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 86
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To Mr. and Mrs. Trevitt nine children were born, seven of whom are living, namely: Ada, deceased; Claude McCrory is an assayer for a gold
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mining company in the state of Washington; Cle F. died when six years of age; Fannie L. is the wife of L. L. Dyer, of Springfield; Carl L. is farming in Alberta, Canada; Clyde V. lives in Washington; James F., Helen and Roger P. are all at home.
Politically, Mr. Trevitt was a Republican, and was a worker for the general improvement of his community in which he was influential and held in the highest esteem.
JOHN F. UNDERHILL.
The subject of this sketch belongs to that class of men who win in life's battles by sheer force of personality and determination, and in what- ever he has undertaken he has shown himself to be a man of ability and honor. Mr. Underhill hails from "ye merrie isle of old England," and has the commendable characteristics of the people of that great kingdom, and since, coming in our midst in Greene county fifteen years ago he has won a host of friends as a result of his even tenored life, and he ranks among the enterprising husbandmen of Wilson township.
John F. Underhill was born in the southern part of England, February 27, 1864. He is a son of John and Susan Underhill, both born and reared in England, where they married and established their home and always resided. The death of the mother occurred on January 31, 1901, but the father survives at the advanced age of seventy-eight years. His active life was spent as a carpenter, and he was a very highly skilled and honest work- man. His family consists of eight children, all surviving and all residing in England except the subject of this review. They were named, John F., our subject ; Henry, James, Mary, Willie, Richard, Sarah, and Thersa.
John F. Underhill spent his boyhood in England and there received a common school education. He lived on a farm where fine blooded live stock was raised, and, having a natural bent toward this industry, learned a great deal about it. When seventeen years of age he immigrated to America, making a trip through Canada and the great Northwest, and finally settled in Chicago, where he worked at laboring for six months, but not taking very kindly to this kind of work, he longed for rural scenes instead and accord- ingly went to Butler county, Iowa, and took a position with K. S. Green on his large stock farm and remained there about eighteen years, this being the kind of work in which he delighted. He saved his earnings and on February 21, 1899, came to Greene county, Missouri, and purchased a farm in Wilson township, consisting of one hundred and twenty acres, on which ha still resides, and which he has carefully tilled and kept well improved and now has a very attractive place. In connection with general farming he had
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carried on stock raising in a successful manner, and has dealt extensively in horses and mules, his registered Percheron horses being admired by all who have seen them, and are among the best in this section of the state. He has prospered by his judicious methods of farming and handling live stock and is deserving of a great deal of credit for his large material success in view of the fact that he began life single handed and alone and has never had assistance from any source. He has never married and in connection with carrying on the work of his farm, he attends to his own household duties .
Politically, Mr. Underhill is a Republican in national affairs, but he votes independently in local elections, preferring to cast his ballot for the candidates whom he deems best suited for the offices sought. He takes an interest in all movements having for their object the general improvement of his vicinity, such as good roads, etc., and is regarded as a good neighbor and good citizen in every respect.
JOSEPH A. M. TILLMAN.
During the sixty-four years of his residence in Greene county, Josepli A. M. Tillman, a retired farmer of Clay township, has noted many im- portant changes in this locality in which he is well and favorably known and in which nearly all his life has been spent, and here he has made a suc- cess as a general agriculturist because he has been both industrious and a close observer. He is a descendant o fa prominent old Southern family, and is a second cousin of Benjamin Tillman, the noted United States senator from South Carolina. Many of the commendable qualities of his ancestors are noticeable in our subject.
Mr. Tillman was born in McNeary county, Tennessee, July 7, 1848. He is a son of Samuel Taylor Tillman and Mary (Perry) Tillman. The father was born in Chatham county, North Carolina, in November, 1800, and the mother was born in the same county, in May, 1810, and there they grew to maturity. The father moved to Tennessee when a young man, locating in Bedford county, where he married and bought a farm, also owned a mill on Duck river. After living in Bedford county for some time he located in McNeary county, and remained there until 1850, when he brought his family to Greene county, Missouri, purchasing a farm a mile east of where his son, our subject, now resides, the place having contained one hundred and forty-six acres. Later the elder Tillman entered forty acres from the government here, and had a good farm. He cleared most of his land and kept it in good condition. He was an extensive stock raiser
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and trader and was a very successful general farmer. He took much inter- est in public affairs and before leaving Tennessee was justice of the peace ·for a period of fourteen years and also served in this capacity after coming to Greene county for a period of sixteen years. After buying a place in Greene county he went back to Tennessee where he remained fifteen years before returning to Greene county, Missouri. He died on his farm here in 1864. His wife was reared in North Carolina on a farm and moved with her parents to Tennessee. She was a member of the Christian church. The father of our subject was twice married, his second wife being a sister of his first wife, and to his first union five children were born, namely: Louisa, Lidia, Calvin, Wesley, Newton, all deceased, the two latter having been killed while soldiers during the Civil war. The mother of these children was Clara Perry. His children by his second wife, Mary Perry, were ten in number and were named as follows: Margaret, Oram, both deceased ; Newton was killed while serving in the Civil war; Stanley, Martha W., Caroline and Pearlee, all deceased; Joseph A. M. of this sketch, is the only survivor of the fourteen children; Lucy, deceased; Samuel, deceased.
The immediate subject of this sketch was two years old when his par- ents brought him over the rough roads from Tennessee to Missouri. He was reared on the farm and received a common school education in the schools of Greene county. He remained on the homestead until his father's death, and he then operated the farm for his mother until he was married, on March 22, 1868, to Rebecca J. (Cunningham). He remained on the home farm about seven years, then rented land for five years, which he cultivated, and in March, 1881, bought one hundred acres, later adding twenty acres. He cleared and improved most of his land and built a cozy home on it and here he has since resided and has been successful as a general farmer, although he has been taking life easy for some four years, renting his land and merely overseeing it in a general way.
Mr. Tillman was born in Obion county, Tennessee, September 12, 1850. She is a daughter of Charles M. and Mary P. (Hubbard) Cunningham. The father was a native of middle Tennessee, where he was reared on a farm and received a common school education, and he became owner of a two hundred acre farm in his native state. He removed to Fulton county, Kentucky, in 1859, where he remained about two years, then went to Car- roll county, Arkansas. When the Civil war broke out he came to Missouri and joined the Federal army in 1861, but died of measles soon after his career as a soldier began.
Eleven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Tillman, namely : John W. lives in Greene county and during the campaign of 1914 was a candidate from two districts for associate judge; Samuel is deceased; Mrs. Mary J. Climer lives at Mentor, this county; Joseph's home is in Spring-
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field; Fred is engaged in the mercantile business at Rogersville; Bertha is deceased; Mrs. Viola Wills lives in Springfield; Mrs. Minnie Hunt was a teacher in the Greene county schools for six years; Mrs. Pearl Chaffin lives in Ozark, Missouri; Mattie is deceased; Ross E. lives in Springfield. The wife of our subject was thirteen years old when she came to Greene county. She received a common school education. She often recalls the trip from Tennessee, which the family made in an ox wagon. She is a member of the Christian church.
Politically, Mr. Tillman is a Democrat and has long been an active worker in the party. He has served as justice of the peace for four terms, also as notary public four terms, discharging his duties in an eminently satisfactory manner. He was appointed by the governor. While incum- bent of the first office he married forty-eight couples. Fraternally, he be- longs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He has been a consistent member of the Christian church since he was eighteen years of age. He is one of the leading citizens in Clay township.
RICHARD H. BENSON.
It is not the weaklings that accomplish worthy ends in the face of oppo- sition but those with nerve and initiative whose motto is, "He never fails who never gives up." and with this terse aphorism ever in view, emblazoned on the pillar of clouds, as it were, before them, they forge ahead until the sunny summits of life are reached and they can breathe a breath of the purer air that inspires the souls of men with respite. Such has been the history of Richard H. Benson, of Springfield, whose career has been a varied one, and the earlier part of which was as a deep sea sailor, but the latter years of his life has been more prosaic.
Mr. Benson was born in Belle Haven, Accomac county, Virginia, July 12, 1850. He is a son of James S. and Catherine ( Mears) Benson, both natives of Virginia, where they grew up, were married and established their home. The father was one of four children. John S., Edward, James S., and Keeley, all now deceased. The mother of our subject was one of five children, Margaret, Richard, Thomas, Sally, and Catherine. Richard Mears was a sea captain and in his service rescued many crews, among them was a Canadian crew, for which act he was rewarded by the Canadian gov- ernment. Secretary of State Everetts presenting him with a fine watch, set with diamonds. James S. Benson and wife spent the latter years of their lives in North Hampton, Virginia, where the father's death occurred De- cember 8, 1876.
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Richard H. Benson spent his boyhood days in Belle Haven, Virginia, where he received a public school education. When but a lad his inclina- tion was to the sea, and, leaving home when about seventeen years of age, he made a sea voyage on the ship Edwin Rowe to the west coast of Africa, under Captain Miller, of Portland, Maine, and was gone seven months, during which he visited Siereleone, in the western part of the Dark Conti- nent, and passed in sight of Monrovia, stopped at Bassa, Grand Bassa, Cape Palmas, Dixcove, the River Gaboon, then returned to America, the voyage to New York requiring fifty-one days, and he was required to lay aboard the vessel in Brooklyn two months. On February 26, 1868, he landed in Lacon, Marshall county, Illinois, stopping with his uncle, John Benson, who owned a farm there, and in the fall of 1869 the uncle came to Spring- field, Missouri, and our subject joined him here in the summer of 1872; leaving here the last of September of that year, Mr. Benson went to Chicago and remained there until Christmas, then went back to Belle Haven, Vir- ginia, and remained with his father until in June, 1873, when he went to Baltimore, Maryland and shipped as a seaman in the government survey, remaining in the service until the spring of 1875, when he came to St. Louis, Missouri, and took a position as solicitor for the printing house of John McKitrick & Company, but after a short time he went to Chicago and entered the hotel business, which he followed until he came to Spring- field to make his permanent home in 1886, and thus he has been a resident of this city twenty-eight years, during which time he has been engaged in the sewing machine business as an agent for the Singer Manufacturing Company, remaining in their service for about eighteen years, and then took up life insurance business, staying in this line for one year, then took up the sewing machine business again.
Mr. Benson was married, July 3, 1888, to Ella V. Berry, a daughter of P. Jesse and Eliza (Cowling) Berry. The father was a minister in the Christian church, and had charge of churches in different states, and was an able and popular preacher. His family consisted of four children, namely : Ella V., wife of Mr. Benson; Maggie, who married W. J. Bills; Gertrude, who married Dr. M. Ney Smith; the youngest child, died in infancy.
Mrs. Ella V. Benson was born in Pennsylvania, from which state she later moved to New York state, then to Maryland, Iowa, Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, and she received part of her education in the college at Eureka, the latter state. She came with her parents to Springfield, Missouri, first in 1879, and the second time they came to this state was in 1881.
Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Benson, namely: James Berry, John E., and Richard K., all living in Springfield.
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Politically, Mr. Benson is a Democrat, and he and his whole family are members of the South Street Christian church. They have a pleasant home on the Bolivar road, near Talmage street.
GABRIEL McCRAW.
When Greene county was covered with primeval forests and tall prairie grass and when wild animals of many species roamed the then little de- veloped lands, over which wound Indian trails, the McCraw family came here and began carving a home from the far-stretching woods, and assisted in building schools and churches and assisting in the general introduction of the customs of civilization in the wilderness, giving vent to that mys- terious quality in the blood of primitive people to push on to the edge of things. They were genuine pioneers, willing to take the hardships that they might acquire the soil and the home that was sure to rise. Gabriel McCraw, well known citizen of Taylor township, who has lived beyond the allotted barrier of three score and ten years, all of which have been spent in this locality, can relate many interesting things that have transpired here since the country was first settled. He has witnessed with his own eyes the many changes that have taken place and in which he has taken no inconspicuous part himself.
Mr. McCraw was born on the farm which he now occupies. April 3. 1843. He is a son of John L. and Elizabeth (Kenner) McCraw. The father was born in Hawkins county, Tennessee. December 8. 1808, and there he grew up on a farm. The mother was also born in that county and state, in 1806 and was reared on a farm. They both attended the dis- trict schools, and were married there in 1835. They immigrated to Greene county, Missouri, in 1836. Here John L. McCraw prospered and became owner of a fine farm of three hundred and thirty acres, and here he and his wife spent the rest of their lives, his death occurred April 2. 1882. She preceded him to the grave many years, dying in 1854. Politically, he was a Republican, and for a number of years he was county surveyor. He was well known and was influential in public affairs. His wife was a mem- ber of the Methodist church. They were the parents of eight children. namely: Susan is deceased. Josephine, Elizabeth is deceased. John L .. Ga- briel William, deceased: Joseph P., deceased ; and James E.
Gabriel McCraw was reared on the homestead here, where he worked when he became of proper age, and in the winter time he attended the district schools. In 1862, when only eighteen years of age, he enlisted in Company L .. Eighth Missouri Cavalry, under Captain Keller, and served
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faithfully for the Union until the close of the war, when he was honorably discharged at Little Rock, Arkansas. He saw considerable hard service, and participated in the battle of Prairie Grove, where he was taken prisoner and held for three weeks, when he was exchanged, in April, 1863, re- joining his regiment at Rolla, Missouri .. He participated in the battle and capture of Little Rock in that year. He was in a number of skirmishes. After his discharge he returned home and has since been actively engaged in general farming and stock raising on the home place, which consists of four hundred and ten acres, in which his brother, James E., has one-half interest. They have kept the place well tilled and well improved and the buildings in good repair.
Mr. McCraw was married on April 27, 1877, to Columbia E. Watter- son, who was born in Tennessee, near the town of Rogersville, but her parents brought her to Greene county, Missouri, when she was a child and here she was reared and educated in the common schools. They were mar- ried in this county. She was a daughter of Francis E. and Martha (Ga- braith) Watterson, both long since deceased. Mrs. McCraw's death oc- curred in California, August 26, 1882.
To our subject and wife two children were born, namely: Mrs. Susan E. Potter, and James G.
Politically, Mr. McCraw is a Republican. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
WILLIAM H. A. McGINTY.
With the higher prices for land and increase in labor cost we must produce more per acre and get a larger proportion of the cost to the con- sumer. The young men who are using scientific methods today will hasten the solution of many agricultural problems and it will pay those interested to keep up with the methods of the young men. One of the successful farmers of Jackson township, Greene county who is an advocate of modern methods of farming is William H. A. McGinty. .
Mr. McGinty was born at Marshfield, Webster county, Missouri, De- cember 12, 1856. He is a son of Abner C. and Mary S. (Haden) McGinty. The father was born in Tennessee, June 28, 1833. He came to Greene county, Missouri, when a small boy, and began his career working in the general store of John Debruin on the west side of the Public Square in Springfield, later entering the mercantile field for himself, and finally went to West Plains, Howell county, this state, where he was in business for a while. During the war he had a general merchandise store in Rolla, Missouri, and was postmaster there for a short time. The last twenty
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years of his life was devoted to the ministry of the Methodist church, in which he ranked high and did a great deal of good. He became owner of a valuable farm in Greene county and was a very successful and influential man, highly esteemed by all who knew him. Politically, he was a Re- publican. His death occurred in Springfield, June 26, 1893. The mother of the subject of this sketch was reared in Greene county, where her birth occurred May 10, 1837, and here she received a common school education. She was a member of the Christian church. Her death occurred in Spring- field, February 16, 1882. To these parents eleven children were born, namely : Mary V., born August 14, 1854, married John B. Foster, of Marshfield, Missouri; William H. A., of this review; Elizabeth, born Jan- uary 10, 1859, married M. C. Vinton, of Strafford, Missouri; Sarah G., born September 13, 1861, married George E. Dillard, of Springfield; Abner J., born March 7, 1864; Freddie, born November 14, 1865; Clara, born No- vember 7, 1868, married Dr. W. L. Smith, of Springfield, Missouri, he is deceased; Abner C., Jr., a merchant of Neosho, Missouri, born February 17, 1872; James, a merchant in Neosho, Missouri, born March 13, 1874; Ralph, born November 23, 1876, a farmer of Neosho, Missouri; and Susan, born February 12, 1882, died in childhood.
The subject of this sketch grew to manhood in Webster county, re- ceiving his education in the schools of Marshfield. He was in the mer- chandise business in Marshfield with his father for four years. When about thirty-five years of age he inherited the homestead consisting of eighty acres, and he soon took up general agricultural pursuits, which he has since followed with success. He now owns a well-kept farm of eighty acres in Jackson township.
Mir. McGinty was married on April 28, 1879, to Catherine Pritchard, who was born in Stone county, Missouri, March 28, 1860. She is a daughter of John and Mary ( Sallee) Pritchard. The father was a soldier in the Union army and died in Arkansas while in the service. The mother died in Greene county on May 14, 1906. Mrs. McGinty was reared in this county and educated in the public schools. She is a member of the Metho- dist Episcopal church.
Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. McGinty, named as follows: Mrs. Myrtle May Gillespie, born January 4. 1880, lives in this county; Mrs. Catherine F. Galloway, born July 22, 1882, lives in Spring- field; Charles W., born February 16, 1884, lives in this county; Susan E .. born March 23. 1888. died December 23, 1891 ; Abner P., born January 27. 1892, lives at home.
Politically, Mr. McGinty is a Democrat. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
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WILLIAM P. CAMP.
The subject of this sketch is one of the Greene county inhabitants who has had the good judgment to remain in his native locality and devote his energies to the things with which he is the most familiar, hence he has had a better chance of ultimately attaining the ever-sought-for guerdon -success, in the quest for which a very large percentage of men leave their native localities and go out into strange countries among people of different habits and costumes, consequently many of them fail who would have suc- ceeded if they had remained at home.
Mr. Camp, who owns and operates a good farm in Taylor township, near the village of Strafford, was born in this county, January 17, 1857. He is a son of John H. and Susan H. (Anderson) Camp. The father was born near Petersburg, Virginia, which place was destined to become world-famous for the memorable siege there during the Civil war. The date of his birth was December 25, 1826. He grew up on farms in his native state and in Tennessee, and received a common school education. He immigrated to Greene county, Missouri, in 1851, entering a farm from the government which he improved and on which he prospered, and later became owner of a valuable farm of two hundred and twenty acres and was one of the successful general farmers of this county a generation ago. During the Civil war he joined the Home Guards, under Captain Coleman, but was in the service only a short time. Before leaving Tennessee, he was married in Rogersville, that state in 1850, to Susan H. Anderson, who was born near that town, reared and educated there. These parents died on the home farm in Greene county, the father in the year 1898, and the mother a few years prior to that time. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and she belonged to the Cumberland Presbyterian church. To John H. Camp and wife ten children were born, namely: Mrs. Martha Vaughn, Charles A. is deceased; William P., of this sketch; Mrs. Mary Danforth is deceased; Mrs. Lucy Cunningham, Mrs. Francis Barnett, Mrs. Laura Barnett, Eliza Saddler, Mrs. Lennie Cunningham and one who died in infancy, unnamed.
William P. Camp was reared on the home farm near where he now resides and there he assisted with the work in the summer months and in the winter time attended the district schools. He remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age, then began life for himself by hiring out on different farms for several years. He saved his earnings until he was able to purchase the place where he now lives, in 1894. He has a productive and well-kept farm of eighty-five acres and is making a good living and laying by something each year for the proverbial "rainy day" which is sup-
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posed to be ahead for everyone, which, however, is not necessarily true, as observation would teach.
Mr. Camp was married in 1880 to Martha Bristow, who was born in Greene county, December 21, 1863, and was reared on a farm here and at- tended the rural schools. She is a daughter of William H. and Lavina D. Bristow. The mother died some tige ago, but the father is living in Greene county and is still active.
Twelve children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Camp, namely: Mrs. Columbus Dykes, Mrs. Maggie Potter, John H., Mrs. Bessie Mann is de- ceased; Mary, Cora is teaching school; Mattie, Ruth, Mark, Edith, Ruby is deceased, and Lois, who is also deceased.
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