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 90
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 90
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 90
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 90
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 90
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Although one brother of our subject is a minis- ter of the Christian Church, our subject and his children belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church South, of which denomination Mrs. O'Bryan was a valued member during life. She passed away in 1887. Mr. O'Bryan belongs to the Ma-onic order, having taken a great interest in the work of the lodge in his viemity. Politically, he belongs to the Democratic party and stanchly mpholds its principles upon every occasion. For cighteen years he has been a Justice of the Peace and for two years served as County Judge. During the war he entered the State militia and served for one week. Although he remained at home during that great conflict, he was never molested or in- sulted.
HE JEFFERSONIAN was founded by Samuel Lowe eight years ago. Mr. Lowe was a minister of the Gospel, belonging to the Christian Church. He was a very able editor, Democratic in principle, but his opinions upon the liquor trattie stood higher than his Democracy, so that the Jeffersonian under his management was a free-lance. He died three years ago and at that time the following appeared in the Jefersonian:
Mr. Lowe was a native of Indiana. and was born at Greensburgh, February 19, 1831. At an early age, he embraced the Christian faith, and in 1853 he was ordained an Elder of that church, and zealously pursued that calling to the day, when, filling his appointment away from home, he was stricken with disease that culminated in death. Ilis aptitude and passion for journalism led him to associate that work with the ministry. After his transfer to Missouri, he conducted a paper in At- chison County, later one at Lathrop, and three years since decided to make his permanent home in Plattsburgh, after which he conducted the Jeffersonian, and with marked ability and suc- cess. Mr. Lowe died at this place, May 29, 1889, and his remains now rest in the new cemetery.
The Jeffersonian is a monument to the ability of Mr. Lowe. All of our citizens remember with . what fearlessness he denounced everything which was wrong and advocated everything which he considered as right. After his death, his widow.
Aunt Millie Lowe, conducted the Jeffersonian for some time, when it passed into stranger hands.
After the death of Samuel Lowe, the paper was conducted for a time under the management of his widow, Mrs. Millie Lowe, as mentioned above. In August, 1889, it was sold to A. M. Gustin. who conducted it for a short time, then sold it to B. Ross. now of the Cameron Sun. Mr. Ross in turn sold it to A. M. Gustin and Connelly Harrington on the Ist of April, 1890. In Au- gust. 1890. Mr. Gustin sold his interest to L. P. Kemper, and the paper has been under the con- trol of Harrington & Kemper since that time. The Jeffersonian is a prosperous Democratic paper and on a firm financial basis.
Connelly Harrington is a Missourian by birth, having been born December 4, 1864, in Platte County, this State. Ile was educated in the com- mon country schools and at the old Daughters' College in Platte City, Mo. He began teaching school before he was sixteen years of age and studied law under Ilon. R. P. C. Wil-on. being admitted to the Bar in 1886. Ile went to Hailey, Idaho, and practiced law successfully, but the continued sick- ness of his mother compelled him to return. In April. 1890, he purchased a one-half interest in the Jeffersonian, and has been at its head ever since. In April, 1892, he was married to Miss Minnie Kemper.
L. P. Kemper is likewise a Missourian by birth and training. Ile is a practical printer. having for some eight years served in a printing-office either as editor or workman. He is married and has two children.
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ON. LUCIUS SALISBURY, ex-Representa- tive and ex-Presiding Judge of Chariton County, has for many years occupied a po- sition of influence in this portion of Mis- souri. Judge Salisbury is of English descent, his ancestors having been among those who early emigrated to this country and took part in the struggle for Independence. William, the grand- father of one subject, was born in New Jersey and
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became a farmer there, but his death occurred near Boston. Mass. The father of our subject. Hon. Belcher Salisbury, was born in 1790 in Massachu- setts, where he learned the trade of carpenter when a young man. Later he took part in the War of 1812. Fora time he resided in Brattleboro, Vt., and removed thence to West Randolph. where he owned three farms. A prominent man in public affairs, he served as Selectman, Justice of the Peace, and Representative to the Assembly. His connection with the Congregational Church. in which he was a Deacon, lasted many years. His death occurred in 1864, when he was seventy-four years of age.
The mother of our subject, Nancy Lamson, was born in Vermont, and was the daughter of Thomas Lamson, a farmer of that State. He was one of the earliest settlers of West Randolph and was a soldier in the War of 1812, as were several sons. He could trace his ancestry back to oldl Congrega- tional stock in Massachusetts. Mrs. Salisbury died in 1828, at the early age of thirty-seven years. Three brothers and one sister grew to maturity, but all are gone except one sister, Lamia, who resides at the old homestead. The oldest brother, Phi- lander, was Captain of the St. Louis Rangers in the Mexican War, and died from exposure. Thomas died in Indianapolis, Ind.
Our subject was the second youngest of the family and was reared on the farm adjoining West Randolph. He was educated in the common schools of his native place, which were held in log buildings, but the teachers were generally educated men, and the advantages excellent for the time. Many are the pleasant memories that cling around the old red schoolhouse at the foot of the sandhill. Later he was sent to the High School at Braintree. Mr. Salisbury remained at home until the age of nineteen, and then started on a Western trip. The journey was made by Lake to Chicago, then by stage to Peoria, Ill., and from there to St. Louis, which he reached in August. 1813.,
Philander Salisbury was in business in St. Louis, and to this brother Lucius came, and engaged with him as a clerk for two years. In 1845 he went to Keytesville, Mo., and remamed there as a clerk for a year, at the end of which time, he, with William E. Hill, now a banker of this place, bought out the
brothers of Mr. Salisbury. and conducted a genera! mercantile business under the firm name of Salis- bury & Hill, and still later as L. Salisbury & Co. This business was continued for thirteen year -.
In 1858 our subjeet located on a farm right miles east of Keytesville, which he had bought two years before. The tract was military land, and the purchase was three hundred and twenty acres for $100. This land became the site of the present city of Salisbury, which was laid out in 1860. six years later our subject began farming and stock- raising and at one time had over twelve hundred acres of valuable land. In 1865 he built a store and the Rock Building. The first post-office of the place was under his charge. and Mrs. Salisbury. a lady of refinement and culture, was the assistant and attended to the mails, which were at that time carried in a basket. For ten years our subject con- dueted a store at this place, but increasing pull. duties forced him into a wider field. He has -old all but eleven hundred and thirty-four acres of his land, and has found it necessary and profitable to add a second and third addition to his town. Ten hundred and fifty-five acres in one body and all fenced comprise the greater part of the Salisbury farm. This bit of choice land is located in Cock- erell Township, eleven and one-half miles from Salisbury. Nine hundred acres are rich bottom land and the Judge has raised many fine cattle. thoroughbred and Shorthorns.
Judge Salisbury was the original President of the Salisbury Fair Association, but a cyclone de- stroved the buildings upon the grounds. Ili- pen wrote the first communication to St. Louis in I- gard to the Northern Missouri Railroad, and he called the meeting that organized the West Branch Road at Brunswick. and took $5,000 in stock. He was a Director of the Chariton & Ran- dolph Railroad and also of the M. & M1. Road, both of which are now merged into the Wabash.
Our subject was married in Braintree. Vt .. Apr !! 13, 1817. to Miss Harriet Newell Hutchinson. who was born there and is the daughter of Nathaniej Hutchinson, a large farmer and business man of Braintree. Five children were born into the family, but only three survived to maturity. Aber C. married and died here; Arthur enjoys the d .-
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tinetion of having been the first male child born in this place, and is now a prosperous farmer of this county; Hattie H. married E. L. Hogan. who is in the employ of the Wabash Railroad and re- sides in Moberly, Mo.
In 1850 our subject was elected Presiding Judge of the Chariton County Court, with Probate Juris- diction, but after four years of service he would not accept a re-election. In the disturbed con- dition of affairs in 1861. when Gov. Gamble ap- pointed our subject Presiding Judge of the county. he accepted the appointment against the advice of friends, and had some serious adventures after- ward, beig obliged several times to leave the county, and receiving an injury to his knee which prevented his accepting the offer of Gov. Gamble to make him the Major of a regiment.
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In 1862 Judge Salisbury was elected to the Leg- islature and received every vote of the county without opposition. In 1864 the Republican nom- inee did not get a vote. and in 1866 our subject was again elected. In 1868 he was a candidate for Speaker, but the Republicans were in the majority; however, he received the full Democratic vote. Judge Salisbury had a long and honorable career in the House, having served for nine sessions. and being termed the Father of the House. llis service on important committees was well known. and the bills which he introduced have been well considered. Ile was the originator and promoter of the bill to put through the railroad here. and Daniel R. Garrison, ex-Vice-president of the Mis- souri Pacific Railroad. gives him the credit of mak- ing the road. Ilis position in all Democratie meas- ures was at the front and he was Chairman of the Democratic Caneus, From 1861 to 1863 he was the County Judge. Until the candidacy of Stephen 1. Douglas our subject was a Whig. In 1870 he lacked but few votes of receiving the Democratic nomination for Congress from the then Tenth Dis- triet. He has been a member of the Masonic order for many years. The township and town are named in his honor. The lady whom he married is a cap- able, intelligent woman, and the record of his life would be incomplete without mention of her who has assisted and encouraged him when days were dark,
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The grandfather of Mrs. Salisbury was named Nathaniel and was born in Sutton, Mass., and died in Vermont. His father was Bartholomew, a native of Massachusetts. The father of Mrs. Salisbury was a farmer and business man and also a promi- nent Mason for fifty years. He was in the battle of Plattsburg during the War of 1812, and died in Vermont, aged eighty-four years and six months. In religious belief he was a member of the Chris- tian Church. Ile was a Democrat in his politics, and a firm supporter of the principles of that party.
The mother of Mrs. Salisbury was Nancy Ken- ney. and was born in Vermont. a daughter of Jesse Kenney. The death of Mrs. Nathaniel Hutchinson occurred in August, 1865, at the age of seventy-tive years. Mrs. Salisbury is the youngest and only child living of the family, and has participated in many exciting scenes by the side of her husband. During the carly days of the war she had sometimes to carry the mail a long distance, as no one else would take the risk of making the trip back and forth from Huntsville in a one-horse buggy, the only buggy owned in that part of the county. This was an undertaking which only a woman of courage and nerve would have attempted.
In December, 1892, the subject of this sketch ex- changed his large stock farm in Cockerell Town- ship. Chariton County, Mo., for a finely improved farm near Kenton. the county seat of Hardin County, Ohio, where he and his family now reside.
15 EONIDAS DUVALL is one of the live and pushing business men of Ray County, his residence being on a small farm near the village of Richmond. Ile owns a farm of four hundred and eighty acres in Grant Township, and is now arranging a stock farm with the view of going into the breeding business more extensively. lle has handled and made a specialty of fine mules, having some of the best animals in the State. These have brought him from $500 to $2,000 apiece at various times of sale.
Mr. Duvall was born in Culpeper County. Va.,
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September 26, 1838, and is a son of Isaac and Sarah (Jeffries) Duvall. both of whom were also natives of the Old Dominion, in which State they were married. It was in 1811 that they removed to Ray County, settling on the farm where Mr. Duvall, Sr., resided until his death on April 17. 1879. Our subject's mother died many years previously, the year after her arrival in Missouri. As the gentleman of whom this is a brief life record was only a lad of six years when he came to this region. he has practically spent his life in this county. On arriving at a suitable age he en- tered the neighboring school and worked on his father's farm until attaining his twenty-first year. when he began in business for himself at farming, but has always traded and dealt in live stock, shipping mules, cattle and hogs quite extensively to the city market. lle continued actively en- gaged in farming until 1875. when he sold his place and purchased thirty-one acres in the sub- urbs of Richmond. where he has now a substan- tial brick residence, and has for several years en- gaged in breeding fine pedigreed mules. To-day he has the finest lot of mules in the State. One especially tine animal called the "Crown Prince" was bred by William Stigall, of Kentucky, and stands fifteen and one-fourth hands high. Few men in the State have spent the time and money that our subject has in the introduction of fine stock into Missouri, and he has acquired a wide reputation as the head of breeders in the North- west. Hle is greatly interested in thoroughbred running horses and spends a great deal of time in looking up notably fine animals. His judgment is unsurpassed in the business, and he is regarded as authority on line stock.
Mr. Duvall has been twice married, taking as his first wife Miss Mary S. Goss. and after her death he married Mis- Malinda Page. of Clinton County. Mo., a daughter of A. Il. Page, a prominent and influential man in that portion of the State. Three children have been born of this marriage: Albert P. and Will P .. twins, now fifteen years oldl; and Ella May, a bright little seven-year-old girl. Our subject is interested in land and stone in Clay County of this State, and, in short. is one of the enterprising men of the great Northwest, who
have succeeded in doing so much for the country. As a man he is held in high respect, as he is one who keeps his word and is fair and upright in his dealings with his fellow-men.
HOMAS FERGUSON. Through the exer- eise of good judgment in the management of his agricultural affairs, Mr. Fergurson has gained prosperity, and his home, which is one of the best in Chariton County, is located on svetion 23, township 51, range 17. Ile is a native of the county, having been born in Buffalo Lick Town- ship, in 1827. Ilis parents, Isham and Julia ( Ken- ney) Ferguson, were natives respectively of Scot- land and Maryland. Our subject's father was in the War of 1812. as was his grandfather, who served in the Revolutionary War and received land warrants when peace was declared.
Our subject is one of nine children, three of whom are living: Sarah, who was born in Ken- tucky, first married a Mr. Bindle, and after his death became the wife of Mr. Summers, who also died; she afterward married a Mr. Gunnell, and her death occurred January 27, 1893. Jolm A. was born in Missouri in 1829, and married a Miss Moore, who is deceased; and Medford, who was born in Missouri in 1833, married a Miss Arbart, and resides at Salisbury. Our subject received his ed- ucation in Chariton and Howard Counties, Mo .. leaving school at the age of sixteen. when he went into Mexico for the purpose of enlisting in the army to fight the Mexicans; but he was rejected on account of his youth, and was placed in the commissary department. After remaining there for thirty months, he returned home.
Life passed uneventfully on the home farm until the California gold fever broke out, at which time Mr. Ferguson proceeded to the diggings and stayed for three years. I'mon his return he settled upon a farm about one-half of a mile from his present place, where he bought three-fourths of a section, worth $1.25 an acre. To this he added from time to time, until he now has no less than twenty-one hundred acres. A portion of his prop-
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erty is worth $60 per acre, and the remainder as much as $20 per acre. In cereals he makes a spec- ialty of wheat and corn, and also devotes consid- erable attention to stock, the gross receipts of the farm being about $2,000 per year.
Our subject was married in 1853 to Miss Elliott, a native of Missouri, and their union was blessed with six children, two of whom are living: Alice, who was born in 1855 in Chariton County, Mo., married Robert Patterson, of this county; and Sterling P. married a Miss Anthony, residing in Chariton County. Mr. Ferguson's first wife died in 1880. Seven years later he married a Miss Tay- lor, of Salisbury Township, and they have one child, Thomas, born in 1889.
In politics Mr. Ferguson is a Democrat, and takes much pleasure in the success of that party. During the war he served in both the Confederate and the Union armie -. He is one of the most prominent and highly esteemed citizens of Chari- ton, deseended as he is from one of the oldest citi- zens of the county, and, like his father, a large owner of real estate, although he has not, like him, done much in the way of selling land. His orch- ard is one of the largest in the State, and contains thirty-five hundred apple and many other varieties of fruit trees.
G EORGE I. WASSON was born September 19, 1819, in Wilson County, Tenn., where he lived, assisting his father on the farm, until he was twenty-one years of age. In 1840 he removed from Tennessee to Missouri and located in Richmond, Ray County, a stranger, young, without friends, without money, and with no re- sources save his indomitable energy, pluck, perse- verance and habits of sobriety and economy. The young Tennesseean was not long in making -troops of friends." Ilis affability, good nature and gen- erous, obliging disposition soon gained for him the esteem of all around him and he was not long in : finding employment at once congenial, responsible and remunerative. Shortly after his arrival he was appointed Deputy Sheriff of Ray County, and , was elected Director of the Union National Bank
after holding this position, discharging its dutic with credit to himself and to the entire satisfac- tion of his principal and the people, he entered a dry-goods store as clerk and continued this occu- pation about two years. He was then elected Constable of Richmond Township and held the office continuonsly till the year 1846, when, appre- ciating his steady habits, honesty, capacity and fidelity, the people elected him to the responsible office of Sheriff of the county, and at the close of the term, two years afterward, chose him as his own successor.
In 1819, in connection with Joseph S. Hughes, Mr. Wasson opened a dry-goods store. Ile con- tinned in this business, meanwhile conducting a fine farm of six hundred aeres near Richmond and dealing extensively in leaf tobacco, until in 1866. Ile was elected President of the branch of the Union Bank of Missouri located in Richmond, and served with efficiency in this capacity until 1865. in which year he embarked in the private banking business. HIe continued in this business about twelve years. or until 1877, when he sold out and engaged in the leaf tobacco trade, packing, pressing and ship- ping, in which he was quite successful, but after about one year he resumed the mercantile business.
In September, 1879, Mr. Wasson exchanged his store for the hotel formerly known as the Shaw House, which he has changed to the Wasson House. Mr. Wasson is now owner and proprietor of the Wasson House, which he has greatly improved. Ile is a man of great versatility, of strong natural common-sense, quick to comprehend. and of far- seeing sagacity. Knowingly, he never wounds the feelings of any man; he is ever the friend of pub- lic enterprise, of education and of whatever he believes to be conducive to the good of his friends. of the town in which he lives, or of his county. In whatever department of industry he is engaged he is the same genial, courteous and accommodating gentleman. of generous impulses, warm-hearted. sympathetic and kind. Hundreds of his fellow- citizens less fortunate than himself are indebted to him for deeds of charity. He has served a- , Director of the branch of the Union Bank of Mis- souri located at Lexington. Mo .. and in 1868 he
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of St. Louis, and remained an officer thereof until 1874, at which time, the bank having failed, he was appointed to close up the business.
October 22, 1842, George 1. Wasson married Miss Angeline B. Child, a native of Madison County, N. Y. Mrs. Wasson is a refined and intel- ligent lady, amiable, benevolent and affectionate, and much of the success attained by her husband is due to her cheerful disposition. good judgment and womanly virtues. They have had two chil- dren, but both of them died in infancy. Mr. Was- son has been one of the most active and enterpris- ing business men Ray County ever had, and no individual has done more for its advancement or is now more closely identified with the county in all that pertains to its prosperity, wealth and de- velopment.
OIN W. FORD, an extensive agriculturist in Clay County, owns four hundred and twenty-six and one-half acres of land in one body. Notwithstanding the disappoint- ments and discouragements which come to one and all alike, he has overcome them with courage and fortitude, until he now stands on the pinnacle of success. Mr. Ford was born in Fauquier County. Va., January 27, 1822, and is a son of Austin Ford. of Virginia, who saw long and hard service in the War of 1812, when he was engaged in fighting the Florida Indians. He remained in the service until the close of the war; after returning to his native State, he remained there for some time and then went back to Florida, where he married Miss Jane Allison, who was of French parentage and of a leading society family. Mr. Ford then went back to the Old Dominion, following his trade of a stone mason and there rearing his family of ten children, six boys and four girls, only two of whom are deceased. One of these, Thomas, was the father of "Bob" Ford, who shot Jesse James, and the other, Arthur F., died at Excelsior Springs in 1885.
Our subjeet is the third in order of birth in his father's family. and in his early days was entirely
without opportunity to obtain an education. for as soon as he was large enough to earn anything he was obliged to do so to help in the support of his father's large family. In 1810 the father ie- moved to Missouri and assumed the management of a large tract of land in Clark County, and was over- seer of forty slaves, owned by a Virginian by the name of Lec. In July, 1811, this man came to Missouri and in an altercation over some trivial affair stepped behind Mr. Ford and struck him on the head with a club, from the effects of which he died in two days, leaving our subject as the sole support of his mother and nine children, as the two older ones were girls and he was thus the head of the family. He worked by the month. re- ceiving from $10 to $12, and, like a dutiful son and brother, cared for them until he was twenty- eight years of age.
In 1850. JJohn Ford set out for Califorma with an outfit of five yoke of cattle, leaving Clark County on April 25, and arriving in Sacramento City on September 20 following. Selling his teams, he went further north into the mining dis- triet, prospecting and digging until the following February, when he left there and went to Feather River, where he worked on a ranch for nine months at 8130 per month. Hle then purchased a mule team, having six animals, and worked at teaming, earning $20 per day. This was the start- ing point of his successful after career in a business way, as he managed to lay up considerable money.
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