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 24
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.Mr Lane was married in 1888 to Tobiatha Winn, which tinion resulted in the birth of three children, namely: Sadie R., William and Mrs. Jane Hessie. The wife and mother passed away in 1898. She was a daughter of Richard M. and Martha Winn. Our subject subsequently married Mrs. Allie (Fitch) Lane, widow of his deceased brother. By this second union one child has been born, Joe. By her first marriage the second Mrs. Lane became the mother of five children, namely: James, Richard, Blue is teaching school in Strafford; Thomas, and John.
Politically, Mr. Lane is a Republican. His wife is a member of the Baptist church.
WILLIAM A. McMEHEN.
The student interested in the history of the northwestern part of Greene county does not have to carry his investigations far into the annals of Walnut Grove township before learning that William A. McMehen has long been an active and leading representative of its fine agricultural interests and that his labors have proven a potent force in making this a rich farming region. Through several decades he has carried on diversified farming and stock raising, gradually improving his extensive farm, and while he has prospered in this he has also found ample opportunity to assist in the material development of his locality, and his co-operation has been of value to the general good.
Mr. McMehen is one of the few Canadians in Greene county, and, like
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all of his fellow countrymen, is energetic and resourceful. His birth oc- curred in the province of Ontario, Canada, April 30, 1864. He is a son of James and Hannah (McConnell) McMehen. The father was born in same locality as was our subject, April 26, 1826, and the mother was also born in Canada. There these parents grew to maturity, each received fairly good educations in the schools there and were married in that country. Remov- ing from Ontario in 1865 they first located near Champaign, Illinois, where they spent five years on a farm, then came on to Greene county, Missouri, and here James McMehen became owner of a good farm of two hundred and forty acres, to which he later added sixty acres, and was a successful gen- eral farmer, and here his death occurred in February, 1908. The mother of our subject is still living, now advanced in years, and makes her home in the town of Walnut Grove, on part of the old homestead. She is a member of the Methodist church, of which Mr. McMehen was also a member. They were the parents of eight children, one of whom is deceased, and named as follows: Mrs. Barbara Rice, Andrew M., Charles A., William A., Mrs. Minnie E. Reger, John A., and James. The other child died in early life.
William A. McMehen was six years old when his parents removed with him from Canada to Illinois and there he spent his early boyhood, being six years old when the family established their future home at Walnut ·Grove, Missouri, and here he grew to manhood on the farm where he now lives, and attended the public schools. He worked for his father until he was twenty-one years old, then bought a part of the homestead, to which he has added until he now owns one of the finest and best improved farms of Walnut Grove township, comprising three hundred thirty-two and one- half acres, where he has been very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser, making a specialty of shorthorn cattle and he also deals extensively in live stock especially mules and cattle, being, like his brothers, an excel- lent judge of both.
Mr. McMehen was married in 1892 to Nattie Waltz, who was born in Polk county, this state, and reared there on a farm. She received a good edu- cation and in her girlhood taught school very successfully for some time. She is a daughter of Elias and Helen (Britton) Waltz, the father now de- ceased but the mother is still living.
The union of our subject and wife has resulted in the birth of one child, Ena Lee McMehen, born on December 20, 1907.
Politically, Mr. McMehen is a strong Democrat, loyal to the party in both victory and defeat. Fraternally he is a member of the Masonic order, including the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is a member of the Methodist church. He is one of the influential men of this section of the county.
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MANSEL PUTMAN.
The social, business and political history of this section is filled with the deeds and doings of self-made men, and no man in the pioneer period of Greene county was more deserving of the appellation than was Mansel Putman, who has long been sleeping the sleep that knows no waking, like the Scottish hero of "The Lady of the Lake," for Mr. Putman marked out his own career in his youth and steadily followed it to the final ending of his mortal career, his success having been attributed to his earnest and per- sistent endeavor, and to the fact that he consistently tried to follow the teachings of the "Golden Rule."
Mr. Putman was born on January 12, 1822, in Marshall county, Ten- nessee, and there he grew to manhood and resided until 1842 when he immi- grated to Greene county, Missouri, at the age of twenty years, with his parents, John and Polly (Garrett) Putman. The family located seven miles north of Springfield, where John Putman bought a claim on which he farmed until his death, September 27, 1867, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. The land was mostly in the rough, but he was a hard-working man and cleared most of it. Politically he was a Benton Democrat, and religiously he was a member of the Primitive Baptist church, being a member of the Zion congregation.
Minerva James, wife of Mansel Putman, was born on August 8, 1820, in Madison county, Tennessee, and she and Mr. Putman were married Feb- ruary 15, 1849. She came to Greene county, Missouri, with her parents, Thomas and Nancy (Gately) James, and her death occurred on the home- stead farm in this county, November 27, 1905. Mary Jane Putman was their only child. She is the wife of Ammon Knighten, a sketch of whom appears on another page of this work.
The death of Mansel Putman occurred on November 9, 1895, on a farm in Franklin township, where Mrs. Knighten was born and reared and has lived all her life, having succeeded to the ownership of the homestead upon the death of her mother in 1905. She was educated in the rural schools.
Politically, Mr. Putman was a Republican, and he was in sympathy with the Union during the Civil war. He was a member of the Home Guards, and while the war was in progress he was taken from his home and shot by a band of General Price's soldiers, but he finally recovered from his wounds.
He belonged to the Union League and the Grange. He was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church at Mt. Comfort. His wife also held membership there, and they were both active in the affairs of the church, lib- eral in their support of the same.
MANSEL PUTMAN.
MRS. MANSEL PUTMAN.
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Mr. Putman was a very successful farmer and a highly respected citi- zen. He was one of a family of fourteen children, all now deceased but John G. and Joseph Edward Putman. The former is engaged in farming in Franklin township; he was born in Marshall county, Tennessee, and came with his parents to Missouri in 1842. After devoting his active life to gen- eral farming he is now living in retirement, and has reached the advanced age of eighty-six years. His son, Seth Jerome Putman, operates the home farm. John G. Putman has seven children, namely: Mrs. Mary C. Porter lives on a farm in Greene county ; one son died in infancy; Mary S., who was the wife of William Clark, died in 1913; Mrs. Nellie Saltsgaver, Seth Jerome, Norma Alice and Nancy Ellen.
WILLIAM J. CRAWFORD.
William J. Crawford was born on June 18, 1862, at Coshocton, Coshoc- ton county, Ohio. He is a son of Robert Crawford, who was born in Steu- benville, Ohio, and he grew to manhood and attended school in his native state. When a young man he engaged in the cooperage business at Coshoc- ton, making barrels in large numbers, later he was in the real estate business there, owning considerable land, and was a successful business man. He engaged in farming on an extensive scale, not only operating his own vast acreage but rented some land and worked it on the shares. At times he em- ployed over one hundred hands. He was a prominent and influential man in his community. Politically, he was a stanch Democrat of the Jackson type and took much interest in politics, holding numerous offices, such as that of overseer of roads, township treasurer, a member of the school board in his district, of which he was president for a period of twelve years, during which he did much for the educational uplift of the township. He was at one time urged to become candidate to the state legislature but declined. He was a man of fine personal character. His word was as good as his bond and he enjoyed the confidence and respect of all who knew him. He loved his home and was best contented when by his own fireside and was never known to neglect his family in any way, which was a mutually helpful and happy one. He was a well-read man and a good debater, and was in deportment quiet and unassuming. He reached an advanced age and was active up to the last, dying in 1903 when past his eighty-first birthday. He married Evelyn Daugherty, a daughter of George Daugherty, of Belmont, Ohio. Her death occurred in 1904 at the age of seventy-seven years. She was a woman of fine Christian sentiment, helpful and neighborly. To these parents five children were born, namely: George died in infancy; John M., who was in the employ of the Frisco system, died in 1912; Lenore, who
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taught school for some time, died in Ohio; William J. of this sketch; and Harriet E., who is the wife of J. N. Edwards, a traveling salesman of Springfield.
James Crawford, paternal grandfather of the subject of this review, engaged in the cooperage business at Steubenville, Ohio, for many years, making iron-bound barrels which he shipped to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and he was very successful as a business man. He lived at Steubenville until his death.
William J. Crawford grew to manhood at Coshocton and there he at- tended the common and high schools, leaving school when seventeen years of age to enter the milling business at his home town, serving an apprentice- ship of two and one-half years in the Empire Mills there. He then came to Topeka, Kansas, where he had charge of the Shawnee Mills for a period of nine years, being head miller, and he was responsible for the prestige and general popularity of these mills during that period. Next we find him at Newton, Kansas, where, for fifteen months he operated the Newton Mill & Elevator Company's plant. He came to Springfield, Missouri, in the latter nineties and while here enlisted for service in the Spanish-American war, on August 20, 1898, in Company A, Thirty-second United States Volun- teers, and served in the army until 1901 with a most creditable record, hav- ing seen active service in the Philippine Islands, taking part in several canı- paigns on the island of Luzon, and fought in the battles of Tarlac, Orami, Colcobin and others, also was in many skirmishes. He was injured while in the service and was for two months in a hospital in San Francisco, in which city he was mustered out in May, 1901. Soon after he went to his old home in Ohio, and from there returned to Springfield and entered the employ of the Frisco railroad, first as check clerk in the freight department, then became chief of the delivery department in the inbound freight department which responsible position he still holds.
Mr. Crawford was married in 1902 to Mary E. Voorhees, a daughter of George W. and Elizabeth (Bretz) Voorhees. He was a captain in the Union army during the Civil war, having enlisted at Scio, Harrison county, Ohio. Mrs. Crawford's uncle, Richard Voorhees, is at this writing circuit judge in Ohio, his circuit embracing the counties of Coshocton, Muskingum and Summit. The Voorhees has long been a prominent family in Ohio and Indiana. Mrs. Crawford was born in Ohio, grew to womanhood there and was educated in the common schools.
The union of our subject and wife has been without issue.
Politically, Mr. Crawford is a Democrat in principle, but he votes inde- pendently. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and he belongs to the Presbyterian church. He resides on Washington avenue in a pleasant home.
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MR. P. V. COLLIER,
"The Walk-Over shoe man of Springfield, Mo., who has one of the best and most up-to- date shoe stores in the State of Missouri, which carries a complete line of men's and women's "Walk Over" shoes. Located at 312 South Street.
B. F. RATHBONE.
Many minds labor under the misapprehension that ireal patriotism is peculiar to men of high genius or the favorites of fortune. The true patriot is one who, from love of country, does, or tries to do, in the proper sphere, all that appears necessary to promote her honor, prosperity and peace. The substantial elements of this precious virtue which underlies the welfare of every nation, and especially of one professing to be free, like our own, are furnished by men in every walk of life, who step out of the realm of mere self-love, and seek to further and augment the commonweal. Among those who fill the highest seats, and prove themselves most deserv- ing of public gratitude, many have been the farmers of the land, who have redeemed this great country from the wilderness and made even the rocks drip with fatness and blessing; or they may have, many of them, come from the ranks of tradesmen, doing their allotted tasks in the shops and factories of the country, in fact a patriot and useful citizen may spring from any walk of life. B. F. Rathbone, formerly an agriculturist, and for many years one of the Frisco's dependable shop employees, was born under alien skies, but he has spent most of his life in America, fifty-seven years · of which have been lived in Greene county.
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Mr. Rathbone was born March 13, 1848, in Birmingham, England. He is a son of Thomas H. and Sarah Ann (Warr) Rathbone, a sketch of whom will be found on another page of this work. The father of our subject immigrated to the United States in the spring of 1851, and the family followed during the autumn of that year. They all remained in New York City until 1858, when they removed to Greene county, Missouri, and established their permanent home.
B. F. Rathbone, of this sketch, was three years of age when his parents brought him from England. He spent his boyhood in New York City, where he attended school. He also went to school after coming to Greene county, having attended the Capt. John R. Kelso Academy. However, his education was limited, the Civil war having interfered with his studies. The family settled at the old Rathbone spring, northeast of Springfield, and there our subject worked on the farm when he was a young man, in fact, he followed general farming until 1882, in which year he removed to Springfield, and in August of that year began working in the old North Side Frisco shops. His first work for this road was the hauling of all the rock for the culverts from Springfield four miles east of the city. His first work in the shops proper was as blacksmith's helper. He remained in the shops until 1888, when he was elected constable of Campbell town- ship, and he became deputy sheriff under Joe C. Dodson, however, he served but a short time in this capacity when he was appointed to a position on the police force. He served in all twelve years in the various official posi- tions, proving to be an efficient and dependable officer. He then returned to the shops and finished learning his trade. About nine years ago he was assigned to the work of spring maker at the North Side shops, and this position he has continued to hold to the present time, having long since become an expert in his line.
Mr. Rathbone was married March 13, 1871, in Springfield to Emily Rush (Woods), a daughter of Samuel Woods, a well-known citizen here a few decades ago. He came to Greene county from Tennesee in an early day and devoted his attention to general farming. During the latter years of his life he served one term as county treasurer, and prior to that was deputy sheriff. He made a good official and was well liked by all who knew him. He was a gentleman of the old school. Our subject's wife's mother was known in her maidenhood as Mary Ragsdale. To their union six children were born, only three of whom are living at this writing. Mrs. Rathbone was born at Springfield, reared to womanhood and educated here.
To Mr. and Mrs. Rathbone six children were born, all of whom sur-
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vive, namely: Emma R., born March 1, 1872, is the wife of Albert L. Schofield; Ernest G., born January 9, 1874, married Erma Smith, and they reside in Springfield; Harold H., born August 29, 1877, married Ida Robin- son, to which union two children were born, Milton and Marjorie; John D., born May 24, 1879, married Mary Culler, and they have two children, Erma and Dorothy; Walter G., born September 9, 1884, married Clara Parker, and they have two children, Ross and Emily; Edith L., born January 18, 1891, married Brandt Gaffga, and they have one child, Emily L.
Politically Mr. Rathbone is a Republican and he has always been loyal in his support of the party. He is a member of the Orient Lodge No. 86, Knights of Pythias, and he served as captain of Ascolon Division No. 15, Uniform Rank, Knights of Pythias, and Lodge No. 218, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having passed the chairs in both these orders. He also belongs to the Blacksmiths' Union. The family holds membership in the Benton Avenue Methodist Episcopal church.
JOHN A. McMEHEN.
At the outset of his career John A. McMehen, well-known farmer and stockman of Walnut Grove township, Greene county, recognized the fact that it takes self-reliance, perseverance and fortitude to win success in any line of human endeavor, so he did not seek any shady lanes to the goal of prosperity, but began to work diligently and along honorable lines to advance himself and the result is that he is now numbered among the successful and progressive citizens of his locality, and is a creditable representative in every way to the McMehen family, one of the most influential in the vicinity of Walnut Grove for the past forty years or more.
Mr. McMehen was born on a farm near Champaign, Illinois, Novem- ber 12, 1869, some four years after his parents, James and Hannah R. (Mc- Connell) McMehen, settled there. (See sketch of William A. McMehen on another page of this volume for further mention of parents.)
John A. McMehen grew to manhood on the home farm, being a small boy when the family removed here from Illinois, and he received his educa- tion in the local public schools. He remained on the home farm until he reached young manhood, doing his share of the general work, then started out for himself, buying seventy-three acres from his father and at the pres- ent time he owns a productive and well-kept place of one hundred sixty-nine and one-half acres. In connection with general farming he handled live
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stock on an extensive scale, especially mules, and is one of the well-known! and successful stockmen of the county, being all excellent judge of them-
Mr. McMehen was married on December 24, 1893, to Jessie B. Roun- tree, who was born in Cedar county, Missouri, October 22, 1874, and there she grew up and was educated in the public schools. She is a daughter of Thomas B. and Dorothy (Haley) Rountree, both of whom still live on the homestead in Cedar county, and are actively engaged in the mercantile busi- ness at Cain Hill, Missouri.
To Mr. and Mrs. McMehen six children have been born, namely: The- first child died in infancy, unnamed; John A., Jr., born August 26, 1898; Rountree, born on September 7, 1900; Blon, died on April 29, 1902; Jessie B., born March 23, 1903, and Andrew M., born December 30, 1912.
Politically, our subject is a Democrat, fraternally a member of the Ma- sonic order, and he belongs to the Methodist church. His wife is a member. of the Christian church.
JEFFERSON E. HANSELL.
One of the popular, capable and courteous passenger conductors of the- Frisco System is Jefferson E. Hansell, a man who is universally liked not only by railroad men but by all with whom he comes in contact. He has had charge of passenger trains between Springfield and Memphis for twen- ty-five years for the Frisco and the old "Gulf" railroad, and it stands to rea- son that no one could retain such a responsible position a quarter of a cen- tury were they not capable, honest and trustworthy.
Mr. Hansell was born July 1, 1856, in Marion, Lynn county, Iowa. He is a son of Joseph and Hannah (Leeka) Hansell, both natives of Ohio,. the father born near Cincinnati. They grew up in the Buckeye state, re- ceived such educational advantages as the schools of those early times af- forded, and there they were married. Joseph Hansell learned the carpen- ter's trade when a young man and became a successful carpenter and con- tractor, and in later life was a traveling salesman. He was a soldier in the Civil war, enlisting in 1861, in Company K, Iowa Volunteer Infantry, un- der Captain Christian, Mr. Hansell having located in Iowa in 1855. He served three years in the Union army, principally against the hostile Indians of the West, and he saw a great deal of hard, active service. After the war he returned to Marion, Lynn county, Iowa. His family consisted of four children, namely: Francis M. was a soldier in the Union army during the Civil war; Mary Elizabeth, William Madison and Jefferson E. of this sketch. These children are all living at this writing. . Politically Joseph Hansell was a Republican, and he was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
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Jefferson E. Hansell grew to manhood at Marion, Iowa, and received his education in the public and high schools. After leaving school he drove a team across the great western plains to Salt Lake City, Utah, and back. In 1881 he began his career as a railroader, which he has continued to the present time, a period of thirty-three years. He first secured employment with the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, first as freight brakeman, then was promoted to freight conductor. In 1886 he came to Springfield, Missouri, with his family and went to work for the Frisco railroad, first as brake- man, and for three weeks worked on the Kansas City, Ft. Scott & Mem- phis railroad, which road was purchased by the Frisco Railroad Company in 1900. On December 25, 1889, Mr. Hansell was promoted to passenger conductor and placed in charge of a train between Springfield and Mem- phis, and this has been his run continuously to the present time. He took the first train over the mammoth bridge across the Mississippi river at Mem- phis, May 12, 1902.
Mr. Hansell was married, May 17, 1881, to Minette Risser, who was born at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, October 15, 1862. She is a daughter of Daniel and Martha (Foarisend) Risser. Mr. Risser was born in Germany, from which country he emigrated with his parents to the United States when he was five years old. The family first located at Cleveland, Ohio, and there Daniel Risser grew to manhood and received his education, and from there he moved to Salem, Iowa. He was born in 1832, and died in 1904. His wife was born in Richmond, Indiana, and came west in 1845 to Iowa. She was born in 1842, and is still living, making her home in Springfield, Missouri. She and Mr. Risser were married in Salem, Iowa. Politically, Mr. Risser was a Democrat, and he served for some time as justice of the peace, and was also postmaster for a while at Pilot Grove, Iowa. His fam- ily consisted of eleven children, five of whom are still living, namely: Mi- nette, wife of Mr. Hansell of this sketch; C. H., Omer E., Mamie and Etna. Mrs. Hansell grew to womanhood in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and there received her education in the public schools and an academy, under Profes- sor Howe, completing the teacher's course, but was married before she- could begin a career as teacher.
Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hansell, all living, namely: Bertha, born December 2, 1882, is the wife of Mathew H. Galt; Emma E., born December 2, 1885, is single and is living at home; Jeffer- son E., born October 25, 1891, is a reporter on the Springfield Republican; Don M., born May 1, 1893, is in the hardware business and lives at home.
The Hansell home is a beautiful new brick structure at 1440 East Wal- nut street. Politically, Mr. Hansell is a Republican. He belongs to the Masonic order, in which he has attained the thirty-second degree. He is a member of the Order of Railroad Conductors and the Springfield Club.
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