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 47
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 47
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"NO. 79 MILK ST., BOSTON, "April 19, 1886.
"MR. BRONSON,
.
"MY DEAR SIR: I have been trying for some years to get your address, supposing you were still in Vermont, but being at Littleton, N. H., last week, Capt. Theron A. Farr, of our regi- ment, told me you had gone and promised to get your address, which came to me this morning. To say that I am glad to be in communication again with my boy-bugler does not express the
very kindly feeling I have for you, my dear fel- low. I love to think of you as the bugler of Company I, for whatever you may have done in after years as an officer, I shall never forget your gallant conduct at Fair Oaks, where you stood in the front line, loading and firing as coolly as any veteran, and when I directed you to sound the retreat, by Colonel Langley's order, you held the bugle in one hand and the rifle in the other. God bless you. If you are as good a doctor as you were a soldier, of which I haven't the slight- est doubt, it would be a pleasure to be your pa- tient. With best wishes,
"Yours ever,
"C. E. HAPGOOD."
In the spring of 1866 Dr. Bronson entered Newbury Academy in Vermont, and for two years was engaged in preparatory work for col- lege. He was elected Superintendent of the township schools, and also taught some for two winters, while carrying on his academical studies. For one term he attended the medical department of the University of Vermont, and in 1869 gradu- ated from Dartmouth Medical College at Hanover, N. H. On New Year's Day, 1870, he opened an office at Newbury, Vt., and built up a good practice during the three years of his stay there, and for two years again served as Superintend- ent of Schools. For the past twenty-two years he has been one of the able practitioners of Sedalia.
In November, 1869, Dr. Bronson married Or- pha, daughter of Samuel and Emily (Heath) Gleason. She was born on what was known as Island Side Farm, near Barnet, Vt. The Doc- tor's eldest child, Harl H., who was born at New- bury, Vt., in August, 1871, graduated from the high school of this place; he has two diplomas from the Missouri State University, and is now in the third year of his course at Marion Sims Medical College of St. Louis, and for one year taught as Principal of Schools at Otterville, Mo. Blanch E., also born in Newbury, is a graduate of the local high school and of the Sedalia Col- lege of Music, and is now a teacher of music. E. Maud was born in Sedalia, in November, 1879; and Ira T., Jr., the youngest, was born in this city in February, 1884.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
The first Presidential ballot of Dr. Bronson was cast for Abraham Lincoln in 1864, and he has al- ways been a stanch Republican. With his wife and four children he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is an active worker in the Sunday-school. In 1863 he became a member of the Masonic fraternity, being initiated in a build- . ing put up by the regiment for religious and Ma- sonic services at Point Lookout, on Chesapeake Bay. He has filled nearly all the chairs, and has been Worthy Master for two years of Sedalia Lodge No. 263, A. F. & A. M. He is also con- nected with Post No. 53, G. A. R., in which he has filled many positions. At the annual Na- tional Encampment of the Grand Army he has made it a point to be present each year when pos- sible, and is Medical Director in the Department of Missouri. With the Knights of Pythias he has occupied various posts of honor, also with the Maccabees, the Royal Arcanum and Royal Tribe of Joseph, of the latter being now Supreme Medical Director.
? AMES M. FITCH, one of the best known farmers and stock-raisers of Jolinson Coun- ty, now resides in township 47, range 27. He is a native of the Blue Grass State, born in Lewis County, April 29, 1841, and is the eldest in a family of eleven children born to Crawford and Cavey B. (Cordingly) Fitch, ten of whom still survive. The father's birth occurred in the same county, about 1815, and his life was that of an agriculturist. He was very prosperous in his undertakings, and became an extensive mule- dealer, while shortly after the close of the war he was offered $20,000 in gold for his farm in Ken- tucky. He came to Missouri in 1875, locating upon the old Dr. Rankin Farm, in Johnson Coun- ty, where he remained until his death, which oc- curred in May, 1880. The mother is still living,
and makes her home in Warrensburg, Mo. She was born in Lewis County, Ky., in 1820, and, though now well advanced in years, is still en- joying excellent health.
With his parents James M. Fitch remained, at- tending the common school, until the breaking out of the Rebellion. On the 6th of July, 1863, he enlisted in Company A, Forty-fifth Kentucky Mounted Infantry, under Col. John M. Brown, while Capt. James W. Cottingham commanded the company. He served for eighteen months, when he was mustered out at Catlettsburg, Ky., December 24, 1864. He then returned home, and the following spring planted a crop, which he cultivated until the following August, when he sold out and started for Missouri.
On the 25th of August, 1865, Mr. Fitch ar- rived in Warrensburg, where he stopped over night, and the following day came to the portion of the county where he still makes his home. Until December he worked for any one with whom he could find employment, but at that time was hired by a Mrs. Davis, whose sons were in the Southern army. She offered hin work for the winter, which he accepted, and that event no doubt changed the entire course of his life. After returning home from the army, the younger son, who made his home with his mother, was quite ill, and felt that he was un- able to carry on the farm, and proposed that our subject remain with them and attend to its management. This he did very successfully, and on the 15th of November, 1866, was united in marriage with Miss Martha E. Davis, a daugh- ter of his employer. He still continued the oper- ation of the farm, and in 1870 purchased a por- tion of it, since which time, however, the entire tract has passed into his hands. He is an ex- tensive stock-raiser and feeds from five to ten thousand bushels of corn to his cattle annually above that which he raises himself. He has a valuable farm of six hundred and twenty acres, which is well cultivated, and the improvements upon the place are of the highest order.
The union of Mr. and Mrs. Fitch has been blessed with seven children, as follows: Albert C., Charles G., Forest, Ernest, Mahala B., Nellie
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and Annie F. Albert C., who wedded Miss Ada Holderman, of the state of Washington, is one of the prosperous farmers of Johnson County; and Charles G., also a successful agriculturist of the same community, married Miss Mildred Carter. The children have all received the advantage of a good education, and the others are still on the home farm.
Mr. Fitch, politically, votes the straight Re- publican ticket, and in religious matters is a Cumberland Presbyterian. He is honest, indus- trious and thoroughly honorable in the walks of life, and enjoys the esteem and respect of the community at large. During his many years' residence in Johnson County his kindly nature and genial disposition have won him many friends, and the poor and needy always receive his aid.
AMILTON R. ROBINSON, deceased, be- came a resident of Johnson County in March, 1869. He arrived here March 8, and within a week bought a farm of one hundred and thirty-one acres in township 46, range 25. About forty-five acres of the place were under cultivation, and the new owner set to work ener- getically to make substantial improvements. Many of these, however, he did not live to see carried into effect, as but little more than a year after settling here he was accidentally killed, being struck by the tongue of a wagon in a run- away, July 9, 1870. His eldest son, Everett, a young man of good business ability, has been of great assistance to his mother in running the farm of late years.
The parents of our subject, Joshua and Hannah (Rogers) Robinson, were both natives of Chilli- cothe, Ohio. The former died at his birthplace, where for years he had been engaged in farming, and his wife departed this life at the old home- stead in the spring of 1867. Her parents were likewise natives of the Buckeye State, and until
their deaths lived on a farm near Slate Mills, Ross County. The parents of Joshua Robinson were among the very early settlers of Ohio. The grandfather of our subject was killed by the Indians in 1795, in a battle which took place between them and General Nathaniel Massie at Reeves Crossing, on Paint Creek, in Ross County. His widow continued to make her home with her son Joshua until her death.
In a family numbering ten children, Hamilton R. is the seventh in order of birth. James, now deceased, married Catherine McCaulay; William and his wife, Lizzie, are living retired at Red Oak, Iowa; John and his wife, Annie, are resi- dents of Mount Pleasant, Iowa; Phœbe E. married Nathaniel Hillhouse, and since his deatlı has made her home in Warrensburg with her children; Catherine died at the age of two years; Mary Jane married William McLean, a farmer of this county; Hugh K., a soldier of the late war, and a merchant of Mound City, Mo., married Miss Mary Pinto, and after her death wedded Mamie Ford; Henry S., who lives on a farm near Warrensburg, married Clementine Evans; and Erskine died in 1864 while in the war.
Hamilton R. Robinson was born in Ross County, Ohio, August 4, 1830, and grew to manhood on his father's farm. November 10, 1859, he married Abigail, daughter of Jacob and Susan (Wentworth) Grubb, natives of Maine and Ohio, respectively. The mother died Sep- tember 13, 1864, and Mr. Grubb afterwards married Miss Mary Bradford, of Ross County. By his first union Mr. Grubb had ten children : Daniel, who died September 19, 1878, and whose wife, formerly Jennie Woodland, lives at Kemp- ton, Ind .; Abigail; Henry, who died in Colorado; Andrew, a farmer of Ross County, who married Mary A. Egleson; John (twin brother of Andrew), who died at the age of twenty-seven years; Ursula, wife of Milton Elliott, a farmer of Fayette County, Ohio; David, unmarried, and living in Arizona; Jacob, who married Addie Egleston and resides near Chillicothe, Ohio; Sarah Ann, who married Robert Earl, now a farmer near Centerville, Ill .; and Susan, who lives on the old homestead in Ohio. By the
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second marriage were born two children, Joseph and Frank, who live with their mother on the farm in Ohio.
After his marriage Mr. Robinson continued to live near Chillicothe, Ohio, until the spring of 1867, when he moved to Fayette County, that state. At the end of two years, as he had saved a little money, and had some relatives living in this county, he concluded to move hither, and accordingly did so. During his short residence in this community he became much respected by all who knew him. During the war, May 2, 1864, he enlisted as Fourth Sergeant of Com- pany E, One Hundred and Forty-ninth Regi- ment, under Col. Thomas B. Jenkins. He did not take part in any battle, as at the time his company were engaged in their only serious conflict with the enemy he was in the hospital. He was honorably discharged at Camp Dennison in August, 1864, and at once returned home. In politics he was always a Republican.
The eldest child of Hamilton R. Robinson is Everett E., who was born September 7, 1860, and is still unmarried. Emma W., born April 29, 1864, married E. J. Nason, January 22, 1890, and now lives in Washington County, Kan., on a farm. Hattie S., born February 24, 1866, is cash- ier for the dry-goods house of Shepard & Co., of Warrensburg. Nettie H., born November 13, 1869, is a well known school teacher of this county. They have all been given good educa- tions and are enterprising and practical young people.
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RANCIS L. SIBERT. As an example of what may be accomplished by an industri- ous and energetic man, the life record of Mr. Sibert is presented to our readers. He is num- bered among the wealthiest of the citizens of John- son County, where he has made his home for nearly twenty years. Through his intelligent and indefatigable efforts he has become the pos- sessor of a competence, representing the labor of a lifetime. His residence, a cozy and conven-
iently arranged rural abode, is pleasantly situated on section 11, township 45, range 24, and is sur- rounded by all the improvements of a model farm, including substantial outbuildings, wide-stretch- ing pastures and well tilled fields.
Born in Page County, Va., July 11, 1834, the subject of this article is the eldest child of George W. and Mary (Long) Sibert, natives of Shenan- doah County, Va., the former born in 1810, and the latter in 1814. His father, who was for more than forty years a resident of Virginia, came West about 1852 and for thirteen years made his home in Cooper County, Mo. Thence in 1865 he went to Lawrence, Kan., and resided for eight years, returning from there to Missouri, and set- tling in Pettis County, near Sedalia. He contin- ued to reside there until his death, in November, 1881, at the age of seventy. His good wife fol- lowed him to the grave in 1893, at the venerable age of seventy-nine. The family has been char- acterized by the deepest patriotic spirit, and both our subject's grandfather and great-grandfather were among the valiant defenders of the Colonies during the Revolution.
For some years George W. Sibert was largely interested in iron works in Virginia. His ability was recognized by his fellow-citizens, who elected him to a number of official positions, and in many ways showed their appreciation of his intelligence and enterprise. He was elected to represent Shenandoah County in the State Legislature, and in that responsible position rendered faithful serv- ice in the interests of his constituents.
The family being well-to-do, our subject had fair educational advantages in youth, and attend- ed the common schools until eighteen years of age. During his vacations he assisted his father in the iron works. At the age of seventeen he came to Missouri and settled with his father and brothers on a farm in Cooper County. In 1876 he removed from there to the beautiful estate up- on which he has since lived. The larger part of his property is rented to other farmers, while he gives his attention principally to stock-raising. His home farm comprises five hundred and twenty acres, all well improved and under culti- vation.
RESIDENCE AND STOCK FARM OF FRANCIS L. SIBERT, SECTION 11, TOWNSHIP 45, RANGE 24, JOHNSON COUNTY, MO.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
In March, 1876, Francis L. Sibert was united in marriage with Miss Laura E. Thatcher, an ac- complished lady, who was born in Pettis County, Mo., and received an excellent education in a col- lege at Lexington, this state. She is the daugh- ter of Dr. John and Rebecca (Perkins) Thatcher, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Kentucky. By her union with our subject she has become the mother of five children, of whom the second-born, Mary Rebecca, died in infancy. The others, George P., Lavinia, Francis Edwin, and William Walter, are with their parents. Mrs. Sibert is a member of the Methodist Church, to which our subject is a generous contributor, but not a member. Politically he is a Democrat, stanch in his allegiance to party men and meas- ures, but not an aspirant for public honors, pre- ferring to devote his attention to his private af- fairs. As a citizen he is progressive, and justly ranks among the leading residents of the county.
ARKIN H. McCORMACK. There are few residents of Johnson County more promi- nent or more universally popular than this well known agriculturist of township 46, range 25. This fact is in no wise on account of his public service, as he has steadily refused to serve in an official capacity. He was born near his present home, June 28, 1847, and has always been identified with the interests of this commu- nity. The paternal great-grandfather of our sub- ject and a brother emigrated to the United States from Scotland, settling on plantations in North Carolina and South Carolina, respectively, where they passed the remainder of their lives. The grandfather, William McCormack, moved to Lincoln County, Ky., at an early day, and there our subject's father, Smith N., was born in 1811. He grew to man's estate and was married, June 9, 1836, to Nancy Hocker, whose birth occurred in 1817, in the same county. Soon afterward the
young couple proceeded to this county, where a brother of Mrs. McCormack was then living. They made a settlement on a farm near Montser- rat, where Mr. McCormack purchased four h1111- dred and forty acres. From time to time he invested large sums of money in additional land, until his possessions comprised fourteen hun- dred acres, all lying in this county. He im- proved his farms and also owned an interest in a mill situated on Black Water Creek. In 1847 he constructed a mill to be run by horse-power, near where the village of Montserrat now stands, and continued to operate this in connection with his farm until his death, which occurred October 26, 1854. Two years later his wife removed from the old farm to Warrensburg, where she lived for a few years. In August, 1863, she returned to Lincoln County, Ky., where she visited for two years, when she returned to her old home in this township, and lived on the farm until her death, which occurred March 12, 1867.
To Smith N. and Nancy McCormack were born seven children, Larkin H. being the fifth in the family. The eldest, James, born May 18, 1837, married Darthula Hull, now of Pettis Coun- ty, Mo .; he died October 24, 1872. William, born February 16, 1839, was wounded in the army and died December 24, 1864. Orrin G., born April 15, 1841, received severe injuries at Grand Gulf, Miss., from the effects of which his death resulted May 2, 1863. Benjamin R., born Au- gust 31, 1843, and now living in St. Clair County, Mo., married Emma Finch. Julius, a farmer in Kentucky, was born May 22, 1849, and married Martha Wingate, who died in April, 1874. Mary Ellen, born May 2, 1851, died February 13, 1861.
After the death of his father the estate was di- vided among the children, two hundred acres falling to his son Larkin H. The latter continued to live with his mother and to help her on the farm until he had attained his majority, when, August 25, 1868, he married Mattie Hull, who was born in Virginia. Her father's death oc- curred in that state, after which event she came with her mother, brother and sisters to this coun- ty. After his marriage, Mr. McCormack moved to his farm, but twenty acres of which had been
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cultivated up to that time. Assisted by his wife, who was of material help to him in many ways, he improved his land and long since became well- to-do.
Seven children came to bless the union of Mr. and Mrs. McCormack. Their eldest-born, Guy, whose birth occurred June 7, 1869, died March 17, 1871. Eura and Eula, twins, born Septem- ber 22, 1872, are now attending the normal school at Warrensburg. The younger ones, who are at home, are Mary Pearl, born February 15, 1877; Roy H., April 18, 1879; Maggie A., June 9, 1881; and Carlisle Cleveland, March 26, 1885.
Our subject holds membership with the Chris- tian Church, while his wife belongs to the Mis- sionary Baptist denomination. Until two years ago he voted the Democratic ticket, but is now a Populist.
OSEPH B. BURROWS is one of the lead- ing and representative citizens of Johnson County, and his birth occurred on the farm on which he now lives, September 22, 1849. This estate lies on section 25, township 48, range 25, and is well improved in every particular.
The parents of our subject were James B. and Lucy J. (Clark) Burrows, the former of whom was born near Lexington, N. C., August 22, 1815, and the latter was a native of Virginia, her birth occurring near Richmond, March 8, 1821. The maternal grandparents of Joseph B. were Joseph and Lucy J. Clark, who were classed among the very earliest settlers of this part of Missouri. The former died in Lafayette Coun- ty, this state, about 1860, and his wife spent the remaining years of her life with our subject, dy- ing about eight years later. Their nine children were Zack, Joseph, David, Harriet, Mary, Char- lie, James, Alexander and Lucy. They are all liv- ing, with the exception of Mary, who died shortly after her marriage; Alexander, whose death oc- curred at the age of twenty-one years; and James.
The paternal grandfather, J. B. Burrows, was born in North Carolina, and with his estimable wife spent his entire life there. The only sur- vivor of their family is Emily, who is married and makes her home near the old place in North Carolina.
James B. Burrows left home upon attaining his majority, and never faltered or turned back until reaching Johnson County, this state. He had been well educated in the schools near his home, and after locating here began teaching. About this time he entered from the Government the land which is now owned by our subject, and, erecting thereon a log house, "batched" for sev- eral years, in the mean time still being occupied in teaching. He was then married to Miss Lucy J. Clark, the date of the event being December 5, 1844.
The parents of our subject continued to live in the little log house for many years, and it was in this rude structure that James Burrows died, Feb- ruary 3, 1853. To them were born six children. The birth of the eldest, Mary E., occurred Octo- ber 3, 1845; she married Joseph Buckmaster, of Delaware, and they are both now living near Ft. Scott, Kan., where Mr. Buckmaster is engaged in the nursery business. Lucy A. was born No- vember 5, 1846, and is now the widow of Henry Gossette; she makes her home on a good farm five miles south of Holden. James W. D. was born November 15, 1847, and died August 28, 1850. The fourth in order of birth was our sub- ject. The fifth died in infancy unnamed. Will- iam D. was born February 19, 1852, and departed this life in August of the following year.
Our subject remained at home until his mar- riage, November 2, 1881. The lady of his choice was Miss Augusta P. Kuhlmann, who was born in this county, March 15, 1863. She was the daugh- ter of Henry J. and Catharine C. (Borgstedt) Kuhlmann, natives of Germany. The parents, who were married in the Fatherland, set sail for America in 1854, and continued their way west- ward until landing in Johnson County, Mo. They were possessed of limited means, and, being un- able to purchase land at first, rented a tract, which they cultivated with success. Mr. Kulh-
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mann afterward bought a farm, located three miles east of where their daughter is now resid- ing. They made their home there until 1891, when they decided to take life easy, and moved to Concordia, where they are now living retired. They became the parents of ten children. Han- nah, who married Henry Westerhouse, is now deceased, and her husband is engaged in farming near Concordia; Henry J. chose for his wife Miss Emma Hader, and both are now living on an es- tate two miles southeast of our subject's farm; Amelia, now deceased, was the wife of Fritz Tebbenkamp, who lives near Oak Grove Church; Mary, the deceased wife of George Amick, for- merly lived in southwestern Kansas; Mrs. Burrows was the next-born; Joseph married Emma Walk- enhorst, and occupies the old homestead; Sarah is the wife of Ennis G. Avery, of Kansas City, her husband being baggage-master of the Chicago & Alton Railroad; Ida married Julius Detert, a lumber merchant of Concordia; Harman, who is unmarried, is engaged in the wholesale clothing business in Kansas; and Charles died in infancy.
After his marriage our subject moved direct to his present farm, on which he has erected sub- stantial buildings of all descriptions, and many other improvements which attract the gaze of the passer-by. His mother made her home with him until May 7, 1894, when she became an in- mate of her daughter's household south of Hol- den. She is now seventy-five years of age.
To Mr. and Mrs. Burrows there have been born four children. Glennia S. was born April 2, 1885; James B., March 29, 1888; Minton, Oc- tober 11, 1890; and Fanita, November 28, 1894. They have also taken into their hearts and home Walter Glore, whose birth occurred December 28, 1880.
In addition to raising the cereals, Mr. Burrows devotes much time and attention to the breeding of swine, preferring the Chester-Whites and Berkshires, of which he has a large drove. He is a practical farmer, and, though trained in the old methods, he is not averse to adopting modern ideas pertaining to agriculture.
Both our subject and his excellent wife are ear- nest workers in the Presbyterian Church, of which
they are ardent members, worshiping with the congregation at New Hope. Politically he is a strong Republican, and always votes for the can- didates of that party.
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