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 70
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the Legislature, and he was the first sheriff that ever held office in south- western Missouri. Mrs. Squibb, when young, went to live with an aunt in Troy, Doniphan county, Kansas, and there she received her education, in part, finishing in the Marionville Collegiate Institute. She taught school in Stone county for a while before her marriage.
To Mr. and Mrs. Squibb ten children were born, named as follows: Lillard, born on December 1, 1885, died on January 16, 1889; Harry W., born on January 10, 1887; James Lee, born on July 28, 1889; Mildred E., born on August 27, 1892; Effie H., born on January 22, 1895; Ernest R., born on March 18, 1897; John W., born on March 4, 1900; Lenora Glenn, born on June 3, 1903: Sylvia L., born on October 25, 1905; Sanford S., born on June 22, 1908.
Politically, Mr. Squibb is a Democrat. He is a member of the Trav- elers' Protective Association of America, and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He and his family belong to St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal church, South.
OSCAR FRANKLIN FARMER.
Although Oscar Franklin Farmer has long been sleeping the "sleep that knows no waking," like the great huntsman and Scottish chieftain, of whom we read in Walter Scott's "Lady of the Lake," he is still remembered by many of the older residents of the northern part of Greene county as an excellent business man and helpful citizen-one of the sturdy pioneers who did much for the early development of his locality, and his name is therefore entitled to special mention in the present volume.
Mr. Farmer was born on August 15, 1835, in Tennessee, but was a mere child when he emigrated with his parents, Moses Farmer and wife, to Missouri, the family locating in Cass county on a farm, where Oscar F. grew to manhood and received a common school education, and he was married near Pleasant Hill, Missouri, to Jane Wann, to which union two children were born, namely: Mrs. Elizabeth Ross, who lives in Washing- ton state, and Charles O., deceased.
Oscar F. Farmer remained in Cass county until 1865 when he removed with his family to Greene county and located in Cass township, purchasing the old Evans grist-mill which he operated for four years, supplying the early settlers with the material of which they made their bread, many of his customers coming from very remote distances, for grist-mills were few in those days. In connection with his mill he also operated a farm success- fully. Later he traded his mill to Samuel Appleby for a farm of one hun- dred and twenty acres where his widow now resides. In the early develop-
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ment of Willard, Mr. Farmer was active, establishing a general store when he first came here, and operated the same until his death, which occurred on October 8, 1887, at the age of fifty-two years. His widow subsequently sold the store to David Appleby. Mr. Farmer's second wife was Anna Appleby, whom he married in 1870. She is a daughter of William and Emily (Hurt) Appleby, both natives of Tennessee. To the last marriage of Oscar F. Farmer was born five children, namely: Fred, who lives in Springfield; Samuel, a farmer of this township; Claude, who lives in Wil- lard; Carl, whose death occurred in 1913; and John, who is living in Willard.
John and Claude Farmer now operate a general store in Willard, under the firm name of Farmer Brothers, and are doing a large and thriving busi- ness, both being active and energetic and good respectable citizens who have the confidence of their many customers.
Mrs. Anna (Appleby) Farmer was born on August 6, 1848, in Cass township, Greene county, and here she grew to womanhood and was edu- cated in the early-day schools. She is making her home with her son, John Farmer. She is a quiet home woman of noble character. Her father, William Appleby, was born in 1806, and his death occurred in Greene county in 1879, at the age of seventy-three years. His wife, Emily Hurt, was born in 1808, and died in 1861 at the age of fifty-three years. To these parents eight children were born, namely : Mrs. Eveline Williams is deceased ; Samuel, deceased; Elizabeth, deceased; Mrs. Cassander Looney lives in Boone township, Greene county; Anna, widow of the subject of this sketch; John lives in Cass township, this county; two children died in infancy.
The Farmers have been one of the best known and most influential families of Willard and Murray township from the pioneer days to the pres- ent and have all borne good reputations.
JOSIAH JEFFERSON GRAY.
The permanent prosperity of a nation must rest upon its agriculture. Where agriculture has been decadent, nations have declined. The history of the past decade proves that the agriculture of the United States, if not actually on the decline has not made the strides forward that it should have, and the result of this affects the producer and consumer alike in one respect -a rapid increase in the cost of living. This is a fact recognized by far- seeing men to such an extent that at the present time we find some of the strongest minds of the country grappling with the problem of putting our agriculture on a permanent and sound basis. This has become a near national issue.
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J. J. GRAY AND FAMILY.
RESIDENCE OF J. J. GRAY.
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An enterprising farmer of Brookline township, Greene county, is Josiah Jefferson Gray, who was born in the vicinity where he now lives on January 16, 1851. He is a son of George Washington and Sarah Jane (Edgar) Gray. Samuel Gray, our subject's grandfather, was a native of Ireland, from which country he immigrated with his father to America shortly after the close of the Revolutionary war. The father of our sub- ject was born in Tennessee, from which state he emigrated to Greene county, Missouri, in 1833, and settled in Brookline township among the first of the pioneers, and here he cleared and developed a good farm and spent the rest of his life, dying about 1906. The mother of our subject was born near Mammoth Cave in Green county, Kentucky. Her death occurred on the homestead here in 1901. They were the parents of four children, two sons and two daughters, namely: Josiah J. of this sketch; Andrew Jackson, born in 1854, died in 1865: Elizabeth A., born in 1848, married Jefferson Money- ham, of Chariton county, Missouri, and they have five children ; Sarah Jane married William Robertson, who is deceased. and she is living in Oklahoma and has five children.
Josiah J. Gray was reared on the home farm where he worked when a boy and in the winter attended the district schools. He has followed farm- ing all his life, having remained at work on the home place until 1869. when he started out in life for himself. In 1882 he purchased the place where he now resides, and since then has acquired eighty acres more, now owning a good farm of one hundred and twenty acres known as "The Oak Hill Stock Farm," on which he carries on general farming and stock raising. His farm is a part of the Wilson Creek battleground. Mr. Gray was but ten years of age when that great struggle took place, however he has a very vivid recollection of what transpired that memorable day.
Mr. Gray was married, August 22. 1878, to AArena Jane Russell, a daughter of J. N. and Nancy Elizabeth (Grimmer) Russell, both of whom came to Greene county from Tennessee in the early forties, and in this county Mrs. Gray grew to womanhood and attended the public schools.
To Mr. and Mrs. Gray the following children have been born : Johnnie T., born in 1880. was educated in the district schools, and he worked on the home farm until his marriage in 1901 to Margaret L. McNabb, daughter of J. P. and Sarah McNabb, of Republic, after which he moved to Stone county, Missouri, where he is now operating a farm which he owns; he has three children, Earl V. who is ten years old, Archie, aged seven, and Theo- dore. Joe Emmett. second son of our subject, was born June 15. 1887. was educated in the district schools, and remained on the home farm until his marriage. November 24. 1913, to Hollie Davis, daughter of Barney and Harriett (O'Dell) Davis. of Christian county, Missouri; he then took up
(100)
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farming for himself on a farm adjoining that owned by our subject. Willie J., third son of our subject, born June 12, 1893, was educated in the district schools, and is assisting his father operate the home farm; Ada, born August 18, 1883, was educated in the neighborhood schools, is single and lives at home; Emma E., born June 21, 1885, was educated in the home school, is unmarried and living at home; Hubert C., born July 12, 1889, died in infancy ; a daughter, Ida Maudie, died in 1882; one daughter born in 1879, unnamed.
Politically, Mr. Gray is a Democrat. He belongs to No. 471 Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Gray raises hogs and cattle of standard grade in large numbers.
ENOCH KNABB, M. D.
It is claimed by some authors that a man's life, or words of disparage- ment or praise of it, should not be written until after his death. Perhaps not until he has been dead some years. For, though, in one sense, none can know a man so well as he knows himself, and of the exterior knowledge gained concerning him, the simplest facts are liable to continual misrepre- sentation, still a certain amount of distance is essential to the breadth, com- prehension and truthfulness of the view-especially of that tuneful harp, that mysterious picture, a human existence. When an individual has attained the eminence in a community that Dr. Enoch Knabb has, it is fitting that a suitable biography be prepared of him for reference by his friends, hence the following tribute.
Doctor Knabb, for many years one of the well-known general physi- cians of Springfield, Missouri, was born in Wright county, this state, March I, 1867. He is a son of Henry M. Knabb, who was born near Indianapolis, Indiana, August 4, 1836, and there he spent his earlier years, finally immi- grating in an early day to Missouri and establishing the family home in Wright county, where he devoted his life to general farming and stock rais- ing. During the Civil war he was a member of the Eighth Missouri Volun- teer Cavalry. While in the service he contracted rheumatism and was con- fined in the government hospital for some time. He saw considerable hard service and was in a number of engagements. His death occurred in Mis- souri at the home place in 1891. The doctor's mother was born in 1830 and died in 1905 at the advanced age of seventy-five years. These parents were both members of the Christian church. The mother was known in her maidenhood as Minerva Gass. Dr. Knabb has a sister, Mrs. Mary A. Priester, who resides near Lorey, Wright county, Missouri. Her husband is engaged in buying and shipping live stock there. Jacob Knabb, our sub-
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ject's paternal grandfather, was a German-American, born in Pennsylvania, and his death occurred at the age of seventy-five years. His wife was a native of the United States.
Doctor Knabb is an excellent example of a self-made man, having worked hard in his youth to obtain money to defray his expenses in school, but such ambition and determination as he displayed could not fail of defi- nite results. He grew to manhood in Wright county and received his early education in the rural schools of his native community, later attended the high school at Hartville, and, having decided upon a career as physician, he entered the Keokuk Medical College, at Keokuk, lowa, in the autumn of 1892, from which he was graduated with the class of 1895. Soon there- after he commenced the practice of his profession at Stoutland, Missouri, near Lebanon, remaining there six years, during which he had a good coun- try practice. Seeking a larger field for the exercise of his talents, he removed to Springfield in 1901, where he has been engaged in a large and satisfactory practice ever since, which is constantly growing. He now con- fines his practice mostly to within the city limits. He took a post-graduate course in the Chicago Polyclinic in 1900 and 1905, and also took a post- graduate course in Kansas City in 1912.
Doctor Knabb is a member of the Greene County Medical Society, the Southwest Missouri Medical Society, the Missouri State Medical Association and the American Medical Association. Fraternally, he belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America, the Woodmen of the World, the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and many other lodges. Religiously, he is a member of the Central Christian church, and politically is a Republican.
Dr. Knabb was married on October II, 1885, to Matilda F. Davis, a daughter of James and Mary C. (Foster) Davis. Mrs. Knabb is a native of Wright county, Missouri, and she received her education in the rural schools there.
Three children have been born to Doctor Knabb and wife, named as follow : Henry F., born in Wright county, Missouri, May 5. 1887, was educated in the Springfield public schools, graduating from the high school here, and in 1907 he entered the medical department of the St. Louis Uni- versity, and was graduated with the class of 1911, and is successfully engaged in the practice of his profession at Foyill. Oklahoma; he married Ora K. Harris, in September, 1910, who is a graduate of the Springfield high school, also attended the State Normal here at different times, and she taught school four years; she is a daughter of Doctor and Dolly Harris. Arthur D. Knabb, second of our subject's children, was born in Wright county. this state, January 28, 1889, was graduated from the Springfield high school in 1909, and the same year entered the medical department of the St. Louis University, from which he was graduated with the class of
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1913; he served one year as interne at Lexin Brothers Hospital, St. Louis, and was elected professor of bacteriology and pathology; and later he resigned and took up the practice of his profession with his father in Spring- field, Missouri, and is making a pronounced success in his profession. He was married on June 26, 1914, to Beulah Harlow, a resident of Springfield. She is the daughter of Rev. W. E. Harlow, of 1359 Washington avenue, and a woman of education and refinement. She was graduated from Springfield high school in 1909. She was one of five children, four of whom are still living at home, the oldest having died about eleven years ago. Vernie E. Knabb was born in Wright county, Missouri, October 19, 1891 ; was graduated from the Springfield high school, later took a course in the Springfield Business College, from which she graduated in 1904. She is single and lives with her parents. These children have all received every advantage in the way of preparation for serious life work, and they all give promise of exceptional success in their chosen spheres of endeavor.
FRANK E. BROWN.
Successful farming calls for the best of judgment. It means good crops, good live stock well fed and handled, and a thoroughly balanced busi- ness in every way. No business needs better management all around than farming. So many chances for failure are present that it is the exceptional farm that is strong in every particular. Most farms succeed in spite of certain weaknesses. Some of these weaknesses can be corrected; others are due to conditions that cannot be improved, such as naturally poor soil, short growing seasons, steep hills and various things. No better example of a good general farmer, stock man and horticulturist than Frank E. Brown, of Campbell township, near the Springfield city limits, could be found in Greene county. He has applied business principles to his farming and has used his mind as well as his brawn. He hails from the far-away rugged state of Maine, but before casting his lot with the people of the Ozarks, engaged in mercantile pursuits in Minnesota a number of years.
Mr. Brown was born August 6, 1860, at Sangerville, Maine. He is a son of Francis and Tamar (Brown) Brown, and a grandson of Oliver Brown, who was a native of Maine his parents being among the pioneers of that state. He grew up and married in his native locality and later removed to Sangerville, having been among the first settlers at that place, and there he spent the rest of his life engaged in farming and died there, and there occurred the birth of his son Francis Brown, our subject's father. The latter grew up on the homestead on which he worked when a boy and in spare
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times learned the carpenter's trade. After the Civil war he removed to Minnesota, and engaged in contracting at Minneapolis, later moving to the southern part of that state and farmed a few years in the vicinity of Leroy. His death occurred in Minneapolis in August, 1896, at the age of seventy- three years. His family consisted of eleven children, four of whom are liv- ing at this writing, namely: Anna, who lives in Everett, Washington, is the wife of Clinton Stephans, a relative of the noted civil engineer, Frank Ste- phans; Mrs. Ada Jones, whose husband is deceased, lives in Minneapolis; Mrs. Fannie Hartley lives in Minneapolis; Minnie Stephens lives at Red Wing, Minnesota, and Frank E. of this sketch.
The subject of this review was educated in the common schools of Minnesota, where he removed with his parents when a child; however, he left school when thirteen years of age and began learning the carpenter's trade, later managed his father's farm, and during his father's last illness he was appointed by the governor of the Gopher state as a delegate to the Farmers' Congress which met in St. Paul. He continued general farming there, also maintained a store for some time.
Mr. Brown was married at Leroy, Minnesota, March 7, 1888, to Anna Palmer, a daughter of Cady and Sarah ( Palmer) Palmer. Her father was a farmer and one of the first settlers in the vicinity of the town of Leroy. There Mrs. Brown grew to womanhood and attended the public schools. The union of our subject and wife resulted in the birth of four children, named as follows: Mrs. Grace May Holder is the wife of a civil engineer, and she lives with her father; Charlie L., a graduate of the Agricultural department of the University of Missouri at Columbia, also lives at home; Ida and Ruth are both at home and are students in the Springfield high school. The eldest daughter of our subject is a talented musician ; she has the distinction of being the first and only pupil to graduate in all branches also in vocal music at Drury College. Mrs. Brown died in the fall of 1914.
Mr. Brown remained in Minnesota until in the spring of 1903, when he removed to Greene county, Missouri, arriving here on March 5th. He had purchased four hundred acres in Campbell township the year previous. He began improving this valuable tract and soon had it under modern im- provements and also built an attractive two-story eleven-roomed house with all modern conveniences, finished in original genuine black cherry, seven- teen hundred feet of which fine lumber he cut from his own land, doing the work himself, as he is a skilled carpenter and experienced builder. He has carried on general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale, making a specialty of a good grade of cattle, among his herd being a splendid Holstein bull for which he paid four hundred dollars when a calf. Mr. Brown leased his farm some time ago and merely oversees it in a general way, having retired from active farming, a lease of ten years being made to his son and
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Mr. Holder, his son-in-law, who has given up his work as civil engineer, in which he is quite accomplished, in order to devote his entire attention to the farm. An indication that this is not only a rich farm but is well oper- ated is seen from the fact that a field of one hundred acres of wheat in 1914, averaged over nineteen bushels per acre.
Politically, Mr. Brown is a Democrat, but while a careful voter and loyal to his party he has never sought political leadership, although he has held numerous minor offices, such as road commissioner and was a member of the school board in Minnesota for a period of twenty-five years during which he did much for the general improvement of the schools in his dis- trict. Fraternally, he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and was a past grand knight in Minnesota. He is a man whom it is a pleas- ure to meet, being well informed, hospitable and companionable.
GEORGE LEEPER.
The honored subject of this sketch is a representative of one of the pio- neer families of Greene county and is personally identified with the indus- trial interests of this section of the state where he has spent his life, being the owner of a fine farming property in Walnut Grove township. Mr. Leeper believes in adopting new and modern methods of agriculture in so far as they are applicable to local conditions and because of his progressive- ness, industry and close application he is regarded as one of the substantial farmers and stock men in this locality, the interests of which he has ever had at heart and where he has been contented to spend his life.
George Leeper was born on January 6, 1866, in Walnut Grove town- ship, Greene county, and he is a son of Francis and Elmina (Burney) Leeper. The father was born in Hawkins county, Tennessee, March 20, 1820, and there he spent his boyhood days, being fourteen years of age when, in 1834, he removed with his father, Hugh Leeper (also a native of east Tennessee) to Greene county, Missouri. They made the long overland journey direct to Walnut Grove township, and settled about two miles south of our subject's present farm, and were thus among the early pioneers here. They cleared and developed a farm from the wilderness and became well established and well known. The parents of our subject were married here in 1843 and soon thereafter moved to Dade county where they lived on a farm until 1847, in which year they returned to Green county and purchased a farm of two hundred and eighty-five acres, near which our subject's farm is now located, and here Francis Leeper engaged in general farming in a most highly satisfactory manner until his death, which occurred on Decem-
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ber 28, 1909, when nearly ninety years of age. Politically, he was a Demo- crat, and religiously was a member of the Christian church at Walnut Grove. He was a man of fine character, neighborly, hospitable, public-spirited and was highly esteemed by all with whom he came in contact. His wife, Elmina Burney, was a native of North Carolina, where her birth occurred on December 21, 1824, and she spent her early girlhood in her native state, removing with her parents to Greene county, Missouri, in the spring of 1835, the family locating on a farm near Ash Grove and her father was one of the prominent pioneers of this locality. She is still living, being now nearly ninety years of age, and makes her home with her son, the subject of this sketch. She is a grand old lady of the true Southern type-gentle, kind and of fine Christian character. She is afflicted with blindness in her old age, but bears her lot patiently. She is a daughter of Joshua and Jane (Stafford) Burney. She often recalls that long, rough journey overland from the old Tar state more than three-quarters of a century ago.
To Francis Leeper and wife seven children were born, three of whom died in infancy, those who grew up being Mrs. Elizabeth Gilliland, who died in November, 1909; Hugh, who is a resident of the town of Mary, North Dakota; Mrs. Ebanida Martin, who lives in Walnut Grove; and George, of this sketch.
George Leeper spent his boyhood days on the home farm, in fact, has remained on the same nearly all his life, and has always followed general farming and raising live stock. He received his education in the district schools of his township. He now owns one hundred and twenty-nine acres which he farms efficiently, and on which is to be seen an excellent group of buildings.
Mr. Leeper was married on September 10, 1891, to Flora Edmonson, who was born near Walnut Grove, Greene county, where she was reared to womanhood and was educated. She is a daughter of Fide and Martha (Potter) Edmonson. The father was born in this vicinity also, in 1840. He is a son of Allen and Polly Edmonson, who were very early settlers of Walnut Grove township, clearing and developing a farm here when the country was sparsely settled, and here Fide Edmonson grew to manhoood and early in life began farming which has been his life work. He continued to reside in his native locality until several years ago when he removed to Polk county in different parts of which he has lived, being now practi- cally retired owing to his advanced age and is residing near Red Top. Mis- souri. His wife was born and reared in Kentucky. They became the par- ents of the following children: Flora, Alonzo, Walton E. (deceased) ; Dud- ley, Edward, Dollie, Bettie and Rufus.
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