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 65
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PHILIP GARTON.
CHRISTIANAA GAARTON.
HOME OF J. H. GARTON.
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subject of this sketch was born in the Province of Saxony, Germany, and when a young girl she was brought to the United States by her parents, the family locating in Tennessee, and there she grew to womanhood and mar- ried Mr. Garton, and to them three children were born, a son and two daugh- ters, namely : John H., of this review; Alice, who married G. Lemp, of St. Louis, and they have three children; Florence married Joseph Adams, a farmer of Brookline township, and they have four children, all daughters.
The death of Philip Garton occurred in the spring of 1895, and his wife preceded him to the grave in 1894.
John H. Garton grew to manhood on the home farm, he having been seven years of age when he removed here with his parents from Tennessee. He assisted his father in the general work of the place and here he has lived continuously and now owns the farm which consists of three hundred acres of well improved and highly cultivated land, one of the choicest farms, in fact, in the township. He carries on general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale, handling an excellent grade of live stock. He has a good home and good outbuildings and up-to-date farming implements, the Garton Place Stock Farm being equal to any in the community.
Mr. Garton was married April 4, 1900, to Nora Rose, of Greene county, where she grew to womanhood and was educated in the common schools, as was Mr. Garton. She is a daughter of Reuben Rose, a successful farmer of the western part of the county. To Mr. Rose and wife eleven children were born.
To Mr. and Mrs. Garton three children were born, one of whom died in infancy; Francis Marion, born in June, 1903; and Christiana, born in August, 1906.
Politically Mr. Garton is a Democrat, and religiously he belongs to the Presbyterian church. He has never been ambitious to be an office holder, but he is deeply interested in public matters.
DR. ANSON HARVEY GIFFORD.
The homeopathic science of the treatment of multiform ills of the flesh has an able representative in Greene county in the person of Dr. Anson Harvey Gifford, of Springfield, formerly an instructor of music in Drury College, a man with talents sufficient to become well known in more than one avenue of endeavor, in this respect being unlike most men, for few there be who are able to rise above the mediocre even in one line of effort. Those who know Doctor Gifford well say that he has been the architect of his own
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character, is a distinct personality ; a man of independent mind and thought, diffident, but self-reliant, reserved but self-assertive, self-disciplined and highly intellectual. He has ever been a student, reader and thinker, and for his opportunities, a scholarly, effective professional man. None is more faithful than he in the performance of his every-day duties. Method, sys- tem, order-"Heaven's first law"-are rigidly observed by him.
Doctor Gifford was born at Owego, New York, May II, 1854. He is a son of Harvey B. and Marietta (Corbin) Gifford. The father was born at Owego, New York, and the mother at Salem, Massachusetts. The paternal grandfather was one of the pioneer settlers of New York state, where he devoted his life to farming. The maternal great-grandfather, Mr. Corbin, was born in England, from which country he emigrated to America in colonial times, and became an American officer in the Revolutionary war in which he fought gallantly until taken prisoner. He was returned to England by the British and kept in irons for some time, the chains on his ankles wear- ing the flesh to the bone. He was finally exchanged, but on his way back to America he died as a result of the exposure and inhuman treatment to which his captors had compelled him to submit so long. The father of Doctor Gifford spent his early life as a farmer in his native state, later re- moving to Chicago, Illinois, where he engaged in the music business, and had a well-patronized store which was wiped out in the great conflagration which destroyed that city in the autumn of 1871, Mr. Gifford being a heavy loser. He then removed with his family to Sedalia, Missouri, and resumed farming in that vicinity where he spent the rest of his life, dying in 1888. The mother of Doctor Gifford was born, February 22, 1824, and her death occurred in 1911 at an advanced age, being ninety years old. She was buried at Bois D'Arc, Missouri.
Dr. Anson H. Gifford was educated in the public schools, later attended Wheaton College in Illinois, also took a course at Drury College, Springfield, Missouri. Aside from a small start in life he has been self-supporting since he was about eighteen years of age, and worked his way through college, doing whatever he could get to do to make an honest dollar, but followed teaching for the most part. In 1875-76 he taught music in Drury College. He has a pronounced natural talent as a musician and has made himself proficient in the same. In 1885 he entered the Homeopathic Medical College in Chicago, in which he made an excellent record and from which institution he was graduated in the spring of 1889. Soon thereafter he came to Spring- field, Missouri, where he began the practice of his profession and has re- mained here to the present time, all the while enjoying a large and growing business and ranking among the leading men of his science in the southern part of the state.
Doctor Gifford is a member of the Missouri Institute of Homeopathy,
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and the American Institute of Homeopathy. He is a member of the Wood- men lodge, in politics he votes independently, and in religious matters he is a member of the Presbyterian church.
Doctor Gifford was married in 1883 to Alice H. Tucker, of Sedalia, Missouri. She was born in Lebanon, Kentucky, in 1862, and is a daughter of C. H. Rosanna (Riffe) Tucker. The father, who was a liveryman in Sedalia, died in 1903, and the mother is living in Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Tucker was left an orphan when he was quite young and was compelled to carve out his own fortune unaided, but by his sturdy manhood, persever- ance and indomitable courage became a man of importance and prominence. Mrs. Gifford's maternal grandfather was Peter B. Riffe, who was a colonel in the Confederate army during the Civil war. He lived to an advanced age, dying about 1893. His father was a general in the Indian wars in the early history of the state of Kentucky, where he commanded state troops. and he was well acquainted with Daniel Boone, the renowned hunter, pioneer and trapper.
To Doctor Gifford and wife one child has been born, Riffe Tucker Gifford, whose birth occurred in Sedalia, Missouri, January 31, 1885; he was educated in the schools of Springfield, and is unmarried. He is a young man of much promise.
DANIEL E. CLOUD.
Much depends on the kind of start one gets in this world, just as it does in a race. The horse that gets the best start, all other things being equal, will almost invariably win the race. So in the race of life; if you are properly started, with suitable grooming, such as good educational and home training, you will lead in the race in after years and enjoy your exist- ence, at the same time accomplish something worth while and be of service to your associates. Such home influences were thrown around Daniel E. Cloud, one of the best known citizens in the northern part of Greene county. Both father and mother were people of sound principles and exemplary habits and at their deaths, many years ago, there was no word of reproach spoken by any one, and they left a name revered by their many friends.
Mr. Cloud was born on December 8. 1857, in Pike county, Arkansas. He is a son of John B. and Amanda (Kelley) Cloud, the latter having been a daughter of Elijah and Elizabeth Kelley. Mr. Kelley was for many years a prominent citizen of Arkansas in the days of the carly settlers. He was a minister in the Christian church, and had the distinction of being a mem- ber of the first Legislature of Arkansas. John B. Cloud was born in Logan
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county, Kentucky, in November, 1836. There he grew to manhood, was educated in the common schools and there resided until 1854, when he re- moved to Clark county, Arkansas. He became owner of a good farm of one hundred and sixty acres which he operated and he also dealt extensively in live stock. During the Civil war he served four years as a member of Com- pany H, Sixth Arkansas Volunteer Infantry, of the Confederate army. He enlisted early in the conflict, proved to be a gallant and efficient soldier, and for meritorious conduct was promoted to captain of his company in April, 1862, and continued as such until the close of the war. He saw much hard service and participated in many battles and skirmishes, including Pea Ridge, Corinth, Farmington, Iuka and Port Hudson. He was captured during the last named engagement and was held prisoner nine months at Johnson Island, Ohio, being exchanged in March, 1864. Soon thereafter he returned home and joined the army of the Trans-Mississippi, his operations being confined to Arkansas during the rest of the war. After the close of hostili- ties he went to Okolona, Clark county, Arkansas, where he engaged in rais- ing blooded stock. He and Amanda Kelley were married in 1856, in Ar- kansas, and to them seven children were born, named as follows: Daniel E., of this sketch; Elizabeth, of Chickasha, Oklahoma, is the widow of Adolphus Cothan, he being deceased; John S. died when fourteen years of age; Hettie, of El Centro, California, is the widow of Charles Kemp, he being deceased; Nannie died in 1895; William T., who is treasurer and col- lector of Washita county, Oklahoma, lives at the town of Chickasha ; Beulah is the wife of Thomas Hayes and they reside in Arkansas. Politically, J. B. Cloud was a Democrat. He was a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, also belonged to the Christian church, in which he was an elder for many years. His death occurred in 1894, his wife having preceded him to the grave on May 10, 1885.
Daniel E. Cloud grew to manhood in Arkansas and there attended the common schools, and after working in a store for two years he came to Mis- souri and attended Morrisville College in Polk county for two years, then returned to Arkansas and engaged in the live stock business for two years. Returning to Missouri he located in Greene county, where he has since re- sided, engaged in general farming and stock raising, also merchandising. He operated his farm in Cass township until 1898, and still owns two hun- dred and twenty-five acres there. In the last mentioned year he engaged in the general merchandise business at Cave Spring, continuing for five years. then came to Willard and continued in the same line of endeavor until 1914 when he traded his stock of goods for a farm in Murray township, which he is now superintending, keeping his Cass township farm rented. He owns in all four hundred acres of valuable, well-improved and productive land and is successfully carrying on general farming and stock raising on a large
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scale. While a merchant he enjoyed a large patronage, both at Cave Spring and Willard, always carrying a large and well-selected stock of general merchandise and dealing courteously and honestly with his many customers.
Mr. Cloud was married on July 11, 1882, to Ida B. Appleby, a daughter of Samuel G. and Martha Appleby, one of the oldest and best-known fam- ilies of northern Greene county. Mrs. Cloud grew to womanhood on the farm here and was educated in the public schools and finished her schooling in Morrisville, Missouri. Five children have been born to our subject and wife, namely: Gertrude is the wife of A. F. Logan, a traveling salesman for the firm of Keet & Rountree, of Springfield; Horace E. died February 22, 1904; Beulah is the wife of Guy Murray, a farmer of Greene county; John S. lives at home and is engaged in the general mercantile business at Willard; William Clay is attending school, he completed the eighth grade this term, while only twelve years of age.
Politically, Mr. Cloud is a Democrat. He belongs to the Masonic Order, Blue Lodge, Royal Arch and Council; also the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen and the Court of Honor, all of Willard. Mrs. Cloud is also a member of the last named order. They belong to the Christian church at Cave Spring, in which Mr. Cloud was an elder during the period of his residence at that place.
CARVER O. MERCER.
To ambitious, struggling youths, with only the broad, perhaps cheerless highway of the future before them, this narrative of a self-made man-a successful life-presents an example worthy of consideration and earnest emulation, and might even fill a faltering heart with strong zeal, or a youth- ful mind with greater determination and a fuller recognition of those at- tributes which constitute true manhood-nature's patent of nobility-indus- try, integrity, temperance and right living along all lines Carver O. Mercer, who has been an enterprising resident of Springfield for over thirty years, is a well-known contractor and has long been identified with the affairs of the city, consequently is well known here and over Greene county.
Mr. Mercer was born in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county, New York, November 22, 1852. He is a son of Thomas C. Mercer, a successful pioneer physician, who was born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1817. He was the son of a brick manufacturer who furnished the brick for many of the first houses built of this material in Louisville. There Doctor Mercer grew to manhood and, after receiving a common school education, entered the Louisville Medical College from which he was graduated, and soon thereafter began
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the practice of his profession in that city. He seemed to specialize in surg- ery for which he had much native ability. He served nine years in the United States army, part of the time as regular physician and part of the time as contract surgeon. After leaving the service of the government he located in Utica, Indiana, where he engaged in the practice of his profession for some time, later removing to Jeffersonville, that state, where he con- tinued practice with his usual large success until his death in 1884. His wife, who was Katherine Orvis before her marriage, was a native of the state of New York. To Dr. Mercer's father and mother five sons and two daughters were born, named as follows: Thomas C., father of the subject of this sketch; Henry, who was a printer in Louisville, Kentucky, is de- ceased; James met death in a hotel in Texas when it was destroyed by fire; Pope met death by being accidentally shot; Levi, deceased, was among the early settlers near St. Louis, Missouri; Julia, deceased, was the wife of Claudius Devaull, a carpet merchant of Louisville, Kentucky; the name of the youngest daughter could not be learned by the writer.
To Dr. Thomas C. Mercer and wife two sons and two daughters were born, namely: Carver O., of this sketch; Elizabeth married Louis Girdler, superintendent of the Fall City Cement Company, and they have four sons and two daughters; Henrietta is the wife of Philip Arnold, who is engaged in educational work in Joplin, Missouri, and to them three sons, one of whom is deceased, and two daughters, have been born; Neville, who became a deputy clerk to the probate judge of Jasper county, Missouri, and was well known in public affairs in his vicinity, is deceased, having died in Greene .county.
Carver O. Mercer spent his earlier years in his native city and in Utica. Indiana, being educated in the common school in the latter place. At an early age he began life for himself by launching out in the teaming and transfer business. He remained in Indiana until 1873, when he came to Missouri and located in the city of Joplin, in which he spent ten years, then. in 1883, came to Springfield. He has continued the business in which he was first engaged since leaving Indiana, his business gradually increasing until it reached large proportions many years ago, although it had a modest beginning. He has long been one of the best known transfer men in Spring- field and is quite well equipped in every respect for this line of work, always keeping good teams, wagons and general equipment, and keeps a number of trustworthy hands employed all the while. He has had the contract for sprinkling the streets of Springfield since 1904, and has also had the con- tract for hauling coal for the pumping station of this city since 1906. That he has retained these contracts so long would indicate that he has given the best of service and highest satisfaction to all concerned. He has been very successful in a financial way and owns considerable property here, including
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a commodious residence. His office and barns are located at Chase and Camp streets.
Mr. Mercer was married on February 29, 1880, in Newton county, Missouri, to Amanda J. Wolf. She is a daughter of George Wolf, a farmer of Fremont county, Iowa, who is now deceased. In that county the birth of Mrs. Mercer occurred, March 19, 1854, and there she grew to woman- hood and received her education in the common schools. She proved to be a faithful and sympathetic helpmeet. She was called to her eternal rest on December 16, 1913.
Our subject and wife had no children of their own, but they adopted a son, Leo Mercer, who was born March 4, 1888. He was given a common school education in Greene county, and in early life he enlisted in the United States army in which he served seven years, during two of which he was stationed at Alcatraz Island, near San Francisco, California, and later spent several years in the Philippine Islands. His record as a soldier was an honorable and excellent one. He worked a year for the New York Con- tinental Jewell Filteration Company, his work being in Springfield. After this he secured employment with the Jarrett & Richardson Construction Com- pany of Springfield and is still connected with this firm, which, for two years has been engaged on a large viaduct in St. Louis.
In 1911 Leo Mercer and Mary Owen were carried in Greene county. She is a daughter of Bill Owen, a farmer living near Springfield. She was educated in the schools of this city. To Leo Mercer and wife, two children have been born, a son and a daughter, namely: Orvis Leo and Mary.
Politically, Carver O. Mercer is a Democrat, but he has never been an office seeker.
WELDON E. STALEY.
The country has many advantages over the city. Likewise, it has its disadvantages, and one of the greatest of its disadvantages is the lack of opportunity to gain a competence within a reasonable period of time. Many farmers have grown rich through increased valuation of their land; others have become well-to-do through carefully husbanding their resources, rigid and economical living and good business ability, ofttimes combined with favorable seasons for their principal product. It seems something of a pity that the farmer is not responsible for considerable of the increase in the high cost of living. He should be getting more of the high prices which the city people are paying for their produce than he is, because he is justly en- titled to it. It costs too much for the farmer to market his stuff. Transpor- tation charges are too high. The middleman's profits are excessive and
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there is not sufficient security for the farmer to insure him a just and honest return from all commission dealers. Nevertheless to the honest, pushing, hard-working and enterprising farmer is due the prosperity, wealth and ad- vancement of any community, and to their zeal, energy and integrity will its future prosperity be indebted, as it has been in the past. Among the names that have long been prominent in agricultural circles in the northern part of Greene county is that of Weldon E. Staley, of Cass township.
Mr. Staley hails from below the Mason and Dixon line, being a repre- sentative of a sterling old Southern family, and his birth occurred near Raleigh, North Carolina, July 9, 1840. He is therefore nearly to the mile- post marking three-quarters of a century. He is a son of Alfred Staley, who was born in North Carolina, June 2, 18II, in which state he grew to manhood and received a good education for those early days. He devoted his active life to general farming in which he met with more than ordinary success. In an early day he removed with his family to Clinton county, Mis- souri, making the long, tedious overland journey in wagons, in typical pioneer fashion. After spending two years in that county he came to Cave Spring, Greene county, this state and established the future home of the family, and there also established a general merchandise store. He built up a large trade among the early settlers, notwithstanding the fact that the country round about was sparsely settled, but many of his customers came long distances from settlements in the northern part of this and the southern part of Polk county. He remained a merchant there until his death, which occurred on December 16, 1853. His wife, Lucina Brower, was born in North Carolina, in which state she was reared, educated in the subscription schools, and there they were married on February 12, 1835. To their union nine children were born, three of whom died in infancy, the others being named as follows: Caroline married James Van Bibber, of Greene county, Missouri; William B. is a retired farmer, living in Texas; Weldon E. of this sketch; John C. died at Cave Spring many years ago; Sanders, who was at one time a judge of the Greene County Court, lives in Springfield; Lula, who- married Doctor Coltrane, is living in Springfield.
Weldon E. Staley was young in years when his parents brought him from North Carolina to Missouri. He received a common school education in Greene county, and assisted his father in the store at Cave Spring until he was about twenty-one years of age. He and his brother operated the store for many years after which he removed to the farm, although he had been very successful in the merchandise business. In 1860 he purchased his present fine farm in Cass township, and in 1861 removed to it, thus he has been a resident on one farm for the unusual period of fifty-four years. Doubtless very few farmers of this county have lived on their farms during a period of such a length of time. His place consists of two hundred and'
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sixty aeres, which he has developed very largely from a wild state, bringing it up to a high standard of improvement and cultivation through close ap- plication and good management. He has carried on general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale and has a good home in the midst of pleasant surroundings. During the Civil war he was a member of a militia regiment, but did not see much active service.
Mr. Staley married Angeline Evans, January 23, 1861. She is a daughter of Joseph Evans, one of the old settlers in this part of Greene county, the Evanses having been among the best known and most highly respected families of this locality for several generations. Here Mrs. Staley spent her girlhood and attended school. Mrs. Staley died, December 20, 1903.
Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Staley, one of whom died in infancy ; the others were named as follows: William Walter, Molly is the wife of Tom Watkins, and they reside in Springfield; Mrs. Dolly Roberts lives in Greene county ; Fannie is the wife of W. E. Thompson and they live in Cass township; Horace lives in Carthage, Missouri; Joe lives on the farm with his father ; Kate is living at home; Bunch is engaged in farming a short distance west of the homestead; Juanita is the wife of George Haun, and they live on a farm south of Springfield.
Politically, Mr. Staley is a Democrat, and while he has ever been loyal in his support of the party and a public-spirited man, he has never sought public office or political leadership, being content to devote his attention ex- clusively to his home and his farm. Like the rest of the Staleys, his reputa- tion in all the relations of life has been that of a plain, honest and helpful citizen, deserving of the high esteem in which he is held by wide acquaintance.
CALVIN POLLACK.
Of the second generation of those of foreign blood in Greene county, the name of Calvin Pollack, a merchant of Cave Spring, Cass township, should receive special setting in a biographical work of the nature of the one in hand, for in him are outcroppings of many of the characteristic traits that have made the French people successful and leading citizens wherever they have dispersed. He has tried to keep before him the aphorism, expounded by one of the greatest writers of the present age, "That the wise make of their failures a ladder, the foolish a grave," and he has refused to recall the doings of the past except their lessons, which he has used as guides for present-day actions, refusing to permit obstacles to thwart him in his race for a given goal. In thus advocating sound and wholesome principles of
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