USA > Missouri > Johnson County > Portrait and biographical record of Johnson and Pettis counties, Missouri ; containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 18
USA > Missouri > Pettis County > Portrait and biographical record of Johnson and Pettis counties, Missouri ; containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 18
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LEWIS W. PEMBERTON.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
EWIS W. PEMBERTON, an extensive agriculturist living on section 1, township 44, range 29, Johnson County, is a native of Albemarle County, Va., his birth having oc- curred December 2, 1819. Before he was twenty- one years of age he joined the force organized for the purpose of driving the Mormons out of the state, but his services were not called into requisition. He is also a veteran of the late war, having been a member of the Confederate army.
The parents of the above-named gentleman were Henry and Mildred (Wood) Pemberton, both of whom were of English descent. They moved from their native state, Virginia, to Saline County, Mo., in 1833, and resided on a farm there about seven years. Then, coming to John- son County, the father entered a large tract of land, as he had eleven children and wished to settle property on each one of them. Of the en- tire number, our subject is the only survivor, but most of them grew to maturity, married and left families. The father died in 1843, and his wife departed this life in August, 1868.
Lewis W. Pemberton received good common- school advantages, and on reaching his majority was given a quarter-section of land by his father. He at once set to work to improve the place, built a house where his present home now stands, and made many other important changes. De- siring a helpmate in life's battles, he was mar- ried, in November, 1849, to Mrs. Rebecca David, nee Baker. To them were born a daughter and son: Ella F., who married Chalmers Wood, of Lexington, Mo., and died, leaving four children; and Harry L., a farmer of this locality, whose wife died in 1894, leaving him four children. Mrs. Rebecca Pemberton was called to her last rest in 1863.
In July, 1862, our subject enlisted in Company E, Tenth Missouri Cavalry, and took part in the battle of Little Rock, Ark. He then assisted in leading Steele's army into ambush, and fought Smith's forces all day at Dick's Bayou, Ark. Soon afterward he and his comrades tried to capture Pine Bluff, but failed, and when Price made his last raid into Missouri, in 1864, he was in the charge on the fortifications at Pilot Knob
and in all the engagements of that campaign, in- cluding Jefferson City and the one fought at Glas- gow, in Howard County. In the battle near In- dependence a bullet grazed his coat collar, and his horse was wounded at Drywood, Kan., but he never received injuries. After Price's raid he was not on duty on account of sickness, and was near Sherman, Tex., at the time of Lee's sur- render.
In August, 1865, Mr. Pemberton- returned home. During his absence his wife and children had lived in Warrensburg, where the former had died at the home of her father. Afterward the children went to Saline County, being taken into the family of our subject's brother. In Au- gust, 1868, he married Lavina C. Lankford, of Saline County, and to them was born one child, Nancy L., who is still living with her parents. It has been one of the principal aims of Mr. Pemberton to fit his children well for independ- ent careers, and to give them good educations. His eldest daughter attended school in Virginia, and his son studied in a select school at Lexing- ton, and completed his education in the State Normal at Warrensburg, while his youngest daughter, after leaving the Holden schools, en- tered the normal at Warrensburg, and gradu- ated from the seminary at Independence. Mr. Pemberton gave his son after his marriage one hundred and twenty acres, and still has about eight hundred acres left.
B ENJAMIN F. McCLUNEY, Public Admin- istrator for Johnson County, is now serving his third term in this important office, and was first elected in 1884 by the Democratic party. For twelve years he was Justice of the Peace, and during that time he was fortunate in never having any cases appealed or decisions reversed. His first Presidential ballot was cast in 1844, for James K. Polk, and never since that day has his allegiance to the Democracy wavered. For
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the past sixteen years he has been a resident of Warrensburg, and esteemed among her best citi- zens.
A native of Washington County, Pa., born No- vember 7, 1820, our subject is a son of John and Elizabeth (Purviance) McCluney. The father was born in Belfast, Ireland, in 1776, and the mother, though a native of Pennsylvania, was of French extraction. In the War of 1812 John McCluney was commissioned Major by President Madison, and the precious document is now in the possession of our subject. Major McCluney was in command of the forces at Pittsburg for a long time and was a brave and capable officer. Afterwards he held the office of County Sheriff in Pennsylvania for several years, but about 1826 moved to Brooke County, Va., where he held the position of bookkeeper in a manufacturing estab- lishment.
B. F. McCluney is the youngest in a family of seven children, and passed the first few years of his life at his birthplace. Then until he was twen- ty-three years of age his home was in Virginia, where he managed to pick up a fair education in the subscription schools, which he attended only a few months each year. Learning the cabinet- maker's trade, he followed that calling for two or three years, but in 1840 started for the West by the water route. As far as Lexington, Mo., he proceeded by the Ohio, Mississippi and Mis- souri Rivers, and from there went to what is now known as Hazle Hill Township, in this county. There, in company with his father, he bought four hundred and forty acres of land, his first ex- periment in farming. After a few years he sold the place, buying a larger one in the same town- ship, but this, too, he eventually disposed of, taking up his residence in Warrensburg, where he has since lived.
November 24, 1846, the marriage of B. F. Mc- Cluney and Elizabeth Roberts, a native of Lafay- ette County, Mo., was celebrated. To them have been born seven children. Laura, who is the wife of John Blake and the mother of four children, lives near Carthage, Mo .; William is unmarried, and engaged in gold mining in Colorado; Anna is still at home; Lizzie, widow of S. W. Sweringen,
is a teacher in the public schools; Robert, who is unmarried, is now in California, where he is in- terested in mining operations; Purviance, a min- ister in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, is married and has three children; and George, the youngest, formerly a school teacher, is now a business man of Arkansas City, Kan., and is mar- ried and has one child. Our subject is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, with which denomination he has been identified since 1862. Before that he was for twenty-two years a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but, his views changing, he espoused the creed which came the nearest to his belief.
McFEE JONES is engaged in general farm- ing and stock-raising, and has been particu- larly successful in raising grain. He is very industrious and energetic, and by these qualities has won the prosperity he now enjoys. His es- tate is pleasantly located in township 45, range 25, Johnson County, and is one of the best im- proved in the locality.
Mr. Jones is a native of North Carolina, hav- ing been born in Knox County, January 23, 1851. His parents were Ebenezer and Mary (McCar- ter) Jones, also natives of that state, where they were well-to-do farmers. Three years after the birth of our subject they moved to Tennessee, and there prosecuted their chosen vocation for two years. They sold out their interest at the end of that time and lived in Greene County, I11., on a rented farm. A twelvemonth later they changed their location to Macoupin County, that state, where the father purchased a tract of eighty acres, located within six miles of Carlyle. On this he made many improvements in the way of buildings, besides setting out an orchard, and lived there for eight years.
The father of our subject, having heard much about the good farming regions of this state, con- cluded to try his fortune here, but finding that
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land sold for only $5 and $10 per acre, was afraid to purchase, and accordingly was a renter for several years. He first went to Westport, Jack- son County, remaining there for two months, when he moved his family to Kansas City and there passed the winter. During the short time spent there he was employed in freighting from Kansas City to Wyandotte, as the railroads in that vicinity were not then completed.
The spring after coming to Missouri, Eben- ezer Jones came to Johnson County and rented the place known as the Jones Farm, located near the present estate of our subject. For two years he occupied this estate, and then became a resi- dent on property one-half mile north. His next change was made to a forty-acre tract of his own, which was located on section 28. This he improved and lived upon for eleven years, when he sold out and went to Warrensburg, making his home there for two years. He then occupied the Greer Farm, and one year later moved to his present place of thirty-five acres on section 20. This place he devotes to market-gardening.
Our subject was the eldest of the parental fam- ily of three children. His two sisters are Mary, the wife of J. J. Fulks, who lives in this town- ship; and Elizabeth, now Mrs. Parker Phillips, a resident of section 34, of the above township. S. McFee was nineteen years of age when he be- gan in life for himself. His first work was to rent a tract of land located just south of where he now lives and known as the Wilson Farm. On this he lived for two years, and while there was married, October 30, 1871, to Miss Mahala Burnell, who was born in this county, November 28, 1853. She is the daughter of John and Eliz- abeth (Jennings) Burnell, natives, respectively, of Boone and Howard Counties, this state. Mr. and Mrs. Burnell were married in Johnson Coun- ty and are now living on the Post Farm on sec- tion 20. The father is well known throughout the county, having taken an active part in all leading movements for the good of the commit- nity. He reared a family of four children, of whom Mrs. Jones was the eldest. Isham mar- ried Cornelia Frost, and now resides a quarter of a mile south of our subject's place, on section 18;
Elvina became the wife of Thomas Bowles, and is at present living with her father; John A. is unmarried, and also resides under the parental roof.
Directly after his marriage our subject moved to his present place, having purchased forty acres of the same from his father-in-law. In addition to this he owns twelve and one-half acres of fine timber-land in another portion of the township. His place is well improved, and under his effi- cient management is made to yield good crops.
Mr. and Mrs. Jones have two children: Ella, born April 10, 1879; and Paul M., born May 10, 1894. The wife and mother is a member of the Christian Church, and is interested in its work and success. In politics our subject is a Third Party man. He has never held office, with the exception of serving as a member of the School Board, which position he is now occupying.
OUIS N. TIVIS, one of the enterprising and leading young farmers of Johnson County, is the proprietor of about two hundred acres of finely improved land, which yields to him abun- dant harvests as a tribute to the care and labor he expends upon the place. Politically he is a Democrat, and with one exception, when he was prevailed upon by his neighbors to serve his dis- trict as Road Overseer, has never held office.
Silas Tivis, the father of the above-named gen- tleman, was born May 12, 1825, in Kentucky, but when quite young emigrated with his parents to Missouri, where he was reared to manhood. His principal occupation in life was that of farni- ing, and his various enterprises were usually crowned with success. In 1888 he was striken with paralysis, and suffered from that trouble un- til his death, which occurred May 30, 1894. He was married, in Monteau County, Mo., to Eliza- beth Igo, who was born September 5, 1833. She
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passed to her final rest August 13, 1893. They were old and honored citizens of this county, having come here in 1867, and from that time forward were interested in the development and progress of the county.
In a family of twelve children, Louis N. Tivis is the seventh. His birth occurred in Moniteau County, this state, August 16, 1860, and when lie was seven years of age lie became a resident of Johnson County. He received a district-school education, and has always given his attention to farming. He has never married, but makes his home with his sisters, Rebecca, Bettie, Leah, Louisa, and brother, James M. He is a promi- nent member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, while the rest of the family are identified with the Baptist denomination. As he has passed nearly his entire life in this community, he is necessarily well known to the inhabitants thereof, among whom he bears a deserved reputation as a young man of honor and fairness in all his deal- ings, and one who has a proper regard for the rights of his fellows.
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ILLIAM IIAMS. This gentleman was born in North Carolina, and the success which he has attained is only another ex- ample of what industry and perseverance can ac- complish on the fertile soil of Missouri. He is now the possessor of a fine estate of two hundred and seventy acres, located on sections 19 and 30, township 47, range 25.
Our subject's birth occurred in May, 1838, in Davidson County, N. C., his parents being Rich- ard and Ellen (Collett) Iiams, the former born in Maryland, and the latter in Davidson County, N. C. The paternal grandparents of William were Thomas and Nancy Iiams, both natives of the state of Maryland, and farmers by occupation during the greater portion of their lives, although the former was a millwright and carpenter by trade. After their removal to Davidson County,
N. C., he purchased property and gave his atten- tion almost entirely to farming. He was an ex- pert miller, however, and later erected a water- mill on his place, making the wheel sixteen feet high. He was a cripple for many years, having been injured by falling from a house which he was engaged in building. He departed this life in Davidson County when our subject was a lad of ten years. His wife died two years later.
Richard Iiams lived at home until his marriage, when he began in life for himself by farming in Davidson County. He, too, was a carpenter, hav- ing been instructed in this trade by his honored father, and there still is a barn standing in the above county which is a fair sample of his handi- work. He became prominent in local affairs, and was deserving of the respect conferred upon him as one of the most useful members of the commu- nity. He died March 12, 1857, while the mother of our subject passed away when William was seven years of age.
The original of this sketch was the youngest member of the parental household. Of his broth- ers and sisters we note the following: Faith, now Mrs. Madison C. Dean, lives in North Carolina; John is single and is farming in his native state; Charlie married Alma Peterson, and makes his home on a good farm in Lafayette County, Mo .; Lucy became the wife of Wilson Cecil, a farmer of Davidson County, N. C .; Margaret married Andrew Russell, and departed this life in 1882; Ellen, Mrs. Booth, whose husband is deceased, is living in Forsyth County, N. C .; and Thomas died at the age of ten years.
William Iiams was nineteen years of age when he began farming on his own account. He con- tinued thus engaged until 1858, when, in com- pany with his brother Charles and uncle George, he started for Missouri. The journey was made overland with teams, and upon arriving in the state they stopped for one month in Cornelia, Johnson County. They then moved on to Lafay- ette County, and there our subject rented a farm and lived until 1865. In March of that year he returned to this section and lived with a Mr. Taggart, for whom he worked until 1873. April 26 of that year he purchased one hundred and
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seventy acres of the present farin, at once making thereon good improvements. As the years rolled by he added to his land, and is now the proprietor of two hundred and seventy acres, on which are buildings of substantial character and a goodly amount of live stock. The entire tract is under admirable tillage, with the exception of forty acres which is yet timber-land.
While living with Mr. Taggart, our subject was married, June 7, 1874, to Miss Elizabeth Stone, who was born in this county, July 9, 1848. She is the daughter of Jelitt and Nancy (Lanear) Stone, natives of Davidson County, N. C., where they were reared, but were married after coming to Johnson County, this state. They are both now deceased, the mother passing away in March, 1862, and Mr. Stone February 10, 1891. Their two children were Mrs. Iiams and Walter, the latter of whom married Mary Caldwell, and now lives on a farm in the southern portion of this county.
Soon after his marriage Mr. Iiams located upon his present place, which he has continued to make his home ever since. His family includes ten children, namely: Richard, born April 7, 1876; Hale, July 25, 1877: Walter, March 24, 1879; Sarah, September 30, 1880; Thomas, Oc- tober 16, 1882; Margaret, March 15, 1884; Char- lie, September 10, 1885; Isaac, June 15, 1887; Lucy, March 1, 1889; and Ellen, September 22, 1890.
August 4, 1861, Mr. Iiams enlisted in the Union army as a member of Company A, State Militia, under Major Neale and Captain Taggart. During his service of eleven months he participa- ted in several skirmishes, among them being those at Wellington and Dover. In the last- named place his horse was shot from under him and he was also injured. On account of his ear- nest pleading to stay in camp, he was permitted to do so, and when fully recovered was given an- other horse and continued to serve in the militia until December 31, 1862, when he was honorably discharged and came home. He will ever re- member this trip, for it was made on one of the coldest days of that winter, and before he could reach shelter he had frozen both his ears.
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In politics our subject is a stanch Republican, and cast his first Presidential vote for Bell and Everett. Although not a member of any church organization, he helps forward the good work by contributing liberally of his means.
EORGE O. TALPEY. The biographies of useful and honorable men who have risen by their own exertions from poverty and obscurity to prosperity and success furnish an inspiring and ennobling study, their direct tend- ency being to reproduce the excellence they re- cord. It is for this reason, partly, that it affords the biographical writer especial pleasure to pre- sent a brief outline of the life of Mr. Talpey, widely known as the President of the Bank of Knobnoster. Starting in life without capital and beginning work as a farm laborer for $12 per month, he has by force of character and deter- mination risen to an enviable position among his fellow-men. He deservedly ranks as one of the best citizens of Knobnoster, and one who, by his strict sense of probity and honor, has won the position for himself.
Referring to the personal history of Mr. Tal- pey, we find that he is a native of Athens, Ohio, and was born February 7, 1850. He is the fourth in the family of Ebenezer P. and Persis H. (Steadman) Talpey, natives respectively of Maine and Ohio. His father, who went to Ohio at an early age, was for some years prominently identi- fied with the business enterprises of Hocking County. He died there December 31, 1862. His wife is still living and is now seventy-five years of age.
Owing to poor health in boyhood, our subject was not able to enjoy even such inferior educa- tional advantages as the common schools afforded. His education has been mainly self acquired, he being a man of close observation, a thoughtful reader and well informed upon general topics.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
At the age of sixteen lie left Ohio and came to Knobnoster, Mo., where lie was employed on a farm for two years. In 1868 he went still further West and, settling in Wyoming, was employed as Deputy Postmaster at Laramie for over a year. Later he was chosen Enrolling Clerk of the House of Representatives of the first Legislature elected in the territory. In April, 1870, in company with his elder brother, he went to Texas and from there drove a herd of cattle to Colorado, where he remained for one year. He then returned to Knobnoster, and has resided in this place contin- uously since that time.
With the history of Knobnoster Mr. Talpey has been intimately connected since 1871. He has engaged in the drug business here and has also held an interest in the mills at this point. In 1884 he became President of the Bank of Knobnoster, and has since been at the head of this flourishing financial institution. The bank is one of the solid concerns of the county and has the confidence of the people of this section. It has withstood severe depression and disastrous panics that have proved fatal to other concerns seemingly its equal in strength. That it has done so is largely due to the tact, business ability and energy of its efficient President.
August 20, 1873, Mr. Talpey married Miss Annie, daughter of Addison and Emma (Snel1) Nichols, natives of Kentucky, but later residents of Johnson County, Mo., where Mrs. Talpey was born. By her marriage she has become the mother of three sons. Arthur, the second-born, died at the age of eighteen months. George Wilbur passed away at the age of nine years. James R., the only surviving son, is at pres- ent a student in the Missouri Dental College at St. Louis. In their religious belief Mr. and Mrs. Talpey are members of the Presbyterian Church. Socially he is identified with Twin Mound Lodge No. 273, K. of P., at Knobnoster, and was the first Chancellor of the lodge. He is opposed to monop- olies of all kinds, and consequently is in hearty sympathy with the principles of the Democratic party, which he upholds under all circumstances. Though an active worker in the party, he has never been an aspirant for official honors, but
prefers to devote his attention entirely to busi- ness. As a citizen he is interested in every meas- ure that promises to promote the welfare of the people.
Mr. Talpey is a man whose life has been emi- nently successful, but whose success has been achieved by energy, perseverance and shrewd business qualities. In his youth he was disci- plined in a hard school, but it taught him habits of self-reliance that were of service to him in every subsequent step in life. He is known for his sound and careful judgment as a business man, for his energy and capability, and for his regard for fairness, honesty and integrity. By his in- domitable will, directed by a noble purpose, he has advanced step by step, until he has attained his present honorable position, and can hand down the noblest legacy man can bequeath to posterity-a successful life.
MOS MARKEY is a native of Frederick County, Md., born September 17, 1832, and is a son of Amos and Jane (Eby) Markey. - He was the sixth in a family of eight children, of whom six still survive. His father was a na- tive of Pennsylvania, born in Lancaster County about 1779. He was reared to the life of a farm- er, and shortly after his marriage removed to Maryland, where he engaged successfully in the same occupation until 1839, when he removed to Preble County, Ohio, where he remained until his death, which occurred in 1841.
The subject of this sketch was reared on the farm and received his primary education in the old log schoolhouse. He remained at home un- til twenty-three years of age, when he began to think of a future for himself. Emigrating to Missouri in 1855, he settled in Johnson County and commenced farming. From his father's es- tate he received some $3,000, with which he pur- chased a farm of seven hundred and twenty acres on his arrival here. From that time on his suc-
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cess has been more than gratifying. Disposing of this property in 1866, he removed to his present location, where he purchased five hundred and sixty acres, though not all at one time. Mr. Markey is a thoroughly practical farmer and stock-raiser, devoting most of his attention to feeding stock for the market.
On the 22d of September, 1867, Mr. Markey was united in marriage with Miss Nancy Fritz, daughter of Daniel and Nancy (Loy) Fritz. She was born in Preble County, Ohio, in 1844, and is one of four children, of whom all survive. Three children were born to our subject and his wife, two of whom, Edward and Ellen, are still members of the family household, assisting in the farm and indoor duties. Edward has been given the advantage of a thorough collegiate ed- ucation, having attended the Mt. Morris College in Illinois, McPherson College in McPherson County, Kan., and the Stanford University of California, where he fitted himself for the minis- try. He recently received a call to the Center View Church of this county.
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