USA > Missouri > Nodaway County > Past and present of Nodaway County, Missouri Volume II > Part 45
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JOSEPH HALL ALEXANDER.
The Alexander family has long been well established in both Mer- cer and Nodaway counties, being influential and highly respected. One of the best known members of this family in Nodaway county is Joseph Hall Alexander, a farmer of Jackson township, who was born on October 7. 1850. in Mercer county. He is the son of James H. and Edna A. ( Manahan) Alex- ander, the father born in Virginia and died on September 23. 1882. at the age of seventy-six years : the mother was born in Tennessee in the memorable year of 1812 and her death occurred on April 16. 1898. at the age of eighty-
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five years. James H. Alexander was twice married, first, in Tennessee, to a Miss Laughlin. His second marriage was to Mrs. Edna A. ( Manahan) Por- terfield. He came to Mercer county, Missouri, in the early settlement of the same, and in 1848 went to California, where he remained six years, during which time his family remained in Indiana, and there he met them upon his return from the far West. It was in 1856 that he came to Nodaway county. Missouri, and purchased forty acres of land north of Pickering, and here he spent the remainder of his life. He was a farmer by occupation and he and his wife were members of the Christian church. Two children were born to Mr. Alexander by his first marriage. William and Martha, and six children were born of the second marriage, Effie. George. Addie. Joe. Lavona and Joseph H.
Joseph H. Alexander, of this review, spent his boyhood days at home and he received a common school education. On May 9. 1879. he married Viola J. Harbison, daughter of AAbraham and Mary J. (Breckenridge) Harbison, of Nodaway county. Mr. Harbison was a farmer by occupation. He was drafted into service during the Civil war, but hired a substitute. He came to Nodaway county, Missouri, in 1870, but moved to California in 1883 and died there. Mrs. Harbison is living at the age of seventy-eight years. Her mother was a first cousin of Senator Breckenridge and her grandmother was a first cousin to Daniel Boone.
Joseph H. Alexander began his married life on a farm of forty acres. which his father gave him and which is now a part of his present farm. After his father's death he became owner of the home farm, and his mother made her home with him. Adding. to his first purchase, he now has an excellent farm of two hundred and eighty acres, under a fine state of cultivation. In 1907 he built a modern and attractive residence, which is one of the best in the township. Mr. Alexander is a well known stock dealer, buying and feed- ing large numbers of livestock from time to time, especially mules. He holds annual public sales which are largely attended and which amount to a large sum of money, his well fed stock always bringing high prices.
Politically. Mr. Alexander is a Democrat, but has never aspired to any office. being too busy with his own large affairs. He is a member of the Masonic order and he and Mrs. Alexander belong to the Christian church.
Seven children have been born to them, six of whom are living, named as follows: George W .. born August 16, 1882: James Newton, born April 4. 1884: Zenas R .. born May 16. 1886; Bessie B., born April 13. 1891 ; Joseph G., born November 7. 1894: Gladys M., born March 26, 1898: Blanche I .. born April 2. 1900.
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JOHN M. O'DAY.
As the name implies, the O'Day family originated in Ireland, like a large number of Nodaway county's enterprising citizens, and, although they are loyal to our institutions, they revere the land of the shamrock. The parents of John M. O'Day were Thomas O. and Nora ( Maney ) O'Day. both born in the Emerald Isle, from which they came to America when young, the father about 1853 and located in Memphis, Tennessee, where he and Nora Maney were married. They moved to Jersey county, Illinois, where they purchased land, Mr. O'Day being a farmer by occupation, and there they made their home, becoming well established. Mrs. O'Day died there August 20, 1872, at the age of thirty-eight years, and Mr. O'Day lives at Alton, Illinois. They were the parents of four children, namely : Mary, wife of William McGuire ; Michael lives in St. Louis : Thomas is a farmer in Worth county. The other son. John M. O'Day, of this review, was born in Jersey county, Illinois, Sep- tember 25. 1864. He received a good common school education and worked on the home farm during his youth. On August 12, 1896, he married Katy Boedeker, daughter of Francis and Anna B. ( Hoeveke) Boedeker, of Worth county, Missouri. Her father was born in December, 1839, in Prussia, Ger- many, in which province his parents, Joseph and Eliza B. Boedeker, spent their lives. The father of Mrs. O'Day came to America in 1857 and located in Illinois. On July 4. 1861, he gave evidence of his patriotism for his adopted country by enlisting in the Union army. First Missouri Cavalry, and served very faithfully until September 10, 1864. He was in the battles of Pea Ridge. Prairie Grove and many skirmishes. Mr. and Mrs. O'Day began their mar- ried life on the Jackson ranch, Mr. O'Day assuming management of the same, remaining there eight years, when he purchased his present farm, which con- sists of one hundred and twenty acres. He has added to this until he now owns two hundred and eighty-six acres, one-half of which consists of the Platte valley bottoms, and it is one of the best improved and most desirable farms of the township, well tilled and carefully managed so that large returns are realized from the labor Mr. O'Day expends upon it. He has a very com- modious and beautifully located dwelling and good outbuildings. Being a progressive man of affairs, he believes that what is worth doing at all is worth doing right, as a glance at his premises would readily indicate. He has an excellent orchard, set in different varieties of choice fruit. He keeps the best grades of stock and is a breeder of shorthorn cattle, for which he finds a very ready market owing to their superior quality.
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Mr. and Mrs. O'Day are members of the Catholic church at Parnell, and Mr. O'Day has served as school director of his district, and he is always inter- ested in whatever tends to promote the general welfare of his township and county.
To Mr. and Mrs. O'Day four children were born, the first dying in in- fancy, unnamed. on May 29, 1897: Marie was born February 5. 1889: Anna was born January 21, 1901 ; Elva was born March 13. 1904. and died January 26, 1908.
JOHN BLACKBURN.
The farm owned by John Blackburn in Jackson township shows at a glance that a man of thrift and industry manages it. He has good buildings, his fences are kept in good repair and his fields are well tilled and carefully looked after as to washes and other damaging agencies, all his improvements being well up to those on the best farms of the township.
Mr. Blackburn was born October 19. 1863. in Louisa county, lowa. and is the son of Samuel and Mary C. ( Morris) Blackburn, the father a native of Pennsylvania, born July 28. 1808. and died September 9, 1866. Mary C. Morris was born in New York. November 25. 1831. They came west when young and were married in Iowa, July 23, 1848, and Mr. Blackburn was liv- ing on his farm when he died, February 7. 1892. While Mrs. Blackburn was visiting her son. John, of this review. she was stricken with apoplexy and died. She was buried at the cemetery at Parnell, and Mr. Blackburn was buried in Iowa. They were good, honest people, enjoying many friends. Nine chil- dren were born to them, seven of whom are deceased, namely : Nancy was the wife of Jesse Thorpe: Mariah was the wife of W. H. Smith ; Jane was the wife of J. B. Makin : Emma, Samuel and two twins died young : those living are Ann, wife of B. I. Graham, of Iowa, and John, of this review.
Mr. Blackburn received a common school education and was married on January IT, 1888. to Lillie D. McDowell, daughter of Thomas and Mary Mc- Dowell, of this county. Mr. McDowell is a farmer and in his family num- bered twelve children.
Mr. and Mrs. Blackburn began their married life on a rented farm and in 1894 purchased a farm of thirty-eight and one-half acres, and later added to this, and he now has sixty acres of good land. He keeps good horses as well as other varieties of livestock and he has a cozy home.
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Mr. Blackburn is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and his wife and daughter are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and while Mr. Blackburn is not a member he is a supporter of the same. Their only daugh- ter. Regina May, was born May 25. 1890; after finishing the common school course, she attended the State Normal for eighteen months, holding a good grade of license. She taught for some time in the public schools and during the past year she was one of the teachers in the Parnell schools, having at- tained the reputation as one of Nodaway county's most successful teachers. being well educated and a good disciplinarian.
HENRY A. BOEDEKER.
The German empire has sent a number of its progressive, law-abiding and altogether desirable citizens to Nodaway county, and they have, almost without exception, become well situated and are highly respected citizens. An excellent representative of this class is Henry A. Boedeker, of Jackson town- ship, who was born January 21, 1843, in Warburg, Prussia, the son of Adolph and Frederica (Watermeier) Boedeker. The parents lived and died in their native country, and their son, Henry A., spent his early life in the Fatherland also, being educated there. He crossed the great Atlantic in 1867. landing on our shores in May of that year. In the fall of 1868 he married Theresa Brehm, who was born March 11. 1847. in Bavaria and who came to this country in 1850, and located in Illinois, where she met and married Mr. Boed- eker, beginning their married life in that state. About three years later they moved to Indiana, locating in Lake county. Mr. Boedeker engaged in the pro- fession of teaching during the years he spent in Illinois and Indiana, having been educated for the same in a parochial seminary in his native country, in which his father and his paternal grandfather were also teachers. He was very successful in this line of endeavor, but in 1876 abandoned the school room and came to Nodaway county, Missouri, purchasing one hundred and twenty acres in section 9. Jackson township. He later sold forty acres of this tract and purchased eighty acres, now owning an excellent and well improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres. On this he built a modern and beau- tifully designed dwelling in 1903. He has a well kept place in every respect. his improvements being of the best and he carries on general agricultural pursuits in a very successful manner. He is well known here and is one of the township's most highly respected citizens. He and Mrs. Boedeker are
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members of the Roman Catholic church, but Mr. Boedeker is independent in politics. They are the parents of ten children, of whom five are living, name- ly : Theresa is the wife of Joseph Fleig, of St. Louis ; August, who received a normal training at Maryville and Stanberry, Missouri, has been for several years one of the successful teachers of this and Gentry county and makes his home with his father; he owns eighty acres in sections II and 15 and gives some attention to the occupation of farming ; Clara ; Anna and Frederica, who attended the normal school at Maryville, remain members of the home circle ; those deceased are Mary, Adolph, Anthony, Lena and Benno. Mr. and Mrs. Boedeker have two grandchildren. Marie and Emelia.
JAMES H. HUTCHISON.
A man who has left no stone unturned whereby he could learn more of effectual farming and therefore reap the just rewards of his labor is James H. Hutchison, of Jackson township. Nodaway county, who was born August 26, 1866, in Montgomery county, Illinois, the son of James S. and Sarah E. (Clotfelter) Hutchison. The father was born in Cape Girardeau county, Missouri, and the mother in Montgomery county, Illinois, and they were mar- ried in the last named county. In 1870 they moved to Jasper county, Mis- souri, where they lived three years, then returned to Illinois for one year. From there they went to Texas and made their home in the Lone Star state for a period of nine years. In 1882 they came to Nodaway county, Missouri, and purchased land in section 29. Jackson township. Here Mr. Hutchison made his home until 1894, when he sold his farm and moved to Parnell, where he purchased property and lived until his death, February 1, 1900, and is buried at Parnell. He was rewarded with a fair measure of success all through life and was a well liked man in every neighborhood in which he lived. He was a member of the Masonic order and of the Methodist Episcopal church at Parnell. His widow is still living at Parnell at an advanced age. She is loyal to the Methodist church. To Mr. and Mrs. James S. Hutchison six children were born, of whom four are living, George. James H., Charles and Annie, the wife of H. Thompson ; Gertie is deceased, and a baby died in in fancy unnamed.
James H. Hutchison, of this review, received a good common school edu- cation and remained with his father on the home farm until of age. He mar- ried Lear Lyle, daughter of Cyrus A. and Mariah ( Miller ) Lyle. Her father,
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a well known and wealthy farmer of Worth county, Missouri, is a native of Pennsylvania and came to Worth county in 1865. Mrs. Hutchison is the second daughter of a family of five children. Her sisters are Viola and Flora. now Mrs. Spoonmore, and her brothers are Ellis and George.
Mr. and Mrs. Hutchison began their married life with his father, with whom they lived two years, then Mr. Hutchison purchased and moved on the farm which he still occupies, engaged in farming and stock raising. His first purchase was eighty acres and he has added another eighty. He is an up-to- date farmer, and he has a good place and a very comfortable home, pleasantly located.
Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hutchison, namely : Oscar, born January 3, 1893, and died January 11, 1897 ; Lula, born January 2, 1897 ; Myrta, born December 7, 1900; Clarence, born July 24. 1907.
JAMES L. McMULIN.
The McMulin family, which came to Nodaway county from the state of Ohio, is one of the substantial and highly honored ones of Jackson town- ship, one of the best known being James L., who was born in Washington county, Ohio, November 23. 1860. He is the son of Henry McMulin, who was born in Belmont county, Ohio, March 17, 1833, and who, in his seven- teenth year, moved to Washington county, that state, and there received the larger part of his education and he alternated teaching with farming. On September 22, 1855. he was married to Rebecca Sample, of Ohio, and in 1865 moved to Owen county, Indiana, and after a residence there of eighteen months came to Nodaway county, Missouri, and engaged in the mercantile business at Sweet Home, Jackson township, and remained in business there fourteen years, a portion of which time Mr. McMulin was associated with partners. In 1880 he retired from active business and gave his attention to his farm. He was successful both as a farmer and a merchant, and from time to time he accumulated land and is now the owner of two thousand and five hundred acres, much of which lies in one body adjoining his original home farm, which is as good land as the county can boast and is kept under a fine state of improvement. Mr. McMulin is not only the largest land owner, but also the leading money lender of Jackson township and he also owns valuable business and residence properties in Ravenwood and he is one of the principal stockholders of the Ravenwood Bank. He is widely
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known and is considered one of the best business men in Nodaway county, eminently deserving the large success that has attended his efforts owing to the fact that he has made it all unaided, being a self-made man and has been independent of everyone. In 1907 he selected an attractive location and erected a beautiful residence, modern, commodious and in the midst of at- tractive surroundings. It is built of brick and cost several thousand dollars, being modern in every detail. Here he and his faithful life companion pre- pared to spend their declining years in comfort and serenity, enjoying the fruits of the former years of toil and endeavor, for they always delighted in entertaining their numerous friends, being hospitable and kind to all, there- by meriting the high esteem in which they were held by everyone wherever they lived : but on September 9, 1907, Mrs. McMulin was summoned to her reward by the Good Shepherd and she is sleeping the last sleep in God's Acre at Sweet Home cemetery. Mr. McMulin cannot fully enjoy his beau- tiful home without the genial presence of his beloved wife. He has but one child, a son, James L., of this review, who has proved to be a worthy son of a worthy sire and who takes a delight in ministering to every want of his father.
James L. McMulin received a good education and for some time clerked in his father's store and became owner of the same when his father retired from the mercantile business, but after two years of ownership he disposed of the store and in 1885 was married to Anna Tarleton, daughter of Charles L. and Miriam Tarleton, her father being a well known physician and sur- geon of Jefferson City, Missouri. Mrs. McMulin is a lady of education, culture and refinement and is a favorite with a large circle of friends.
James L. McMulin now owns and occupies an excellent farm of two hundred and forty acres, adjoining his father's place, and he engages prin- cipally in stock raising, feeding and grazing, and his place ranks well with the best in the township in every respect, being well improved and well kept, everything indicating that a gentleman of thrift and good judgment has its management in hand. He is well informed on the current topics of the times, is quiet and unassuming, and he is kept busy in looking after his farm and that of his father, a large portion of the affairs of which are now in his hands.
In politics Mr. McMulin is a Republican and he and his wife are mem- bers of the Christian church, and all the children except the youngest are members of this church; also the son-in-law. Six children have graced this union, named as follows: Miriam Rebecca is the wife of Cyrus Thompson ;
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Henry T. has turned his attention to merchandising at Ravenwood; Della L., Ezra C. and Harriet A. are attending school at Ravenwood and are members of the home circle.
Personally Mr. McMulin is a very pleasant gentleman, straightforward in all his business relations with his fellow-men, courteous, generous and a man who makes friends readily and has no trouble in retaining them.
THOMAS A. BRASHEAR.
The gentleman to whom the biographer now calls the reader's atten- tion has for many decades been a resident of Nodaway county, in fact, has spent the major part of his useful and active life here, and although it has not been altogether one of ease, yet today he can look back with satisfaction as he recalls the arduous toil performed, the many obstacles overcome and the victories won in his struggles to gain the independence that is now his. But those sturdy traits of his pioneer ancestors were inherited by him and exemplified in the determination and perseverance which characterized him. The country is largely indebted to the sturdy and indefatigable class of citi- zens of which Thomas A. Brashear is a conspicuous example.
Mr. Brashear was born March 30, 1840, in Hancock county, Illinois, and he is. the son of William G. and Rosa (Wood) Brashear, natives of the Spartenburg district, South Carolina, the father having been born January 13, 1807, and died May 10, 1862, in Adair county, Missouri. His wife was born September 22, 1809, and died August 29, 1900. They were reared and were married in their native country, then they with their parents, James and Susan (Burnett) Wood, and family emigrated to Ralls county, Mis- souri, in the spring of 1827. After the death of her parents in 1841, they moved to Adair county, this state, locating near the present site of Brashear, which place was named in honor of R. M. Brashear. He was a man of tem- perate habits, a firm believer in the religion of the Christ; he was courageous and aggressive and hesitated at no obstacles, advocated strongly all public improvements and better educational facilities, even giving up a portion of his dwelling to be used as a school house, free of charge, where his own and neighbors' children received instruction until a school house could be built in the neighborhood. No one could have taken greater pride in the general development of the country than he, especially the moral and intel-
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lectual advancement of the youth of his acquaintance, and he was always ready to encourage them. He was a member of the Baptist church. His family consisted of twelve children, eight of whom are living at this writing, namely : Coleman resides in California; Mary J. is the wife of Green L. Patterson and lives in Illinois; Richard M. lives in Kirksville, Missouri; Cynthia, now Mrs. Mosley, lives in Oklahoma; John W. lives at Odessa, Missouri; Martha is the wife of J. W. Conkle, of Brashear, Missouri ; George B. lives in Oklahoma, and Thomas A., of this review. Those de- ceased are, Millicent, James W., Susan A. and Nancy.
Thomas A. Brashear spent his boyhood days at home and received a very limited education in the old-time log school houses, teachers in those days being paid principally by subscription, their remuneration often being in corn, flour and like commodities. When twenty-one years of age, Mr. Brashear proved his patriotism by enlisting in the Union army from Adair county, Missouri, July 12, 1861, as a private in Company A. Fourteenth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Thompson and Col. John M. Palmer, serving three years and three months, having seen service in the vicinity of Springfield, Missouri, in the fall and winter of 1861, fight- ing the Confederate General Price. He was at Fort Henry, and Fort Donelson on February 14, 1862, Shiloh. April 6th following, siege of Cor- inth, April 30th, siege of Vicksburg, from May 18 to July 4, 1863, also at the battle of Champion Hills. On February 4, 1864, he was with Sherman in his raid to Meridian. The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Regiments were consolidated in July, 1864, and known as the Veteran Battalion. This regi- ment marched between the following points to Tallahatchee, Holly Springs, Memphis, Bolivar, Corinth, Vicksburg, Meridian, Chattanooga to Marietta, Georgia. Mr. Brashear received an honorable discharge on August 24. 1864, at Chattanooga, Tennessee, and soon thereafter he returned home.
On October 27, 1866, Mr. Brashear was married to Laura L. Grayson, daughter of Oren and Evaline (Wooly) Grayson, of Adair county, Missouri. who emigrated to that locality in 1862. Mr. and Mrs. Brashear began their married life in Buchanan county and they came to Nodaway county in 1888 and purchased the first lot sold in Parnell and on the same Mr. Brashear erected a dwelling and a butcher shop, and engaged successfully in the butcher business for six years, when he turned his attention to farming, buying and shipping stock extensively and he became well fixed from a ma- terial standpoint by reason of his persistent activity and good management. On January 19. 1898, he was appointed postmaster of Parnell under Mc-
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Kinley's administration, and he has held this position continuously ever since, giving the utmost satisfaction to the department and the best of serv- ice to the patrons of the office. He makes his home on his farin of twenty- seven acres, adjoining the town of Parnell on the south. It is a very valu- able little place and is well kept. He has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for thirty-nine years and has very ably filled all the chairs of the subordinate lodge. He and his wife are both members of the Rebekahs, Mr. Brashear having held all the chairs in the same. He has been a member of the Grand Army of the Republic for twenty-five years and has been commander of the post for the past nine years.
Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Brashear, only three of whom are living : Anna is the wife of George W. Korell, of Andrew coun- ty ; Rosa A. is the wife of Charles C. Evans ; Benjamin H. lives at Savannah, Missouri ; those deceased are. Charles C ... Lewis, Markie, Bruce, Willie and Wilburn.
GOLDIA ANDERSON.
The many friends of the estimable young lady whose biography is herewith briefly set forth will doubtless be glad to learn more of her indi- viduality than they have hitherto been able to glean from a passing acquaint- ance, and to ascertain that she is the creditable representative of one of the highly honored and sterling pioneer families of Nodaway county, members of which have for several generations been especially active in the develop- ment of the vicinity adjacent to Parnell, and Independence township.
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