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 40
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Percy J. Bates grew to manhood in Vermont and there received his education in the common schools, two years in high school, then studied at Kimball Union Academy at Meriden, New Hampshire, from which he was graduated in 1904, then in 1905 he came West and entered Fairmount College-
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at Wichita, Kansas, from which institution he was graduated in 1909. Tak- ing an interest in athletics he played professional base ball in 1909 and 1910 for the Wichita Western League, being right fielder for that team, then played center field for the Arkansas City (Kansas) State League. He en- tered railroad service at Arkansas City with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Road, in the transportation department, and later worked in the mechan- ical department until May 5, 1912, when he went to Amarillo, Texas, where he worked as time keeper and in the car department of the same road. On January 26, 1914, he entered the service of the Frisco System at Chaffee as piece work checker. On June 1, 1914, he was transferred to Springfield, Missouri, as rip track foreman in the North Side shops, which position he is holding at this writing. He has thirty hands under his direction and is giving his usual satisfaction.
Mr. Bates has remained unmarried. Politically he is a Republican, and he belongs to the Congregational church. He is a member of the Masonic Order.
WILLIAM F. SMITH.
A native of Missouri, but with the blue blood of Kentuckians in his veins, William F. Smith, chief engineer of the Springfield Gas & Power Com- pany, is a young man who has attained a very creditable standing in life as a result of his straightforward and conscientious course.
Mr. Smith was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, November 8, 1882. He is a son of Frank and Bernedina (Vanderstay) Smith. The father was a native of Kentucky, where he spent his earlier years, and from there emi- grated to Missouri. He devoted his active life to the plasterer's trade, and died in 1892, when only about thirty-six years of age. His wife was a daughter of Frank Vanderstay, a western Missouri citizen. Mrs. Smith is now making her home in Springfield, living with her son, our subject.
To Frank Smith and wife five children were born, namely: William F. of this sketch; Walter is deceased; Benjamin is engaged in the grocery business in Kansas City ; Joseph is attending school in Pennsylvania ; Vincent is an electrical operator in the employ of the Springfield Gas & Electric Company.
Levi Smith, the paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a bricklayer by trade. He spent his life in Kentucky and western Missouri, having married in the former state. In later life he removed to Kansas, where he continued to follow his trade.
William F. Smith was educated in the common schools of St. Joseph, Missouri, and Atchison, Kansas. When sixteen years of age he went to
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work for a grocery store, delivering goods and clerking, then worked in the power house at Leavenworth as fireman helper, was also oiler in the en- gine room, then became night engineer in the Leavenworth Light, Heat & Power Company, remaining in the employ of the traction company there for eight years. He then worked a few months for the St. Joseph Light, Heat & Power plant at repair work, then went back to Leavenworth and worked in the machine shops, later becoming day chief engineer for the traction com- pany of that city. In September, 1908, he came to Springfield, Missouri, and took a position with the Springfield Gas & Electric Company, working as night engineer from 1908 to 1912, when he was transferred to day engineer, and on August 12th of that year, he was placed in charge of the company's power house, located at Main street and Phelps avenue, and has since been chief engineer of the power house, and is discharging his duties with his usual success and satisfaction. He has had as many as twenty-five men under his direction since taking this important position, and at present he is assisted by ten men. He is an expert in his line and is well read on every detail.
Mr. Smith was married in November, 1913, to Florence Pile, a daugh- ter of Jonah Pile and wife, of Springfield. The untimely death of Mrs. Smith occurred on December 23, 1914, leaving one child, Arthur Smith, who was born on November 9, 1914.
Politically Mr. Smith is a Republican. He is a member of the Catholic church, and he belongs to the Improved Order of Red Men and the National Association of Steam Engineers.
GEORGE COOPER.
Memoirs dealing with enterprising men, especially good men, are very often of inestimable benefit to others, having a tendency to point the way to the goal of worthy things. The examples they furnish of steadfast endeavor and patient integrity forcibly illustrate what is in the power of each individual to accomplish when they have courage and right principles to control their course of action. Some men belong to no exclusive class in life; apparently insurmountable obstacles have in many instances awakened their dormant faculties and served as a stimulus to carry them to ultimate renown. The instances in the face of adverse fate would seem almost to justify the con- clusion that self-reliance, with a half chance, can accomplish any reasonable object. The late George Cooper, a well-known business man and enterprising citizen of Springfield during the past generation, was a man who lived to good purpose and achieved greater success than that which falls to the lot of the average individual. By a straightforward and commendable course,
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he made his way from a none too favorable early environment to a respect- able position in the industrial world, winning the hearty admiration of the people of his adopted city and earning a reputation as an enterprising, pro- gressive man of affairs and a broad-minded, upright citizen which the public was not slow to recognize and appreciate, and there is much in his life record which could be studied with profit by the young man starting out into. what we are prone to allude to as the battle of life.
Mr. Cooper was a representative of a sterling old English family, whose. genealogy traced back to ancient days; he first saw the light of day under England's skies on December 5, 1863, at Leicester. He was a son of Henry and Mary (Richardson) Cooper, both natives of England also, where they grew to maturity, were educated, married and established their home, resid- ing there until in 1872, when they immigrated with their children to the United States, landing in New York City. From there they came direct to Missouri and established the future home of the family in Wilson township, Greene county, where the father secured a farm and became one of the enterprising general agriculturists of his locality, and is now living in retirement on a small farm in that township, where he bears an excellent reputation. Upon taking up his residence in the Republic of the West he made a careful study of the political situation in this country, and cast his lot with the Democrats. He has served as a member of the school board in his district. He is a mem- ber of the Episcopal church. His father, William Cooper, was born and reared in England, and there spent his life. He was a man of rare business. ability and was for many years regarded as one of the foremost and wealthiest citizens of the city of Leicester, in the upbuilding of which he cook much interest; one of his principal benefactions was the building of a. handsome Episcopal church there, he being the principal contributor, and he was long an active member of that denomination. He retained the coat-of- arms of his ancestors, the older Coopers having been a prominent family in that part of England.
Henry Cooper was twice married, his first wife, mother of the sub- ject of this biographical memoir, passing away in 1874, leaving two sons, namely : Harry, a well-known business man of Springfield, a complete sketch of whom will be found on another page of this work, and George of this. review. Elizabeth Jackson became Henry Cooper's second wife, and to this last union one son was born, Frederick Cooper, who is now engaged in the plumbing business in Springfield.
George Cooper spent his early boyhood in England, being nine years of age when his parents sailed with him to America in 1872. He grew to man- hood on his father's farm in this county and assisted with the general work during the crop seasons, attending the public schools during the winter, continuing to farm on the homestead until he was about twenty years of age,
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then decided on a business career and went to Springfield, where he was employed as clerk in Sutter & Bryan's grocery store for a short time, then began learning the plumber's trade, in which he became an expert, and fol- lowed this until 1887, when he formed a partnership with his brother, Harry Cooper, establishing a plumbing business of their own at 412 South street, later moved to 414 that street, then to 402 the same street, the last location being now the site of the Bank of Commerce. They were successful from the start and their gradually increasing business compelled them to seek larger quarters from time to time. They did not only have an excellent practical knowledge of the plumbing business, but they each proved to be men of exceptional executive ability. They continued in this line of endeavor with ever-increasing success until 1908. During that period of twenty-one years the Coopers became widely known throughout the Southwest in their line of endeavor, and turned out some of the finest work and some of the largest contracts in the state of Missouri, including the plumbing for the Missouri state building at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1903, at St. Louis. They maintained a large, up-to-date and well equipped establishment and kept a large number of skilled artisans constantly employed.
Having accumulated a comfortable competency, George Cooper lived a retired life from 1908 until his death. He had long desired to visit his native land, particularly his boyhood home at Leicester, so he and his brother Harry sailed for England, February 9, 1910. After spending some time at the old home they made extensive tours about the British Isles and were preparing for their return trip to America when our subject was suddenly stricken with illness and a few days later was summoned to his eternal rest. on April 9, 1910. His body was brought back to Springfield for burial.
Mr. Cooper was married in 1891 to Grace Keet Smith, who was born in Keetsville, Barry county, Missouri, November 3, 1866, and she received a good education in the high schools of Springfield. She is a daughter of Dr. John R. and Frances R. (Keet) Smith, a prominent family of Springfield, a complete sketch of whom will be found on another page of this volume. Mrs. Cooper has long been a favorite with a wide circle of friends, and she and her children belong to the Episcopal church.
Mrs. Cooper is living quietly in her beautiful home on Cherry street. with her two winsome daughters, Mary Ruth, born October 30, 1892, and Elizabeth Fearn, born May 31, 1894, who are receiving excellent educational advantages.
Politically Mr. Cooper was a Democrat, but being a quiet. unassuming business and home man, he never sought public office. Fraternally he be- longed to the Royal Arcanum lodge, and was an active member of the Episcopal church, in which he was a vestryman for twenty-six years. He was held in the highest esteem by all who knew him.
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IRA CARL BON.
It has been by close application and persistent, honest work that Ira Carl Bon, general foreman of the reclamation department of the South Side Frisco shops, has risen from a machinist's apprentice to his present responsi- ble position, and not by the influence of friends or the inscrutable working of fate. He is a man of personal worth and popularity and enjoys the con- fidence of all with whom he comes in contact. He is enterprising and pro- gressive by both word and example and seeks to infuse that spirit into those with whom he is associated.
Mr. Bon was born May 3, 1876, at Centerville, Iowa. He is a son of George Bon, who was a native of New York, from which state he came to the Middle West when a young man and entered railroad service, and is at this writing coach inspector at Centerville, Iowa, for the Chicago, Bur- lington & Quincy Railroad Company, having been employed by this road for a period of thirty-three years. He helped build the shops of this com- pany at Centerville and has remained there ever since. He is sixty-seven years old. He has charge of the superintendent's office and the depot. He is a member of the Christian church and is a thirty-second degree Mason, and belongs to the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; also belongs to the Woodmen of America and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. His wife was known in her maidenhood as Eva Swearengin; she is fifty-five years old. Their only child is the subject of this sketch.
I. Carl Bon's grandfather was Henry Bon, a native of Germany, from which country he immigrated to America when a young man. He was a cigarmaker by trade, and later in life became a railroad contractor, and was for years a builder and contractor in the state of New York and in Iowa, maintaining his home for some time at Centerville.
The subject of this sketch grew to manhood at Centerville, Iowa, and there attended the common schools until he was sixteen years old, when he began serving his apprenticeship as machinist in the shops of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad at that place, remaining there from 1898 to 1905, then worked for the Wheeling & Lake Erie railroad at Canton, Ohio, as storekeeper in the supply department, from 1906 to 1910. In 1910 he went in business for himself, as agent for several standard makes of au- tomobiles. He continued in this field with success until 1914, in March of which year he secured employment with the Frisco Lines at Springfield as general foreman in the reclamation department, and he is discharging the duties of this responsible position in a manner that reflects much credit upon himself and to the eminent satisfaction of all concerned. He has under his direction three hundred and fifty men.
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Politically, Mr. Bon is an independent voter. Fraternally, he belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Ancient Free and Ac- cepted Masons, and is a member of the Christian church.
He was married in 1908 to Alice Harvey, a daughter of William E. and Mary M. (Streepy) Harvey, of Centerville, Iowa, in which city she grew to womanhood and was educated. She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, her grandfather having been a soldier in that war.
To our subject and wife one child, Maxine Bon, has been born, whose birth occurred June 20, 1910.
WILLIAM P. POWELL.
A gentleman of warm, sympathetic impulses, liberal and generous, Will- iam P. Powell, assistant foreman of the reclamation department of the South Side Frisco shops, Springfield, is a young man whom everyone, who has ever known him personally, likes and speaks well of. His manners are easy in social intercourse, with high conceptions of morality and honest, fraternal living. All these commendable traits, together with the fact that he has achieved such notable success in his field of endeavor at such an early age would augur for him a bright future in railroad service.
Mr. Powell was born at Saint Mary's, Sainte Genevieve county, Missouri, October 10, 1884. He is a son of Elisha T. Powell and a grandson of Will- iam Powell, a large tobacco grower of Kentucky in the early days. The father of our subject was born at Henderson, Kentucky, where he grew up, attended school and spent his life, engaged in raising tobacco of a high grade and on an extensive scale. Later in life he removed to Sainte Genevieve county, Missouri, and established the family home. For some time he op- erated a cooperage business at Jackson, this state. The latter years of his life were spent in retirement at De Soto, this state, where he died at the age of fifty-seven years, and was buried there. Politically, he was a Democrat and he belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church. The mother of the sub- ject of this sketch was known in her maidenhood as Della Van Winkle, and she was born at Jefferson City, Missouri, where she grew up and was edu- cated, and she is now making her home in Springfield and is fifty years old. To these parents only two children were born, a daughter dying in infancy, and William P., of this sketch.
Our subject received his education in the common and high schools at De Soto, Missouri. After leaving school he went to Texas and became a clerk in the postoffice at the town of Brownwood, having taken the civil
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service examination for the same. Later he was for one year in the United States mail service in that state. He then came to Springfield, Missouri, in 1902, and took a position as helper in the blacksmith shops of the Frisco railroad, in the North Side shops, under John French, who was foreman there for eighteen months. Our subject then went with the United Iron Works in this city as blacksmith helper, where he remained nine months, then took a position in the Schmook Machine Foundry Company here as blacksmith, later taking a position in the South Side Frisco shops as blacksmith helper, but returned to the Schmook foundry as blacksmith, then came to the South Side Frisco shops as blacksmith, in 1913, and for some time he has been assistant foreman of the blacksmith shop in the reclamation department of these shops, and has given his usual high-grade service and satisfaction.
Mr. Powell has remained single. Politically, he is a Democrat. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America, the Knights of Pythias and the International Brotherhood of Blacksmith Helpers. Religiously, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
WILLIAM WESLEY SKELLEY.
The time has arrived when intensive and diversified farming is neces- sary for conditions have changed since the former generation. We must now look more to soil fertility, grow better and more livestock, each farmer must do more work himself and hire less. The farmers and editors and statesmen who at one time insisted that American intelligence, Yankee thrift and ingenuity needed no protection have come to discover something differ- ent. In the language of the late Grover Cleveland, "It is a condition which confronts us-not a theory." One of the intelligent young farmers of Franklin township, Greene county, who realizes that he must employ differ- ent methods in his vocation to those employed a quarter or a half century ago is William Wesley Skelley, and he is therefore making a success in his chosen work.
Mr. Skelley was born September 17, 1876, in Cumberland county, Penn- sylvania. He is a son of Theodore A. and Mary Elizabeth (Smith) Skelley. The father was born in the same county and state as our subject, April 30, 1840, and there also occurred the birth of the mother of our subject. They grew to maturity in their native locality, were educated in the schools of the early days and married there and established the family home. Theo- dore A. Skelley devoted his active life to farming and was also a wagon maker by trade which he followed in his native state, working for some time in the railroad shops at Altoona, Pennsylvania, in fact, followed his trade for
SCENES ON THE FARM OF WILLIAM W. SKELLEY.
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a period of eighteen years. ' He was highly skilled and always found ready employment. He removed with his family to Greene county, Missouri, in 1884. when our subject was eight years old, and here he purchased a farm of one hundred and seventy acres in Franklin township, known as the "Cedar Bluff Farm." It was well improved and had a good group of buildings on it. Here he carried on general farming successfully, being a hard worker and a good manager, and was highly respected by his neighbors, being a good man in every sense of the word. He was a member of the Methodist church at New Salem in which he was steward for several years. During the Civil war he enlisted in Company G, Two Hundred and Second Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, at Harrisburg, that state, August 20, 1864, and served in a faithful manner until the close of the war, being mustered out as corporal, August 3, 1865, at Harrisburg, and was honorably discharged. He was in the army of the Potomac, but did mostly guard duty and was not in any of the great battles, but was in several skirmishes, his principal work was in guarding railroads in Virginia. Previous to his enlistment he had been in the employ of the government as mechanic, teamster, etc.
The death of Theodore A. Skelley occurred on his farm in Greene county. October 3, 1912, at the age of seventy years. His widow survives and remains on the homestead. To these parents five children were born, named as follows: Edward lives in Atchison, Kansas; Etta is deceased ; Mrs. Ada Stokes, wife of George J. Stokes, lives at Ebenezer, Greene county ; William W. of this review; Mrs. Mollie Hall, wife of Jesse R. Hall, lives near Gladville, Greene county.
The early boyhood of William W. Skelley was spent in Pennsylvania, but he grew to manhood on the home farm in Greene county where he worked during the summer months and in the winter time attended the common schools. He has remained on the home farm, which he is still operating in a highly successful manner, raising much grain and large numbers of live- stock annually.
Mr. Skelley was married December 24, 1902, to Lenora Stokes, who was born December 27, 1882, a daughter of Thomas Layson Stokes and Martha Ann (Vaughn) Stokes, the former a native of Greene county and the latter of Tennessee. He was born February 2, 1836, and died in 1898. and she was born March 22, 1838, and died March 1, 1889. Mrs. Stokes came to Greene county when a child with her parents and here she spent the rest of her life. Mr. Stokes spent his life engaged in blacksmithing and general farming on the homestead in Franklin township, just west of the Skelley farm; however, he removed to Willard ten years prior to his death, where he maintained a blacksmith shop, having learned the trade when young. He also followed his trade in connection with farming in Franklin township. He was regarded as one of the best blacksmiths in the county
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and many of his customers came from long distances. Fraternally, he be- longed to the Masonic order at Ebenezer. Politically, he was a Republican.
To Thomas Stokes and wife thirteen children were born, namely : Mary is deceased; Mrs. Sarah Frances Roan; Gatley is deceased; Cordelia is de- ceased ; Jasen H. is deceased; John R. lives at Pearl, Greene county ; George lives at Ebenezer ; Mrs. Dona Dysert lives at Hickory Barrens. this county ; Charles lives in California; Mrs. Lotty Skelley lives in Atchison, Kansas ; Lucy is deceased; Mrs. Lorettie Chisler is deceased; Otterson is deceased, and Lenora, wife of our subject, who was six years old when her mother died.
Mrs. Skelley grew to womanhood in Greene county and was educated in the public schools. She has borne her husband four children, Lee, born November 1, 1903: Helen, born May 24, 1905; Loyd, born November 20, 1909, and Anna, born April 11, 1908, died August 6, 1909.
Politically, Mr. Skelley is a Democrat, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist church at New Salem, and they are both well liked through- out the community.
CHARLES R. BUSCH.
From the life record of Charles R. Busch many useful lessons may be gleaned by the youth starting out on the road to success in railroad service, for he has been a man who believed in the wise saying of an old philosopher, "Lose no time in getting off the wrong road as soon as you discover that you are traveling it." He has been an advocate of progress in all phases of life, progress at any sacrifice, and, this being a fact, he has achieved a some- what unusual degree of success for so young a man, but he began early to advance himself in his chosen arena of endeavor and has left no stone un- turned whereby he might do so, and the future for him is redolent with promise.
Mr. Busch, who is chief clerk of the reclamation plant of the South Side Frisco shops, Springfield, was born in this city January 29, 1892. He is a son of Charles J. Busch, who was born near the River Rhine, in Ger- many, and who was brought to America by his parents when he was four years of age, and was educated at Litchfield, Illinois, in both German and English, receiving a fine education, although he left school when seventeen years of age. He soon became foreman for his father in the Litchfield Car and Foundry Company, holding this position for four years, when he went to Quincy, Illinois, as machinist for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad and worked there a year. He located in Springfield in 1877 and began working as machinist in the Frisco North Side shops, being pro- moted to machinist foreman there in 1889, which position he filled until
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