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 46
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 46
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Miss Delma Paquin has been born a daughter, Lucile. Robinson L., a well-to-do resident of this county, chose for his wife Elizabeth Garri- son; their family comprises two children, Ella and Samuel. Joshua C., who makes his home in Jackson Township, married Emeline Eads, and has two children, Enlah and Jennie B. David R. also makes his home in this vicinity, and is the husband of Maggie Hayhurst; they have one son, James W. Nora married S. Eads, of Kingsville; Lillie B. is living in Warrensburg, Mo .; Gilbert is at home; Charles is a resident of Warrensburg; Vest lives with his parents; Washington R. is still under the parental roof; and two children died in infancy.
In his political faith, as before stated, our sub- ject supports the Democratic cause, but has never had any ambition to assume office, finding his time amply occupied in looking after his large es- tate. He is honorable and upright in his dealings with all, and has thus won many warm friends who hold him in high esteem.
M ANUEL P. FISHER In the career of the subject of this biography we find a striking example of what industry and perseverance can accomplish when accompanied by good busi- ness judgment and intelligence. Mr. Fisher commenced in life for himself when young, and now occupies a place among the well-to-do retired agriculturists of Johnson County, owning a good farm on sections 24 and 25, township 44, range 29.
Our subject came to this section in 1837, and until the year 1888 was engaged in farm pur- suits. He now make his home in Holden, among whose honored residents he occupies a re- spected place. He owns his own residence in this place and takes an active interest in the welfare of the community.
John Fisher, the father of our subject, was a Pennsylvanian, and came to Missouri in 1820. The journey was made in the month of April in
a wagon, in which was stored all the household goods. He first located in Cooper County, after which he removed to Pettis County, and later to a section now comprised within the limits of John- son County. He was of German ancestry, and in the Fatherland the name was spelled Fischer. He was born in 1777, and died in 1855.
Mrs. Mary (Petre) Fisher, the mother of our subject, was also born in Pennsylvania and was of German ancestry. She lived to be eighty- three years of age. By her union with John Fisher were born fourteen children, of whom Elizabeth died in 1880, and Samuel lived to be ninety-one years old. Margaret, Mary, Mildred, Sarah, John and Sidney are deceased. Manuel P., of this sketch, was the ninth in order of birth, then followed Joseph, Jacob, Malinda, Catherine and Adam.
Manuel P. Fisher was born on his father's farm in the Blue Grass State, April 23, 1814. Al- though permitted to attend the early schools of that day, he learned more from observation and actual experience than he ever did from the text- books. He has always been a great reader and a natural mathematician, being able to solve the most intricate problem that can be put before him. He was obliged to commence work when young, but the habits of industry and economy which he then learned have been of practical use to him since establishing a home of his own.
A year after attaining his majority our subject started out for himself. He first hired out to work for $10 per month, which was then consid- ered splendid wages. About this time he was married to Sarah B. Scott, also a native of Ken- tucky, who removed to Missouri with her parents in 1818. The first summer after his marriage our subject lived with his father-in-law, and in the fall of 1837 made permanent location on his present farm. Although possessed of but little of this world's goods, he was not discouraged, but went willingly to work to lay the foundation of future success. His original entry of land was seven hundred acres of wild low lands, and this entire acreage he later placed under cultivation, the little log house giving way to a more sub- stantial and commodious structure. The barns
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and other outbuildings are above the average, the fences good, the fruit and shade trees abundant. The farm now comprises seven hundred and twenty acres and has long been known as one of the most fertile in the county.
Mrs. Fisher departed this life July 10, 1893, aged seventy-six years. She was the mother of three children. Cynthia Jane, who is now living with our subject, is a lady of refinement and intel- ligence; Mary C., the wife of W. S. Huff, lives in Waco, Tex., and has two sons, Tasso D. and Boyd F .; Berdit lives in Warrensburg, this state, and is the wife of B. F. Rose. Their children are three in number, Della, Forest F. and Benjamin C. Mr. Rose is an educated man and has made a study of medicine, although he is not now in act- ive practice. He has examined the different methods and systems thoroughly and understands the science of medicine. It may be said of him that he belongs to the Eclectic School, having determined that all men, not being alike, naturally require different treatment for disease.
In politics our subject is a Democrat and cast his first presidential vote for Martin Van Buren. He is a prominent member of the Christian Church, whose good work he advances in every way possible.
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ILLIAM H. ATHERTON, a farmer and stock-raiser, owns a very desirable home- stead on section 11, township 45, range 28, Johnson County, in the suburbs of Holden. This place he purchased some fifteen years ago, and about two years later completed an elegant and commodious residence, in which he has since made his home. He has been very successful in his numerous business enterprises, and in addi- tion to his farm owns four brick business houses, residence property and town lots in Holden, one of which is one of the finest blocks in the city.
The parents of the above-named gentleman were Joseph and Mary (Kile). Atherton. The father was born May 15, 1818, in Knox County,
Ohio, being a son of Francis Atherton, a native of Pennsylvania and of English ancestry. He was a pioneer in Knox County, and died on his farm when his son Joseph was quite young. The latter learned the carpenter's trade and was em- ployed in that vocation for a number of years, in this way making his start in a business career. In 1852 he removed to Union County, Ohio, and remained there until the close of the war, when he sold out and went to Iowa County, Iowa, be- coming the owner of two hundred and forty-five acres of land. Three years later he removed to Cass County, Mo., and bought the land on which the village of Creighton now stands. Afterward selling out, he moved to Holden, where he made his home for three years, and then, in 1876, went to reside in Independence, where his death occur- red three years later, September 26, 1879. His wife was born in Shenandoah County, Va., Feb- ruary 21, 1818, and moved to Ohio when she was a girl. She was married October 31, 1840, and became the mother of six children, of whom Will- iam H. is the youngest, and with him she is now living. The other children all died without leav- ing families except Sarah V., who married An- derson Maupin, and died April 12, 1894, leaving two children, Norman and Goldie. During the panic of 1873 Joseph Atherton came to the assist- ance of the Holden Bank, which was in distress, loaning them $3,000, which they were obliged to have on a certain day or close their doors. He was first a Whig and later a Republican. having cast his first Presidential ballot for William H. Harrison.
The birth of William H. Atherton occurred in Knox County, Ohio, June 22, 1852. After at- tending the common schools and obtaining a good general knowledge of the elementary branches of education he went out into the world to make his own livelihood. He continued to dwell with his father, who was in poor health, until his death. In 1880 he purchased his present homestead, and by diligence and well directed efforts has steadily prospered. He also is a Republican, and takes much interest in campaign work, though he is not desirous of occupying public positions, and his first ballot was cast for Hayes in 1876.
A. J. HALL.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
September 18, 1881, Mr. Atherton married Isabel Burke, who was born in Union County, Ind., February 18, 1866. In 1879 she moved to Johnson County with her parents, Lemuel and Isabel (Girard) Burke, the former of whom was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, September 10, 1815, and the latter in Virginia, February 20, 1824. She is a lady of refinement and received superior educational advantages. Five children came to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ather- ton, but their eldest son, William Bertram, whose birth occurred at Holden, March 17, 1883, died July 23, 1884. The others are Bessie Lillian, born March 31, 1884; Goldie, July 7, 1885; Henry Clarence, September 9, 1888; and Mildred Isabel, December 1, 1891, all being natives of Holden. The parents are members of the Mis- sionary Baptist Church, and are liberal contribu- tors to religious and benevolent enterprises.
A J. HALL is prominently identified with the real-estate interests of Sedalia, as well as other portions of the state, being actively engaged in the sale and transfer of both city prop- erty and farm lands. He has achieved wealth by his own unaided exertions, and is, in fact, a self- made man, starting out with nothing but youth in his favor. By indomitable perseverance and enterprise he worked his way upward, and is now numbered among Sedalia's most prosperous citizens.
Mr. Hall was born near Hamilton, Canada, on the 23d of February, 1828, and is a son of Robert Hall, whose birth occurred in Genesee County, N. Y., while his paternal grandfather was a· na- tive of Ireland. The father operated a sawmill in Canada until his death, in 1833. He had mar- ried Mary Bailey, a native of the Empire State, and to them were born six children, who lived to maturity, and five are still living. The mother died in Lena, Ill., at the age of sixty-seven. The maternal grandfather, Aaron Bailey, was born in
New Hampshire, but became one of the early set- tlers of Genesee County, N. Y., where he engaged in farming. In 1839 he removed to Stephenson County, Ill., locating on a new farm near the town of Lena, which he improved and cultivated until his death, which occurred when he had reached the age of eighty-seven.
At the age of eleven A. J. Hall left New York, going by the Lakes to Chicago, and thence by team to his grandfather's farm near Lena, Ill., where he remained for four years. In the dis- trict schools he acquired his education, but at the age of fifteen began to clear and cultivate a tract of one hundred and twenty acres of wild land owned by his mother. He became the owner of that farm at the age of twenty-three, but when Lena was started removed to that place and began dealing in grain, which he shipped to St. Paul, Chicago and the South. He also there engaged in the dry-goods business until 1862, and was one of the first Aldermen of the city.
In that year Mr. Hall started for California over the plains with mules and horses, going by the North Platte route, via Salt Lake City and the Humboldt River. He located at San Jose, where for two years he engaged in teaming, when he entered the lumber business. In 1867 he sold out, however, and, returning to Lena, Ill., again began dealing in grain, which he followed until the fall of 1868, when he came to Missouri. Aft- er remaining in St. Louis for six months, in Au- gust, 1869, he went to Lamonte, where he built an elevator. He shipped most of his grain to St. Louis, and was engaged in the grain and lumber business for eighteen years. He still owns three large stores and two resident properties in La- monte, besides an elevator, which has a capacity of fifteen thousand bushels. He was very suc- cessful in the grain business, and purchased about one thousand acres of land in the vicinity of La- monte, which he operated. He also fed a large number of cattle and hogs, shipping about two hundred head of the former each year. In 1882 the yield from four hundred acres planted in corn was seventy-five bushels to the acre, and he sold the same for forty cents per bushel. Our subject laid out Hall's Addition to Lamonte, a tract com-
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
prising twenty acres, which he has now mostly sold. He organized the Lamonte Bank, of which he became the first President, and held that office until he sold out three years later.
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At Buffalo, N. Y., in 1868, Mr. Hall was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Holmes, who was born in Syracuse, that state. To them have been born two children: Olive, now Mrs. Penquite, a resident of Herington, Kan .; and Holmes, who graduated from the high school of Sedalia, in the Class of '95. The family now reside at their beautiful residence at the corner of Tenth Street and Lamine Avenue, in Sedalia. In addition to the property above mentioned, Mr. Hall owns a fine hotel in St. Joseph and the Commercial Hotel in Boonville.
I11 1892 Mr. Hall came to this city, and now has an office in the Minter Block. He deals ex- tensively in real estate, both in business and resi- dent property, and also has a cattle ranch, con- prising eight hundred and eighty acres in Cowley County, Kan. He has been very successful in most of his undertakings, and in business as well as social circles holds an enviable position. Be- sides being Mayor of Lamonte for many years, for several terms he was also a member of the City Council. For twelve years he there served as School Director, and during that entire period was President of the Board. In politics he is a Republican, and at one time ran for County Judge, but as his party was in the minority he was de- feated, though only by twenty-seven votes, while the opposing party generally received a majority of four hundred. He has attended many county and state conventions, and served as Chairman of the County Republican Central Committee.
AMUEL PERRY SISK, who is the propri- etor of a valuable homestead on section 22, township 45, range 29, Jolinson County, is an old and prominent citizen of this locality. He was here during the troubles of 1856, and helped to guard some of the men whose lives
were in danger. He voted for James Buchanan, though his sympathies were on the side of the Union, and in the fall of 1861 he joined the first Missouri State Militia, organized by Jolın B. Hen- derson, who was afterward sent to the United States Senate. During the six months of his service Mr. Sisk was engaged in preventing Price from receiving outside assistance. He had taken his family to Illinois on a visit, arriving there the day before Ft. Sumter was fired upon, and as he thought it was safer there, concluded to leave his family in that state. He later returned to Greene County, Ill., and in August, 1862, enlisted in Company G, Ninety-first Illinois Infantry, for three years. Then followed a weary period when he was mostly on guard duty, a part of the time in protecting the Louisville & Northern Railroad. In the last of December, 1862, he was captured by Morgan at Elizabethtown, Ky., and was later paroled. He received a furlough for ten days while at Benton Barracks, and several times was granted the same privilege, being exchanged in about six months after being taken prisoner. Just after the surrender of Vicksburg he was placed in the Thirteenth Army Corps, and re- mained in that city about three months, when he went to New Orleans. He was taken sick after a fight near Vicksburg and did not recover good health from that time until receiving his final discharge, and in the mean time was stationed for about a year at Ft. Brown, Tex., on the Rio Grande.
The birth of this honored old veteran occurred in Greene County, Il1., February 5, 1835, near the village of White Hall. The Sisk family is of Scotch-Irish descent and became early settlers in Virginia. There our subject's grandfather was born, and there also he was married, after which he moved to Kentucky. In the Blue Grass State the parents of S. P. Sisk, William V. and Sarah (Davidson) isk, were born and married. They removed to Illinois about 1830, the father entering land in Greene County. He was not reared to do much work, as his father was a man of great wealth and owned over forty slaves. He liberated the latter, however, before his death. The marriage of William Sisk and his wife, Sa-
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
rah, was blessed with eight children, all of whom grew to mature years. Of our subject's four elder brothers, only one married, and he had three sis- ters younger than himself.
When he was only ten years of age Samuel P. Sisk began making his own way in the world, as his father was poor and had long ago spent all the money left him by his father. Young Sisk worked for three months at $6 a month, driving six or seven yoke of oxen and breaking prairie, his wages being given to his mother, who clothed him. He was thus employed several years, and when he was fourteen received $13 a month, con- tinuing in the same place for three years. From the time he was eighteen he had the privilege of keeping his own wages, and soon saved enough to buy a team and wagon. Afterwards he drove teams to Texas for his uncle, and on his return worked in a brickyard in Scott County, Ill. In August, 1854, he went on horseback to Missouri and entered forty acres of land in Johnson Coun- ty, putting up a log house on the place.
To his new home Samuel P. Sisk brought his bride, whom he married in September, 1854, and who was Miss Mary Kitchens, her birth occurring near White Hall, Il1. She died during the war, leaving three children. Corilla, born near White Hall, September 6, 1855, was married to Mar- cellus Clements, now of Bushnell, Ill., and has three children. James Henry, born in this coun- ty in 1857, was married in Logan County, and died in Butler County, Mo., January 31, 1895. His wife's death occurred a few days prior to his own, and they left two children. Mary E., born in October, 1861, died at the age of nineteen years, at Lincoln, Il1. March 27, 1866, S. P. Sisk married for his second wife Nancy M. Allison, who was born in Cass County, March 27, 1850. Three children resulted from this union: Sally G., born June 19, 1868, and the wife of J. W. Cum- mins, of Cass County, Mo .; William F., born May 28, 1870; and Neva L., who was born March 21, 1872, and who has taught school for four terms successfully. Sally G. is a very fine penman and conducted a writing-school before her marriage. The mother died April 17, 1894, and her loss is deeply felt in the household. The father of our
subject was an old-line Whig, while the latter, though a strong Union man, was a Democrat and voted for Douglas. He continued to use his franchise in favor of the Democracy until Marma- duke was put up for Governor. Although he did not vote for him he did vote for Cleveland, but he has since changed his views and now votes the Republican ticket. He had the honor of taking part in the review at New Orleans when General Grant and Colonel Black reviewed the army in 1863. Mr. Sisk is a member of Winfield Scott Post, G. A. R., at Holden.
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OHN S. GRAVES, a wealthy and influential farmer of Johnson County, owns a valuable homestead on section 4, township 44, range 28. He is one of the early settlers of this county, and experienced many vicissitudes of fortune, es- pecially during the war. While he was absent at the front, his house, barns and fences were burned to the ground, and even the bricks which composed the chimney were hauled away. When he reached home he found a scene of desolation indeed, for nothing remained of his years of toil save the bare ground.
Mr. Graves was born in Mercer County, Ky., September 30, 1830, and went to Hendricks County, Ind., when he was about twelve years of age. He grew to manhood on a farmi and received a district-school education. When he was eighteen years of age he commenced learning the carpenter's trade, serving an apprenticeship of three years and receiving $7 per month for part of his time. April 30, 1854, lie married Jane A. Bailey, of Hendricks County, who was born in Nicholas County, Ky., August 22, 1834, and moved with her parents to the Hoosier State in 1853. The latter, Elisha and Nancy (Pollock) Bailey, were natives of Nicholas County, Ky. In 1855 Mr. Graves placed his wife and one child in a wagon with a few household
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
effects and drove across the country to this coun- ty. He possessed about $250 in money, and this he soon invested in two hundred and forty acres of land at seventy five cents an acre. He im- proved the place, traded off a tract of eighty acres for another farm, and has since purchased more, for the last paying $40 per acre. His homestead comprises four hundred and four acres of desira- ble property, all lying in one body.
One child alone survives of the eight sons and daughters who came to bless the union of John S. Graves and his wife. Etta May, born in this county May 6, 1869, received a good education and for three years attended Holden College. She was married, October 5, 1892, to F. D. Ball, who was born in Bloomingburg, Fayette County, Ohio, October 14, 1866. He moved from his na- tive state to Nebraska, and from there to Kansas City, attending commercial college at Omaha, Neb. Mr. and Mrs. Ball have a little son, named in honor of his grandfather, John Graves, and the date of his birth was December 30, 1893.
While her husband was absent fighting for the Southern side, Mrs. Graves remained on the farm until her house was burned down over her head, this being on Christmas Day, 1862, after which she went to Henry County, Mo., where an uncle of Mr. Graves lived. The uncle, however, was away from home during the war, and his dangh- ters, with Mrs. Graves' help, carried on the farm, doing all kinds of heavy work, such as plowing, cutting and hauling the wood, etc. Owing to the industrious efforts of Mrs. Graves, she had a few cattle and a horse with which to stock the farm when the husband returned to his ruined home. The parents have been members of the Christian Church for many years, and their daughter is also identified with the same. Mr. Graves has served as a Deacon and has taken an active part in all departments of church activity. His father, Living Graves, a native of Virginia, died in 1884, at the home of his son in Johnson County. His wife was a Miss Mary Munday, and their family comprised four children, three of whom were daughters.
In 1852 J. S. Graves cast his first Presidential ballot for Franklin Pierce. He has since sup-
ported the Democracy and has often served as a delegate to party conventions. August 16, 1862, he enlisted in Company D, Sixteenth Mis- souri Infantry, under Colonel Caldwell and Cap- tain Raker. His first brigade commander was General Hindman, and later he served under Price. He was in the battle of Prairie Grove, Ark., where they had a hot fight, afterward was in one on the Red River, at Pleasant Hill, La., and was next at Helena, Ark., where he was shot through both thighs. He was carried off the field to a hospital about five miles away and after only six weeks rejoined his regiment, par- ticipating in the battle of Little Saline, and was at Shreveport when his branch of the service surrendered, in 1865. He was sent to St. Louis and returned home by way of Warrensburg.
I TRA T. BRONSON, M. D., came to Sedalia in tlie fall of 1873, and is one of her most prom- inent citizens. He is a member of Pettis County Medical Society, of which he was Presi- dent for one year, and also belongs to the Central Missouri, the District Medical, the Missouri Med- ical and the American Medical Associations. He has served on the City School Board and is now President of the same.
The paternal grandfather of the Doctor, Jona- than Bronson, was a pioneer in New Hampshire, where he cleared a farin in the woods, and for eight successive years served as a Whig represen- tative in the State Legislature. All of his four sons and four daughters lived beyond the allotted threescore and ten years of man. Our subject's parents, Jonathan and Lucinda (Countryman) Bronson, were of Scotch-English and Dutch de- scent, respectively. The latter's grandparents on both sides were natives of Holland. Jonathan Bronson, Jr., was a country physician, his home being on a farm, and there he reared his children to lives of usefulness and high principle.
Ira T. Bronson was born in Watertown, Jef- ferson County, N. Y., July 21, 1840. He re-
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mained with his parents until he was fourteen years of age, the first seven years of his life be- ing spent in his native state, after which, with the family, he became a resident of Coos County, N. H. When in his fifteenth year lie began earning wages, and while working on a farm at- tended school winters until the first year of the war. September 23, 1861, he enlisted in Com- pany I, Fifth New Hampshire Infantry, but on account of his small stature was not admitted to the ranks, but was offered the position of bugler, which he accepted, and in the spring of 1862 went with his regiment on the Peninsular cam- paign. This regiment was the one that built the famous Grapevine Bridge near Yorktown, Va., which saved the army from destruction. Young Bronson, who was in the water all day long help- ing to float the logs and tying them together with the vines, received slight wounds, one under the right ear. At the second battle of Bull Run his regiment assisted in covering Pope's retreat, and he was also in the engagements at Fair Oak and Peach Orchard. At Antietam he sustained a se- vere fracture of the ribs on the left side, his life being saved by his roll of blankets. He was in the battle of South Mountain, was in the race to save Washington from Lee, the siege of Peters- burg, and finally took part in the Grand Review at Washington. He had positively refused to continue longer as bugler, and was made succes- sively Corporal, Sergeant, First Lieutenant and acting Regimental Quartermaster. He received an honorable discharge June 28, 1865, and was mustered out in Concord, N. H. The following letter from his first Captain, C. E. Hapgood, is of interest:
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