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 52
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Judge Vaughan grew to manhood on the home farm near Ozark, Mis- souri, and attended the district schools near his home, and the schools in Ozark, and in 1860 entered the University of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where he remained until the commencement of the Civil war, when the in- stitution was closed. Young Vaughan then returned to Missouri with an uncle. Dr. David A. Vaughan, and remained with his parents until March 19, 1862, when he took "French leave" of his home and joined the Sixth Missouri Volunteer Calvary under Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, enlisting at Cass- ville, this state. Although but a boy of tender years, he proved to be a faithful and courageous soldier and participated in a number of engagements in western Missouri, such as Sarcoxie and other places, later going south. and was with the army that invested the renowned Confederate stronghold at Vicksburg, later went up the Arkansas river to Arkansas Post, after which lie was assigned to different transports on the Mississippi river. Besides the siege of Vicksburg he was in the engagements at Jackson and a number of cavalry raids in eastern Louisiana; was in the Red river expedition led by General Banks, and fought at Sabine Cross Roads and Pleasant Hill, and was again in an expedition to southeastern Mississippi, along Mississippi sound. Although in many campaigns and engagements he was never wound- ed. For meritorious conduct he rose to the rank of sergeant-major. and as
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such was honorably discharged after the battle of Baton Rouge, March 22, 1865, and returned to his Missouri home. After teaching school a short time he entered Illinois College, at Jacksonville, Illinois, where he spent one term, and in 1866 entered the law department of the University of Michi- gan at Ann Arbor, from which he was graduated in March, 1868. Soon thereafter he began practicing his profession at Ozark, Missouri, and built up a good clientage, ranking among the leaders of the Christian county bar, and became a public school commissioner. Remaining at Ozark until 1877, he came to Springfield, where he spent the rest of his life, and was one of the ablest and most successful lawyers in Greene county, and enjoyed a large business. He was possessed of a logical and analytical mind, was resourceful, tactful and tenacious, and as a pleader at the bar he had few equals. In 1886, upon the death of Judge W. F. Geiger, Governor Marmaduke appointed Mr. Vaughan to the position of circuit judge, to fill out the unexpired term of several months, and he discharged the duties of this responsible position in an able and most satisfactory manner. Although a very busy man profession- ally he found time to look after extensive business interests, which accumulated with advancing years under his able management and keen foresight. Dur- ing several years he was vice-president of the First National Bank, of Springfield, and he did much to further the prestige and success of the same by his able counsel and management. Aside from that he owned considerable valuable real estate, and was attorney for several corporations, and was widely known as one of the most successful corporation lawyers in the state. Politically, he was a Democrat and was one of the local party leaders, how- ever was not a seeker afer political preferment, preferring to devote his at- tention exclusively to his extensive professional and business interests.
Judge Vaughan was married, May 10, 1871, to Barbara A. Weaver, a daughter of John R. Weaver, a native of Tennessee, from which state he emigrated to Christian county, Missouri, in an early day, and there became a prominent citizen, and he served that county twice in the office of county treasurer. Mrs. Vaughan was born on December 17, 1852. and was one of seven children.
To Judge Vaughan and wife eight children were born, six of whom are still living, namely : Lena V., who married John A. Taylor, president of the Springfield Business College and a prominent business man of this city : they have three children and live in a cozy home at 800 South National boulevard; the other children are .Anne C., Charles and James: Susie died when fourteen years of age, and Mary died at the age of two and one-half years: Eleanor and Robert H. Mrs. Vaughan lives in a beautiful home on East Walnut street, and she has a host of warm friends.
Judge James R. Vaughan was summoned to his eternal rest on February
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4, 1904. Of him the Greene county bar will ever cherish his many virtues in fondest memory, and his many friends will lay up in their hearts in high- est esteem the pure worth of him whose exemplary life and character were manifest in all his professional, judicial and business relations.
HARRISON MILTON SMITH.
Harrison Milton Smith, cashier of the Farmers and Merchants Bank, of Springfield, is a native of the Buckeye state, having been born on June 28, 1857, in Licking county, Ohio. His parents were Harrison and Margaret (Brown) Smith, who were natives of Culpeper county, Virginia. His grandfather, Philip Smith, was a native of Warren county, Pennsylvania, and came from that sturdy German stock. His grandfather on his mother's side, Peter Brown, was of English descent. He was a minute man of the War of 1812, and lived to the ripe old age of ninety-one years. When H. M. was a small boy his parents emigrated from Ohio to Lagrange county, Indiana, where he lived until he grew to manhood. He received his early education in the district schools, and at the age of nineteen years he com- menced teaching. He taught four terms and in the spring of 1880 he en- tered the State Normal at Terre Haute and graduated with honors in June, 1883, receiving a state teacher's license for life in the state of Indiana.
After graduating he became general agent for the Union Publishing Company of Chicago, in which position he served for eighteen months. In March, 1885, he entered the employ of the Goodspeed Publishing Company and for five years he was their biographical writer for state works. He traveled in ten different states and was considered as one of the company's most efficient and competent men.
On May 9. 1889, he married Sarah Catharine Foltz, who is a native of Indianapolis, Indiana. By this union three children were born; Imo Ann, died on October 31, 1895; Orpha Foltz and Wilma Bernice are at home with their parents.
On June 3, 1889, Mr. Smith located at Richland, Missouri, where he organized the Pulaski County Bank, it being the first bank in Pulaski county, hence he is known as the pioneer banker of said county. He was elected its cashier, which position he held for fourteen years. In June, 1903, he sold out and moved his family to Springfield, Missouri, and at once organized the Farmers and Merchants Bank, and it opened for business on September 21, 1913. Here again he was elected as cashier of said banking institution, which position he has since held. As a banker he has been a success. His principal has always been "safety first" to his depositors and the banking
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institution of which he has been cashier, carrying at all times a surplus equal to the capital stock. He has always been a very busy man, looking carefully after every detail of the work at hand and in doing this he has been able to accumulate good property. Mr. Smith has always taken an active part in public affairs and in the welfare of the city in which he has lived. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, being a member of United Lodge, No. 5, Gate of Temple Chapter, No. 15, St. John's Commandery, Abou Ben Adhem Temple, Shrine. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and Woodmen of the World. He has been a member of the Methodist church for many years, and is one of the trustees of Grace Methodist Epis- copal church and one of its active members.
Mr. Smith is a self-made man in the true sense of the word. He was reared on the farm, working for twenty-five cents a day when a boy ; worked two years in a brick yard at a dollar a day and boarded himself. He is one of the substantial business men of Springfield and one of the leading bankers of southwestern Missouri. He was elected secretary of Group No. 7 at its last meeting in the fall of 1914.
WILLIAM ALEXANDER HALL.
Human life is like the waves of the sea; they flash a few brief moments in the sunlight, marvels of power and beauty, and then are dashed upon the remorseless shores of death and disappear forever. As the mighty deep has rolled for ages past and chanted its sublime requiem, and will continue to roll during the coming ages, until time shall be no more, so will the waves of human life follow each other in countless succession until they mingle at last with the billows of eternity's boundless sea. The passing of any human life, however humble and unknown, is sure to give rise to a pang of anguish to some heart, but when the "fell destroyer" knocks at the door of the useful, and removes from earthly scenes the man of influence and the benefactor of his kind, it not only means bereavement to kindred and friends, but a public calamity as well. In the largest and best sense of the term, the late William Alexander Hall was distinctively one of the noted men of his day and genera- tion in Greene county, Missouri, and as such his life record is entitled to a conspicuous life in the annals of Springfield and vicinity. As a citizen he was public-spirited and enterprising to an unwonted degree : as a friend and neigh- bor, he combined the qualities of head and heart that won confidence and commanded respect ; as a man of affairs, who had a comprehensive grasp upon the philosophy of business, he ranked for years among our most progres- sive commercial exponents. He was one of the prominent Masons of the
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state, and he brought honor and dignity to the public positions he filled with such distinguished success.
Mr. Hall was born in Nashville, Tennessee. November 27, 1834. He was a son of John and Elizabeth Hall, both natives of Scotland, from which country they emigrated to America when young and located in Pennsylvania, and were married in the city of Philadelphia. They removed to Tennessee in the year 1828, where they lived ten years, thence moved to Missouri in 1838, settling in St. Louis, where the father established the first water-works of that city, and where his death occurred in 1862. In 1848 the mother of our subject, together with her youngest child, perished in a steamboat dis- aster on the Alabama river. William A. Hall was about fifteen years old at the time of his mother's death, and he then went to live with his sister, Mrs. Emily Jane Oliver, wife of Judge Mordecai Oliver, of Richmond, Mis- souri. While living in Richmond he supplemented the public school educa- tion acquired in St. Louis with an academic training under the tutelage of Prof. A. Coke Redman, completing the course of study.
Mr. Hall began his business career by opening a drug store in Richmond, Ray county, removing to Liberty. Clay county, this state, in 1856, where he continued in the same line of business for fourteen years. He then accepted the position of cashier in the Commercial Bank, of Liberty, but owing to failing health he was compelled to resign. In 1872 he went to Mexico, Mis- souri, and engaged in the drug business, and a year later left Audrain county for Springfield, where he and John R. Ferguson opened a drug store. which, under his management, assumed so large a volume he was induced to discon- tinue the retail and devote his energies to building up an exclusive wholesale business. The business of this widely known house flourished and expanded and an extensive trade was carried on all over the Southwest. It was for some time known as the Hall-Pipkin Drug Company, later as the Hall Drug Company, our subject having acquired the interests of his partner, John D. Pipkin, and at the time of his death was president and general manager.
Mr. Hall was married in Liberty, Missouri, in 1855, to Florence Ringo. Rev. Moses E. Lord, a noted divine of the Christian church, performing the ceremony. Mrs. Hall was a daughter. of Samuel Ringo, a pioneer merchant of Liberty. To this union six sons and two daughters were born, five of whom are still living, namely: J. William, Samuel A., Mrs. J. D. Pipkin, Richard Lee and Mrs. Florence Mclaughlin. The mother of these children passed away on May 10, 1901. Both parents were active members of the Christian church during the major portion of their lives. Florence Hall mar- ried Charles Mclaughlin, a native of Portland, Maine, where he was reared and partly educated, subsequently attending a military school, and he engaged in newspaper work for some time in his native city, then removed to Springfield, Missouri, where he became secretary of the water company. His
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death occurred a number of years ago. To Charles and Florence ( Hall) McLaughlin one child was born, Florence, who is now a student in Drury College. Mr. Mclaughlin's father, Charles Mclaughlin, Sr., was a promi- nent citizen of Portland, Maine, where he was a successful business man, helped improve the city, and was elected representative to the Legislature of Maine in 1878, and in 1884 was elected to the State Senate. At the time of his death, many years ago, he was first vice-president of the Board of Trade of his city, a director in a bank and president of the Society for the Preven- tion of Cruelty to Animals.
Politically, Mr. Hall was a Democrat, having cast his first vote in the interests of that party, to which he adhered the rest of his life. Throughout his career, despite the distractions of business, he took an active interest in civic affairs. He was twice elected mayor of Springfield, his first term of office beginning in 1875. He again was mayor in 1897. He gave the city his best service and his administrations were eminently satisfactory to all concerned. He did much toward the general upbuilding and welfare of the city, whose interests he ever had very much at heart.
From the date of his association with Masonry, Mr. Hall was intensely interested in the benevolent motives of the order and took great pride in the honors conferred upon him. His Masonic career commenced in Liberty Lodge No. 31, where he was made a Master Mason in 1857. He served as master of the same in the years 1868 and 1869. He was exalted to the Royal Arch degree on May 10, 1865, and in Liberty chapter No. 3 he served as high priest in 1869. and again in 1871. He received the degree of Cryptic Masonry in Zabud Council No. 25 at Springfield in 1904. He was created a Knight Templar in Liberty Commandery No. 6, Knights Templars, November 17. 1865. On his removal to Mexico he affiliated with Hebron lodge, of that place, and assisted in forming Crusade Commandery No. 23. In 1873, after his removal to Springfield, he affiliated with United Lodge No. 5. Spring- field Chapter No. 15. and St. John's Commandery No. 20, Knights Templars. He served United lodge as master in 1875. 1878, 1883 and 1884. He served Springfield chapter as high priest in 1876. and again in 1890. He received the order of high priesthood in Igco. He served St. John's commandery as commander in 1877. 1878. 1879. 1880. 1881. 1883. 1884. 1886. 1887 and 1888. In 1896 he was appointed grand warder of the Grand Commandery, Knights Templars, of Missouri, and successively filled the several stations, being elected grand commander in 1904. In this latter eminent position the order credits him with having shown good judgment, zeal and activity, round- ing out an administration that will go into history as beneficial to the order he loved.
Personally, Mr. Hall was a gentleman of commanding presence, and his
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genial, social qualities and strict business rectitude rendered him popular as a man and citizen.
The death of Mr. Hall, at the advanced age of seventy-five years, was sudden and unexpected, occurring at the commodious Hall residence on North Main street, on Friday morning, September 25, 1909. The impressive funeral services were in charge of St. John's commandery, Knights Templars, and were held in St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal church, South. The eulogy was delivered by Rev. F. L. Moffett, pastor of the South Street Christian church, of which Mr. Hall was a member. The remains were escorted to the church and to the Maple Park cemetery by the Hobart Military band and by St. John's commandery, Knights Templars, and the united lodges. John Nixon, of St. Louis, eminent grand generalissimo; William H. Glancey, of St. Louis, eminent grand standard bearer; John Gilles, past grand commander, of St. Louis; W. Y. Beam, grand instructor, St. Louis; A. N. Martin, grand war- der, Lebanon; John Wingsweimer, Will Diffenderffer, Senator J. W. Farris, past commanders, and John Diffenderffer, all of Lebanon, and other high Masonic officials, attended the services. The pallbearers were Jobe Newton, Col. H. W. Diggins, Dr. D. B. Farnsworth, Paul O'Day, M. V. Ausherman, George Arnold, J. M. Heckenlively and W. T. Bigbee, all past commanders of St. John's commandery, Knights Templars.
Among the many complimentary and eulogistic newspaper articles that appeared in the press from time to time in regard to Mr. Hall, the biographer will here reproduce but one, which he deems sufficient to show the high stand- ing of our subject as a man of affairs and citizen, the article having appeared editorially in the Springfield Leader, under the caption of "Springfield's Pop- ular Mayor." It follows :
"In this day and time when money is regarded as the summium bonum, that municipality whose affairs are looked after by clean, honest, conscien- tious men is, indeed, fortunate. Of course, all men have weaknesses and shortcomings, and your correspondent is not prepared to say that he has found a man or body of men who are by any means faultless, but when we state that the city of Springfield has one of the best mayors she ever had, and that her governmental affairs are being conducted in an honorable and straight- forward manner, we expect to be taken with all seriousness.
"The Hon. William A. Hall is certainly the right man in the right place, for none to whom we have spoken, and we have conversed with many on the subject, have had anything to say in regard to him and his methods except words of praise and commendation and approval.
"Mr. Hall is a representative man of affairs, having been identified with the business interests of this section for a number of years. He is interested in the drug business, of which business he is a master, and has done his share
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in building up the city and making it one of the most substantial towns in this section of the country.
"In view of these facts his nomination for mayor by the Democrats and his election by the people were certainly manifestations of good judg- ment. Since his inauguration there has not been a mistake made in conduct- ing the affairs of the city; no, not even, as far as we can learn, an indiscre- tion. The city has been well kept, lives and property have been adequately protected, and prosperity has come-let it be hoped, to stay.
"We congratulate the people of Springfield upon their good judgment in selecting such a mayor, and at Mr. Hall's request will say that he is not a candidate for re-election, which is certainly a matter for regret."
JAMES T. WALSH.
When a man is called "foreman" it means more than the casual ob- server might at first suppose, for it indicates that he has labored persistently and conscientiously else he would not be in charge of the men in his de- partment. It does not matter what he is foreman of, whether a machine shop, factory, a crew of farm hands or on public works. The same con- clusions may be drawn no matter what kind of a firm he represents, or whether it is one of world-wide reputation or only of local importance. So when we speak of James T. Walsh as foreman of the boiler shops in the new shops of the Frisco railroad at Springfield, we confer upon him a well deserved title of honor.
Mr. Walsh was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on August 21, 1860. He is a son of James and Celia (Collins) Walsh, both natives of Ireland, where they grew to maturity, attended school and were married. Upon emigrating to America they located in the state of Ohio. After living for some time in the city of Cincinnati they removed to St. Louis, Missouri, where they spent the rest of their lives, both dying there. Mr. Walsh worked at various occu- pations after coming to the United States. For years he worked as river- man on the Ohio. His family consisted of four children, the subject of this sketch being the only survivor.
James T. Walsh was an infant when his parents removed with him to St. Louis and there he grew to manhood and attended school, his education being limited to the eighth grade. When a young man he began learning the boilermaker's trade in the shops of Rohan Brothers, St. Louis, with whom he remained for several years. He came to Springfield in 1881 and went to work at his trade in the old north side Frisco shops, where he remained until he was transferred to Memphis, Tennessee, in December, 1906, as foreman
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of the boiler shops for the Frisco there. He was retained by the company in that city until in December, 1909, when he was made foreman in the boiler shops at the new shops on the north side, where he has since remained, giving eminent satisfaction in every respect and being regarded as one of the best men in his line on the entire system, not only understanding every phase of his department, but he is also a man of considerable executive ability and handles his force of men in an able manner.
Mr. Walsh was married on April 18, 1883, in St. Louis, to Nora Shea. who was born in Ireland, and is a daughter of Dan and Nora (Lyons) Shea. These parents lived and died in Ireland, spending their lives on a farm, where Mrs. Walsh grew to womanhood and there she attended the common schools.
The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Walsh, namely: James, born on February 26, 1884: Mary, born on March 24, 1885, lives at home ; Francis J., born on November 18, 1886 ; Daniel, born on July 6, 1888; Robert, born on August 29, 1890, and Thomas, born on November 29, 1892.
Politically Mr. Walsh is a Democrat. Fraternally he belongs to the Royal Arcanum and the Knights of Columbus. He is a member of Sacred Heart Catholic church.
SAMUEL MACK LLOYD.
One of the representative business men of Greene county of a past gen- eration was the late Samuel Mack Lloyd, who devoted his earlier life to gen- eral live stock pursuits, but for over a decade he was in the tin and stove business in Springfield. He was essentially a man of affairs, sound of judg- ment and far-seeing in what he undertook, and with scarcely an exception every enterprise to which he addressed himself resulted in gratifying financial returns. He began life poor in this world's goods, but rich in what is of far more value than material wealth-a sound mind and a sound body. He pos- sessed concentration of purpose and energy that laughed at restraint; keen foresight and the rare executive ability that made everything undertaken accomplish the purpose for which intended. To these qualities were added scrupulous integrity in all dealings with his fellow men and an honor in keep- ing with the ethics of business life, while behind all and controlling all were the great principles embodied in the Golden Rule, without which no man, however great his wealth, and however distinguished his name, can be truly successful.
Mr. Lloyd was born in the state of Delaware, in the year 1833. When he was a small child his parents moved to Canton, Lewis county, Missouri, and established their home on a farm, the father devoting his active life to agricultural pursuits, and there he and his wife died when our subject was
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but a boy. Their family consisted of four children, all now deceased, namely : Jeremiah was the father of James T. Lloyd, who became a noted politician and a congressman ; John. Samuel Mack and Henry.
Samuel M. Lloyd grew to manhood on the farm where he worked hard when a boy, and he received his education in the public schools of Canton, Missouri, and when but a boy he manifested decided natural talent as a judge of live stock, and, consequently, turned his attention to dealing in live stock, which he followed principally up to 1883, in later years under the firm name of S. M. Lloyd & Company, and he was very successful all along the line in this field of endeavor.
In the fall of 1883, Mr. Lloyd located in Springfield, and continued to make his home here the rest of his life. He conducted a tin and stove estab- lishment on Boonville street, his shop being one of the largest and best known of its kind in southwest Missouri, and he did a large and successful business, under the firm name of S. M. Lloyd, Tin and Stoves. He conducted this business ten years, or until 1893. His health had begun to fail and he gave up the business that kept him so closely confined, and, in order to have some- thing to do, accepted the position of relief officer of Springfield, being ap- pointed by Jerry Fenton, at that time mayor, and he continued to discharge the duties of this office until his death.
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