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 30
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 30
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Born February 26, 1814, our subject is one of eleven children, whose parents were Jacob and
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Dorothy (Simons) Houx, and is the only sur- vivor of the family. His father was born in Mary- land, March 20, 1782, and was brought up as a farmer. Early in life he moved to Kentucky and successfully conducted a farm in Logan County until 1816, when he moved to Cooper County, Mo. He was one of the earliest settlers there, as only two or three houses had then been put up in Boonville. Buying land, he there passed the remainder of his busy and useful life, dying in October, 1853. A man of sterling qualities, his death was regretted by all who knew him.
The education of Matthias Houx was of a most limited kind, as during his boyhood the schools in the West were poorly conducted. In 1853 he left home to make his own livelihood, and the first money which he earned was $ro for a month's work at chopping and hewing some heavy timber. At the end of two years of hard labor-splitting rails at fifty cents a hundred, and surveying at $15 a month -he had saved enough to enter eighty acres ofland, a portion of his pres- ent farm. Here he settled down and industri- ously began clearing and cultivating the place. As the years rolled by prosperity attended his ef- forts, he made numerous investments, and now owns seven hundred and eighty acres in the garden spot of Missouri. At all times he has kept clear of debt, and attributes a large share of his success to this fact. In 1849, during the gold fever, he emigrated to California and for two years sought the precious metal. During that period he had many exciting experiences, and still keeps in perfect condition the old flint-lock rifle which served him well in many encounters with grizzly bears. Once while riding through the forest he passed a wounded bear without knowledge of its proximity. The infuriated beast, with one stroke of its powerful paw, tore away the entire haunch of his saddle horse, throwing the rider into the bushes, some distance away, and he was glad to make his escape on his hands and knees through the underbrush. At the end of two years Mr. Houx returned home with some stock and about $2,000 in money.
February 17, 1853, the marriage of our subject and Elizabeth Bradley was celebrated. Her par-
ents, Orlando and Susan D. Bradley, were natives of Virginia, and their family numbered eleven children, of whom five still survive. Mr. Brad- ley organized and commanded a company during the Mormon troubles, and was always afterward known as "Captain" Bradley. Mr. Houx also participated in the Mormon War, and was present when Joe Smith, founder of the sect, was capt- tured.
Six children came to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Houx. One is deceased, and the others are Mrs. Susan Anderson; Mary, Mrs. Eva Cook; Margaret and Mrs. Catherine King. Mr. Houx has three grandchildren, the children of Mrs. Eva Cook. He is a member of the Cumberland Pres- byterian Church and gives liberally to benevolent and religious enterprises. His right of franchise is used in favor of the Democratic party.
TTO HILKE is the owner of two hundred and twenty acres of very fine farm land in township 46, range 27, Johnson County, and has here made his home for the past fourteen years. The homestead is well improved, and on it stand a good orchard, fences and buildings. A reservoir on the place holds five thousand bar- rels of water, clear as crystal, and this Mr. Hilke intends to stock with fish. He has also been in- terested in many enterprises, and nearly every- thing which he has undertaken has turned out well.
The parents of our subject were Henry and Annie (Fraise) Hilke, both natives of Prussia, the former of whom died during the early '6os, aged about fifty-five years, and the latter about four years ago, when past threescore and ten years. They were Catholics in religious faith, and lived a quiet agricultural life. They were the parents of eleven children, six of whom are yet living. George is a grocer in St. Louis, Mo .; Gerhardt, a blacksmith by trade, is engaged in the dairy business in St. Louis; Christian, also of St. Louis,
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is engaged in the wholesale feed business; Annie is the wife of John Sack, who has lived in this county since before the war; Arnold is still living in Germany; and our subject completes the num- ber of those living.
The birth of Otto Hilke occurred in Prussia, September 29, 1844. In company with his broth- er George, he sailed for the United States in 1859, and from New York City at once proceeded west- ward as far as St. Louis. He had a little money, but it became necessary for him to find employ- ment at once. Going to West Point, Iowa, he worked for an uncle on a farm for some five years, receiving his board and clothes the first year; the second year he received $50 additional, and later had his salary gradually advanced. He was economical and saved most of his earnings. At length, returning to St. Louis, he learned the baker's trade, but as it was not to his liking, he drove a team for two years. Next, going to St. Charles County, he chopped wood during one winter, after which he was employed by a ped- dler for two years. Going back to St. Louis, he and his brother Edward were in the grocery bus- iness for five years, the latter then buying out the other's interest. For the following six years Otto and Christian Hilke were in business togeth- er, commanding an extensive trade in groceries, hay and general produce, but later their brother George succeeded to the business.
In 1881 Mr. Hilke embarked in farming in this county and has since persevered in this direction with marked success. Besides raising general crops of grain, hay, etc., he has realized large sums of money from raising and feeding stock for the markets. He has surrounded his family with many of the comforts and luxuries of life, and is now well-to-do.
In February, 1889, Mr. Hilke married Minnie (Roth) Lindeman, who was born in Germany, and who was brought to the United States by her father, Lucas Roth, in her childhood. He is now living in Franklin County, Mo., near Frisco Sta- tion. Mrs. Hilke was at the time of her marriage with our subject the widow of Herman Lindeman.
When Otto Hilke arrived in the United States he had no knowledge of English, and has been
self-taught, both in reading and writing, in this language. The only office which he has ever held has been that of Clerk of the School Board. Politically he is an advocate of the principles set forth by the Democracy. He is a Catholic, and collected the money for the building of St. John's Church after Sanford Rankin had donated the ground.
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EE WYRE, one of the enterprising farmers of Johnson County, has been a resident of township 47, range 25, since 1893. His es- tate, though not as large as many in this section, is well cultivated, and from it the proprietor reaps a good income. Mr. Wyre was born in David- son County, N. C., April 6, 1867, and is the son of David and Rachel (Collett) Wyre, both of whom were also natives of that state and farmers by occupation.
The paternal grandparents of our subject were born in North Carolina, where they spent their entire lives. David Wyre remained at home un- til after his marriage, when he set about to earn his own living. He continued to make his home in his native state for the succeeding fifteen years, and during that entire time was engaged in farm- ing, with the exception of a few years during the Civil War, when he was in the employ of the Government as a coal-burner in North Carolina.
In 1870 the parents of our subject took up the line of march to this state, locating at once in La- fayette County, where the father had an uncle living. He rented a tract of land for a time and then erected a house on the estate of his uncle, where he is still living. This farm comprises fif- teen acres, and in addition to this he is the pos- sessor of forty acres a little to the southeast of this place.
To David and Rachel Wyre was born a family of eight children. Belle married William Helt, and is living on a farm near the home of her fa- ther; Luan became the wife of William B. Tag- gart, and with her husband is also the occupant
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of a farm near the home place; the third-born died unnamed; Lee, of this sketch, was the fourth of the household; Jacob is living at home; Noville became the wife of Bruce Bell, and they reside on a farm three miles east of Windsor; George and Eliza are still under the parental roof.
Upon attaining his majority our subject began for himself by renting a tract of seventy acres, located about one mile north of his father's place. This he operated for one year, then engaged to work the Greer Farm. For four years he was a resident of that place, and while living there was married, February 22, 1891, to Miss Ella C., daughter of R. H. and Rebecca (Craft) Whitsett.
December 14, 1893, Mr. Wyre moved to his present farm of eighty acres, thirty acres of which were under improvement when he took possession of the place. He has cleared some of the timber from the estate, has succeeded in placing the soil under a high state of cultivation, and has erected thereon a number of substantial and con- veniently arranged buildings.
To Mr. and Mrs. Wyre there have been born two children: Clovis, whose birth occurred Sep- tember 6, 1892; and Mabel, born August 6, 1894. In politics Mr. Wyre has always voted the Re- publican ticket, and, although having no desire for office-holding, is much interested in the suc- cess of his particular party. Both of the parents are highly respected in the community, and in re- ligious affairs Mr. Wyre belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church South, while his wife is a mem- ber of the Presbyterian Church.
OHN B. KING is one of the native sons of Johnson County, his birth having occurred February 1, 1844, on his father's homestead in Center View Township. Since the close of the war he has made his dwelling-place on the farm which he then purchased, and which is situ- ated in Madison Township. To his first eighty acres he has since added two hundred and forty acres, thus making a valuable and good sized
farm. He has put most of the improvements upon the place himself, and though he has raised stock to some extent has made a specialty of growing grain. All of his possessions he has acquired since the war, as when he came out of the army he was penniless.
The father of our subject, Ambrose Lewis King, who was a well known citizen of this coun- ty, was born in Jefferson County, Tenn., April 5, 1815, and departed this life at his old home, Oc- tober 21, 1888. Prior to coming West, he operated a farm in eastern Tennessee, and while there held several official positions. In 1839 he started with his family in a wagon to take up his residence in this county, settling on the farm in Center View Township on which he passed his last years. His wife, who was a Miss Hannah McGee, was born in Jefferson County, Tenn., February 11, 1819, and died September 6, 1846, leaving three chil- dren: William C., who operates a farm in Center View Township; John B., of this sketch; and Nancy J., wife of R. B. Graham, who is men- tioned on another page in this RECORD. The second wife of Ambrose L. King bore the maiden name of Marilla Oliphant. She was born in Greene County, Tenn., July 19, 1826, and is still living on the old place. Of her three children, two died in childhood, and Susan is the wife of W. S. Fisher. Mrs. Marilla King is a member of the Baptist Church, while Mr. King and his first wife belonged to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Politically he was first a Whig and later a Demo- crat. After coming to this county he served as Constable, and was Coroner of Post Oak Town- ship for a time.
Resuming the life narrative of John B. King, we find that February 27, 1862, he became a member of Company A, Seventh Missouri State Militia, under Tom Houts, and served in the same company until the close of the war, being dis- charged in St. Louis in March, 1865. He was in engagements at Jefferson City, Big and Little Blue, Dry Fork and many others. On one occa- sion he was taken prisoner and for a few days held captive at Lexington. Before his enlistment in the regular service he belonged to the Home Guards, but this did not satisfy his patriotic ideas.
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On his return home he rented a farm for a year, or until he could get a fair start, but since that time has owned his own homestead.
May 10, 1865, Mr. King was married to Miss Mary Howard, who was born in Benton County, Mo., May 10, 1849. She died May 1, 1867, leaving one child, Mary E., who is now the wife of T. C. Pinkerton, a well known agriculturist of Johnson County, Kan. September 23, 1869, Mr. King was united in marriage with Elizabeth A., daughter of H. C. Key. She was born December 27, 1848, and became the mother of five children, namely: Charles C., Myrtle M., Della A., Eva E. and Alpheus B. The last-named was the eld- est of the family, and died in early childhood, September 11, 1870. Mrs. Elizabeth King was called to the better land October 7, 1882. The present wife of our subject was formerly Melissa Horn, and their union was celebrated December 20, 1883. She was born in Greene County, Mo., and is a daughter of Joshua Horn. By this mar- riage our subject has one son, Seth M.
The paternal grandparents of our subject were Peter and Susan King, the former of whom died in eastern Tennessee. The latter came with her sons to Missouri and lived to an extreme old age, her death occurring during the war. Like his father before him, John B. King uses his ballot in favor of the Democratic party. He and his wife are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church at Holden, and for about fifteen years Mr. King has served as an Elder in the congrega- tion, besides being very prominent in Sunday- school work.
12 AVID RICHARDS is a new comer in John- son County, as it was in 1894 that he be- came the owner of a quarter-section of land on section 27, township 45, range 28. He is a practical and thoroughly enterprising agricultur-
ist, being one of the kind who bring prosperity to any community, for he takes a commendable interest in the welfare of his home neighborhood, and always does his share in the promotion of general enterprises accruing to the public good. He has already inaugurated a number of im- provements on his farm, and expects to continue in this direction. Before coming here, and while a resident of Seward County, Neb., he was Pres- ident of the County Agricultural Society for two years, and was a member of the Board of Direc- tors for three years.
Abraham Richards, father of the above gentle- man, was a native of France, His birth occurred in 1808, and he crossed the ocean to the United States when twenty years of age. His wife, whose girlhood name was Anna Gerber, was a native of Stark County, Ohio, and there she was married. Mr. Richard was a farmer by occupa- tion, and the owner of one hundred and sixty acres six miles south of Canton. He was a poor boy when he landed on these shores, and at first worked on a canal at Canton, and afterward was employed on a farm by the month. He was mar- ried January 6, 1834, and found in his wife a true helpmate. They had five children, of whom David is the third. John, the eldest, lives on the old farm; Christian G. resides at Rosemond, Ill .; Joseph is an engineer in the Diebold Safe Works at Canton; and Lydia is the wife of Samuel Groves, of Stark County, Ohio. Politically Mr. Richards was a Democrat, but not radical in his views. His death occurred February 19, 1875.
Born in Stark County, April 21, 1841, our sub- ject was reared near the home of William Mc- Kinley, with whom he was well acquainted in his youth. He was early set to work, and although he had meager opportunities for obtaining an edu- cation, is now a well informed man, having added to his store of knowledge by reading, study and contact with the world. When he was about twenty years of age he gave evidence of his good business ability, buying a threshing-machine, in partnership with an acquaintance, for which he was obliged to go into debt. He paid for it the first season, and subsequently made considerable money from the venture. After his marriage he
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rented land for a year and then purchased seventy acres in Stark County of his father. For this place he was obliged to go in debt also, but before many years had passed had paid for the land, built a fine barn, repaired the house and bought fifty acres more. There he continued to dwell until 1887, when, selling out, he moved to Mil- ford, Neb., and bought a quarter-section of land. During his residence of seven years on that place he erected a number of windmills to furnish water, and after instituting various other changes he sold the farm, in 1894, at $50 an acre. Since then he has been a resident of this locality, where he soon removed with the intention of making a permanent residence.
December 14, 1862, Mr. Richards married Ca- tie Whitmer, of Stark County, Ohio, where her birth occurred October 18, 1842. Her parents, Jacob and Lydia (Shroyer) Whitmer, were na- tives of Stark County, Ohio, and of Pennsylvania, respectively. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Richards, namely: Charles B., Oc- tober 7, 1863; Riley D., August 10, 1871; and Frank B., March 27, 1873. They are all natives of Stark County, and have been well educated. The eldest son is at home and assists in the man- agement of the home farm. The second son at- tended the high school at Milford, Neb., three years, later was employed in a drug-store at Min- den, Neb., for two years, and is now studying pharmacy. Frank B., a student in the Eclectic Medical Institute at Lincoln, Neb., was married December 25, 1893.
Mr. Richards cast his first Presidential vote for MacClellan, and is a stalwart Democrat. He served for four years as Township Trustee, in Ohio, and was a member of the School Board for nine years. In July, 1894, he joined the Knights of the Maccabees, and expects to identify himself with Holden Lodge. While living in Ohio, he bought and fed horses for the New York markets, shipping them from his own farm, and in this way he made quite an income. On removing to Nebraska, it was his expectation to go extensive- ly into the same business, but he changed his plans on account of the depreciation in the horse mar- kets of the West.
HARLES HAGEMEYER, of Holden, is a native of Germany, but has passed nearly his entire life in the United States. He is a gardener and florist, and also takes great interest in breeding and handling fine Plymouth Rock and light Bramah poultry. His present home was a cornfield when he purchased it, but he at once prepared it for gardening purposes, and has made substantial improvements. He has a green- house, 65x20 feet in dimensions, full of choice plants, and a large poultry house, 10x72 feet. He bought the place, a tract of ten acres, in 1880, since which time it has greatly increased in value.
Born February 12, 1852, our subject is a son of Gotlieb and Elizabeth (Eikhoff ) Hagemeyer, who were married in Germany. The couple emi- grated to America, settling in St. Louis, where their first-born child died. Not being satisfied with the country, they traveled about to find a suitable habitation, and went as far West as the Rocky Mountains. Returning to St. Louis, as their funds were exhausted, they were both obliged to hire out, one working at one place and the other elsewhere. As the people for whom Mrs. Hagemeyer was working intended to take a European trip, they asked her to go with them, and she agreed to do so provided they would em- . ploy her husband and allow him to go also. They agreed to this, and the party went to New York City. Mr. Hagemeyer left the ship a short time before it sailed in order to make some pur- chases, and the vessel sailed in his absence. The party waited for him in Bremen for six weeks, and at length he reached them. They remained in Germany for two years, a portion of which time Mr. Hagemeyer worked as a gardener. Con- cluding to return to the United States, he left his wife in Europe while he prepared a home for her. He went to St. Louis, and in 1850 was offered the ground on which the Southern Hotel now stands for two months' wages, but refused. For three years he worked steadily at his trade and did fairly well, and in the mean time his wife had been engaged in weaving, and had also earned considerable money. He went back to Germany for his wife, but they changed their plans and in- stead bought a home near Herford. In 1867 they
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sailed for America by way of New Orleans, and while on the Mississippi, just below Cairo, the mother died of paralysis, and was buried in St. Louis. The father brought about $6,000 with him, but was cheated out of it ere long.
Charles Hagemeyer passed fourteen years of his boyhood in his native land, and then accompan- ied his parents to St. Louis. He hired out at $5 per month soon after locating there, staying with his employer about six months, but was then unable to collect his wages. In 1868 he began working for a gardener, and at that time learned the business. During the three years which fol- lowed he gave his father all of his earnings. When in his eighteenth year he obtained a clerk- ship in a grocery, and worked for a cousin for a year, eventually being cheated out of his wages for the entire time.
June 9, 1873, our subject married Lizzie Tech- enbrok, who was born in Germany, June 7, 1855. When she was four years old she came with her parents to the United States, and was but eight years old when her father's death occurred. Two years later her mother died of cholera, and from that time she earned her own living and helped take care of a sister. Thus her chances for an education were exceedingly meager. On the contrary, her husband had received good advan- tages in German, but did not learn to read Eng- lish until after his marriage. They had ten chil- dren, namely: Hermina, Lillie, Clara, Edward, Carl, John, Frankie, Elmer, Nettie and Fred. Frankie and Nettie died at the ages of two and four years, respectively. The eldest daughter was born in St. Louis, but the others are all na- tives of Holden.
For a year or more after his marriage, Mr. Hagemeyer continued to clerk in St. Louis, and then for ten years was similarly employed in Hol- den, during most of the time working for Bluhm & Boxmeyer. He carefully saved his earnings, which he invested in a lot, afterward building an unpretentious house thereon, and in 1883 he sold the place and invested in his present homestead. Mr. Hagemeyer cast his first ballot for Horace Greeley in 1872, but afterward became convinced that the principles of the Republican party were
better suited to advance the interests of the peo- ple, and now votes that ticket. He and his wife and all their children belong to the Evangelical Association. During the nine and a-half weeks which he spent while crossing the ocean, the ves- sel encountered a severe storm, which lasted for three days. The Captain told his passengers that they must prepare to die, as he had but little hope of saving the ship, and during the latter part of the journey they were placed on a very small al- lowance of food and water, for the stores were nearly exhausted.
REDERICK WILLIAM HAGEMEYER, one of the enterprising young business men of Holden, is a manufacturer and repairer of musical instruments. He was born in Prussia, Germany, September 28, 1862, but since he was four years of age has made his home in America. He is a good Republican, and cast his first Presi- dential ballot for James G. Blaine.
Our subject's father, Gotlieb Hagemeyer, and wife, Elizabeth, were natives of Germany, and their history is given at length in the sketch of our subject's brother Charles, which precedes this. Young Frederick grew to manhood in St. Louis, where he attended the parochial schools until he was about fourteen years of age. He then clerked in a grocery, his father collecting his wages for three years. When he was nine- teen Frederick came to Holden, and for a time clerked in a grocery. He had always been very desirous of becoming a mechanic, but was dis- couraged in this by his father. In spite of the opposition, the youth devoted what time he could to the business, and as he had a great love for music (often traveling for miles to hear a band when a boy), he at length combined these two branches of genius in his present vocation. While he was still a clerk he engaged in the construction of a pipe organ, which he finished in 1894, and placed in the Evangelical Church of Holden. It
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is estimated to be worth $2,500, and is certainly remarkable from the fact that Mr. Hagemeyer picked up the business by himself, and has in- vented new devices of his own. He is a natural electrician, and does all of his own silver electro- plating.
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