USA > Missouri > Carroll County > Portrait and biographical record of Clay, Ray, Carroll, Chariton, and Linn Counties, Missouri, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens > Part 79
USA > Missouri > Chariton County > Portrait and biographical record of Clay, Ray, Carroll, Chariton, and Linn Counties, Missouri, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens > Part 79
USA > Missouri > Clay County > Portrait and biographical record of Clay, Ray, Carroll, Chariton, and Linn Counties, Missouri, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens > Part 79
USA > Missouri > Linn County > Portrait and biographical record of Clay, Ray, Carroll, Chariton, and Linn Counties, Missouri, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens > Part 79
USA > Missouri > Ray County > Portrait and biographical record of Clay, Ray, Carroll, Chariton, and Linn Counties, Missouri, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens > Part 79
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In 1862 our subject enlisted in the defense of
his country, becoming a member of the Twenty- third Missouri Infantry, and serving until danu- ary, 1865. He took part in many engagement -. and was with Sherman on his celebrated march to the sen. In 1864 he was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant, and was Acting-Adjutant of the regiment at the battle of Atlanta and during the march to the sea. After returning from the South in 1865, Mr. Walker married Miss Susan, a daugh- ter of Smith Campbell. of Livingston County. Mo. Of their union has been born three sons and three daughters, and the family cirele is still unbroken. They are as follows: Edmon S .; Sidney E .: Mary A .. wife of W. E. Thomas. of Bogard; Nellie, who is the wife of Warren Rosenberry, of Carroll County; Albert and Winnie.
M. HAMILTON. one of the most promi- nent and popular citizens of Chariton County, Mo., is the subject of this sketch. Ilis fine farm of two hundred and ten acres is located on sections 16. 17 and 20. township 53. range 17. For many years he has been an active Democratic politician of the county. taking part in all the measures for publie improvement. and holding many olliees of honor and trust.
Our subjeet was born in Virginia in 1826. the son of Nathan and Nancy (Stone) Hamilton, who were both born in Grayson County, Va., the father in 1780 and the mother about the same year. Our subject is the only survivor of a family of eleven children. His brothers and sisters were: Eliza- beth, who was born in Virginia in 1801, married John Fugate, and died in 1812 leaving ten chil- den: James, who was born in 1803. married Mi -- Rateliff, and died in Pike County, Ky .. in 1863: Susan, born in 1806, who married a Mr. Fugate and resided in this State until her death: Richard P:, who married a Miss Stone and died in Alabama: Wesley. born in Is10, who married a Miss Stringer and died in Georgia; Nancy, who was born in 1812, married Thomas Gillingwaters and died in Alabama; Lucy, born in 1811, who married a Mr. Knifong and resided in Virgina; Matilda. who
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was born in 1818. married William Baily and re- sided in Missouri; William N .. who was born in 1820, married Miss Elizabeth Forrest, and resided in Linn County; and Nathan. born in 1823, who was still at home at the time of his death, at the age of seventeen years.
Our subject was educated in the common schools of Virginia, but left school at the age of lifteen years and commenced farming for his father. re- maining with him until he was twenty-three years of age. Ile then bought a tract of one hundred and sixty aeres, for which he paid $125. After- ward he sold this land and purchased a two hun- dred and forty aere tract, paying for it $350, and selling it in 1865 for $3,000. After this sale, he moved to Chariton County, where he purchased two hundred and forty aeres of land in ranges 16 and 17 at a cost of $10 per acre. This was partially improved and he later sold some of it. retaining two hundred and ten acres for his own use, and this he now values at $50 an acre. The residence of our subject is a modern structure of two stories and seven rooms, erreted at a cost of $2,000, and his new barn, built in 1892. and 10x41 feet in dimension, cost our subject 8500. The principal crops are wheat and corn. which with his stock bring him in an income of $2,500 a year.
In 1849 our subject married Miss Elizabeth Wright, a native of Kentucky, who was born in 1824, in Linn County. Mo. They reared seven children, as follows: Mary M., born in 1819, mar- ried William Hurt, a farmer of Chariton County, Mo., where they reside; William, born in 1852, married Julia Parks, and re-ides in' Chariton County, Mo .; Julia, born in 1855, married David E. Johnson, and resides in this county; Thomas, born in 1857, resides at home; Eliza, born in 1860, married J. B. Fugate and they reside in Howard County, Mo .; Edward, born in 1862, resides at home; and Robert, born in 1866. resides in Sum- ner, Chariton County. Mrs. Hamilton died in 1872. The children were all well educated in the common schools of the county and all grew up bright and intelligent. Mr. Hamilton married again in 1873. Mrs. Harriet C. Banning, a native of Howard County. Mo .. becoming his wife.
Our subject is a member of the Methodist
Episcopal Church South, of Asbury, and has been so connected since he was nineteen years of age. Three of his children are also members of the same denomination, flis wife belongs to the Baptist Church of New Hope. He is a Trustee and has ever been a liberal -upporter in church matters. his purse always being open to every good cause. Since 1862 he has been a member of Salisbury Ma- sonic Lodge No. 208, taking always a great inter- est in the affairs of the order. In 1872 he was made Publie Administrator, holding the office for six years, and in 1878 he was elected Treasurer of Chariton County, which otlice he held for six years. In 1861 he enlisted in the Confederate army under Gen. Price, serving for six months. lle also served under Col. Price in the Mexican War in 1846. for fourteen months, as Lieutenant of his company.
ON. A. W. MYERS, the subject of our sketch. is an able attorney and a philan- thropic citizen, keenly alive to the best interests of the city of Brookfield, in which he resides. No warmer friend of the college can be found than he. and for years he was the ad- viser of the lamented Dr. Finley in all educa- tional matters. From the beginning he espoused the cause of the school. and raised the first $800 for the academy. Recently he was deposed from his position as Trustee, which he had held from the beginning. because a Presbyterian pastor of Brookfield was resolved to convert it into a strictly sectarian school and thus depart from the heart- dictated policy of our subjeet's dear friend. the founder, who, while he would have it under Pres- byterian control, wished it to be strictly non-sec- tarian.
Mr. Myers has received full vindication at the hands of such exalted authority as the Palmyra Presbytery, which had the offender, the Rev. Mr. Leonard. on trial before it November 17. 1892. After evidence had been taken, pleadings made and a verdict was about to be rendered, Mr. Leon- ard handed in his resignation, carrying with it the
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trusteeship, the pastorate of the church., and the ro- moval of the defendant from the Presbytery. Mr. Myers had nothing to do with the citation to trial or with the prosecution, but merely appeared as a witness upon demand of the Presbytery. It was understood that his attitude in the contention with Mr. Leonard grew out of his love for the col- lege and his devotion to the memory of the de- ecased head of the institution, he believing that an illiberal policy would be an insult to the latter and prove seriously hurtful to the former.
Onr subject was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, near Steubenville, July 2, 1824. His father, Abram Myers, was born in Washington County, Pa., of Dutch ancestry, and when he was eight years of age he could not speak one word of English. At the age of nine he came to Ohio, where he grew to manhood and married Margaret Spiller, a native of the Buckeye State, whose family settled there about 1808 or 1809. Our subject remained in the county of his birth until he had reached the age of twenty years, at which time the family removed to Carroll County. From the age of twelve until twenty he worked in his father's mill and there learned the trade, but when he was twenty years old he entered the public school at Malvern. Later he pursued his studies in Carrollton College for five months, and afterward entered Alleghany College, at Meadville, Pa., where he enjoyed fine instruction for one year.
At the age of twenty-one. our subject began to teach school and followed this profession for four years, after which he began the study of law at Carrollton, Ohio, with Gen. E. R. Eckley and James M. Davis. After two and one-half years of 'struggle with Coke and Blackstone. our subjeet was admitted to the Bar before the District Supreme Court at Carrollton. Ohio, to practice in all the State courts. He began his life work at Sandy- ville, Ohio, but after remaining there for two years he removed to Columbia City. Ind., where he con- tinned in practice for a period of twelve years. During that time he did a great deal of political work, especially in the campaign of 1860. when he stumped the State for the Democratic candidate, Stephen A. Douglas. In August, 1862. he became Captain of Company F. One Hundredth Indiana
Intantoy, this being the third of the four compa- nies which he had personally organized in the- county. Early in August, 1862. his company was ordered to Memphis, and after Gen. Van Dorn had out them off at Holly Springs, Miss. they were placed ca garrison duty at La Grange. Tenn. Ex- posure here broke down his health. foreing him to resign in February, 1863. In the summer of the following year, upon the request of Gov. Morton. our subject raised another company, although he was not able to command it himself. In this line he had a noble record, having raised all the county's troops except the noted Fifth Indiana Battery, commanded by Capt. Simonson, which later in the war became so famous. Altogether he raised four hundred men. and thus kept his county. Whitely, exempt from draft.
In 1864, our subject removed to Afton. Union County. lowa. where he engaged in the live-stock business, as his health did not allow him to resume legal practice. November 6, 1865. he landed at Brookfield. Mo., at the request of his brother. L. K. Myers, who was Captain of the Twenty-ninth Iowa Regiment. The latter was a surveyor and the organizer of the town of Wellington, Kan .. where he remained until his death in 1890. Our subject commeneed professional practice at Brookfield in March. 1866, and he has continued here ever since. being one of the prominent meneof this part of the State. In 1870 he was elected to the Legishi- ture and for some five years served on the State Geological Board, directing the geological survey of the State. For four years his time was principally occupied with State affairs, as Gov. Wood-on had appounited him on the War Claims Commission. a position necessitating a great deal of labor. Alway- a Democrat, he has taken an active part in all politi- cal campaigns. He has been deeply interested in the progress of the city, and for many years wa- closely connected with Dr. Finley in building the college. \> above stated, he personally rai-ed the first 8800 that was used for the erection of the first school building for the academy. This is now used as a hotel, called the Lentner House.
Our subject was married in 1819 to Mrs. Sarah J. Hardesty. of Ohio, who died in 1851. The new! year he was married at Colombo- Cits. Ind ..
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Miss Lavinia II. Ford. a native of England, who came to the United States when she was seven years of age. Six chillien were born of this union, only one of whom is living, Prof. Harry C., who is now Director of Physical Culture and other branches in Wooster (Ohio) University, be- ing a graduate of that institution as well as of Brookfield College. Four of the children of Mr. Myers died in infancy, and his daughter by hi- first marriage, Sarah J .. married Calvin Marshall. of St. Joseph, Mo., and died October 9. 1890; Charles K. Hart was graduated from Brookfield College and studied for one year with Col. Myers. After having graduated as a law student at Ann Arbor, Mich., he formed a partnership with Mr. Myers under the firm name of Myers & Hart, and this firm is now in the front rank of Linn County lawyers.
M ARTIN PETER. one of the enterprising young business men of the city of Salis- bury, is largely and successfully engaged in real-estate dealing- and in the tobacco trade. The father of our subject also bore the name of Martin and was born in Switerland. where his father. Martin Peter, was likewise born. llere the latter pursued the occupation of a farmer all his life, and finally died, respected by all.
The father of our subject was a farmer and merchant in his native land, but after his mar- riage, in 1864. feeling that the great West of the New World offered superior inducements. he emi- grated to the land of promise. - electing Chicago as his first home, and there he opened a sample room. Later, he engaged in mining in Blooming- ton, Collinsville. Murray and Trenton. and at the latter place engaged in the merchandising busines -. In 1887 he located in Salisbury. Hle had previously bought a tine block of two hun- dred acres adjomig the east side of the city. and here he laid out Peter's First Addition to the city, consisting of twelve acres. Mr. Peter then en- gaged in farming. and pur-ned that business until May 23. 1892, when his death occurred when he
was over lifty years of age. He was a member of the Masonic order and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In his polities he adhered to the principles of the Democratic party.
The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Mary Reipstein. She was born in Soleure, Switzerland, and now resides on a farm adjoining the city. She is an estimable woman and a mem- ber of the Catholic Church. Of her live children, three are living, as follows: Albert. living in Tren- ton. Il .: Emma, at home; and our subject. Eliza, Mrs. Karcher, who lived in salisbury, has lately died.
Martin Peter was reared in Trenton, where he was born March 29. 1870. until he was seven- teen years old, and attended the public schools. In 1888 he came to Salisbury and entered the commercial department in the academy at this place. from which he was graduated with honor. Until the death of his father. Martin remained at home on the farm, but at that time, as he was ap- pointed administrator of the estate. he took sole charge of it, and is now managing it. The first Peter's Addition to the city having been pur- chased and built upon, he laid out Peter's Sec- ond Addition, of about twelve acres, in April, 1892. Mr. Peter is also engaged in other real- estate business, in which he is very successful. In October. 1891. in connection with his brother-in- law. Thomas Karcher. he bought the Salisbury Cheese and Butter Factory, and started a ercam- ery. continuing thi- business for six months, when they converted it into a tobacco factory, organiz- ing the Best Hit Tobacco Company. with a capi- tal stock of $10,000. They here manufacture live or six brands of plug. twist and faney tobaccos. buying the leaf at home. Mr. Peter has three men on the road in his business, also jobbers in the city, and employs all modern improvement- in carrying on his factory, which has a capacity of two thousand pounds a day. The works are located in the northern part of the city, and the factory is the largest in the county.
Mr. Peter is Secretary of the above-mentioned company, in which he is also a stockholder and Director. He is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellow-, in which he is much in-
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terested. Our subject is one of the active young Democrats of Salisbury, although he is no office- seeker. Ile is one of the rising young men of the place, and is highly regarded by all who have the pleasure of his acquaintance. The farm on which he has letters of administration consists of two hundred acres of fine land, on which his mother and sister reside.
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OHN McGOWAN. Popular appreciation has made John MeGowan an Alderman of the city of Brookfield no less than three times. Ile is recognized as a business man of shrewd- ness and intelligence, and these qualities make him a most useful member of the City Council. He is a member of the hardware firm of Graham & Me- Gowan, established for four years. and carrying a full line of builders' hardware and shelf goods, etc. Our subject was born in Almond, Allegany County, N. Y., June 13, 1845. his father at that time be- ing engaged on the grading of the Erie. Railroad. Ile came to Illinois in 1855 or 1856 with the brother of his mother. Patrick Tooey, his parents being of the party. Mr. Toocy,who was a brother of James Tooey, had a contract for grading the Han- nibal & St. Joseph Railroad from East Yellow Creek to Lingo, a distance of ten miles. and brought out his family with the intention of locating in Mis- souri. They drove from St. Louis in the dead of winter, when the Northern Missouri Railroad ex- tended only to St. Charles. Dreary, indeed. was the prospect at the end of the journey, with not a habitation in sight, but only the wild wilderness for miles on every hand. Yet twenty-five labor- ers were along, including the families. for whom it was necessary to erect shelter of some kind.
The parents of our subject secured teams and came to Yellow Creek, where the father erected a temporary structure for the winter. and in the spring of the following year removed to Thayer. He had worked with Pat Tooey at Troy and on the grading of the Erie Road, and came to Hlinoi- to work with him on the grade work of the Hannibal &. St. Joseph. Mr. Tooey had his hands full finding
shelter for twenty-five laborers, including the families. Mr. McGowan and several bosses; this. too. in the winter season with building material scarce and a market none too close; yet he provided for all and secured for them the necessities of life. The road ran through Fulton, Huntsville and old Bloomington, in Macon County, then the county seat. Thayer remained the headquarters while the work was being prosecuted. The road was com- pleted in 1858, and in the following year it wa- connected near Chillicothe. Patrick Tooey re- mained in Thayer, having bought considerable property in that place; but presently misfortune- overwhelmed him, he being bereaved by the death of his wife and later sustaining serious finan- cial mishaps. Under the burden of his troubles his reason gave way and for several years he has been an inmate of the St. Joseph AAsylum.
The father of our subject. Michael McGowan. worked with his brother-in-law for some years and then with the railroad. Locating at Brookfield. he became one of the first settlers of the place. where he remained until his death in 1883. His wife is still living. Our subject being a mere boy when the move was made to Illinois, was employed in driving a team for his uncle and hauled goods from Brunswick. Carbondale and Hudson. and afterward from Macon City. For a season he was in the store at Thayer, and was employed by the railroad at the latter place in 1858-59 as a helper in the roundhouse, which. on a Sun- day afternoon in May of the latter year was, with its five engines, removed to Brookfield. which at that time contained only a turntable, a boarding shanty and a hut occupied by Thomas Biesnehan. a grad- ing contractor. Our subject was made timekeeper and watchman, and is the only one remaining of the residents of the village in that spring of 1859. and of the twenty-five workmen, the bo-ses and contractors and the man in the blacksmith shop. The first store was erected by James Tovey nearly a year later.
Our subjeet worked with the railroad until 1876. He began to fire an engine in 1862, and eighteen months later was given charge of an engine. being then less than seventeen years old. Before he had fired a week he was in a collision on the New Cam-
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bria grade. in which four men were killed. His engine rolling down a bank into a cornfield, tip- ped over with him, and he was severely scaled and laid up for two months. Both trains were running at full speed and the cars were smashed to pieces. Several times during the war he was fired at by guerrillas while running his train. August 5, 1868, his engine was ditched and turned upside down, having met an obstruction on the track while at a speed of forty miles an hour. Asa result of this accident our subject was laid up for months. Run- ning mostly by daylight, it was necessary for him to carry spikes and stop now and then to spike down rails. Ilis perils during the war were many and some of his escapes were narrow indeed. Up- on one occasion the engine was taking water at a tank, when four hundred Confederates appeared. He started away, but being up grade they followed so closely that he saved himself only by lying flat upon the floor, one hundred shots being fired into the engine. At another time he brought out an engine from Hannibal to secure the remains of two trains. a passenger and a freight. near Monroe City, that had been stopped and robbed and the engineer of which had been made to put fire to his own train. The robbers, some of whom remained. paid no attention as he superintended the repair of the tracks by laborers he had brought out for that purpose; but later, when another train bearing laborers and soldiers arrived, a brisk and sharp tight ensued.
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The operation of railroads was very difficult during war time, there being no trackmen. and none for the shops: and cabs had to be lined with boiler iron to protect the engineer and tireman from bul- ets. On one trip, when taking a load of soldiers to Cameron with an old engine, the commander sent a guard to watch our subject while he stopped to repair it, suspecting that he might be attempting to cripple the locomotive. Mr. MeGowan ran the first engine for the Kansas City branch, which only ran to Harlem, until the bridge was built, and when but one road ran into Kansas City. While in charge of the roundhouse in 1861 he was required for three weeks to keep the engines tired up day and night, an attack being expected from Price's army and guerrillas to burn the bridge on each side.
Leaving the road in 1876 he started a grocery and later a saloon, after which he went into the hard- ware business.
June 10, 1878,Mr. MoGowan married Miss Mag- gie Mehan. of St. Louis, the fruits of this union being, Katie, Annie Frances, Maw Gertrude. Julia Agnes and Josephine Augusta (the three last named dying in childhood), Anastasia, Ellen and Maggie. Mr. and Mrs. McGowan are prominent mensbers of the Catholic Church. They have a fine residence on Brooks Street. one and one-half blocks west of Main Street. In addition to this, Mr. Me- Gowan owns some valuable business property in Brookfield. His devotion to the Democratic party shows itself in earnest work. While he has never sought office his fellow-citizens have three times elected him an Alderman.
ACOB WOODSON TRENT, one of the old- est settlers and most publie-spirited men in Chariton County, was born near Dalton, in this county, October 15, 1834. He is the son of Alexander Trent, a native of Buckingham County. Va .. born August 3, 1792, and the grand- father, Thomas. was also born in Virginia. The originator of the family in this country was a na- tive of France, who emigrated to America before the Revolutionary War and settled in Virginia. where he became a planter. He took part in the Revolution and was wounded in the hand. Ilis death occurred in the Old Dominion, where his son. the grandfather of our subject. also passed his last days.
The father of our subject was reared on a plan- tation, and was married in Virginia, August 3. 1819. Accompanied by his bride. he removed by team to the State of Missouri and arrived about October 15, of the same year. Location was made near Dalton, and at this place Mr. Tient began to make improvements, but later he moved to Okl Chariton. in Chariton County, and engaged in raising tobacco. Still later he settled on a place two and one-half miles west of the city of Salis- bury, where he bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He was a very prominent man in
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that part of the State and served as Justice of the Peace; he also filled the position of Sheriff for a long time before the county was set off.
The mother of our subject. Polly Hicks, was born in Buckingham County, Va .. and was the daughter of Archer Hicks, who was both a successful lawyer and planter of the Old Dominion. He came to Missouri in 1819 and located in Bowling Green, where he died. Ile was descended from substantial English parentage and was a gentleman of noble character. The mother of our subject died here in 1813, and left the following children: Thomas 11., a farmer by occupation and an officer in the Mexican War, now deceased; Betsey E., deceased; Frederick W., who resides in Chillicothe; And G ... who became Mrs. Wood, and resides in this county; William, who died in infancy; William C .. who also died when young; Jacob, our subject; and Alexander, who died in infancy.
Our subject, was reared in Chariton County, prin- cipally in Salisbury Township, and had but limited school advantages. The log schoolhouse was the place where he received his instruction, and he re- members well the laborious operations over his copy books, and the dreadful blots made by the poke- berry ink, flowing from the goose-quill pen, which pens, by the way, he can still make. One year of instruction was received in Keytesville. Ilis prin- cipal amusement in youth was hunting. and while quite young he became a very good shot and killed all kinds of game.
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