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 32
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107
Mr. Robertson was born in Hamilton county, eastern Tennessee, April 5, 1837. He is a son of Jefferson and Mary Ann (Lodspeach) Robertson, representatives of very old Southern families. Jefferson Robertson was born in Roane county, Tennessee, in 1806, and there he grew up and mar- ried and made his home until 1837 when he came to Greene county, Mis- souri, with his family, Springfield then being known to many of the settlers as "Stump Town." In 1839 he purchased two hundred acres of land where our subject now lives, the latter owning forty acres off this tract. The father devoted his life to general farming, and here he resided until his death in 1877, was known to his neighbors as an honest, hospitable and hard working man. He was a Democrat, and belonged to the Methodist Epis- copal church, South, first, when the services of this denomination were held in Murray school house ; later, when a church house had been built at Willard, he attended there. His wife was born in Greene county, Tennessee, and
MR. AND MRS. CHARLES ROBERTSON.
I233
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
when nine years old she left there with her parents and the family located at Sweetwater, Tennessee, where she grew to womanhood and married. She was born in 1817 and died May 9, 1908, at the unusual age of ninety-one years, having outlived her husband thirty-one years, he having died in the prime of life. She was a grand old lady, beloved by all who knew her.
To Jefferson Robertson and wife eleven children were born, namely : Charles L. of this review; Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Young of Willard, Greene county ; Mrs. Nancy Caroline Grant of Polk county, Missouri; Mrs. Armeldia Potter of Oklahoma; John Lindsay of Oklahoma; Mrs. Josephine Gilmore, of Cave Spring, Cass township, Greene county; Mrs. Eliza Jane Snider, who lives on the old homestead in Murray township; Mrs. Sally Murray, of Murray township; Mrs. Martha Frances Philips, of Panhandle, Texas ; the two youngest children died in infancy unnamed.
Charles L. Robertson was about two years old when his parents brought him from the mountains of Eastern Tennessee to the vicinity where he now resides and here he grew to manhood on his father's farm and there worked hard when a boy in assisting to clear and develop the place, and during the winter he attended the brief sessions of the old-time subscription schools in his locality. He remained on the homestead until he was twenty-one years of age then began farming for himself, settling on a part of what he now owns and has lived here continuously to the present time, successfully; engaged in general farming and stock raising. He owns one hundred and twenty-acres, one hundred acres of which is under cultivation. He has been a hard working man all his life and has a well improved and well kept place and a good group of outbuildings. He always keeps an excellent grade of various kinds of live stock and is one of the best known men in the township, respected by all his acquaintances.
Mr. Robertson was married May 10, 1857, to Eliza Ann Wittenburg, a native of Greene county, Missouri, and a daughter of Phelix and Nancy (Robberson) Wittenburg, both natives of Eastern Tennessee, the father born August 17, 1810, and the mother August 15, 1820. The latter was eleven years old when her parents brought her to Missouri and she died here October 5, 1844.
Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Robertson, all dying in early childhood but two, who are still living. Mrs. Mary Caroline Olinger, of Murray township, this county ; and William J., who lives in Walnut Grove, Missouri.
Politically Mr. Robertson is a Democrat, but has never aspired to office. preferring a quiet home life. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church South, at Pearl, Cass township, where his wife and daughter also hold membership. During the Civil war he served three months in the Confederate army in a very creditable manner.
(78)
1234
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
WILLIAM M. SMITH, M. D.
One of the best-known physicians of the city of Springfield, an hon- ored veteran of the Civil war, and for a quarter of a century one of the respected citizens of Greene county, is Dr. William M. Smith. He chose medicine as his life profession and life purpose and pursuit. The environ- ment of his earlier years, its discipline, his college course and drill, the culture that comes from books and study and travel, the success with which he has met as a physician, and the standard in his profession to which he has risen-all testify to the wisdom of his choice.
Dr. Smith was born in Barnesville, Ohio, June 7, 1842. He is a son of John C. and Hannah (Thompson) Smith. The father was born in 1817, was reared a Quaker, and was a carpenter and contractor during his active life. Toward the early part of the Civil war, although then advanced in years, he enlisted for service in the Union army in August, 1862, in the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, under Col. John H. Howe, and he served in the battles around Vicksburg, Mississippi, but the hardships of army life proved too much for him and he died before his term of enlistment had expired and was buried in the National cemetery at Mound City, Illinois. The mother of our subject was born January 18, ISIS, in Huntington county, Pennsylvania, and was a daughter of Amos Thompson, a farmer. She came with her family to Ohio when she was a child, and her parents both died in that state. She spent the latter part of her life at the home of our subject in Springfield, Missouri, where her death occurred in 1889, and was buried in Hazelwood cemetery here. Some of the maternal great-great-uncles of our subject were soldiers in the Revo- lutionary war. The family is of German-English, Scotch and Irish ancestry.
Dr. Smith was reared in Ohio and there he received his early education in the common schools, later graduating from the Kewanee Academy, at Kewanee, Illinois, and was preparing for college at the time of his enlist- ment in the Federal army, in September, 1861, in Company A, Forty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, under Col. Stewart, later serving under Col. Northrop. He saw considerable hard service and proved to be a gallant defender of the flag, participating in the battles of Farmington. Stone River. and the great battle of Chickamauga, in which he was wounded and taken prisoner. but was later paroled and sent to General Hospital in St. Louis. He was honorably discharged at St. Louis at the expiration of term of enlistment and later re-enlisted, February 7, 1865, in the Ninth Illinois Cavalry, serving until October, 1865, and was discharged at Selma, Alabama. After his career in the army Dr. Smith returned home and taught school for several terms, devoting his spare time to the study of medicine, and in
I235
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
1868 he entered the Keokuk Medical College, at Keokuk, Iowa, later entering Rush Medical College, Chicago, from which he was graduated in 1870. He first began the practice of his profession at Atkinson, Illinois, remaining there nine years, and had a good practice ; he then went to Sterling, Illinois, and practiced three years, after which he moved to Beadle county, South Dakota, where he practiced six years, and in 1888 came to Springfield, Missouri, where he has remained to the present time, enjoying an excellent practice all the while and ranking among the leading general practitioners in the county.
Dr. Smith is a member of the Greene County Medical Society, the Southwest Missouri Medical Society, the Missouri State Medical Asso- ciation and the American Medical Association. He was president of the first named society for one term. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic. He has been secretary of the local board of pension examiners for the past sixteen years. Politically he is a Republican and religiously is a member of the Congregational church.
Dr. Smith married Viola M. Ferrin, December 15, 1870. She is a daughter of Isaac and Maria (Bailey) Ferrin, both natives of New England. Mrs. Smith's father died when she was an infant. The mother spent her last years with our subject and died at his home in Springfield in 1890.
Four children have been born to Dr. Smith and wife, namely: Wells Ferrin, born in Atkinson, Illinois, in 1871, was educated in the Springfield ยท high school and Drury College, later was graduated from Beaumont Medical College, in 1898, and he began his practice in Springfield, securing a position in the Frisco Hospital, where he remained two years, then removed to Arkansas, and is now division surgeon for the Iron Mountain Railroad, with headquarters at Little Rock. He married Robbie Blythe, of Clarks- ville, Arkansas, in 1905, and they have four children, Helen, John, Elsie and Elizabeth. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, and is a fine surgeon. Charles Wilbur Smith, second son of our subject, was born in Atkinson, Illinois, in 1873, was educated in the Springfield high school and Drury College, also studied at the Beaumont Medical College, graduating with the class of 1901, later, in 1902, taking a post-graduate course in the St. Louis Hospital. He began the practice of his profession at Keota, Missouri, in 1902, and remained there six years, then came to Springfield and has been engaged in practice here ever since, and is one of the most successful of our younger surgeons and general practitioners, doing a great deal of surgery. He is a member of the Greene County Medical Society, the Missouri State Medical Association, the Southwest Missouri Medical Society and the American Medical Association. He was at one time health commissioner of the city of Springfield. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, and also belongs to the Knights of Pythias and B. P. O. E. He married Mary Helen
1236
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
Vail in 1902. She is a daughter of Edward Vail, superintendent of a local coal company. One child has been born to Dr. Charles W. Smith and wife, a daughter, Vail Smith, whose birth occurred in 1903. Amy Jessie Smith, daughter of the subject of this sketch, was born in Atkinson, Illinois, was educated in the Springfield high school and graduated from Drury College. She married Alfred H. Mansfield, an attorney, now chief claim agent of the Missouri Pacific Railroad; they reside in St. Louis. To this union one child has been born, Elizabeth, born on August 8, 1914. Winifred Elizabeth Smith, youngest of our subject's children, was born in South Dakota, was educated in the Springfield high school and Drury College, and she married O. J. Mccutcheon, president of the Mccutcheon Bros. Vehicle & Harness Company, of Springfield; to them one child, Elizabeth, was born in 1910 in this city. The above named children were given every advantage as to education and general preparation for life, and they are all popular wherever they are known, and are well situated in life.
JOHN H. SHACKELFORD.
The Shackelford family has been known in Greene and Webster coun- ties during the past three-quarters of a century, the father of the subject of this review having established the future home of the family here in the year 1840 when Springfield consisted of a few log huts, lately the site of the Kickapoo Indian village; when the county was sparsely settled and very little development had been done, the virgin soil being covered with im- mense woods or rank wild grass, the haunts of many kindreds of the wild. So the elder Shackelford was an important factor in the early civilization of the county, for he was a builder by profession and was a man who never quailed at hardships and loved to see reclaimed this region of promise. From that early day to this the name of the family here has been one against which no aspersions could be cast, and has always stood for good citizenship.
One of the best known of the present generation is John H. Shackel- ford, widely known contractor of North Campbell street, Springfield, who was born on October 7, 1855, in Greene county, Missouri, and who has spent his life here and in the adjoining county of Webster. He is a son of Garland and Mary E. (Forren) Shackelford, and is a scion of old Vir- ginia people on his father's side. Garland Shackelford was born in Vir- ginia, January 16, 1816, and there he grew to manhood and spent his life until 1840 when he emigrated overland to Missouri, reaching the present site of Springfield on June 17th of that year. He had learned the carpen- ter's trade when a young man in his native state and he at once began
1237
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
working at the same in his new community, and had the distinction of build- ing the first frame house in Greene county, which was erected for Major Powell, father-in-law of Martin J. Hubble. He did a great deal of carpenter work and contracting and built many of the best houses in this locality in the pioneer days. In 1850 he joined the gold seekers across the great western plains, making the perilous journey to California, with Rip Weaver and Joe Farris. He returned to Springfield in 1851, on account of sickness, making the return trip by way of the Isthmus of Panama. Upon his arrival here he purchased a farm two miles from town, and continued building and farming for six years, and in 1857 removed to Marshfield, Webster county, this state, where there was a better field for his contracting and building business. There he also bought a fanning and carding mill. He became one of the leading men of that county, and there he spent the rest of his life, reaching the advanced age of ninety-two years, his death occurring on July 9, 1908. He was twice married, Mary E. Forren being his first wife, and to this union thirteen children were born, six sons and seven daughters, six of whom, two sons and four daughters survive, namely: Garland C., of Springfield; Mrs. Mattie Robertson, of Marshfield; Mrs. Loma Darby, of Center Point, Texas ; Mrs. Amelia McKnight, of Nevada, Missouri; Mrs. Josephine E. Lyon, of Marshfield, Oregon, and John H., of this review. The mother of these children was born in Tennessee where she spent her girlhood, coming to Springfield. when twelve years of age, her mother hav- ing died some time previously. She came to this locality with her father who was a farmer, and, here he died during one of the scourges of cholera which swept the country at intervals in those early times. The death of Mrs. Shackelford occurred on January 14, 1892, and the father of our subject subsequently married Miss Ellan Whiticar. His last union was without issue.
John H. Shackelford was two years old when his parents removed with him from Greene to Webster county in 1857, and he grew to manhood at Marshfield where he received his education in the common schools. He assisted his father with his general work as a carpenter, contractor and mill man while growing up, and upon reaching maturity engaged in business for himself first as a farmer and later, March 16, 1883, he came to Springfield and here he has resided ever since, engaging in business, for the most part as a contractor for gravel and composition roofing. His present establish- ment is located at 968 North Campbell street, where he is well equipped . for the prompt and successful carrying on of his line of endeavor, and he has built up an extensive and constantly growing business and employs a large number of skilled workmen. He has a reputation for honest, high- grade and quick work and is one of the popular contractors of Springfield. He always handles the best of materials and his prices are reasonable.
1238
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
Mr. Shackelford was married on July 4, 1886, to Emma Donald, a daughter of William Donald, of Saline county, Missouri. His family con- sisted of five children, namely: Mrs. Julia Shelby, of Springfield, was twice married, first to ex-senator S. R. Bridges; she has three children; Mrs. Ella Louder is deceased; Emma, who is the wife of Mr. Shackelford of this sketch; Leander McCord Donnell, of Springfield, married Rosie Roberts, and they have four children; Royal, who is engaged in farming in Saline county, this state, married Mattie Crowder, and they have two children.
To John H. Shackelford and wife two children have been born, namely : Bessie E. Tolia Shackelford married Lake H. Gibson, of Springfield; he is city salesman for the G. D. Milligan Grocery Company, and Louis C. Shackelford, who was born on May 24, 1892, was educated in the Spring- field schools and Christian Brothers College, St. Louis; he is engaged in the same line of business as his father-gravel and composition roofing, and is a promising young business man.
Politically, Mr. Shackelford is a Democrat. Fraternally, he is a mem- ber of the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Royal Arcanum and the Modern Woodmen of America. He and his family are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church.
THOMAS OTIS KLINGNER, M. D.
Whether in the substance of our human nature or the spiritualities of an expectant future being, mankind is inclined to cling, with fierce tenacity, to not only the hope that the ego may not disappear, but that the tangible, if dissolving personally, may be fittingly remembered. To rescue, preserve and perpetuate was the mission of the ancient Chronicles, and this is the province of history ; and equally so, of biographic narrative. "Man's so- ciality of nature," says Carlyle, "evinces itself, in spite of all that can be said, with abundant evidence by this one fact, were there no other; the unspeakable delight he takes in biography." So when a man like Dr. Thomas Otis Klingner, one of the best-known specialists of his class in Greene county, has reached the honored position in the vicinity which he has attained, it is meet that something of his individuality be set forth.
Dr. Klingner was born near Fair Grove, Greene county, Missouri, March 3, 1874. He is a son of John and Mollie (Shade) Klingner. The father was born at North Vernon, Indiana, in 1844, and there he spent his earlier years working on the farm and attending the district schools during the winter months, and later he began teaching in the rural schools, which vocation, in connection with farming part of the year, he continued for
1239
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
some time. He eventually emigrated to Missouri and located in Greene county, where he purchased a farm near the village of Fair Grove and there he still resides, having developed a good farm and reared his children in comfort, giving them proper educational advantages. For many years he has served his community as a local preacher in the Methodist church, in which he is an earnest and influential worker, and is called on by all denomi- nations to conduct funerals and marriages. He is widely known in his end of the county and everybody is his friend. His good wife, who has proven to be a most worthy helpmeet, was born in 1845.
This family is of German descent, as the name would indicate, the paternal grandfather, August Klingner, having been a native of Bingen, Germany, from which country he emigrated to America in an early day, with his wife, and settled at North Vernon, Indiana, where he engaged in farming, and there he and his wife spent the rest of their lives. The maternal grand- father, Henry Shade, who was of Scotch descent, was a machinist by trade. and he resided at many different places, but spent the latter part of his life on a farm near Fair Grove, Missouri.
Seven children were born to John Klingner and wife, named as follows: Dr. Thomas Otis, of this sketch ; Henry Augustus resides at Wray, Colorado, where he is engaged in the mercantile business; John W. lives in Spring- field, Missouri, and is engaged in the undertaking business; Charles E. is a farmer and has remained on the homestead with his parents; George Mack, of Roswell, New Mexico, is professor of English in the high school there; Mamie Louise, who has taught school for about twenty years, has remained single and lives at home ; Florence Elizabeth, also unmarried, lives with her parents on the farm.
Dr. Thomas O. Klingner was reared on the home farm and there did his full share of the work during the crop seasons, and during the winter he attended the district schools, later entered Morrisville College, at Morris- ville, Polk county, Missouri, where he completed the course leading to the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy, however, was not graduated. When about eighteen years of age he commenced life for himself by earning his own living and obtaining money by teaching with which to educate himself, also followed other pursuits, and in 1895 he entered the Missouri Medical Col- lege at St. Louis, where he made a good record and from which he was graduated with the class of 1898 with the highest honors in that class. Returning to Greene county, he began the practice of his profession at Willard, where he remained three years as a general practitioner, then spent two years at Walnut Grove, this county, enjoying a good practice at both places. In 1903 he took the civil service examination and went to Wash- ington, D. C., where he was given employment in the medical department
I240
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
of the Pension Bureau, remaining there three years to the eminent satis -. faction of the department. The last two years there he had the management of the eye and ear department. He came to Springfield, Missouri, in 1906, established an office on Commercial street, which he has maintained for the past nine years, building up a large and lucrative practice, which is rapidly growing, and he is now located at 318 Landers building. He has taken his. place in the front rank of his professional brethren who confine themselves to the treatment of the eye, ear, nose and throat. He has met with great success in this field. His experience in Washington City was invaluable to him, but in order to further equip himself for his chosen work he took a post-graduate course, in 1906, in the Chicago Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat College ; also in 1912 took a post-graduate course in the Chicago Polyclinic.
Dr. Klingner is a member of the Greene County Medical Society, the Southwest Missouri Medical Society, the Missouri State Medical Asso- ciation, and the American Medical Association, being a Fellow of the last named. He has been secretary of the Greene County Medical Society for the past five years, also has been president of the State Association of Medical Secretaries and counsellor for the Twenty-eighth District. He is. oculist and aurist for the Burge-Deaconess Hospital, the Southwest Missouri Hospital, the Children's Home and the hospital for the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad Company. He is also vice-president of the Southwest Missouri Hospital, and is secretary of the J. W. Klingner undertaking establishment. In all of the above positions of trust and responsibility he has discharged his duties in a manner that has reflected much credit upon himself and to the satisfaction of all concerned.
Dr. Klingner was married in 1900 to Effie May Kernaghan, who was born in Greene county, Missouri, November 27, 1874. She is a daughter of Jesse and Elizabeth Kernaghan, for many years residents of this county, who later made their home in Joplin, Missouri. Mr. Kernaghan, who en- gaged in contracting for many years, is now practically retired from active life. His wife died in Joplin in 1904 and was buried there. Mrs. Klingner was reared in Greene county and educated in the public schools here.
To our subject and wife two children have been born, namely: Keat- ing Kenneth, born in Washington, D. C., in 1904, died in 1908, and Mary Elizabeth, born in Springfield, Missouri, January 10, 1913.
Fraternally Dr. Klingner is a member of the Masonic Order and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Politically he is a Democrat, and in religious matters is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South.
Personally the Doctor is a gentleman of the highest integrity and socia- bility and the high position he has gained in the medical profession and the county is in every way deserved.
1241
GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
DANIEL MARTIN NEE.
One of the most promising of the younger members of the Greene county bar is Daniel Martin Nee, a member of the firm of De Vorss & Nee. He seems to be the possessor of the necessary qualification for a success in the legal field and has most carefully prepared himself for his chosen calling, taking a great deal more pains in this respect than many of the older lawyers. By wise and judicious legislation, a barrier has been interposed against an easy and miscellaneous invasion of the legal profession, and those who- propose to enter it must submit to the rigid requirements of the laws of the present time. The prescribed course of study must be observed, the ordeal of examination must be borne, and fixed grades and standards must be touched before the applicant can cross the statutory line that separates him from the bar. The result is, the profession draws its nutriment from a better, cleaner, stronger and more intellectual class-men fitted for the profession and who will sustain its high character. Our subject is of this class.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.