. Some of the other members of the train crews and passengers were badly hurt. Our subject was spoken of at the time by the press as one of the oldest and best engineers running out of Springfield. One of the sad features of his death was the fact that he was soon to retire from the road, having purchased a good farm in Greene county and was preparing to remove thereto and spend his old days quietly. He- had made his home on the South Side until the consolidation of the freight business on the North Side. He was buried with Masonic honors.
Mr. McQuiston was married on October 16, 1882, to Agnes L. Wright, a daughter of Charles James and Wells (Lee) Wright, who were born in England, from which country they emigrated to the United States in early life; the father became a successful physician and also a minister in the Episcopal church. Mrs. McQuiston is still residing at the old home place- on College street.
To our subject and wife three children were born, namely: Kenneth, born on: July 10, 1884, married Jessie Petty, and he is a machinist in the- new shops of the Frisco in Springfield; Arthur C., born on March 31, 1889, has marked natural talent as an artist, and he is living in San Francisco, Cali --
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GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
fornia, where he is a paint salesman; Janet W., born on August 12, 1891, was graduated from the local high school, later attended Drury College and the University of Missouri at Columbia, specializing in languages, paying particular attention to German; she is one of the successful teachers in Gal- latin, Missouri, schools, being exceptionally well qualified for her chosen work.
Politically, Mr. McQuiston was a Republican. He belonged to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. Fraternally, he held membership with the Royal Arch Masons and the Knights of Pythias.
JAMES A. BERRY.
Since James A. Berry, well-known farmer and stock breeder of Frank- lin township, Greene county, located in this vicinity over sixty years ago he has noted many changes-among others, a change of climatic conditions- the seasons are not so dependable now as formerly, consequently, the farmer has had to change his methods. One of the most serious conditions now to be met with is a drought at some period during each growing season. But he, with others, have learned that when crops are grown in rotation and proper tillage methods are followed, they will suffer less from dry weather than when they are grown continually ; that crop rotation is usually of more importance than the method of tillage used in this respect, although both are important.
Mr. Berry was born, January 1, 1842, in South Carolina. He is a son of William B. and Martha (Latham) Berry. The father of our subject was a native of Alabama and was a son of Robert Berry, who located in South Carolina when a young man, where he married, after which he moved to Tennessee, remaining in that state until 1852, when he emigrated to Greene county, Missouri. The subject of this sketch was two years old when he left his native state with his parents, and his early boyhood was spent in Tennessee. William B. Berry was a life-long farmer, and owned a good farm in Greene county, and here his death occurred on the home- stead September 21, 1892. Politically, he was a Republican, but was never active in public affairs. The mother of our subject was also a native of South Carolina, and her death occurred on the home farm in Greene county in 1891. She was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church at Mt. Comfort, and she and her husband were both buried in the cemetery near that church. They were the parents of eight children, named as follows: James A., of this sketch; Mrs. Calverna Ann Runnells, deceased: Mrs. Emily Run- nells, deceased; Mrs. Mary Jane McCurdy; Mrs. Dora Lay lives in Center
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JAMES A. BERRY AND FAMILY.
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GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
township, this county; Mrs. Etta Newton, deceased; the two youngest chil- dren died in infancy.
James A. Berry was eleven years of age when he accompanied the rest of the family to Greene county, Missouri, and he worked on the home farm in Franklin township, and was educated in the township schools. He re- mained on the home farm until his marriage, then moved to his present farm of one hundred and twenty acres. He also owns forty acres west of his home farm, which lies near the old home place. He has been very success- ful as a general farmer and live stock raiser, making a specialty of grain and trading in horses and mules, and formerly he raised large numbers of hogs annually, but of late years has not made such an extensive effort along this line. He has an excellent group of buildings. In the fall of 1912 he built a breeding barn, thirty-six by forty-eight feet, with box stalls-modern and complete. He is one of the best-known horse breeders in this part of the county and owns some fine stock, including a beautiful black Percheron stallion, "Charley," which is a splendid saddle horse, registered. He also owns "Roscoe," six years old, fifteen hands high; weight, fourteen hundred pounds. He also owns two fine jacks; one, "Black John," is a coal black, seven years old, and fourteen and one-half hands high.
Mr. Berry was married on December 18, 1860, to Elizabeth Katherine McCurdy, a daughter of Thomas and Nancy M. (Appleby) McCurdy. Mr. McCurdy was born in Tennessee, December 5, 1820, and removed from that state to Arkansas when he was eleven years of age. Remaining in that state until he was twenty years old, he came to Greene county, Missouri, married the following year and located on a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, of well-improved land in Franklin township, and here his death oc- curred August 28, 1904, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. His wife was born in Tennessee, July 27, 1821, and died on the home farm in Greene county, Missouri, July 3, 1901. Thomas McCurdy was a soldier in the Civil war, having enlisted in Company K, Seventy-second Missouri Volunteer Infantry, in 1861. He did guard duty mostly, and was kept with the garrison in Springfield most of the time. He had several very narrow escapes from serious wounds and at one time holes were shot through his hat and cape, and at another time a grape-shot narrowly missed his foot, but he went through the conflict unscathed, and was honorably discharged in 1865.
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