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 72
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 72
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George W. Houx grew to manhood under the parental roof, during which time he acquired a limited education in the district schools. In the early days the farm work had to be done, and ed- ucation was not to be thought of, and on account of his father's death he early started out for him-
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self. Shortly afterward the farm was divided and two hundred and forty acres fell to the share of our subject. He has since successfully operated it, and from time to time has added more land, until now he has four hundred and twenty broad acres under a high state of cultivation.
Up to 1876 our subject's mother resided with him, and he was entirely devoted to her. Mr. Houx is an active member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and by a blameless life sets a good example. A straight and stanch Demo- crat in politics, in the exercise of his elective franchise he supports the candidates offered by that party. He is a leading and influential mem- ber of the community, and makes friends of all with whom he comes in contact.
HARLES CARROLL is Superintendent and Manager of the Electric Railway, Light and Power Company of Sedalia, and is ex-Presi- dent of the City Council. He is very prominent as a Democratic politician, and in 1885 was hon- ored by being elected Alderman from the Second Ward. In 1887 he was re-elected, and again in 1889, serving six years altogether. During this time he was Chairman of several important com- mittees, and for four years was President of the Board and also Acting Mayor. For the past dec- ade he has been Chairman of the City Central Democratic Committee. It is just fifteen years since he came to Sedalia, being then in the rail- road employ, and his ability as a mechanic soon became recognized. When the company with which he is now connected chose him to take charge of their many interests, they displayed great wisdom and discernment, for he is practical in his methods, and thoroughly qualified to fill his responsible position.
The paternal grandparents of our subject were natives of Ireland, but his father, Thomas Carroll, was born in Rutland, Vt. The latter was a loco-
motive engineer, having learned the business on the old Lehigh Valley Railroad, which runs be- tween Mauch Chunk and Beaver Meadows, and afterwards his run was between Albany and Sus- quehanna. For a few years he lived in Albany, but his death occurred while he was foreman in the shops at Oneonta. Being in his seventy- fourth year and somewhat deaf, he was accident- ally killed by the cars November 6, 1892. In 1862 he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Seventy-seventh New York Infantry, for nine months. In front of Ft. Hudson, in 1863, he re- ceived a sunstroke, and for two days lay in the rifle pit unattended; he recovered, however, when taken to the hospital. He also belonged to the Sharpshooters, and did gallant service. When there was no longer any need of his services he was mustered out with his regiment and honora- bly discharged. At the time of his death he was a member of E. D. Farmer Post, G. A. R., of Oneonta, N. Y. Politically he was a Democrat. His wife, Ellen, was born in Concord, N. H., but her father, John McKean, was a native of Ireland. At an early day he crossed the ocean, and for sev- eral years was a merchant in Concord. Mrs. Carroll died in December, 1892, aged seventy-one years. Both she and her husband were devoted members of the Catholic Church.
Charles Carroll was born in Middleburg, N. Y., December 11, 1854, and is one of six children who are still living. He attended the public schools of Albany for some time, but was only in his twelfth year when he was apprenticed as a ma- chinist in the Albany & Susquehanna Railroad shops. He continued with that corporation until May 13, 1880, when ill-health caused him to re- sign his position as foreman at Oneonta. He had risen by degrees from a humble capacity, and was at one time master mechanic at Binghamton.
Desiring to try a life in the West, Mr. Carroll came to this city soon after giving up his former position, and up to the spring of 1886 was a mia- chinist in the shops of the Missouri Pacific Rail- way, also being foreman of the round-house. Then for the eight months following he was sales- man for James O'Brien, of this city. In 1888 he was tendered the superintendency of the Electric
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Light Company here, having charge of the con- struction of the plant and lines. Later the com- pany was merged into the Electric Railway Light and Power Company, he being Superintendent of Construction. The plant already has a capacity of three hundred and seventy-five horse power, but it will shortly be necessary to enlarge it. The company has built over fourteen miles of street railway, extending to all parts of the city, and gives regular employment to over fifty men. Mr. Carroll is financially interested in the concern and is one of the Directors.
In 1883 Mr. Carroll and Katie Sullivan were married in this city. She was born in Alton, Il1., but grew to womanhood in Sedalia. Two daugh- ters, Mamie and Nellie, have come to gladden the home of this worthy couple. The family is iden- tified with St. Vincent's Catholic Church. Mr. Carroll is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent Order of Elks, is an officer in Equity Lodge No. 126, A. O. U. W., and is a past offi- cer in the Knights of the Maccabees and the Catholic Knights of America.
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EORGE E. DUGAN, who is now serving as Alderman from the Fourth Ward in Se- dalia, is a contracting decorator and painter, and is also proprietor of one of the largest car- riage repositories in central Missouri. He is very active and enterprising in his business affairs, and takes much interest in everything relating to the growth and improvement of this city. In 1891 he was elected on the Republican ticket to serve as Alderman for two years, and in the spring of 1894 was re-elected from the same ward. He has served as Chairman of the Finance Committee, and also of the one on public buildings, as well as acting 011 others.
Mr: Dugan was born near Pittsburg, Pa., in November, 1845. His father, T. T. Dugan, was also born in the Keystone State, and by trade was a contracting painter. For some years he lived
in Beaver, Pa., but later removed to Warren County, Ohio. His death occurred in Missouri in the year 1872. His wife, formerly Eliza Mc- Lean, also of Pennsylvania, is now living in Se- dalia. Of their nine children, only two survive. Five of the sons were soldiers in the late war.
From the time he was seven years of age our subject attended the district schools in Ohio, and from his thirteenth year has made his own way in the world. In 1861 he volunteered in the One Hundred and Twentieth Ohio Infantry with his father, and in 1864 became a member of the Na- tional Guard, but was not called into action. In May, 1864, he enlisted in Company K, One Hun- dred and Forty-sixth Infantry, and from Camp Dennison went to West Virginia, serving with the rank of Corporal. In September he received an honorable discharge and returned home.
For the next five and a-half years Mr. Dugan was a brakeman on the Little Miami Railroad, running between Cincinnati and Columbus, and later he worked at his trade in Warren County, taking contracts for himself. He finally came West and located in Lawrence, Kan., where he worked industriously for two years. Later, while the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad was in process of construction, he did contract work for two years. During this time he superintended the building of the road from Junction City to Neosho Falls, and from Sedalia to Denison, Tex., employing from fifteen to twenty hands.
In 1872 Mr. Dugan settled in Sedalia, and Jan- uary 1, 1889, purchased a store at No. 116 East Fifth Street, and fitted it out with a full line of wall paper, paints, glass and other articles usually found in his line. He has a three-story building, 23x120 feet in extent, with basement. In busy times he employs from twenty to thirty-five men, and has had contracts for finishing all of the prin- cipal residences and public buildings of this city. He also takes outside contracts, and the beau- tiful work on the Clinton (Mo. ) court house is a sample of his skill. In May, 1894, he bought out the Kelks Carriage Works, and has since con- ducted the same, being sole owner. He manu- factures a high grade of various kinds of carriages and carries a stock of over one hundred vehicles.
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A force of twenty-two men is kept busy, and oc- casionally the force is increased to about one hun- dred hands. The plant, which has a frontage of ninety feet on Osage Avenue, is run by steam power.
Socially Mr. Dugan belongs to George R. Smith Post, G. A. R., and is a charter member of the Royal Tribe of Joseph. He is a Republican po- litically, and quite a leader in his party. For several years he has been a member of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, and by all who know him he is considered an upright, honorable and trustworthy man.
LEASANT B. HILL is one of the progress- ive farmers of Johnson County, his home having been for a quarter of a century in township 46, range 27. The homestead comprises one hundred and eighty-seven acres of fertile and arable land, well adapted for general farming pur- poses. The proprietor is a typical pioneer, and spent several years in the West, seeking for gold on the Pacific Slope, enjoying many of the novel experiences of those days. He has also traveled in the South, having gone into Mexico.
The parents of our subject were William and Mary (Carmichael) Hill. The former, who was born in South Carolina, had the misfortune to lose his father when he was quite young and was bound out to an uncle, with whom he lived until his aunt died, when he became a member of an- other family, and was there reared to manhood. Then, going to Tennessee, he met the lady who became his future wife. In the fall of 1832 he emigrated to Missouri, and on his arrival here settled near the present town of Pittsville, this county, but at that time located within the bound- aries of Lafayette County. From that time until his death, which occurred in February, 1835, he was employed in agricultural pursuits.
The birth of our subject occurred in Tennes- see, March 22, 1823, and as the school privileges
of that day, and in that section of the country, were of a very primitive order, he was obliged to rely on private study for an education. In 1846 he entered the employ of a trader, and drove a team from Independence, Mo., to Chihuahua, Mexico. There the owner of the goods (of which our subject and a brother of the proprietor had charge) was captured by the Mexicans, and the teams, wagon and whole outfit were sold to the Government. Afterwards Mr. Hill drove a team for the Government to Matamoras, and during his trip under Colonel Donovan, had some very exciting times, taking part in one hot engage- ment. Leaving the service at Matamoras, he went back to New Orleans, and after receiving his salary returned home. In the spring of 1848 he contracted to drive a team to Santa Fe, N. M., the trip requiring about three and a-half months, and by the Ist of August he was once more on home ground. When the gold fever broke out he decided to join the thousands of prospectors, and in April, 1849, started for the Pacific Slope. After a four-months journey over- land, he reached Sacramento, and for the next ten years his lot was with the miners of that re- gion. For two years he mined in the summer, and devoted himself to hunting in the winter. A part of this time his mining ventures were on the Little Yuba, but lie found that he did better fi- nancially on Scott's River, where he made from $10 to $16 a day. He and his comrades some- times had trouble with the Indians, and in one skirmish with them killed five of the redmen. About 1858 Mr. Hill turned his attention to farming for a short time, after which he went to Victoria, Vancouver's Island, and from there to Langley, British Columbia, in a small boat con- structed for the purpose. He remained there all winter, but was unable to do any mining as the snow fell for thirty-one consecutive days. In 1859 he turned his face homeward, and after a short respite from his wandering and venturesome life, the war broke out and he enlisted in the Sec- ond Mounted Missouri Infantry, in Rain's divis- ion, Col. Eugene Irvin commanding officer. He was captured at Vicksburg, and was confined at Alton, Ill., for a few days, when he was exchanged.
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At the close of the war he resumed the peaceful avocation of farming, and settled down to a quiet life. The last year of the war, however, he joined the Texas Rangers, and did gallant service on the frontier.
August 23, 1862, Mr. Hill married Miss Mary F. Matlock, by whom he had four children. Only two are now living: Mary Elizabeth, the wife of Robert I. Gladden, a well-to-do farmer of this county; and Belvinia, who married Thomas Lee Irwin, also a successful farmer of this county. Mr. Hill uses his right of franchise in favor of the Democratic party, with which he has been affiliated since he became a voter.
EORGE A. RUSSELL, M. D., one of the enterprising and bright young practitioners of Sedalia, is a partner of Dr. Abell, one of the old physicians of this city, who is practically retired. Dr. Russell, who has an office at No. 109 East Fourth Street, is one of the leading ad- vocates of homeopathy here, and is a member of the Missouri Institute of Homeopathy, in which he takes great interest.
A native of Lafayette County, Wis., the Doc- tor was born near Darlington, October 22, 1860. His father, John B. Russell, who was born in Waterloo, N. Y., is a farmer by occupation, and makes his home in Dunbarton, Wis. His father, Dr. George W., though also a native of New York State, came from a prominent Massachu- setts family of English origin. He was a success- ful practicing physician in the Empire State, but after removing to Gratiot, Wis., was also inter- ested in agricultural pursuits. His death oc- curred when he had attained the ripe old age of seventy years. The wife of John B. Russell, whose girlhood name was Elnona Abell, was born in Bradford County, Pa., and died when only
forty-three years of age, leaving three children. She was a daughter of Daniel Abell, who fol- lowed farming in Pennsylvania and was Captain of a company of home guards.
Dr. George A. Russell, the eldest in his fa- ther's family, received good educational advall- tages and graduated from the Darlington High School in 1880, after which he pursued his stud- ies in the Northwestern University at Evanston, I11., for a year. In 1884 he entered the office of Dr. Carr, of Apple River, [11., where he took up medical work. Subsequently, going to the Chi- cago Hahnemann Medical College, he was duly graduated from that well known institution in 1888, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He hung out his shingle at Boonville, Cooper Coun- ty, Mo., and was in partnership with Dr. Bur- ger until March 1, 1890, at which time he came to Sedalia, where he believed there was a wider field and better opportunities to rise in his profes- sion, and entered into partnership with Dr. Abell, with whom he has since been engaged in practice.
In his fraternal relations Dr. Russell is a Knight of Pythias, belongs to the Royal Arca- num and is physician for Sedalia Lodge, A. O. U. W. In his political proclivities he is strongly in favor of Republican principles and is active in support of his party nominees.
ILLIAM H. PFAFF, one of the most promi- nent and influential citizens of Pettis Coun- ty, resides on a beautiful farm located on section 11, township 44, range 23. He is a man of progressive and enterprising ideas, and runs his farm with the aid of the latest improved ma- chinery in the market. In addition to general farming, he raises grain and stock to a large ex- tent.
Mr. Pfaff was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1855, being the fifth in a family of eight children born to his parents, John and Louisa M. E. (Holt)
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Pfaff. The father was a native of Philadephia, Pa., in which city he made his home for the first twelve years of his life. After the death of his father he moved with his mother to the Queen City, where he grew to mature years, becoming one of the prominent business men of that city, and finally owned a large varnish establishment. He there died in 1877. His wife, the mother of William, was born in London, England, and at the time of the emigration of her parents to America was in her twelfth year. She was like- wise reared to womanhood in Cincinnati, and there met and married John Pfaff. She preceded her husband to the land beyond, dying February 26, 1872, that sad event occurring on the fifty- second anniversary of her birth.
Our subject, unlike many young men of his day, received his education in the city schools of Cincinnati. When ready to enter upon a busi- ness career, at the age of eighteen, he entered his father's varnish establishment, and for eight years thereafter could be found devoting his attention to this business. Two years prior to this time, however, had been spent working in a machine- shop.
In 1880 Mr. Pfaff came to Missouri, and choos- ing Pettis County for his future home, invested his money in the beautiful farm on which he now lives. More land has been added to the original tract, however, until it now includes two hun- dred and thirty fertile acres. Soon after coming here, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary C., daughter of John and Mary (Price) Laney, natives of England. Their daughter, however, was born after their emigration hither, in New York State. To Mr. and Mrs. Pfaff there have been born eight children, all of whom are living and bear the respective names of Mary, Hattie, Philus, Helen, Mildred, Alberta, Theodore and Ruth. In our subject the public schools have a firm friend, and it is one of his chief desires that his children may be given good educations. Mr. and Mrs. Pfaff, with two of their daughters, are members of the Congregational Church, in which body they are active and conscientious workers. Socially Mr. Pfaff is a Mason, and in politics ex- ercises the right of franchise by voting for Re-
publican candidates. He is an indefatigable worker, an honest and upright man, and has the respect and confidence of a large circle of friends and acquaintances.
OHN C. VAN RIPER, Cashier of the Peo- ple's Bank of Sedalia, is one of the promi- nent and progressive young business men of this city. At a meeting of some citizens who as- sembled at the Third National Bank he was ap- pointed Chairman of a committee to draw up a constitution for the Board of Trade. He ably met the requirements of the situation, as was shown when the articles he had drawn were adopted at a citizens' meeting held in the court house. He was chosen to serve as a Director, and is now Vice-President of the Board of Trade. In Janu- ary, 1892, he helped to organize the People's Bank, which has a capital stock of $50,000, and was made its Cashier. Besides, he was one of the promoters and is now Secretary and Treasurer of the Morey & Crawford Abstract and Title Guar- antee Company, which has a capital stock of $20,- 000. He is also Vice-President of the Porter Real-estate Company.
The grandfather of our subject, John A. Van Riper, a native of New York, was a manufacturer of woolen goods, as were his ancestors for about two hundred years. George Van Riper, the fa- ther of John C., was born in the city of New York, and on arriving at man's estate married Parthenia Crowell, whose birth occurred in Clyde, N. Y. His father had built a woolen-mill and carried on an extensive business in La Grange, Mich., and of him George learned the trade. He was a strong Union man and a Republican. When the Civil War came on he volunteered for service, and was rejected, but nevertheless organized a company. His brother, Jacob J., was Attorney- General of Michigan for a number of years, and a Regent of the State University. Mr. Van Riper abandoned the woolen business in 1890 and took
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charge of several large tracts of land in south- western Missouri for our subject, and is now liv- ing at Aurora.
Born February 22, 1863, at La Grange, Cass County, Mich., J. C. Van Riper is the only son in a family of three children. Until he was twelve years old he lived near his birthplace, and then, removing to Ypsilanti, learned the woolen trade, subsequently being employed in the woolen- mills at Delhi Mills, Mich. He was educated in the schools at La Grange, and in the Ypsilanti (Mich.) and St. Mary's (Ohio) High Schools. For a short time he was engaged in the woolen business with his father, and after an interrup- tion of a winter's term of teaching school, went to Decatur, Il1. When only eighteen years of age he was made Assistant Superintendent of a large woolen-mill, employing sixty men, but it became apparent that there was small profit in the trade, and he retired from that occupation. Ob- taining a position as traveling salesman, he next spent some time in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and Missouri on the road.
In 1886 Mr. Van Riper came to Sedalia, and a year later entered into partnership with W. S. Huffman in the abstract and insurance business, with office in the Porter Building. In 1888 the firm of Porter, Van Riper & Huffman was formed and their business extended, the additional inter- ests of real estate and loans being added to their former branches. At the end of two years they were made general agents for the Employers' Liability Assurance Corporation of London, and general agents for the Knoxville Fire Insurance Company at Knoxville, Tenn. A force of nine men was found necessary to manage these varied departments, and the responsibility of the general supervision proving too much for our subject's health, he left the city and went to Aurora. There he engaged in the real-estate business as a member of the firm of Porter & Van Riper, buy- ing up mineral lands and organizing mining com- panies.
In May, 1886, Mr. Van Riper married Anna Moore, daughter of Judge William Prather, her birth occurring in Decatur, Ill. Mr. and Mrs. Van Riper have four children: Walker, Leah
Mildred, John C., Jr., and George P. The fam- ily occupy a pleasant home at the southwest cor- ner of Broadway and Grand Avenue. Mr. Van Riper is a member of the Royal Arcanuni, the order of Elks, and is a Trustee of the Royal Tribe of Joseph. In politics he is a stanch Republican.
B ENJAMIN F. SUMMERS. Comparatively few persons can follow two occupations and meet with gratifying success in both, but such has been the experience of the subject of this sketch, who, though a young man, has al- ready gained considerable prominence in the bus- iness and agricultural circles of his community. His prompt and methodical business habits, good financial talent, and tact in the management of affairs have gained for him the confidence of his fellow-citizens, as well as a comfortable income. His experience as an architect has been such as to prove his superior ability in that line, and he has designed numerous buildings which are an ornament to the county.
The Summers family has been represented in the United States since an early period in the his- tory of this country. Our subject's father, Benja- min Summers, was born in Knox County, Tenn., December 22, 1817, but the principal portion of his life was spent in Misiouri, where for many years he engaged in farm pursuits in Johnson County. Becoming identified with the history of this part of the state at an early day, he was quite influen- tial in public affairs and was a man of progressive spirit. At the beginning of the Civil War he was elected Sheriff of Hickory County, Mo., and served for one term in that responsible position. Shortly afterward, in1 1864, he removed with his family to Johnson County, and here he continued to reside until his death, at the age of sixty-one.
The marriage of Benjamin Summers, which took place January 4, 1844, united him with Theresa Angeline Chandler, who was born in Macoupin County, Il1., on the 22d of September,
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1827. Their union was blessed by the birth of six children, namely: Susan E., Louisa J., Thomas J., John N., Samuel H. and Benjamin F. Of this family, four sons and one daughter are still living. The paternal grandparents of our sub- ject, Nicholas and Susannah (Bannister) Sum- mers, died at the ages of seventy-eight and sev- enty-nine, respectively. The maternal grandpar- ents, John and Mary (Gibson) Chandler, died at the respective ages of seventy-eight and sev- enty-seven years.
During the residence of his parents in Hickory County, Mo., the subject of this sketch was born, December 15, 1862. He was only two years old when brought by his parents to Johnson County, and here he has since made his home, having a large acquaintance among the people of this lo- cality. His education was obtained in the schools of the home district, supplemented by private study and habits of close observation. Arriving at man's estate, he began agricultural pursuits, and upon establishing domestic ties settled on a farm near Knobnoster, Grover Township, John- son County. In his farm work he has been re- markably successful, his finely tilled fields yield- ing large harvests of the various cereals. The estate consists of one hundred and sixty acres, all of which is highly improved, and under his capa- ble supervision the land has been rendered very productive. Farm work, however, does not rep- resent the limit of his energy, for he has other important interests. He is an extensive contrac- tor and builder, and has erected structures of a substantial and attractive kind, following the most modern styles of architecture.
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