USA > Missouri > Nodaway County > Past and present of Nodaway County, Missouri Volume II > Part 48
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Perhaps the nearest to an unprejudiced opinion of any man will come from those engaged in his own line of work, and in this Mr. Bryant is for- tunate in having the good will of his fellow-workers in the newspaper field. The Maryville Tribune in a recent issue said: "Some towns are especially fortunate in having some man who can do good things for his town just at the right time-men who get what they go after and are always watching for their home interests. Burlington Junction has such a man in the person of John H. Bryant, who devotes much of his time to public interests and gen- erally gets his town to the front." The Marceline Mirror of May 27, 1910, in speaking of his election as deputy grand master of the Odd Fellows and his nomination for the position of grand master, says: "John H. Bryant is well and favorably known to the editors of the Mirror, we having resided in the same town with Mr. Bryant for a number of years. . His efforts in his home town and community are untiring in behalf of the betterment, both morally and intellectually. of the public's interests. A more public-spirited man it has never been our pleasure to meet, such a citizen as would be desired by any community. Mr. Bryant has been a leading worker in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having represented his district for a number of years, and his election to the high office of deputy grand master at the recent session of the grand lodge held at Columbia, is a direct result and honorable acknowl- edgment of his many years of untiring effort for the grand organization."
Other quotations could be made, but these are sufficient to show his friendly relations with the newspaper fraternity.
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FRANK WARREN CROW.
There is much of profit and a degree of fascination in even a succinct life portrayal of men, when the delineations. if only in a cursory way, are but the tracings of a life memoranda, which has for its object the keynote of a given personality. The accomplishments of a human being are. as a rule, measured by his capacity and strength and in his ingenuous tact in using them. If a poet's lines lack harmony we are justified in concluding that there is a certain lack of harmony within himself. Hayden failed as an artist ; we see the reason why when we read his life; and the taste of opium can be detected in products of that inimitable master of English-DeQuincey. A man's word or deed takes us back to himself, as the sunbeam back to the sun.
The artistic temperament early seized upon Frank Warren Crow, well known photographer of Maryville, and his life work has been along pleasing and helpful lines, above the sordid and the base and has had in it nothing deteriorating or paltry. He was born September 2, 1869. at McArthur, Vin- ton county, Ohio, and is the son of George and Julia (Bone) Crow, the father being a native of Pennsylvania, born near Pittsburg, March 13, 1829, of German parentage. The family moved to Vinton county, Ohio, in 1866. when the father bought farming interests there and has lived a useful and successful life at that place, now being retired and living in McArthur; he is highly respected and well known in that vicinity. He and Julia Bone were married in 1850. She was the daughter of Samuel and Amanda Bone, of McConnellsville, Ohio, in which place this family has long been well estab- lished. Mrs. Crow was born April 29, 1829. She and her husband reared nine children.
While members of this family have followed various practical and pro- saic vocations, yet the esthetic nature has been displayed by various relatives of Frank W. Crow, he being a cousin of the famous artist, Howard Chandler Christy.
Mr. Crow graduated from the McArthur, Ohio, schools in 1886, pre- paring himself for a teacher, which line of endeavor he followed for a period of three years in Vinton county ; but not finding the profession entirely to his liking. he took up clerking and worked in a drug store for two years. In 1891 he came to St. Joseph, Missouri, and studied photography under Bylarly and was with him for a period of thirteen years, mastering the various details of the art in all its phases. In 1904 he came to Maryville and opened his present studio. He has met with well merited success and his popularity is
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not confined by any means to the boundary lines of Nodaway county. He is widely recognized as one of the leading artists in northern Missouri.
Mr. Crow was married on October 24. 1897. to Hazel Harlan, of St. Joseph, a lady of refined tastes.
Mr. Crow is a member of the Christian church, the Masonic fraternity and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Politically. he is a Repub- lican. He is president of the Missouri State Photographers Association.
WILLIAM A. MERRIGAN.
The Merrigan family, as the name indicates. is of Irish origin-indeed, on both sides of the house William A. Merrigan. farmer of Washington township, Nodaway county, traces his lineage back to the Emerald Isle, and he does not have to go very far, for his parents, Robert and Honora ( Kerns) Merrigan, were both natives of that country. They came to America and located in the state of Pennsylvania and were married in 1850. Later they moved to Virginia where Mr. Merrigan was engaged as a railroad contractor. His twenty teams and other property were confiscated by the Confederates at the beginning of the Civil war and he was given a pass through the lines and came to Nodaway county, Missouri, in 1862. buying land in Jefferson township and engaged in farming, he and his wife remaining there until their deaths, the father reaching the age of sixty-seven and the mother seventy. They are buried at Conception. both having been members of the Catholic church. They were the parents of several children, William. James. Thomas, Margaret. Edward. Clarence. All are living except Margaret.
William A. Merrigan, of this review, was born in Richland. Pennsyl- vania. September 14. 1852. He remained at home until eighteen years of age when he went out into the world to make his own way. He saw a great deal of the world and was therefore educated by observation and personal contact with his fellow-men, having traveled from state to state. working in each one he visited. continuing thus for eight years, when he returned home and was married to Katherine Keefe. daughter of John and Hester Keefe, of Nodaway county, Missouri. They began their married life on a farm of eighty acres, which Mr. Merrigan bought in Jefferson township. Four years later he sold this and bought one hundred and sixty acres which constitutes his present home in section 8. Washington township. He has added to this and now has three hundred and twenty acres. one of the best
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farms in the township. He recently built one of the most substantial and attractive farm residences in the county, and has a barn and other out- buildings of the best type. His place is well stocked with a good grade of livestock and his land is well fenced and cared for in a manner that stamps its owner as a man of progressive ideas and good taste. No more up-to-date general farmer is to be found in this favored section of the state. He has been school director of his district, and he and his wife are members of the Catholic church at Conception. He is independent in politics.
Eleven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Merrigan, nine of whom are living : Robert E. was married to Mary Kirk and has one child, Frances : John L .. Katie, Patrick, Clarence, Esther, Nora. Mary and Wil- liam are living at home: Edward and Joseph are deceased.
ISAAC S. DICKERSON.
The family of which I. S. Dickerson is a representative has long been well known in Daviess county. Indiana, where he was born, and in Nodaway county, Missouri, and they have been known in each as progressive and worthy citizens in every respect. I. S. Dickerson's birth occurred on August 28. 1850, and he is the son of John S. and Mary J. (Bell) Dickerson, natives of Kentucky. The latter came to Indiana in 1847, at the time of her mar- riage. and the father moved to that state when a boy. He went to Illinois and looked over the country, but did not locate there. In the fall of 1852 he and his wife and two children came to Illinois and located near Springfield. among the early settlers. Mr. Dickerson bought one hundred and sixty acres of land which he improved and on which he lived until within a short time of his death, he and his wife spending the last few years of their lives with their oldest son, Dr. J. H. Dickerson. John S. Dickerson, at one time. operated three hundred and eighty-seven acres in Illinois, carrying on general farming on an extensive scale. He was a radical Democrat and he and his wife be- longed to the Christian church. They reared six children, four of whom are still living.
Susan (Baker) Bell. maternal grandmother of Mr. Dickerson, was one of twelve children, and when the first one of the twelve died the youngest one was over fifty years old. and at this time there were one hundred and forty-four of them-their children and grandchildren.
ISAAC S. DICKERSON
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I. S. Dickerson, of this review, received a limited education in the public schools. He worked on the home farm until he was twenty-nine years old, then, in the fall of 1879, he came to Mahaska county, Iowa, and bought eighty acres of land and lived there three years, then sold out and went to Nebraska ; then he returned to Iowa and lived six years, then moved to Illinois for two years, then back to Mahaska county, Iowa. After remaining there three years he moved to Taylor county, Iowa, in the fall of 1894. He bought where he now lives in Independence township, Nodaway county, Missouri, in the fall of 1900, and is the owner of one of the best farms in this section of the county, consisting of two hundred and forty acres, which is well improved in every respect with good fences, dwelling and outbuildings. Since 1903 Mr. Dickerson has not farmed personally, renting his land and merely over- seeing it.
Mr. Dickerson was married in 1873 to Mary E. Bomhoff, who was born in Sangamon county, Illinois. To this union two children were born, Cina Jane, on May 12, 1874. and Emma S., on February 6, 1877. The mother of these children died March 10, 1900, and on February 18, 1902, Mr. Dicker- son married Clara May Russell, who was called to her rest on May 17. 1906. On November 26th of that year Mr. Dickerson married a third time, his last wife being Hattie E. Harris, daughter of John L. and Susana (Lake) Harris.
Mr. Dickerson is a Democrat in politics, and fraternally he belongs to the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Lodge No. 156. at Bedford. Iowa; he also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Lodge No. 91, at Bedford, Iowa.
JAMES M. HOLTON.
Success attends the efforts of everyone who tills the soil if he goes about it in the persistent, skillful manner that characterizes the methods always employed by J. M. Holton, of Independence township, Nodaway county. He is a native of Pike county, Ohio, having been born in 1865, and is the son of Jacob and Caroline (Scowden) Holton. Jacob Holton, who followed the life of a miller all his mature years, led a quiet life, but was a man of influence and a general advisor to his neighbors, in a quiet, unobtrusive way, and he was greatly liked and highly respected. He was one of the early settlers in Pike county. Ohio. His wife was born in that county, her parents having come
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from the East in a very early day and were pioneer farmers. Both Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Holton were reared in Pike county, but Jacob was not born there. He sent a substitute to the front during the Civil war. His family consisted of seven sons and three daughters, three of the sons dying in boyhood or young manhood ; one of the daughters died when about nine years old; an- other died after becoming the mother of a family. The living daughter makes her home at Albany, Missouri. One son is at Springfield, Ohio, one at Glenwood, Missouri, one in Pike county, Ohio, one near Springfield, Ohio, and J. M., of this review.
J. M. Holton was reared in Pike county, Ohio, educated in the public schools and remained there until 1884, when he came to Nodaway county, Missouri, and went to work for his uncle, John Scowden. He worked out for nine years, having been employed during that time by three different men. In 1892 he, in partnership with W. T. Argo, bought three hundred and twenty acres of land in Independence township, which they operated until 1895, in which year they dissolved partnership and Mr. Holton became the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of the same place on which he still lives, and on which he has personally put on extensive improvements. He is one of our best general farmers.
Mr. Holton was married in 1898 to Mary Shelman, who was born in Union township, Nodaway county, on the old Shelman homestead, on which the mother of Mrs. Holton is still living. Mrs. Holton is the daughter of Adam and Sarah (Watson) Shelman. The father was born in Kentucky and the mother was born and reared in Iowa. Mr. Shelman moved to Iowa when young and married there. Late in the fifties they moved to Nodaway county. Missouri, and located on the place where Mrs. Shelman now resides. Mr. Shelman was a successful farmer and accumulated three hundred acres of land, which he improved. Since his death one hundred and twenty acres have been added to it. He was a Baptist and active in church work. Nine chil- dren constituted the Shelman family, one dying in infancy: the others are still living. Mr. Shelman was a member of the state militia during the Civil war.
To Mr. and Mrs. Holton the following children have been born : Orphe Mae was born September 22, 1902: Volley Randal was born May 12, 1904; Milo Minnis was born September 15. 1908.
Mrs. Holton is a member of the Baptist church, while Mr. Holton holds membership with the Presbyterians. He is a Democrat. but has never aspired to office.
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NODAWAY COUNTY, MISSOURI.
REORGANIZED CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS.
Compiled by Elder E. S. Fannon, Presiding Elder of the Nodaway District, and local historian in and for the same territory.
The membership of the above named church is not so great in Nodaway county as it is with many of the more popular churches of these times. This fact is due no doubt to the odium brought upon the church by the misdoings of Brigham Young. John C. Bennet and their coadjutors. In this county there are three distinct "branches" or congregations, the nucleus of which was formed by some sturdy old families who refused to follow after the dom- ineering leadership of Brigham Young when he led the major portion of the membership to Salt Lake City, Utah, there to try to build a little kingdom of his own and defy the government of the United States. The above men- tioned three "branches" in this county have about two hundred and fifty ad- herents. They are noted for their enthusiasm in their peculiar religious belief. They contend for the apostolic order of things pertaining to ecclesi- astical matters, viz: Apostles, prophets, bishops, pastors, elders, teachers, deacons, etc., with the miraculous gifts of miracles, visions, healing, prophecy, tongues, etc .. contending that these existed in the primitive church and that God does not change his plans. They are a peaceable and law-abiding class of citizens, holding firmly to this point of their teaching that. "Thou shalt not speak evil of thy neighbor nor do him any harm."
EDWARD S. FANNON.
It is to such men as Edward S. Fannon, farmer of Grant township, a man whose aim has always been to do the right in all the relations of life. that Nodaway county is indebted for the stability of its institutions and for the large measure of prosperity which it enjoys. He was born March 31, 1866, in Andrew county, Missouri, and is the son of Halton and Nancy L. Fannon. both natives of Lee county, Virginia, the father having been born in Febru- ary. 1817, and died in January. 1900; the mother's birth occurred in June. 1823, and died in January, 1909. They were married in Lee county, Virginia. in 1841. In those days the Platte purchase in Missouri was much talked of in the Old Dominion and Mr. Fannon came here in 1843 with a view of lo-
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cating, making the long overland journey in a covered wagon. He had no "break" or lock on the wagon and when descending a hill he would tie a log or small tree to the rear end of the wagon to prevent it running against the horses : the log, dragging on the ground, would hold the wagon back. He located in Andrew county, near Rosendale. He was the first mail carrier from Savannah to Maryville, so far as known; he remained in the service three years and two months. He boarded with the lady, while in Maryville, after whom the city was named. He brought his wife and one child to this country from Virginia, also his wife's mother and, in 1870, located in White Cloud township, where he bought eighty acres of unimproved land, on which he built a log house, and a year later hauled lumber from Savannah with an ox team and built a frame house and here they lived the remainder of their lives, and they are sleeping the sleep of the just in the little cemetery at Pleas- ant Grove, which land Mr. Fannon gave for a public burying ground several years before his death. They were members of the Missionary Baptist church. well known as pioneer citizens and highly respected by all. They were the parents of ten children, seven of whom are living, namely: Dorthulia, Eliza- beth E .. Clara M., William B., Edward S., Nancy L. and Cordelia H. Those deceased are Ludema A., Permelia A. and Harrison G.
Edward S. Fannon, of this review, after finishing his studies in the common schools, spent two years in Central College. Fayette, Missouri. and was thus well equipped for a teacher, which line of work he devoted his attention to in the common schools for seven years, being rated as one of the county's most successful teachers. In 1893 he was married to Anna M. Mad- ison, daughter of Ole and Maren Madison, who were natives of Denmark and who came to the United States in 1861, locating in section 18. Nodaway county, buying one hundred and twenty acres. They established a very cont- fortable home here, and were the parents of three children. Mrs. Fannon is the only survivor of this family, she falling heir to the Madison farm. Mr. Fannon has added to this and now owns three hundred and fifty acres of choice land. which he keeps well improved and which is under a high state of cultivation. He has a pleasant and substantial home and sufficient outbuild- ings to meet his requirements. Mr. Fannon is a practical farmer and well abreast of the modern methods of agriculture and stock raising. Some good stock of various kinds may be seen about his fields from year to year. He finds time to look after a fire insurance business and writes most of his neigh- bors in this line. He keeps advised on the progress of the world in scientific and literary lines, having built up a splendid and carefully selected library of the world's choicest volumes on a wide variety of themes, he and the members
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of his family being avid readers of good books and magazines. Everything about his place indicates thrift and that a gentleman of refined tastes and good management is in possession of the same.
Mr. Fannon has always stood ready to serve his community in any way possible. He has served his township very ably as justice of the peace and has been a member of the township board at Barnard two terms. He is loyal to the Republican party, and in religious matters he and Mrs. Fannon are members of the Latter Day Saints church, the local congregation worshiping at Union church, Mr. Fannon being the presiding elder of the Nodaway district, and he has done a great work for the church here. as he has for many other measures looking to the progress of the county. He urges us to say in this connection that he esteems his work for the church to be the greatest act of his life.
To Mr. and Mrs. Fannon the following children have been born : Myrtle, born July 29, 1894: Charles M., born September 18, 1896: Lesse L., born April 9. 1900: Orville E., born September 4. 1904: George E .. born June 24. 1909.
PETER MERGEN.
In nearly ever community there are many quiet, persevering, courteous citizens who are never very conspicuous, but who are always doing such good work as their hands and brains find to do. Such men constitute the backbone of the nation and do more for the general good than many who figure as leaders. A citizen eminently useful, unassuming, honest and reliable is Peter Mergen, the well-known florist of Maryville.
Mr. Mergen is a native of the German empire, having been born in the state of Luxemburg, county of Rending. November 15. 1850, and he is the son of Nicholas and Catharine (Wise) Mergen, both natives of the Father- land, where they lived useful and honorable lives and passed to their rewards Nicholas Mergen was a millwright. He and his wife were the parents of nine children, only two of whom are living, viz. : Peter. of this review, and Nicholas, who lives at Omaha, Nebraska.
Peter Mergen came to America in the year 1868, a sister and brother accompanying him to the new world. They located in Nodaway county, Missouri, on a farm east of Maryville. Mr. Mergen resided on the farm for about one year, and he then removed to Maryville and accepted employment as a clerk with Hudson & Company, hardware dealers. He was thus engaged
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for a period of eight and one-half years, giving highly satisfactory service to his employers and to the trade with whom he came in contact. For the next five years he was employed in a like capacity with George Worst, dealer in hardware and implements, and here, too, he gave commendable service.
In 1884 Mrs. Mergen had established a greenhouse in Maryville and had met with a fair measure of success. Four or five years later Mr. Mergen gave up other pursuits and devoted his exclusive attention to this business, which he has since continued with a gratifying degree of success. He is also a dealer in coal and receives a considerable share of patronage in this line. Mr. Mergen's greenhouse on Main street occupies a ground space of forty- four by one hundred and thirty-three feet and is the leading establishment of its kind in the city. He grows a large variety of cut flowers and plants.
Mr. Mergen was married April 26, 1876, to Mary E. Hogan, daughter of Joseph B. and Harriet C. Hogan. Mrs. Mergen is a native of the state of Illinois. Her parents removed from Illinois to Hickley county, Missouri, and from there to Nodaway county, first locating near Guilford and later east of Conception.
Mr. and Mrs. Mergen are Catholics in religious faith and both are men- bers of the Fraternal Aid Society. Mr. Mergen also belongs to the Woodmen of the World. Politically, he is a Democrat.
Mr. Mergen enjoys the respect and esteem of all who know him. He is a representative type of our best foreign-born citizens who willingly assume their proportionate share of responsibility in the support and upbuilding of a community. Frugal, industrious and law-abiding, he is a man whose word is considered as good as his bond, and his success in life has been self made and deserving.
ALEXANDER C. THOMPSON.
Few dates in the century that is past are better known or stand out more prominently in the history of the West and Middle West than 1849, when thousands of citizens of every station and condition of life in the Mississippi and Missouri river valleys left hearth and home behind and made a mad rush for the Eldorado on the Pacific slope. On May 17th of that memorable year was born Alexander C. Thompson, one of the best known citizens of the southern part of Nodaway county. He was born in Buchanan county, Mis- souri, the son of Joseph P. and Letitia (Lower) Thompson, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Tennessee. They came to Buchanan
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county in 1839 and in 1840 entered land there, improved a farm and lived there until 1864, when Mr. Thompson traded his farm for one in Nodaway county, a half section, which was partly improved. and here he made quite a success of farming and stock raising, doing much trading in stock, always keeping a good grade. He was an excellent business man and prospered, ac- cumulating much property. He was a prominent man in the early history of this section. being well known and bore an unassailable reputation. He was a Democrat in politics and he and his wife were members of the Christian church. Here he spent the rest of his life, dying in 1885. at the age of sixty- nine years, having been born in 1816. His wife was born in 1825 and died in 1879. They are buried at Guilford cemetery. Eleven children were born to them, seven of whom are living, namely : William H., Mary A., Alexander C., Emaline. Joseph O., Jacob L. and Cornelius R. Those deceased are John J., Margaret, James and Edward. William served during the last year of the Civil war.
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