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 75
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Politically, Mr. Fowler is a Republican. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen. He is a member of the First Baptist church.
EDGAR T. EMERY.
A large percent. of the men in railroad service have come from the farms. There has ever been a certain fascination in this life for the farmer boy and while yet scarcely old enough to hold steadily the plow handles they began dreaming and planning of a career "on the road." This class is peculiarly fitted for railroad work, which requires men of strong physique, steady nerve and grit. One of this number is Edgar T. Emery, of Spring- field, a Frisco engineer, who has had a successful carcer from the start as railroader. Mr. Emery was born on a farm in Clark county, Iowa, Octo- ber 31, 1855. He is a son of James H. and Sarah Elizabeth (Dufur) Emery. The father was born in Ohio, October 27, 1830, and his death occurred in Whitewater, Wisconsin, May 7, 1904. The mother of our subject was born in Washington county, Ohio, May 4, 1834, and although past her eightieth birthday, is hale and hearty and makes her home with the subject of this sketch. These parents grew to maturity in their native state and there received limited educations, and were married in Henry county, Illinois. From there they removed to Iowa in pioneer times, making the overland journey with an ox team, entering land from the government
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in Clark county, where they established the family home by hard work and perseverance. James H. Emery was a carpenter by trade, which he followed in his earlier years, but later devoted his attention to farming and stock raising. He moved back to Illinois when our subject was a small child but did not remain there long, and in 1887 the family moved to Whitewater, Wisconsin, where the elder Emery followed contracting and building and where his death occurred. Politically, he was a Republican, and fraternally was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His family consisted of three children, namely: Edgar T., of this sketch; Eva L., born October 1, 1858, married a Mr. Storm and they make their home in California; William, born March 28, 1863, died April 1, 1866.
Edgar T. Emery grew to manhood on the farm in Iowa and there at- tended the common schools. After leaving school he began working for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company, April 15, 1874, at Creston, Iowa, as an oil boy," his duties being to look after the "oil house." On September 1, 1875 he was put to firing a switch engine, on which he worked for six months, then worked as fireman from Creston to Ottumwa. He continued in the employ of that road as fireman until October 17, 1880, when he was promoted to locomotive engineer on the same run which he retained until the big strike on that road, February 27, 1888. In June, 1889. he came to Kansas City, Missouri, and secured a position on the old Kansas City, Ft. Scott & Memphis road, as engineer, out of that city on the Ozark division. On June 15, 1893, he was injured in a wreck, breaking a leg, which necessitated his giving up the road for some time. Later he took a position running a stationary engine in the Springfield south side shops, which posi- tion he has continued to hold since May, 1894, giving his usual satisfactory service.
Mr. Emery was married May 4, 1880, in Creston, Iowa, to Ada Alice Reynolds, who was born in Macon county, West Virginia, March 29, 1862, where she grew to womanhood and attended school. She is a daughter of Edward and Laura (Turner) Reynolds, the father dying when Mrs. Reynolds was quite small and when she was eleven years old her mother died. They both were natives of West Virginia. Mr. Reynolds served four years in the Confederate army, having enlisted at Mason City, West Vir- ginia, at about the beginning of the war.
Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Emery, namely: Ray W., born July 2, 1881, is a jeweler by trade and lives in Texas: the other two children died in infancy unnamed.
Mr. Emery belongs to the Masonic Order, including the Chapter and Commandery. He is a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi- neers. He also belongs to the Modern Woodmen and the Knights of Pythias, is a member of the Grand Lodge of the state of Missouri. Po-
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litically, he is a Republican. His wife is a member of No. 1, White Shrine,. and the Eastern Star.
Mr. Emery has a good home on Broad street, Springfield. He often recalls the fact that he fired engine No. 308, with Engineer John Francis, in 1879, that pulled the train on which rode General Grant when he made his trip around the world.
ROSWELL K. HART.
To the pioneer more than to any other is civilization indebted for the brightest jewel in its diadem, for it was he that blazed the trail and acted as van-guard for the mighty army of progress that within the last cen- tury has conquered Greene county's wilderness and wild prairies and trans- formed this section of the Ozark region into one of the fairest and most enlightened of the commonwealth of Missouri's domains. One of this number is Roswell K. Hart, a .veteran of the Civil war, who is one of the earliest settlers of Wilson township, this county, and who, after a successful life as farmer and stock man is living in retirement in Springfield.
Mr. Hart was born June 7, 1829, in North Carolina, and when four years old emigrated with his parents to Bedford county, Tennessee, and there grew to manhood and was educated. He is a son of Henry and Barbara (Lambeth) Hart, natives of North Carolina. The father of our subject was a soldier in the war of 1812. He moved from Tennessee to Greene county, Missouri, with his family, where his death occurred, De- cember 21, 1855, and there his wife died about 1877. They had spent their lives on a farm. Mr. Hart was a soldier of courage and ability, and he- not only served five years in our second war with Great Britain, but also served two years in Indian wars prior to that period. His family consisted of eight children, only two of whom are living, Mrs. Sally Davis, and Roswell K., of this sketch.
Our subject received but a limited education, however he has become a well-informed man through wide reading. He was twenty-three years old when he made the overland trip in wagons with his parents to Greene- county, Missouri, from Tennessee, experiencing numerous hardships en route, and here he has resided ever since, the family having reached here on December 2, 1852, sixty-two years ago. His active life has been spent in farming and dealing in live stock. However, he dealt somewhat in the teaming business, hauling, prior to the Civil war, selling fruit, flour, gro- ceries and trading with the Indians. At the outbreak of the Civil war he en- listed in Springfield, in the Home Guards, and in August, 1862, he en-
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listed in Company B, Seventy-second Missouri State Militia, Federal army, and at one time he was in charge of a company of men, ranking as major, and covered the retreat of the Union army from Springfield to Rolla. He made an excellent record as a soldier, was respected as an officer by his. men and superiors, all acknowledging his courage and ability, and he was discharged at the close of the war as a lieutenant-colonel. Returning home, he resumed farming and stock raising in Wilson township, which he helped put on the map. Selling his farm, he retired from active life about twenty years ago and moved to Springfield, where he has since resided, now living in his pleasant home on South Market street. He also owns other prop- erties here which he rents.
Mr. Hart was married February 2, 1859, in Springfield to Mary J. Beal, who was born near Wilson's creek, this county. She was a daughter of Daniel and Nancy Beal. She was reared in this county, and educated in the common schools here. Daniel Beal was born in North Carolina, May 19, 1799. He was a cabinet maker by trade and when a young man went to Giles county, Tennessee, where he married Nancy Gibson, a daugh- ter of George Gibson and wife, and they were the parents of seven children, namely : George T., Allen H., James N., Martha A., Damaris, Mary J. and Penelope. Mr. Beal remained in Giles county, Tennessee until three of his- children were born, and in 1831 moved to Lawrence county, Missouri, and settled near where Verona now stands. Judge James White came the same time, and here Mr. Beal made a clearing and began his home. He was in company with Judge White in the ownership of land and as they thought the tract of land not large enough for both, Mr. Beal sold out and came to what is now known as Greene county, the latter part of 1833 and settled on Wilson's creek, in Campbell township, four miles west of Springfield. Here he cleared up a farm and passed the remainder of his days, owning two hundred and eighty-eight acres. In politics, he was a Democrat, and both he and his wife were members of the Baptist church. Mr. Beal lived to the age of about forty-seven years and died. December 7, 1847. He was one of the old pioneers of southwest Missouri and highly respected by the older settlers, by whom he was well known as a man of integrity and char- acter and honest worth.
Seven children were born to Col. Roswell K. Hart and wife, namely: Nancy A., who married Louis Hendricks, of Christian county, Missouri ; Mrs. Halley A. Alexander lives in Brownwood, Texas; the third child died in infancy, unnamed; Alveria, of Springfield; Samuel K., of Houston, Texas; Andy T., of Greene county; and William H., who is a resident of Austin, Texas.
The death of Mrs. Mary J. Hart occurred February 26, 1914, at the age of sixty-five years.
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Politically, Colonel Hart is a Democrat. He is a member of the Chris- tian church, as was his wife. He belongs to the John Matthews Post, Grand Army of the Republic. at Springfield
JOHN MALONEY CHRISMAN.
Greene county and other parts of southwestern Missouri are greatly __ indebted to the grand old state, "the Mother of Presidents," for the Old Dominion has sent to us a large number of her enterprising and high-minded citizens who have done much toward a general upbuilding of this locality. They have, almost without exception, proven to be most desirable and valuable citizens, being ever willing to assist in the material, moral and civic upbuilding of the localities in which they have settled, and they have brought to us not only a commendable industrial and public spirit but a re- finement of manners which has made for the good of this mountain coun- try, originally somewhat uncouth and rough. One of these citizens from beyond the Blue Ridge mountains who is deserving of special notice in these paragraphs was the late John Maloney Chrisman.
Mr. John Maloney Chrisman was born in Lee county, Virginia, Octo- ber 23, 1841. He was a son of Gabriel S. and Margaret (Maloney) Chris- man. Gabriel S. Chrisman was born November 14, 1814, in the same county and state, and was a son of Isaac and Sarah (Yeary) Chrisman. Isaac Chrisman was also a native of Lee county, Virginia, as was his father, Ga- briel Chrisman. Gabriel Chrisman in the early forties removed to Jackson county, Missouri, where he farmed until the early fifties, when he moved to Andrew county, Missouri, where he spent the remainder of his life.
Isaac Chrisman devoted his life to farming and preaching, being an old school Baptist preacher. He moved to Greene county, Missouri, in the spring of 1851. He purchased a farm near Ozark, Christian county, this state, in 1852, and moved his family thereto. He entered eighty acres of land which belongs to the estate of the subject of this sketch. The elder Chrisman farmed this land until his death in 1873. Gabriel Chrisman, his son, then purchased the farm which he farmed for some time, finally selling it to his son, John M. Crisman, of this sketch. Gabriel S. Chrisman's death occurred in 1901. Margaret Maloney, mother of John M. Chrisman, was born in Addington county. Virginia, in 1810, and was a daughter of John Maloney. She and Gabriel S. Chrisman grew to maturity in their native locality and were married there in 1833. Her death occurred in 1890, on the old homestead in Christian county, Missouri.
John M. Chrisman grew to manhood on the farm, where he worked
JOHN M. CHRISMAN.
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during the summer months, and in the winter time he attended the district schools. On March 28, 1862, he enlisted in the Missouri State Militia, Company B, Fourteenth Regiment, which was afterwards mounted and known as the Fourth Cavalry, Mr. Chrisman being transferred to Company M of the same. He saw some exciting service, mostly in fighting guerillas. He was in Springfield as a member of the Home Guards in August, 1861, when the battle of Wilson's Creek was fought ; he was at Jefferson City in the fight against Gen. Sterling Price's army in 1864, and on October 9th of that year he was wounded in the left shoulder and side at the battle of California, this state. He was later brought back to Jefferson City and from there fought bushwhackers. He caught the smallpox in Sedalia, because of which he lost his eyesight in January, 1865, in Jefferson City. He was mustered out of service March 28, 1865, as first sargeant of his company and honorably discharged.
After the war he returned to the farm and, in 1869, went to St. Louis, where he spent two years in an institution for the blind learning the trade of a broom maker. He resumed general farming, broom making and stock raising, which he carried on successfully until 1881, when he moved to the city of Springfield, where he lived a retired life. His family now own a finely improved and valuable farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Christian county, also several pieces of valuable city property.
Mr. Chrisman was married May 1, 1881, to Mary Day, who was born in Walworth county, Wisconsin, February 20, 1845. She is a daughter of Isham and Emily (Bigelow) Day, a highly respected family of that county, where she grew to womanhood and was educated. Her father was born in Tennesee in 1810, and died April 7, 1862, in Christian county, Missouri, being killed by guerrillas. The mother was born in Nova Scotia, April 27. ISIO, and she died about fifteen years ago. Mrs. John M. Chrisman's father was a farmer and preacher of the Christian church.
To Mr. and Mrs. Chrisman three children were born, one dying in infancy: Oscar D., born on July 1, 1884, lives in Springfield ; he married Katherine E. Ramsey on June 1, 1911 ; she is a daughter of J. W. Ramsey. Oscar D. Chrisman was appointed assistant city engineer about three years ago. Pearl L., born on May 2, 1887, died on March 22, 191I.
Politically Mr. Chrisman was a Republican. He was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and religiously was a member of the Christian church. He led a quiet, honorable life and had a host of friends wherever he was known.
The death of John M. Chrisman occurred August 24, 1914 in his seventy-third year.
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JAMES B. JOHNSTON.
One of the well-known citizens of the north side in Springfield is James B. Johnston, the popular justice of the peace, who has been a citizen of Greene county for nearly thirty years. Over three decades of his life has been devoted to railroading on various roads and in various capacities, and for some time with the Frisco system, his last position being passenger conductor. He is a veteran of the Union army, having fought gallantly for his adopted country during its greatest crisis, although he was born under another flag. Since casting his lot among us he has been regarded as a good citizen in every respect.
Mr. Johnston was born in Toronto, Canada, September 4, 1841. He is a son of Benjamin and Ann (Davison) Johnston. The father was born in the same city and province, March 14, 1809, and the mother was born in Nova Scotia, May 30, 1813. They grew to maturity in their native Domin- ion and were educated in the common schools and married there, establishing their home in Toronto, where they lived until 1846, when they removed to Carroll county, Illinois, making the overland journey by team, after cross- ing the lake, and located on the wild prairie, where the father of our sub- ject secured land, which he developed into a good farm, and there spent the rest of his life engaged in general farming. He learned to be a mechanic when young and worked at his trade for a number of years. His death occurred at Sterling, Illinois, February 3, 1873, and there the death of his wife occurred in July, 1890, having survived him seventeen years. They were the parents of nine children, three of whom are still living; they are, James B., of this review ; Mary E., and Eugenia.
James B. Johnston was five years of age when his parents removed with him from his native province to Carroll county, Illinois, and there he grew to manhood on his father's farm, which he helped develop, and he received his education in the district schools in that neighborhood, later attending the Rock River Seminary in Ogle county, that state, and he was still a stu- dent in that institution when the Civil war broke out, and on November 5, 1861, he enlisted from Carroll county, in Company B, Seventh Illinois Cav- alry, under Col. William Pitt Kellogg. Henry C. Forbes was the captain and Gen. Benjamin Grierson and he did a great deal of scouting and raiding, including the well known Grierson raid. He was discharged at Nashville, Tennessee, December 17, 1864, receiving an honorable discharge. He re- turned home at once, and later entered a commercial college in Chicago, where he spent one summer and remained in that city during the summer of 1865, and in September went home, remaining on the farm, and in February of 1867 went to Omaha, Nebraska, where he took a position as brakeman
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with the Union Pacific railroad, at which he worked until 1868, when he quit and went to Iowa, where he engaged in business for himself until 1874, when he took up railroading again and worked as brakeman, freight and passenger conductor on several different roads, and in 1886 he came to Springfield, Missouri, and went to work on the Ozark division of the old Kansas City, Ft. Scott & Memphis road, later worked for the Frisco. He continued railroading until the fall of 1898, when he was elected justice of the peace, and he has been re-elected three times, and is now serving his fourth term. His office is located at 2121/2 East Commercial street, Spring- field. That he has given the utmost satisfaction as a public servant is evi- dent from the fact that he has been retained so long in office. His decisions have ever been noted for a clear conception of the law and for their uniform fairness to all parties concerned, and they have seldom met with reversal at the hands of higher tribunals.
Mr. Johnston was married twice, first on October 15, 1868, at Boone, Iowa, to Amelia L. Mastin, a native of Illinois, and to this union four chil- dren were born, all surviving at this writing, namely: Benjamin R., John D., Ida M. and Verde D. On January 15, 1889, our subject married Re- becca McRae, which union has been without issue.
Politically, Mr. Johnston is a Republican. He is a member of the McCroskey Post No. 210, Grand Army of the Republic, the Order of Rail- way Conductors and the Knights of Pythias.
LEON MORICE.
The close friendship which has existed between the United States and France since the infancy of the former has been mutually helpful and pleas- ant to both nations and it has been especially fortunate for America, the younger nation having received many valuable lessons in statesmanship, art, science and other things from the older republic across the sea. And these two peoples, though speaking a different language and having, in a large measure, different aims in life, have ever harmonized and fraternized. It has been principally our idle rich and our students who have taken up their abodes in France, but all classes have come to our country from there, and here the peasant, tradesman, in fact, most everyone of the middle, working classes have found good homes and remunerative businesses, by the thou- sands, in our different states. We have welcomed them, not alone on ac- count of the friendship existing between our governments, but because her people are invariably industrious, courteous, agreeable to associate with, and, for the most part, honorable and trustworthy. One of the vast army of
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emigrants from that sunny clime to this country was the late Leon Morice, who, for a period of twenty-nine years was a well known business man in Springfield and a good and useful citizen who deserved the high respect which was accorded him by all.
Mr. Morice was born in France, April 16, 1845. His parents were na- tives of that country where they spent their lives, and there our subject grew to manhood and received his education, and when a young man learned the lithographer's trade, also worked for some time as bookkeeper. When eighteen years of age he emigrated to the United States, first locating in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and from there came to St. Louis, where he engaged in his trade of lithographer, at which he was exceptionally skilled, conse- quently found ready employment wherever he desired to work. Remaining in St. Louis until in May, 1876, he came to Springfield and here established his permanent home. He engaged in the candy manufacturing business with his wife's brother, E. J. Bourquenot. They were successful from the first, their trade increasing with advancing years, and they became the best known and most extensive candy manufacturers in the city and continued in this business until the death of our subject. Everyone knows their neat, inviting and pleasant store on South street, and it is still maintained by Edmond L., son of our subject, who has added a bakery and does a large retail business.
Leon Morice was married while living in St. Louis, January 6, 1876, to Aurelia Bourquenot, who was born in Richmond, Virginia, January 1, 1851, and is a daughter of Xavier and Anna (Weinman) Bourquenot, both natives of France, the father born on June 17, 1815, died on September 13, 1885; the mother was born on February 28, 1819, and died in 1908. These par- ents grew up in their native land, were educated and married there, and emigrated to the United States in 1850, landing in New York City on Sep- tember 13th of that year, but they went direct to Richmond, Virginia, where they established their home. The father of Mrs. Morice was a machinist by trade, was highly skilled, and he was also a locomotive engineer. His family consisted of four children, three of whom are living at this writing, namely : Eugene, Melanie, Aurelia, who became the wife of Mr. Morice of this memoir, and Victoria, who is deceased. Mrs. Morice received a good common school education, spending her girlhood in Richmond and St. Louis. She lives in her pleasant cottage on Dollison street, Springfield.
To Mr. and Mrs. Morice four children were born, all of whom survive, namely: Edmond L., born on January 21, 1879, married on January 8, 1902, Ann J. O'Byrne, a daughter of James and Margaret (Hayse) O'Byrne, and he is managing the candy store formerly owned by his father, which place he now owns and is running same successfully and up to his former high standard of excellence; he has two daughters, Josephine, born on November 1, 1908, and Margaret Aurelia, born on July 19, 1908; Eugenia,
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born April 4, 1881, married H. T. Ford, and they live in Springfield ; Leonie, born on October 8, 1884. is single and living at home; Adele, born on December 4, 1886, married William O'Byrne, and they also live in this city.
Politically, Mr. Morice was a Democrat. He and his family were reared in the Catholic faith and have ever been faithful to the same.
The death of Leon Morice occurred on July 11, 1905, when nearly sixty years of age.
JAMES S. WADDELL.
The fair Sunflower state has developed into one of the greatest in the sisterhood of forty-eight commonwealths in our beloved Union, and she has produced men and women of a rare strength of mind and chraracter, who have taken their places in the nation along with the best. Her native chil- dren find so fine opportunities within her own border that they seldom leave, especially to come east, and so there are few Kansasans to be found in Greene county, Missouri. James S. Waddell, a contractor ofSpring- field, is one of these.
Mr. Waddell was born in Saline county, Kansas, September 28. 1873. He is a son of James and Elcena (Selmon) Waddell. The father was born in Des Moines county, Iowa, in 1813. the mother was born near Quincy, Illinois, in 1836. She was a second cousin of Abraham Lincoln. These parents grew up in their respective communities, received limited educa- tions and when young each removed to the state of Kansas, in pioneer days, and there met and married. James Waddell was a merchant in his earlier days, but the latter part of his life was devoted to agricultural pursuits. He maintained the first store that was ever established in what is now the thriving city of Salina, Kansas. His death occurred at Lawrence, that state, in the year 1880. His widow survived thirty years, dying July 6, 1910, near Nashville, Missouri. The only child born to these parents was the subject of this sketch.
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