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 78
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Mr. Porter removed with the family to Arkansas in 1864 and resided
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in that state until 1902, when he returned to Greene county, and lived in Springfield about four years, being then retired. His death occurred in Arkansas on March 5, 1914.
Mr. Porter was married in Greene county on March 17, 1865, to Matilda J. Bedell, who was born at Ebenezer, in the northeastern part of Greene county, February 2, 1837, and she grew to womanhood on the old Bedell farm near that village and received her education in the public schools there. This old homestead was entered from the government in 1830 by Mrs. Porter's mother, and the farm has never gone to owners out- side the Bedell family. The Bedells are among the pioneer and well-known families of Greene county. Mrs. Porter is a daughter of David H. and Marina (Wallace) Bedell, both being born in North Carolina, where they grew up, attended the old-time schools and were married. They made the long overland journey from that state to Greene county, Missouri, in early pioneer days, and here endured the hardships and privations incident to all frontier people of those times. By hard work and close application, good management and economy, they became well established in due course of time, and spent the rest of their lives on their farm here, his death occur- ring shortly before the breaking out of the Civil war, and she died during the war. They were noted for their honesty and hospitality, and were well known to the pioneers here. The family of Henry W. Porter consisted of twelve children, five of whom are living at this writing, namely : Mahlon, Judith, Edward, John, are all deceased; Melissa lives at Springfield; Charles lives in Arkansas; Mira and Mary, twins, are deceased; Laura, deceased ; Walter lives in Arkansas; Sadie lives in Virginia; Fannie lives in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Mrs. Melissa Hulett, fifth child of our subject, was born on October 10, 1870, in Eveningshade, Arkansas, and there she grew to womanhood and received her education in the public and high schools. On December 27, 1893, she was married in Arkansas to Ezra Hulett. Soon thereafter they removed to Boonville, Missouri, where they continued to reside until 1902, when they located in Springfield, where they have since resided. Mr. Hulett was a cabinetmaker by trade, a highly skilled workman, and later he became a successful contractor. He was born on May 1, 1866, in Roche- port, Atchison county, Missouri. He was a son of Andrew and Anne (Clark) Hulett. Mr. Clark, father of Anne Clark, was a pioneer of Boon- ville, this state. The death of Ezra Hulett occurred on October 31, 1913. His family consisted of four children, namely: Lucile, born on October 24, 1894, is single and lives at home ; Matilda, born on November 26, 1895. died January 18, 1898; Blanche, born on January 1, 1898; Mary, born on November 6, 1902.
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Politically, Mr. Hulett was a Democrat. Fraternally, he belonged to the Modern Woodmen of America.
Mrs. Hulett and daughters are members of St. Paul's Methodist Epis- copal church, South, and she belongs to the auxiliary of the Young Wom- en's Christian Association. She is active in church work and has a wide circle of friends. She owns a beautiful home on South Campbell street.
WILLIAM LAFAYETTE TURNER, M. D.
Belonging to Greene county's enterprising class of professional men, Dr. William Lafayette Turner, of Galloway, Clay township, is deserving of specific mention in these pages. To the active practice of medicine he has given, not only the gravity of his thought and the truest exercise of his abilities, but the strength of his personality and the momentum of his char- acter. He is a physician of discriminating mind, keen and acute in reason- ing, a patient and persistent investigator, sinking his inquiring lead down to the bottom of principles, and thereby, being enabled to better and more fully understand the case or cases to be treated, and consequently he meets with a high degree of success.
Doctor Turner was born near Marshfield, Webster county, Missouri, July 17, 1871. He is a son of Robert N. and Sarah F. (Cox) Turner. The father was born in Webster county, this state, in 1843, was reared on the farm and received a meager education in the early-day schools. He worked for his father on the homestead until he was married, then began working at the carpenter's trade, at which he became quite expert and which he has made his principal life work. Has also done considerable contract- ing. Naturally talented as a musician he made himself proficient in that art and for some time taught music during the winter months when there was no carpenter work. About 1899 he moved to Texas where he remained some three years, then went to Ft. Smith. Arkansas, and established his home, and in that city his death occurred on March 12, 1914. Politically, he was a Democrat, and he belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church, South. His wife was also a native of Webster county, Missouri, where she grew to womanhood and was educated, her birth having occurred in February, 1841. She is still living in Springfield. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South. To these parents ten children were born. namely : Doctor William L., of this sketch: Mrs. Hepsabeth Straughan, Robert J., John B., who lives in Ft. Smith, is the inventor of the automatic street car switch which is in use all over the country: Lucy, Jessie P., Mrs. Nellie Guthrie, Della. Oma and Lee.
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Doctor Turner grew to manhood on the home farm in Webster county and there he assisted with the general work during the summer months. He received his education in the public schools of his native county, later attended high school at Marshfield, and when nineteen years of age he began life for himself as a teacher. He kept up home study and in 1895 was enabled to enter the Springfield Normal where he spent a year, then studied two years at Drury College, after which he resumed teaching, which vocation he fol- lowed for some time in Greene and Webster counties. He gave a high degree of success as an educator and his services were in large demand, but believing that his true bent lie in another direction, he abandoned the school room in 1901 and began the study of medicine, entering Barnes Medical Col- lege, St. Louis, he remained in that institution until his graduation in 1906, making an excellent record. Returning to Marshfield he remained there a short time, then located for the practice of his profession at Galloway, Greene county, where he has since remained, and has built up a large and growing practice and is regarded among the leading general practitioners in this section of the country. He owns a pleasant home on the Springfield and Ozark road.
Doctor Turner was married on July 18, 1901, to Joel P. Haden, who was born in Greene county, Missouri, April 22, 1883. She is a daughter of Joel H. and Nancy A. (Beshears) Haden. The father was born in this county, December 4, 1847, and here grew up on a farm and received a common school education. During the Civil war he served in the Home Guards, seeing considerable service in his native county. After the war he returned to the farm, and has followed general agricultural pursuits, being now owner of a valuable and well-improved farm of three hundred acres. He has long made a specialty of raising fine live stock, and is an excellent business man, well known and influential in his vicinity. Politi- cally he is a Democrat. His wife was born in this county, December 2, 1858, and here she grew to womanhood and was educated in the public schools.
Mrs. Turner was reared on the home farm and was given good educa- tional advantages.
To Doctor Turner and wife six children have been born namely : Edith, deceased; Retha, deceased; Joel, Fred, Mary and Pinkney are all at home.
Politically, Doctor Turner is a Democrat. He is a member of the Greene County Medical Society, and the Missouri State Medical Association. Religiously, he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church, South. He is a man of exemplary habits and is popular with all classes.
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L. W. PRESTON.
L. W. Preston was born in Boyle county, Kentucky, July 13, 1860. He is a son of Francis A. and Mary (Sedore) Preston, both natives of Kentucky, the father born in 1832, and his death occurred in Springfield, Missouri, February 11, 1908. The mother was born in 1834, and her death occurred in this city on March 16, 1908. They thus ran a pretty even race on the highway of life, and were regarded by all who knew them as a fine old couple, hospitable, neighborly and likeable in every respect. They grew to maturity in Kentucky and received common school educations there. They were married near Nicholasville, that state. Mr. Preston learned the blacksmith's trade in his youth, at which he became quite expert and which he followed all his life. He removed with his family from Boyle county. Kentucky, to Springfield, Missouri, in 1880, and here he followed his trade until his death. Politically, he was a Democrat. He belonged to the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. His family consisted of eight children, three of whom are still living, namely: Nettie, Belle, Katherine and Bettie are all deceased; L. W., of this review; William, deceased; James L. lives in Springfield; and Edward N. also lives in this city.
L. W. Preston was twenty years of age when he left Kentucky. There he had grown up and received a common school education. When he first came here he worked for Jess & Sturdy in their carriage works for a while, and in 1884 he and his father opened a carriage and blacksmith shop at the present location, corner of Pickwick street and Patton alley, and it is thus the oldest established business of its kind in Springfield, is also one of the best and most favorably known. The firm's large, substantial, two-story brick building is modernly equipped with every appliance for turning out high-grade work, and a specialty is made of manufacturing wagons, but auto and carriage painting and general carriage repairing are done, and rub- ber tires are handled. Our subject learned the business under his father starting in with him when our subject was twenty-one years of age, and they worked together until the father's death. Only the best grade of material is handled by the firm, and only skilled workmen are employed. Prompt and first-class work is Mr. Preston's aim.
We quote the following from the Springfield Leader. under date of December 18, 1911: "One of the best known and most reliable establish- ments of its character in the city of Springfield is the L. W. Preston Car- riage Company. L. W. Preston is the proprietor and manager of this con- cern, and he has been in the carriage manufacturing business since 1884 at his present stand. He is thoroughly conversant with all the details of the business, and has built up a large and flourishing trade. Mr. Preston is
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prepared to do all kinds of carriage repairing. He has four departments, the woodshop and the smithing departments being located on the ground floor, the painting and trimming departments on the second floor of his large establishment. He makes a specialty of manufacturing high-class delivery wagons, and has had quite a run on these in this vicinity. All work is under the immediate supervision of L. W. Preston, and is looked after by him in the most thorough and conscientious manner. Nothing but A No. I material is used in all work. Besides the work mentioned, Mr. Preston has built up an extensive trade on rubber tires; he also does all kinds of auto painting. His telephone number is 954."
Mr. Preston was married on March 20, 1890, in Springfield, to Eva E. Follett. She was born on March 17, 1869, in Michigan, and she is a daugh- ter of and Sarah A. (Orcutt) Follett. The mother was twice married. Mrs. Preston was brought to Springfield, Missouri, when young, and here she received her education in the high school. Her step- father died soon after the family located in Springfield.
The union of our subject and wife has been without issue. The pleas- ant Preston residence is on Cherry street.
Politically, Mr. Preston is a Democrat. Fraternally, he belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
LEWIS E. CHAPPELL.
The influence of a good dairy in any locality can hardly be measured in money value. A good example of how the dairy will pulverize the farm mortgages and establish bank accounts may be seen in the transformations which have taken place in some of the localities of the Ozarks during the past few years. The value of well-managed dairies has been manifest in the growth of bank accounts. The real value of dairying to the farmers in any community is not in the fact alone that the keeping of cows will increase the fertility of the soil and make the farm more productive, but the big thing is the fact that every time a farmer takes a can of milk to the market he has increased his credit with every man he has dealings with in the community. One of the leading dairymen of Greene county is Lewis E. Chappell, whose sanitary and modernly equipped dairy and well-kept farm is located just southeast of Springfield.
Mr. Chappell was born on March 7. 1854, in the state of New York. He is a son of S. E. and Cordelia M. (Baker) Chappell. The father died in 1902; the mother's death occurred in 1860. They were both natives of New York state, and there they grew up and were married. They received
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good educations, the father being a graduate of Hamilton College in his native state, and the mother was a graduate of Bosser College in Pough- keepsie, that state. They spent their active lives in agricultural pursuits. When our subject was three years of age he removed with his parents to Cass county, Michigan, where they lived until our subject was twelve years of age, and where the death of his mother occurred, and while there the Civil war came on and the father enlisted, in 1861, in Edwinsburg, in a Michigan regiment, and he was made hospital steward, in which capacity he served for two years, then spent two years more as a regular soldier and saw considerable hard service. After being honorably discharged from the service he returned to Michigan, where he made his home most of the time during the rest of his life.
Lewis E. Chappell spent his boyhood on the farm in Michigan and he received a common school education. In 1866 he went with an uncle to Henry county, Missouri, and settled on a farm, where our subject remained seven years, or until he was nineteen years old, when he went to Montana with Doctor Hayden, a government surveyor, and with him cov- ered a large portion of the upper Rocky Mountain country, remaining in the West eight years, spending the latter part of the time in Mexico. Then returning to Henry county, Missouri, he remained there three years, carry- ing the mail on a star route, during which time he traveled in every state in the Union. In 1895 he came to Greene county, rented a farm on which he soon had a good start, and in 1906 he bought eighty acres southeast of Springfield, about two miles from town, and this he has improved, erect- ing most of his buildings, which are modern and substantial, conveniently arranged for a dairy, including a large milk house, silo, etc. He started out with six cows and on rented land, and by industry, good management and honest dealings with his customers, he has gradually built up one of the most extensive, up-to-date and most desirable dairies in the Southwest, and his products are finding a ready market at all seasons owing to their superior qual- ity. He milks his evening milk separately, puts the cream on ice, and it is taken out in the morning, and he puts it on the market without any "doctoring"- selling four per cent. milk from Holstein, Durham and Jersey cows, all a good grade and kept in the best of health, his herd now consisting of forty cows. He uses a gasoline engine to run his separator, all his mixed grade being four per cent. He runs two wagons to the city to haul his milk to market. His dairy is under the name of L. E. Chappell & Sons.
Mr. Chappell was married on March 1, 1882, to Nancy Jane Norris. who was born in Ohio, where her family had long resided. To our subject and wife six children have been born, namely: Blanche, born in 1879. married Doctor McCandless, of Kansas City; Ruth, born in 1892, married Henry LeCompte, and they live in Springfield; Fred, born in 1884, is assist-
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ing his father in the dairy business; Nettie, born in 1891, married H. B. McCammon, and they live in Colorado; Charles J., born in 1893, is also with his father in the dairy business; Esther, born in 1896, married Lem Fisher, and they live in Springfield.
Politically, Mr. Chappell is a Republican, and fraternally he belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America.
DAVID ULYSSES SHERMAN, M. D.
Why any man is made, who knows? Why any life is, from snails to gods, who is to tell? Why you are what you are, why some men are what they are; the influences and causes which made them so, and how far the causes and influences were voluntary, or accidental-in short, whether we make our own destiny, or have it made for us-who shall solve the eternal riddle? These are things which none of us can fathom, but all of us can make the most of the little life which is ours, as has been the case with Dr. David Ulysses Sherman, one of the well-known physicians of Spring- field, and, by doing our best "between these walls of time," as he is evi- dently striving to do, we may be a blessing to ourselves, our families and the human race.
Doctor Sherman was born at Henderson, Webster county, Missouri, September 29, 1871. He is a son of Henry Sherman, born near Idlebury, Germany, March 10, 1836, and he spent his young manhood in his native land, where he was educated, and in 1854, with two brothers, he immi- grated to the United States, also a sister accompanied him, and they settled in Butler county, Pennsylvania. Four years later Henry Sherman and his sister came to Missouri, locating on a farm near Henderson, Webster county, He had learned the blacksmith's trade in Germany, at which he continued to work in connection with farming after taking up his residence in the new world. He proved his loyalty to his adopted country in 1861 by enlist- ing in the Union army, in which he served six months as a private, then was assigned to the government horseshoeing shops in Springfield, Missouri, these shops occupying the present site of the Colonial hotel. He was later transferred to the government shops in St. Louis, where he was retained until the close of the war. He was an expert in his trade and gave every satisfaction. After his discharge he returned to Webster county and built a shop on his farm, where he did the custom work for miles around, and succeeded in due course of time in hammering out on the anvil five hun- dred acres of choice farming land in that county. He was one of the best known blacksmiths in that part of the state, and many of his patrons came
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from remote sections of the country. He married Rhoda N. Hardy in 1855. His death occurred in 1907. She was a native of Virginia, from which state she made the long overland journey, when a child, with her parents ; the family made the trip in an old-fashioned wagon, drawn by an ox team. They settled at Henderson, Missouri. Mrs. Sherman's mother was of Irish ancestry, and both she and Mr. Hardy were members of the Presbyterian church, devout Christians, doing much church work, being always ready with their time and money to do anything to further the interest of the church, and they assisted in building many new churches; their home was always open to ministers and church workers. The death of the mother of Doctor Sherman occurred in 1904. Seven sons and one daughter were born to Henry Sherman and wife, namely: William E., who lives on a farm near Henderson, Missouri; Henry O. lives on a farm near Fordland, this state; Charles C. is engaged in the hardware business in Fordland; James D. and Obit D. are both farmers near Fordland; Lucian L. makes his home at Elmonte, California, and is a bookkeeper by profes- sion; Dr. David U., of this sketch; and Mrs. Mattie Cobb, who lives at Boulder, Colorado.
Doctor Sherman grew to manhood on the home farm in Webster county, where he worked hard when a boy during the summer months and in the winter time he attended the old district schools there, the old school house located on his father's farm, later entering the Henderson Academy, from which he was graduated in 1891. In September, 1895, he entered the Beaumont Hospital, at St. Louis, where he took the prescribed medical course, and was graduated with the class of 1897-98. Soon there- after he came to Greene county and began practicing his profession at Elwood, where he remained ten years, enjoying an excellent country prac- tice ; in fact, it is safe to say that no country physician in this part of the state had a more extensive practice during that period than he. In order to further fit himself for his chosen vocation, he took the post-graduate work in the Chicago Post-Graduate Medical School in 1896, and at once removed to Springfield, where he has remained to the present time and has built up a very satisfactory practice.
Doctor Sherman is a member of the Greene County Medical Society, of which he is ex-president : also a member of the Southwest Missouri Med- ical Society, the Missouri State Medical Association and the American Medical Association. Fraternally, he belongs to the Royal Arch Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Royal Neighbors of America. Politically, he is a Republican, and religiously he belongs to the Methodist church.
Doctor Sherman married Julia Belle Gault on September 12. 1895. She was born in September, 1870. six miles east of Springfield on the James
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river, in Greene county, Missouri. She is a daughter of Walter B. Gault, of Irish ancestry, one of the early pioneers of Greene county, and he was one of the successful and well-known farmers of the eastern part of the county, and he did much to promote the general good of the county, having been ambitious to place it in the front rank of the counties of the state, which position it now occupies. During the Civil war Mr. Gault was a soldier in the Union army, and was commissioned lieutenant for meritorious service.
Mrs. Sherman grew to womanhood in her native vicinity and received her education in the district schools and the Henderson Academy, at Hen- derson, Missouri, from which institution she was graduated, after which she began teaching, which she followed successfully for a period of nine years. On account of the death of her parents when she was young, she was left to depend upon her own resources, and she succeeded in becoming one of the most popular teachers in her section of the state.
To Doctor Sherman and wife two children have been born, David Orlando Sherman, whose birth occurred at Elwood, Missouri, January 16, 1896; he is at this writing a student in the Springfield high school, where he is making an excellent record.
S. A. BAKER.
It will always be a mark of distinction to have served the Union during the great Civil war between the states. The old soldier will receive attention no matter where he goes if he will but make himself known. And when he passes away, as so many of them are now doing, friends will pay him a suitable eulogy for the sacrifices he made a half century ago on the san- guinary fields of battle in the Southland or in the no less dreaded prison, fever camp or hospital. And ever afterward his descendants will revere his memory and take pride in recounting his services for his country in its hour of peril. One of the eligible citizens for special mention in the present volume is S. A. Baker, formerly a successful bricklayer and plasterer, but now engaged in the grocery business in Springfield, partly because he is one of the old soldiers who went forth in that great crisis in the sixties to assist in saving the union of states, and partly because he has led an honorable life. He is a plain, unassuming gentleman who has sought to do his duty in all the relations of life as he has seen and understood the right.
Mr. Baker was born in Washington county, Arkansas, June 10, 1844. He is a son of S. A. and Terice (Looper) Baker. The father was born
S. A. BAKER.
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in Massachusetts, in 1806, and was reared on historic Bunker Hill, Boston. Itis death occurred in Springfield, Missouri, December 24, 1863. The inother was born in North Carolina, December 9, 1823, and her death occurred on January 19, 1904. These parents received a limited education, came West when young and were married in Arkansas in 1843. S. A. Baker, grandfather of our subject, was born in Massachusetts, being of an old family of New England. His father was also S. A. Baker, and he was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, which fact made our subject eligible for membership in the organization of Sons of the American Revolution.
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