USA > Missouri > Nodaway County > Past and present of Nodaway County, Missouri Volume II > Part 53
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On January 22, 1896, Mr. Barman was united in marriage to Catherine Parle, the daughter of Thomas and Mary (White) Parle. These parents are both natives of Ireland. having come to Nodaway county about thirty years ago. locating on the old Aery farm, in Green township, where their deaths oc- curred at the respective ages of sixty-five and seventy years. Besides Mrs. Barman, they had a son. Thomas Parle, who now resides in Maryville, this county. Mr. and Mrs. Barman are the parents of three children. Paul. George and Charles A.
The family move in the best social circles of the community and are held in the highest esteem by all who know them. Mr. Barman is public spirited
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in his attitude toward all movements which promise to be of benefit to the community, and because of his industry, business ability and upright life he enjoys an enviable reputation in his locality.
SIMON P. STAR.
The gentleman whose life history is herewith outlined, the late Simon P. Star, who is now numbered with "those that sleep." lived to a good purpose and achieved the degree of success that falls to the lot of the average indi- vidual. By a straightforward and commendable course he made his way to a respectable position in the agricultural world, winning the hearty admiration of the people of his county and earning a reputation as an enterprising, re- liable man of affairs, which his neighbors and many friends were not slow to recognize and appreciate.
Mr. Star was born in Copley, Summit county, Ohio, in 1844 and there he was reared and educated in the common schools, remaining in his native com- munity until he came to Knox county, Illinois. There he lived for several years and then came to Clinton county, Missouri, where he purchased a farm, which he worked until 1880. Selling out in that county, he came to Nodaway county and purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Polk town- ship, where he became very comfortably established, developing a good farm and lived thereon until his death, on May 26, 1896.
Mr. Star was married in Cameron, Missouri, on December 17. 1873. to Maggie E. Null, who was born in West Charleston, Miami county, Ohio, February II, 1854. She is the daughter of Jacob and Sybil ( Mapps) Null, a highly respected family. They came from Ohio to Indiana and thence to Missouri and died in Ray county. They were natives of Pennsylvania and were the parents of eleven children, Mrs. Star being the seventh in order of birth. She accompanied her parents on their several moves from state to state and she acquired a fairly good education.
Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Star, the oldest dying in in- fancy ; the other three were named Orcutt J .. George N. and Lillian M. The latter is a graduate of the Maryville high school and normal and is highly educated. She is one of Grundy county's successful teachers. She and her mother are members of the Christian church.
Mrs. Star is the owner of eighty acres of well improved land, which has
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been carefully managed and which yields a very comfortable income from year to year. Mr. Star spared no pains in making a pleasant home for his family. His reputation was that of an earnest. honest, hard-working citizen.
JOEL P. STRAWN.
Perhaps no resident of Nodaway county during a past generation en- joyed a wider friendship or was held in higher esteem than the late Joel P. Strawn, who has been called to his reward in another sphere, a man who was beloved by all who knew him because of his upright character, his large heartedness, his kindness, generosity and industry. He was not only thrifty, but he was able to do the communities where he lived much good by giving of his time to their advancement. Starting, as he did, with practically nothing, and having never received aid from any one, the liberal competence he laid by showed that he was a man of unusual business ability, and he also exercised rare soundness of judgment throughout his career, so that in the golden evening of his life this eminently worthy and honorable citizen spent his clos- ing days in comfort and peace as a result of the industry and thrift of his earlier years.
Mr. Strawn, who was formerly a resident of Lincoln township. Mor- row county, Ohio, was born in Perry county. Ohio, March 17. 1818, and after a singularly useful and active career, passed serenely to his rest on February 25. 1895. at the advanced age of seventy-six years, eleven months and nine days. He grew to manhood in Perry county, was reared on its paternal homestead and assisted his father with the work about the farm as soon as he was old enough, attending the common schools in his neighborhood in the meantime during the winter months. He moved with his family to Morrow county, Ohio, in 1848. On November 29. 1880, he married Sarah Hartsel, in Perry county, Ohio, where he lived on a farm until coming to Missouri in 1890, his wife dying in Morrow county on June 10, 1890. Mr. Strawn returned to Ohio in 1891, coming back to Missouri the next year, having met while here on a visit Priscilla Morehouse, daughter of William and Betsy ( Aldrich) Morehouse, and on June 5. 1893, they were married. She was born in Morrow county, Ohio, on June 2. 1841 ; her father was born in New Jersey. September 20. 1806, and her mother was born on April 27. 1809. in the state of New York. Mrs. Strawn was the sixth child of a family of eight children. five girls and three boys. William Morehouse
Aunt Insulla Strawn
God. @ Strasse
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was reared in Morrow county, Ohio, while Betsy Aldrich grew to maturity in Delaware county, that state, and they were married in Morrow county and came with their family to Missouri in 1858, settling in Hopkins township, Nodaway county, five miles southwest of the town of Hopkins. Mr. More- house was an excellent manager and a hard worker and he became a very extensive land owner, distributing his land among his children toward the close of his long and useful life. He was a man whom everybody admired and respected. Mrs. Strawn has one brother, Smith A. Morehouse, now liv- ing in South Dakota; two sisters are also living, all the rest being deceased : the sisters are Susan Goodin, widow of John P. Goodin, of Nodaway county, and Caroline Riley, wife of Luther Riley, also living in Nodaway county. The death of William Morehouse occurred on May 2. 1886, and that of his wife on March 4. 1881. and they are sleeping the sleep of the just in More- house cemetery in Hopkins township, which burying ground was named in honor of Mr. Morehouse.
After the marriage of Mr. Strawn to Priscilla Morehouse, they went to live on the latter's farm in Hopkins township and there they made their home until Mr. Strawn's death. He was very successful as an agriculturist, being a man who observed the trend of events very accurately and took a delight in keeping his place well improved. He was a prominent Baptist, having been converted when young. He brought his church letter with him from Ohio and united with the Orrsburg congregation and lived according to the tenets of the church all through life. While living in Morrow county, Ohio. he belonged to the Ebenezer church, which he faithfully served as clerk until it divided on a point of doctrine, when he and his first wife united with the Mt. Pisgah congregation. He was a Democrat in politics, and a great friend to all educational movements.
By his first wife Mr. Strawn was the father of ten children, all deceased but two, namely : Mrs. Martha I. Morehouse, of Nodaway county, her hus- band being a distant relative of Mrs. Joel P. Strawn; the other living child is Mrs. Cynthia Morehouse, living in Marengo, Ohio, also a distant relative of Mrs. Strawn.
Mr. Strawn was a fine type of Christian gentleman, scrupulously honest. honorable in all his relations with his fellow men, genial and indulgent to his family. He was well liked by all who knew him, and he is well remembered in this locality, many of the older residents expressing their desire to see him properly represented in this history where he evidently deserves a conspicuous place owing to his prominence in the county and his clean record as a man and citizen.
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"Aunt Priscilla" Strawn, as she is familiarly known to a wide circle of admiring friends in Nodaway county, is well known here, especially in the northern part of the county-better known, perhaps, than any other woman in the county-and being a kind, generous, jovial and hospitable woman, she is liked by every man, woman and child and is welcomed in every home in Hopkins township, where she visits from place to place just as though she owned them all, and she is just as welcome as if she really did, for everybody delights in doing her honor and in administering to her. She inherited a very valuable property from her father, which she has carefully kept, and which has improved greatly in value.
GUSTAVUS DE LANA.
Gustavus De Lana was born in Findlay, Hancock county, Ohio, Septem- ber 5. 1841. He is the son of Mark and Sallie Ann ( Williamson ) De Lana. Mark De Lana, whose father served in the war of 1812, was a pioneer Meth- odist preacher of northwestern Ohio in the thirties; on account of failing health he located at Findlay, Hancock county, Ohio, where he engaged in general merchandising. There, on December 5. 1839. he was united in mar- riage to Sallie Ann Williamson, who died December 11, 1845. To this union were born two children, a son, Gustavus De Lana, and a daughter. Mary Hannah De Lana. both of whom are still living. On January 5, 1847, Mark De Lana was married to Elizabeth Ellen Watson Chamberlin, the widow of Norman Chamberlin, who, while herself childless, lived to be called "Mother" by three families of children.
Mark De Lana died November 14. 1849, leaving his children to the care of their step-mother, who in this case was a true mother to the orphan children.
Under the care of his step-mother. Gustavus De Lana grew to young manhood. His time was occupied in working on the farm, going to school and clerking in a store. So well did he devote his time while in school that in his sixteenth year he taught his first school, in the proverbial "log school house," at fifty cents a day. following the then custom and "boarding around among the scholars." After this he put in about a year at farm work, and then went to Logan county, Illinois, in February. 1859. Here, near Mt. Pulaski, he worked on a farm and taught school for about eighteen months. While living here he first saw and heard Abraham Lincoln, both in court and on the rostrum. From Logan county he went to De Soto. Jackson county, Illinois. where. with his step-brother. John B. Chamberlin. he engaged in the drug
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business. Later they established another store at Cobden, Union county, Illinois, having a postoffice in each of their stores.
In response to Mr. Lincoln's call for one hundred-day men in 1864, Mr. De Lana volunteered and was assigned to Company D. One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, serving in Missouri and Kentucky until discharged November 22, 1864, when he returned to De Soto to resume his position in the store that he left six months before. On Decem- ber 22, 1864, he was appointed postmaster at De Soto. May 7. 1866, in his twenty-fourth year, he was married to Nancy Dukes, third daughter of Rich- ard and Mary Blue Dukes. Richard Dukes, a native of Virginia, with his five brothers came to Hancock county. Ohio, in 1828, then an almost unbroken wilderness. they being among the largest land owners, farmers and feeders in that county.
After his marriage Mr. De Lana bought land in Franklin county, Mis- souri, fifty-two miles west of St. Louis, and here he and his wife began their married life in a log house. After two years they returned to Hancock county, Ohio, where for four years they engaged in farming and stock raising. mostly cattle and sheep. At the end of the "four years," the "lure of the West" took them to Ames, Story county, Iowa, where they lived until May, 1873, when they moved to Maryville. Nodaway county, Missouri. Here for thirty-seven years he has been engaged with a commendable degree of success in the farm loan business, and buying and selling land in Nodaway and Atchi- son counties. Missouri, and in Oklahoma.
Mr. De Lana has reaped the reward of honest toil and honorable busi- ness methods and now resides in a commodious and well furnished home on South Main street in Maryville, where the friends of the family are always made welcome by a generous and warm hearted hospitality.
Mr. De Lana's home has been blessed by the birth of seven children, Edith. John C., Arthur, Mary, Carrie, Ione and Richard. Four of these are still living, namely: John C., of El Reno, Oklahoma: Mary Funk, of El Reno: Carrie Smith, of Findlay, Ohio, and Ione, who is at home with hei parents. John C. married La Rue Cooter. of Oklahoma City. Oklahoma. and is conducting a successful farm loan business. Mary married John Les- ter Funk, ex-prosecuting attorney of Nodaway county. Missouri, and they now live at El Reno. Oklahoma. Carrie married Gerard O. Smith, of Find- lay, Ohio, where he now is in the employ of the Ohio Oil Company.
Mr. De Lana is not a man to boast of either his accomplishments or of his business, but he modestly admits that he now owns five hundred acres of choice land in Nodaway county, which insures him and his family against a day of want. unless, famine, pestilence or war should interfere.
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JOHN N. MONTGOMERY.
The famous Hoosier state has furnished its full quota of good citizens in the settling of northern Missouri, and the present day prosperity of this locality may be said to be due in no small measure to their industry and per- severing habits. Of this number, John N. Montgomery, of Grant township. is worthy of special notice here. He comes from one of the oldest and best connected families of the United States, the family of Montgomery. The branch of the family from which he comes is notable in that it traces its genealogy back to the year 912 A. D. Space forbids a very complete history of the family, but we shall give a brief outline of the genealogy. The first an- cestor of whom we have a record is Roger de Montgomerie, Count of Mont- gomerie, before the coming of Rollo, in 912. This Count of Montgomerie was commander in chief of the armies of William the Conqueror at the time of the conquest of England by the Normans. He was killed at the battle of Hastings. From this time on the family line is traced through the royalty of both England and France to Sir James Montgomerie of Skehorlie, who was the son of the Lord Montgomerie who was distinguished on account of his loyalty to King James I. Prompted by the very liberal inducements held forth to the Protestants to settle in Ireland, this Montgomerie crossed the channel and purchased a handsome estate near Armagh. Ireland, about the
year 1700. This estate is today known as the "Town Land of Killcopple." Here he resided until his death. in 1750. leaving three sons. Joseph, Hugh and Samuel. The elder, Hugh, succeeded to his father's estates. He died in 1774, leaving two sons, Joseph and William. William removed to America. but upon his brother's death, in 1805, returned to Ireland, where he disposed of the family estates, and then came to America to reside permanently. He purchased a large tract of land in Ohio county, Virginia, upon which he re- sided until his death. in 1812. He left three sons and three daughters, namely : Joseph. William. John. Mary, Jane and Eliza. The third son. John, married Eva Keck, and moved to Andrew county. Missouri. Their children were George K .. Joseph, John T., Mary ( who married Jeremiah Hall), Eliza- beth ( who married John Headley ). Harriet ( who married William Smith) and Lucinda ( who married John Phipps). Joseph married Margaret Atkin- son ; John T. married Mahala Simmons.
George K. Montgomery, the eldest, and the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Virginia, but moved with his parents to Ohio, and from there to Indiana. He was married to Rose Neumyer, of Berks county, Penn-
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sylvania, the daughter of Charles and Elizabeth ( Wagner) Neumyer. To them twelve children were born: Mary E. ( 1851). Franklin P. ( 1853). Lu- cinda (1854). John N. (1857). Susan ( 1858). George D. ( 1860. died 1892). William McClellan ( 1862). died 1874). Rose ( 1864). Emma A. (1866). Bingham S. (1868, died 1907). Belle M. ( 1870) and Leon K. ( 1872).
The father. George K. Montgomery, prospered as time passed and added to his original tract until he owned one thousand acres of land. In 1873 he built a home upon this land, at a cost of nine thousand dollars, which was one of the finest in the county at that time ; a fine barn was also built, and no farm in the county had better improvements. George K. Montgomery was not only an extensive farmer, but also a noted stock raiser, keeping the best of stock. He was a leader in public improvements and was known as one of the progressive men of his county, well known and highly esteemed by all. He was an active Republican, but never sought office, yet party leaders often endeavored to induce him to accept nominations for important offices. Dur- ing the Civil war he served three years in the Missouri militia. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He died in 1888. at the age of sixty-two years. Mrs. Montgomery, who survives him, is now in her seventy-ninth year.
John N. Montgomery, of this review, remained with his parents until he was twenty-six years of age. He received a common school education, and spent one year in a commercial school at Savannah, Missouri. In 1882. he bought a farm of three hundred and twenty acres, and has since devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits in a very satisfactory manner.
Mr. Montgomery was married in 1888 to Cora M. Dennelsbeck, daughter of Richard S. and Serepta Dennelsbeck, of Nodaway county. Mr. Mont- gomery's first wife died in 1896, and in 1903 he married Alta B. Baker, who died in less than a year after their marriage. Four children were born to the first union, of whom the eldest, George D., is the only . survivor. He was born July 26. 1889. received a high school education, spent one term at High- land Park College. DesMoines, Iowa. and has also attended the State Normal at Maryville. Missouri. The deceased children are Franklin L., John R. and Helen M.
Mr. Montgomery sold his three-hundred-and-twenty-acre farm in 1898 and now owns an excellent bottom farm of one hundred and twenty acres. Besides general farming, he also gives much attention to the breeding of horses. . He is the owner of imported draft horses and intends to give still more attention in the future to the breeding of fine horses. He also owns
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some very valuable registered horses of other breeds which are admired by all who see them. Mr. Montgomery is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and a very active Republican. He made a creditable race for the nomination for sheriff of his county in the last election, but was defeated. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity. the Red Men. and the Modern Wood- men of America. His son, George D. Montgomery, is a member of the Modern Woodmen and of the Mystic Shrine.
ALFRED ENGELMANN.
One of the leading and most progressive business houses at Maryville, Nodaway county, Missouri. is the Engelmann Greenhouses, of which the proprietors are Alfred and F. A. Engelmann. The business has, under the capable management of the owners, grown to large proportions. the trade being both wholesale and retail in character. the patronage being drawn from all parts of Nodaway county and contiguous territory. The proprie- tors, who are widely known in this county, enjoy a well-deserved popularity because of their enterprise and correct business methods.
Alfred Engelmann was born in Germany on November II. 1882, and is a son of F. A. and Bertha Engelmann. When the subject was four years old the family came to the United States, and the mother's death occurred at Clarksville. Missouri, on November 5. 1906. After their arrival in this country the family first located in Tennessee. where Alfred remained with his parents until February, 1901, when he left home and, until October. 1908, he was employed at various places. working at his chosen profession. that of a florist. On the date last mentioned he came to Maryville and. in company with his father, purchased what are now known as the Engel- mann Greenhouses. These houses, five in number. are completely equipped in every detail, and in them are to be found almost every plant known to the florist. The trade has rapidly attained to large proportions. In the attaining of this result: Alfred Engelmann has had a large part. having given to the business his undivided attention and most earnest efforts. He learned the details of the business under the direction of his father, who is a recog- nized expert in his line. The Engelmanns, father and son, have a thorough knowledge of the department of plant life relating to the ornamental and flowering plants and. too, they have so carefully studied the wants of their patrons that they have no trouble in pleasing those who patronize them.
L
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The greenhouses are kept in the best possible condition. everything being thoroughly modern and up to date, so that the work is conducted under the most favorable environments. The proprietors are gentlemen of good busi- ness ability. and because of their personal characters and high personal worth they have honestly earned the high regard which is accorded them through- out the community.
MARTENY SKIDMORE.
Few men of Nodaway county were as widely and favorably known as the late Marteny Skidmore, of Monroe township, and after whom the beautiful little city of Skidmore was named. He was one of the strong and influential citizens whose lives have become an essential part of the history of this section of the state and for years his name was synonymous for all that constituted honorable and upright manhood. Tireless energy. keen perception and honesty of purpose, combined with everyday common sense. were among his chief characteristics, and while advancing individual suc- cess he also largely promoted the material and moral welfare of his com- munity.
Marteny Skidmore was born May 25. 1825. in Randolph county. Vir- ginia, and his parents were both also natives of Randolph county, the father having been born in 1787 and the mother in 1795. They were married in 1816, and the father's death occurred in 1863, having been preceded to the silent land several years by his wife. whose death occurred in 1849.
Marteny Skidmore was reared in his native county and secured his education in the common schools. In 1840 he started out in life on his own account, boating on the Ohio river, which he continued until 1848. when he entered the employ of William Jessup. of Hamilton county. Ohio, who took a personal interest in the young man and encouraged him. In 1852 Mr. Skidmore caught the western fever and associated himself with P. D. Clark. They fitted out a train of traders at Leavenworth, Kansas, and proceeded westward, leaving the old trail at Carson City. Nevada, and mak- ing a new one to Walker's river. At the end of his trip Mr. Skidmore dis- posed of his wagons and teams and for a time devoted himself to the freight- ing business. which at that time was a profitable, though dangerous, occu- pation. In the winter of 1852 Mr. Skidmore returned to Ohio, by way of San Francisco and New York, and resumed farming operations, which he conducted with considerable success until 1864. when he came to Nodaway
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county. Missouri, and bought seven hundred acres of land in what is now Monroe township, for which he paid ten dollars an acre, the greater part of the land being unimproved. He here took up the life of a western farmer and eventually added to his original purchase, until at one time he owned about a thousand acres of good land. all improved. though some of this was afterwards sold. He was energetic and a good manager of his busi- ness affairs and rapidly made money in his new home. In 1877 he built a fine. large residence just north of where Skidmore now stands, and this home is still one of the finest in this section of the county. In 1880 Mr. Skidmore platted the town which now bears his name, the plat being located just south of his home, and in July of that year the first lots were sold. From this inception the growth of the town has been steady, and today it is one of the solid and prosperous towns of Nodaway county.
Mr. Skidmore. while devoted to his own business affairs, was not un- mindful of the best interests of the entire community, and he gave encour- agement to every movement which promised to benefit the people generally. He was known far and near for his sterling integrity, his traits of char- acter and keen business acumen, and his business advice and counsel were considered invaluable by his associates. On October 10. 1891. Mr. Skid- more died in St. Joseph's Hospital, at St. Joseph, Missouri, after under- going a surgical operation. He was an appreciative and honored member of Skidmore Lodge. No. 511. Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and at his death that body passed suitable resolutions, in which the following words were used : "He was ever ready to proffer the hand and the voice of sym- pathy and the deed of charity to the needy and distressed of the fraternity : an honored member of this society, whose utmost endeavors were exerted for its welfare and prosperity: a friend and companion, who was dear to us all: a citizen, whose upright and noble life was a standard of emulation to his fellows." In his death the entire community felt a sense of personal loss, and to those who knew him his memory is still treasured highly.
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