Past and present of Nodaway County, Missouri Volume I, Part 49

Author: B.F. Bowen & Company. 4n
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Indianapolis, Indiana : B. F. Bowen & Company
Number of Pages: 660


USA > Missouri > Nodaway County > Past and present of Nodaway County, Missouri Volume I > Part 49


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Mr. Archer was married on March 15. 1908. to Minnie Temmerman, who was born in Iowa. the daughter of .\. C. Temmerman, a prominent farmer in Independence township, this county.


ADOLPHUS O. MASON.


In the history of Nodaway county, as applying to the business interests. the name of Adolphus O. Mason occupies a conspicuous place. for through a number of years he has been one of the representatives of Maryville's commercial and industrial life, progressive, enterprising and persevering. Such qualities always win success, sooner or later, and to Mr. Mason they have brought a satisfactory reward for his well directed effort. and while he has benefited himself and community in a material way he has also been an influential factor in the moral. educational and political uplift of the county.


Mr. Mason was born November 23, 1863, at Sweet Home, Jackson township. Nodaway county, Missouri, and is the son of Adolphus and Martha (Moberly) Mason, the former born June 18, 1808. in Marietta, Ohio. the son of George and Mary Mason. George Mason was a farmer and spent his life on a farm in Washington county, Ohio. Adolphus Mason, Sr., was reared on a farm, and later devoted his attention to a general merchandise business in Marietta, Ohio. In 1857 he sold out and came to Nodaway county. Missouri. and settled in Jackson township, where he purchased one


ADOLPHUS O. MASON


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hundred and sixty acres of land at five dollars per acre ; after farming there a while he built the first store in Sweet Home, a little village near Ravenwood. During the Civil war he moved to St. Joseph and conducted a grocery store in that city. He sold his store in Sweet Home, but held his land. Selling out in St. Joseph, he returned to Nodaway county and bought one hundred and sixty acres, southwest of Barnard, and there he farmed until his death, December 21, 1886.


Politically he was a Republican ; belonged to the Masonic fraternity and the Baptist church. He married Martha Moberly in Washington county. Ohio, in 1851. She was the daughter of James and Sarah Moberly. who lived on a farm in that county. Mrs. Mason was born March II, 1831, and died May 21, 1905. She was the mother of five children, four of whom are living at this writing: Charles, living in Montana ; Amelia is the wife of A. J. Anderson, county treasurer of Worth county, Missouri; Emma is the wife of L. M. Phipps, of Grant City, Missouri ; Adolphus O., of this review.


The gentleman whose name introduces this biographical record was reared on the home farm and when sixteen years old went to Avalon to school, from which he was graduated two years later; returning to the farm. he worked there until 1890. During this time he bought the interests of the other heirs of his father's place, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, also purchased one hundred and twenty acres more. Selling out in 1890. he moved to Barnard and established a meat market, also dealt in con- fectionery and handled stock. Believing that the new country of Oklahoma offered peculiar advantages, he moved thereto in 1891 and remained two years engaged in handling livestock. In 1893 he moved to Grant City, Mis- souri, and engaged in the lumber business for a period of eight years. While residing in Grant City he was elected treasurer of Worth county in 1900, on the Republican ticket, overcoming a Democratic majority of three hundred. In 1899 he entered the hardware field. Disposing of this business in 1905. he went to South Dakota, and there established an electric light plant and flouring mill, bought and sold grain on an extensive scale. He obtained a contract to light the town of Beresford, South Dakota, also engaged in the real estate business and became the owner of over fifteen hundred acres of land near Oaks, South Dakota, which he purchased for seven dollars and fifty cents per acre and sold for thirty dollars per acre in 1906. His mill burned ; he rebuilt the light plant and sold out. coming to Maryville in 1907. engaged in the real estate business one year. then went into the implement business, handling automobiles, buggies, wagons, etc., in the block he bought


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on the east side of the public square. In 1909 he bought the Braniger grocery store on North Main street. which he still owns, it being one of the largest, neatest and best patronized in the county. Mr. Mason is the owner of three very valuable farms. one of three hundred and ten acres in Polk township; one of one hundred and sixty-three acres in the same township, and one of three hundred and twenty acres in Morgan county. Missouri. He owns a block of building lots on West Seventh street, a house and two lots on East First street and a block of lots on West Eleventh street.


Mr. Mason is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is a Repub- lican in politics and a member of the Methodist church.


Mr. Mason's domestic life began on February 23. 1887, when he married Jennie Phipps, daughter of J. R. and Lucinda Phipps, near Barnard. Mis- souri, where this family is well established and has long been influential. Mrs. Mason was born September 11. 1863. is well educated and has a wide circle of friends.


Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Mason, namely: Estella L. is teaching in the Rockford school, Polk township; Mabelle is a member of the home circle and cashier of her father's grocery store, and Gertrude is attending the Maryville high school.


Mr. Mason has shown that he is a business man of no small caliber, able to cope with any situation successfully, and, by his unaided efforts, he has forged his way to the front in the business world by straightforward and honorable methods.


WILLIAM B. SCOTT.


The farmers who have the largest rewards for their labors have simply taken better advantage of their circumstances than their fellows. This truth runs through every occupation. The farmer who rises above his fellows does so by taking advantage of conditions which others overlook or fail to grasp. The family represented by William B. Scott, of Polk township. has always been classed with the best and thriftiest residents of their localities in point of skill in farming and stock raising.


Mr. Scott is a native of Jefferson county, Ohio, where he was born October 25, 1852. He is the son of Alexander F. and Eleanor ( Barnes) Scott, the former a native of Jefferson county, Ohio, and the latter of West- moreland county, Pennsylvania. The father died in Cadiz. Ohio. November


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25. 1865. The mother was killed at Pittsburg. Pennsylvania, by falling from a train and being run over. Eight children were born to them, named as fol- lows : Margaret R., William B., of this review: Josiah L., David M., John McDowell, Ella B., Nannie M. and Mattie E.


William B. Scott was reared in Harrison county, Ohio, where he lived until reaching manhood, assisting with the work about the home place and attending such public schools as the times afforded, remaining there until 1880. In the spring of that year he came to Nodaway county. Missouri, and settled on the farm where he now lives and where he has since resided. He has been very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser. devoting his ex- clusive attention to these lines of endeavor. He has a well improved farm of two hundred and eighty acres, on which he has made extensive improve- ments and erected excellent buildings. He has set out large numbers of shade and fruit trees and has a very desirable farm in every respect.


Mr. Scott was married in Harrison county, Ohio, December 25, 1884, to Mary Dunlap, who was born near Cadiz. Ohio, October 8, 1860. She is the daughter of Hugh P. and Sarah J. (Kennedy) Dunlap, both natives of Ohio; the father died at Cadiz. They were the parents of seven children, named as follows: Robert K., Mary, John A., Joseph B., Amanda B., Samuel P. and Albert C. William B. Scott and wife are the parents of four children, named as follows: Bertha B. is the wife of Leslie D. Giffen ; Ross A. ; Ella O. is the wife of Otis Lyle, of Nodaway county ; Walter F.


Mr. Scott has held the office of school director for many years. He is a Republican in politics, and he and his wife are members of the Presbyte- rian church. Their attractive and desirable farm was entered from the government by Mr. Scott's father, about 1855, the patent being obtained during the administration of President Buchanan; but Alexander F. Scott never lived on the land. having remained in Ohio.


DILLARD R. PALMER.


A thoroughly practical man, one who stands high in the community in which he lives as well as wherever he is known, is Dillard R. Palmer, owner and operator of an excellent farm in Polk township, Nodaway county, who is deserving of the success that has attended his efforts because he has worked for it along legitimate lines, and has not depended upon any one to do either his work or his planning. Given a fair chance, such men as Mr. Palmer al- ways succeed.


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Mr. Palmer was born in Bartholomew county, Indiana, August 8, 1862, the son of William F. and Madaline ( Wheaton) Palmer, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Indiana. They came to Missouri in 1868 and settled in Rolls county ; later. in 1869, they came to Nodaway county, and located in Green township, where the mother died in January, 1893. The father died near Ravenwood, this county, in August, 1900. They became fairly well established here and had many friends throughout the community. Eight children were born to them, of whom Dillard R., of this review, was the second in order of birth. He was reared in Nodaway county, having been seven years old when he came here, and he certainly deserves the title of self-made. He has always given his attention exclusively to farming pur- suits, also stock raising, and, having resided in Nodaway county since No- vember. 1869, is well acquainted here and has played well his part in the general development of the locality.


Mr. Palmer was married in Green township, this county, January 14, 1891, to Mary E. Pifer, who was born at Quitman, Missouri, in the same locality where Mr. Palmer was reared, and there she grew up and was edu- cated in the common schools. Her birth occurred on March 7, 1872. She is the daughter of Theodore and Martha E. (Brown) Pifer. They were na- tives of Pennsylvania and Kentucky, respectively. They came to Nodaway county. Missouri, when young, and married here, and began life on a farm in Green township, spending the balance of their lives there, Mr. Pifer dying on March 25. 1893. Mrs. Pifer having preceded him to the grave many years, dying on July 14. 1878. Four children were born to them, of whom Mrs. Palmer was the third in order of birth. To Mr. and Mrs. Palmer three children have been born, named as follows : Theodore F., Mildred M. and Ralph E.


When Mr. Palmer married he settled in Green township and lived there for two years, then settled in Polk township, where he has since resided, locat- ing in March. 1897. on the farm where he has since made his home. His well-improved and carefully tilled place consists of one hundred and sixty acres. and he has a good home and keeps some good stock.


Mr. and Mrs. Palmer and their two elder children are members of the Christian church, and fraternally Mr. Palmer belongs to the Masonic order, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows. while he and his wife are members of the Odd Fellows' auxiliary order, the Daughters of Rebekah, in all of which he takes much interest and stands high in their councils.


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NODAWAY COUNTY, MISSOURI.


PRINCE L. TRAPP.


The financial and commercial history of Nodaway county would be in- complete and unsatisfactory without personal mention of those whose lives are interwoven so closely with the industrial and commercial development of this portion of the state. When a man, or a number of men, set in motion the machinery of business, which materializes into many forms of practical utility, or where they have carved out a fortune or a name from the common possibilities, open for competition to all, there is a public desire, which should be gratified, to see the men as nearly as a word artist can paint them, and examine the elements of mind and the circumstances by which such success has been achieved.


P. L. Trapp is a native of Missouri, lie having first seen the light of day on a farm in Andrew county, on September 11, 1851. His parents were Elder William R. and Mary A. (Garner) Trapp, the former having been born in what is now Lafayette county, Missouri, on September 22, 1818. and the latter born in Ray county, this state, on June 3. 1821. They are both now deceased, the father having died near Filmore. Andrew county, in December, 1878, and being survived for nearly two decades by his widow. whose death occurred in Graham, this county, on July 5. 1897. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the sixth in order of birth.


William R. Trapp was a leading and prominent citizen of Missouri. He was ordained an elder in the Christian church in 1843, being one of the pioneer preachers in this section of the state. He also gave some attention to farming, which he carreid on in connection with his ministerial labors. At the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted in the Fourth Regiment Missouri State Militia, with which he served as chaplain for one and a half years, be- ing compelled to resign and return home because of ill health. In 1863 he was selected to the Missouri Legislature on the Republican ticket and served one term with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his constituents.


Prince L. Trapp spent the first fourteen years of his life in his native county, coming to Graham, Nodaway county, in February, 1866. After three years' residence here the family returned to Andrew county, where the subject remained until February, 1870, when he went to Colorado, where he engaged in silver mining during the following six years. Returning then to Graham, Mr. Trapp engaged in the clothing business, but two years later he turned his attention to farming in Hughes township, to which he devoted his attention until December, 1898, when he again located in Graham and en-


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gaged in the lumber business, with which he has since been actively con- nected. The business was conducted under the name of the M. M. Rhoades Lumber Company until June, 1904, when Mr. Trapp bought the entire interests and at that time formed a partnership with his son, Clyde C. Trapp, under the firm name of P. L. Trapp & Son. The firm is one of the foremost in its line in the county and commands a splendid patronage from a wide extent of country. They carry a large and complete line of all kinds of lumber and builders' supplies and because of the progressive business methods and accommodating and just treatment of their customers they enjoy the re- spect and confidence of all who have dealings with them.


Mr. Trapp has been married twice. On November 11, 1877, he married Adele E. Wyman, who was born in Blandinsville, Illinois, November 14. 1859, the daughter of C. J. and Elizabeth (Coe) Wyman. To this union were born three children, Clyde C .. Demos R. and Edwin W. Mrs. Adele Trapp died on the Hughes township farm on January 16, 1884, and on April 29. 1885, at DeSoto, Iowa, Mr. Trapp married Hattie A. Harper, a native of Iowa and a daughter of Adam and Lillie (Carmean) Harper, natives of Indiana. Of the subject's children, Clyde C. was born in Hughes township, December 8. 1878. and has always resided in that township. On June 28. 1905. in Holt county, Missouri, he married Grace M. Weller, who was born in that county on April 24, 1884. They are the parents of two children. Irma A. and Marjorie R. The youngest son, Edwin W., is manager of a branch house for Swift & Company, at San Jose, California.


Mr. Trapp is a Democrat in his political views and has taken a deep interest in public affairs, his support being ever given to those movements which have tended to stimulate the best interests of the community, morally. educationally, socially or materially, he being numbered among the substan- tial and influential citizens of the county. Religiously he is a member of the Christian church, to which he gives an earnest and liberal support. Genial, courteous and accommodating. Mr. Trapp has easily made friends and is held in the highest esteem by all who know him.


MARCUS M. RHOADES, M. D.


In all matters involving the interests of Hughes township of Nodaway county, in which the subject of this sketch resides. he takes much interest. being enterprising and vigilant and many of the movements looking to the


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public weal have been supported by him during his long practice here, for he is known throughout the county and has long enjoyed a large practice, his name having long since become a household word in this locality, for he has ever held very high rank in the medical fraternity.


Marcus M. Rhoades was born on a farm in Saline county, Missouri, on June II, 1840, and is a son of George and Jane (Hall) Rhoades, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Maryland. George Rhoades settled in Saline county in 1826, being numbered among the earliest pioneers of that section, and he maintained his residence there until his death, his wife also dying there. They became the parents of nine children, of which number the subject of this sketch was the eldest. The latter was reared on the paternal farmstead and secured his elementary education in the common schools. supplementing this by two years' attendance at Mt. Pleasant Col- lege, at Huntsville, Missouri, his studies being interrupted by the inception of the Civil war, enlisting in the fall of 1860 in the Confederate army. Soon after entering the service he was taken prisoner and was held for nine months, at the end of which time he was exchanged. He then enlisted in the Ninth Regiment Missouri Infantry, with which he served until the end of the war, attaining to the rank of adjutant of the regiment. Upon the completion of his military service, Mr. Rhoades returned to Saline county and took up the study of medicine, later matriculating in the St. Louis Medical College. where he graduated in 1868, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. In the following year he entered upon the active practice of his profession at Bigelow, Holt county, Missouri, but after one year there he came to Graham. Nodaway county, where he has since remained in the active practice. For many years he has stood admittedly in the front ranks of Nodaway county's professional men, possessing a thoroughly disciplined mind and keeping in constant touch with the trend of modern thought relating to the noble calling to which his life and energies have been devoted. He has been prospered financially and is now the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and seventy- five acres in Hughes township, this county, which is well improved and yields a handsome income. The Doctor has through a course of years enjoyed at all times the unbounded confidence of the entire community, where his pro- fessional ability and sterling qualities of manhood have been recognized and appreciated.


On September 12, 1872, Doctor Rhoades married Mary T. Bond. a native of Clinton county, Missouri, and a daughter of Uriah and Louisa (Fentress) Bond. Doctor and Mrs. Rhoades have become the parents of six children, three of whom are living, namely: Ralph, who is engaged in the


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lumber business at Downs, Kansas; Verne, who is engaged in the govern- ment forestry service in New Mexico; Wayne is a lumber dealer at Linn. Kansas; two died young, and Pierce died in New Mexico, February 27, 1910, when about thirty years old ; he was a chemist.


Doctor Rhoades has always maintained a live interest in the general welfare of the community and has always given an ardent support to all movements having for their object the welfare of his fellow-citizens. He enjoys a wide acquaintance and is well liked by all who know him.


WILLIAM WORKMAN.


The great state of Indiana made a liberal contribution to the early settle- ment and development of Nodaway county. many of our most enterprising and progressive early pioneers having been natives of that state. In fact Union township, this county, was at one time known locally as the "Hoosier settlement." from the fact that in the early settlement of that section natives of Indiana assumed a prominent part. As early as 1857 the following In- dianians were settled here: Jacob Taylor. Peter Storms, Washington Storms. Hardin Carmichael, Peter Sayers. William Denny, William Pettigo, Hen- derson Lafon, Wesley Carter. In. 1859 came John Workman. William Weaver. Jonathan Weaver, Samuel Weaver. George Floury, James Car- penter. William Lamar, John McFadden and William Marr. In 1860 the newcomers here from Indiana were Starling Carmichael, Archibald Car- michael and his son Archibald. Augustus Carmichael and William Oliphant. A worthy scion of one of these early settlers is the subject of this sketch. William Workman, who is now living in Maryville, having laid aside active toil after many years of honest and earnest endeavor, which brought to him a gratifying measure of prosperity.


William Workman was born in Monroe county. Indiana, on March 5. 1834. and is a son of John and Elizabeth ( Motley) Workman. These parents were both natives of the state of North Carolina, where they were reared and married, removing to Indiana in 1832. In 1859 they came to Nodaway coun- ty, Missouri, making the long overland journey with an ox team and wagon, the other members of their little party being William Weaver and family, and two nephews, Jonathan and Samuel Weaver, with a widowed sister. John Workman had, prior to this time, made an examination of the country and had been favorably impressed by the soil, climate and general conditions, and


WILLIAM WORKMAN


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NODAWAY COUNTY, MISSOURI.


also was influenced by the fact that there were already a number of Indiana people here, as has been stated in the opening paragraph of this sketch. On his arrival here. John Workman bought one hundred and sixty acres of land located one mile from Storms, in Union township. The land cost him eight dollars an acre, a very few acres being broke and the only improvement being a rude board shanty, but he at once set to work and in a few years his farm was numbered among the best in the township, and has remained the family homestead ever since, now being owned by the subject of this sketch. Here John and Elizabeth Workman reared their children to lives of honor and usefulness, and here their deaths occurred, the former at the age of eighty- six years and the latter at seventy-six. They were a grand old couple and few enjoyed to so marked an extent the respect and veneration of their neighbors. John Workman took a deep interest in the welfare of the community and in about 1903 or 19C4 he erected on his farm a church known as Workman Chapel, donating land for the same and for a cemetery, this being all the more notable from the fact that he himself did not hold membership with any society. His generosity was extended for the benefit of the entire commun- ity and the only condition he imposed on those who wished to use the chapel was that no collections should be taken in public services held there, and this rule has always been observed. The church has remained in the hands and control of the family, though they are generous in giving its use. John Work- man stating that if, in the absence of collections, money was needed for cur- rent expenses, he would foot the bills. He was eminently public-spirited and was a stanch advocate of good roads, bridges and school houses. A Demo- crat in political principles, he was liberal and broad-minded and stood ever for the greatest good to the greatest number.


The children born to John and Elizabeth Workman were as follows : William, the immediate subject of this sketch ; John who married and reared his family in Nodaway county, but is now residing near Springfield, Missouri : David, of Union township; James, also of Union township; Francis, a resi- dent of Polk township. this county ; Joseph Thomas, of Maryville: Celia, the wife of Starling Carmichael, of Pickering, this county; Margaret became the wife of Joel Burch, who came to Missouri with the Workman family in 1859: she is now deceased; Nancy Ann became the wife of William Oliphant, who came to Missouri in 1860, but subsequently they removed to Indiana, where she died and where he is still living.


William Workman was reared on the Indiana homestead and there re- ceived his education in the common schools. On attaining mature years he married Margaret Weaver, a daughter of Joshua Weaver and sister of Nancy.


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Jonathan and Samuel Weaver, all of whom came to Missouri with the Work- mans. When he arrived here William Workman possessed an old wagon, two yoke of light oxen, a cow and a colt. His progress was slow at first and it was several years before he owned a place of his own, he finally secur- ing a tract of land in Union township, on which was a rude log shanty. He was several years in paying for this land, but he eventually accomplished this and then he traded his original tract for more land and as he prospered in his affairs he invested in more land until now he is the owner of over twelve hundred acres of splendid land, including the old homestead of eighty acres entered by his father. His land, which adjoins the homestead, lies nearly all in Union township, and for some of it he paid as high as twenty-five dollars an acre. though the greater part of it cost from five to ten dollars an acre. Mr. Workman has made many splendid improvements on his property, having erected a neat, comfortable and attractive residence and other necessary build- ings. He has here carried on general farming operations, with which he has combined stock raising and feeding, in both of which lines he has met with a gratifying measure of success. He devoted his attention unremittingly to the operation of this farm until 1908, when he retired from active labor and has since had his residence in the beautiful city of Maryville, his pleasant home being located on East Seventh street. To him and his wife was born one daughter, Elizabeth, the wife of John Thornhill, of Maryville.




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