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 80
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 80
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85
ILLIAM PERSONS CARRINGTON, after a busy and useful life, is now retired, and is enjoying the fruits of his labors. His home is beautifully finished and furnished, and is situated on section 19, township 44, range 27, Chilhowee Township, Johnson County. He is a native of Orange County, N. C., his birth having occurred October 30, 1832, but for the past forty-five years he has been an inhabitant of Missouri, in whose upbuilding and progress he has been an important factor.
Our subject's parents, Ephraim H. and Nancy A. (Parish) Carrington, left North Carolina about 1837, with the intention of driving through to Missouri, but on account of sickness they decided to settle in Darke County, Ky. Mr. Carrington owned several slaves, who accompanied the fam- ily from the East, and they assisted in managing
629
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
the farm where the little household dwelt about twelve years. In 1850 the senior Mr. Carrington sold out, and after four or five weeks of steady traveling arrived in Pettis County, Mo., where he rented land and raised a crop. During the year he had bargained for a farm in Cass Coun- ty, making a payment on the place, but before the family was ready to start he was called to his final rest, in the fall of 1851, and was buried in the cemetery of Mt. Pleasant, eight miles west of Sedalia. His widow had become attached to the people in Pettis County, and eventually sold the land in Cass County, buying instead a farm near Dresden, where she lived for many years. Then for a few years she dwelt in that village, and later, having a paralytic stroke, took up her abode with our subject, in whose home she died in the spring of 1864, and was placed to rest by the side of her husband. They were the parents of eight chil- dren, one of whom, Cynthia, was married, and died in Kentucky, leaving two children. One of these, Nancy A., is still living in the Blue Grass State, and the other, Mrs. Annie Elgin, resides in Saline County, Mo. Mr. and Mrs. Carring- ton were faithful members of the Christian Church, and strove to bring up their children to be good and useful citizens.
W. P. Carrington was reared on a farm, and received such meager education as was afforded by the pioneer schools. He remained with his mother until she left the farm, and when about twenty years of age began learning the carpenter's trade. For a number of years he worked as a journeyman, and managed his mother's farm dur- ing the summers. When he had laid by some money he entered three hundred and sixty acres of land and built a frame house. In time he in- creased his possessions until he now owns four- teen hundred acres, besides having given away a tract of two hundred acres. In 1882 he pur- chased property in Holden, and removed thither in order to give his children better educational privileges. While there he sold a portion of his land for $19,000, and in 1885 built his handsome residence, in which he has since lived.
June 24, 1858, Mr. Carrington married Susan J., daughter of R. Z. R. and Mary J. (Coving-
ton) Wall, natives of North Carolina. She, how- ever, was born in Johnson County, and here grew to womanhood. Ten children graced the union of our subject and his wife. Mary Belle was born June 26, 1859; Richard E., now of In- dian Territory, is married and has one sou, Wy- lie V .; Nancy A. is the wife of Baxter Ander- so11, of Chilhowee Township, and the mother of one child, Pearl; Margaret, Mrs. Seth B. Brad- ley, died, leaving one child, Margaret; William Stonewall is unmarried, and a resident of Indian Territory; Flavia A. is the wife of Early Wright, of Warrensburg, by whom she has one child; Cornelia M. died when in her eighteenth year; James M. died in infancy; and Robert and Claude are still at home. The mother of these children was called to her final rest May 7, 1884. Mr. Carrington was married to Miss Ella Yankee, of Warrensburg, April 4, 1888.
In 1856 Mr. Carrington cast his first Presiden- tial vote, for Buchanan, and, like his father before him, has always supported the Democracy. He has never cared for public office, but has often served his party as a delegate to various conven- tions, and on one occasion was elected Township Collector before he even knew that he was a candi- date, and was afterward re-elected to the office. As he was an only son, and his paralytic mother was dependent upon him during the war, he felt that his first duty was to take care of her, and for that reason did not enlist in the army. He was often disturbed and his property destroyed, but these reverses he met with fortitude. Since he was fifteen years of age he has been a worker in the Sunday-school, and has been a teacher and Assist- ant Superintendent many years. Both he and his wife are members of the Cumberland Presby- terian Church, he being one of the Elders.
Orson M. Horn, now deceased, married our subject's eldest daughter March 8, 1877. He was born in Simpson County, Ky., Novem- ber 19, 1856, his parents being Dr. L. M. and Patty (Morrill) Horn, who are represented on another page of this volume. On the 12th of December, 1878, Walter Earl, the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Horn, was born. Mr. Horn was a practical young farmer, and he con-
630
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
ducted the property which his wife had inherited from her mother, and which belonged to the Wall estate. For a short time Mr. Horn was en- gaged in merchandising in Blairstown, but, his health failing, he went to New Mexico in the fall of 1893. Receiving little benefit, he returned home and passed away July 10, 1894, and was buried in the cemetery of the Wall family. He was a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, to which his wife also belonged. Politically he was a Republican.
R. BALLARD. There is doubtless no res- ident of Sedalia whose travels have extended over so large a portion of the world, or whose experiences have been so varied, as have those of the subject of this notice. Having in boyhood become thoroughly familiar with the construction of telegraph and telephone lines, he was employed in that business in different parts of the world, and spent a number of years abroad. His career has been a remarkable one, and, being an interesting conversationalist, he often deliglits his friends with some thrilling episode or enter- taining reminiscence of his life in foreign lands. He served as chief electrician of a telephone con1- pany in the Soudan War, and witnessed the mass- acre in which General Gordon lost his life, he himself narrowly escaping death.
In view of his prominence in Sedalia, a brief outline of the life of Mr. Ballard will be of inter- est to our readers. He was born in Xenia, Ohio, October 22, 1858, and is of Virginian descent. His paternal grandfather, Jamestown Ballard, removed in an early day from the Old Dominion to Ohio, where he engaged in farming. During the War of 1812 he enlisted in the service of our country, and was one of its loyal soldiers during that conflict.
The parents of our subject, Hebron and Mary E. (Hagler) Ballard, were natives of Ohio, where the former was a farmer for some years. During
ยท the Civil War he took part in the Morgan raid. In 1889 he removed to Missouri, and since that time has followed farming. His wife, who died some years ago, was born in Greene County, Ohio, being a daughter of Eli Hagler, a soldier in the War of 1812, a farmer by occupation, and a man of large means.
The family of Hebron and Mary E. Ballard consisted of four children, all but one of whom are still living. E. R., who is the second in or- der of birth, remained in Ohio until fourteen years of age, when, in 1872, he went to Omaha, Neb., and learned telegraph construction. In 1879 he took charge of a corps of men, and built lines all over the West, from Chicago to San Fran- cisco. In 1883 he was sent, via San Francisco, to Australia, stopping at the Sandwich Islands and New Zealand. After staying for some time in Melbourne, he went to Van Diemen's Land, and from there sailed to India, thence went to China and Japan and later proceeded to Spain and Africa. At the time of General Gordon's death, near Khar- toum, he was putting wires to the front for special service, and so dangerous was his position that it seemed scarcely less than a miracle that he was not killed. In fact, throughout the entire period of the Soudan War he was in the greatest peril, his life being at the mercy of the treacherous na- tives.
The close of the war terminating his stay in Africa, Mr. Ballard sailed for the British Isles, and then returned, via Hamburg, to the United States, reaching his Ohio home after an absence of more than five years. However, he did not remain in the Buckeye State, but resumed con- struction work in Omaha, and in 1888 came to Missouri. His home has since been in Sedalia, where he owns seven acres within the city limits, on Arlington Heights. While still employed as an electrician, much of his attention is devoted to the breeding of fancy poultry, including the best varieties, among which are Wyandottes and Plym- outh Rocks. His poultry has been exhibited at fairs in this state, and in Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas, and has taken the first premium in almost every instance.
The pleasant home of Mr. Ballard is presided
631
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
over by his accomplished wife, who was formerly Miss Jessie McMurry. She was born in Charles- ton, Ohio, but at the time of her marriage resided in Xenia. Three children bless the union, Har- ry M., Bessie W. and Berthel. Socially Mr. Bal- lard is a member of the order of Electrical Work- ers of the World, and takes an interest in every- thing pertaining to that science. He is a member of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Se- dalia, and he is a generous contributor to its good works. Politically he is a Republican.
ILLIAM RIDENOUR. It was in 1869 that Mr. Ridenour settled in Pettis Coun- ty, where he purchased a tract of farming land on section 6, township 44, range 22. At that time Washington Township contained few of the improvements that now mark it, and he has been one of the factors in its development, having, by his energy and industry, not only placed his own property under cultivation, but also given a stini- ulus to the agricultural interests of the locality. He is the owner of a well improved estate of two hundred and twenty-eight acres, upon which, in addition to a substantial set of farm buildings, he has made other valuable improvements, including the planting of a large number of fruit trees.
The Ridenour family originated in Holland, but has long been identified with the history of this country. The subject of this sketch was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, March 22, 1822, and is the son of Daniel and Susannah (Sha- ver) Ridenour. At the age of ten years he ac- companied his parents to Tuscarawas County, Ohio, where he grew to manhood. Being the second child and the eldest son in the family, a large share of the farm work fell upon him, and the greater part of the land was cleared through his arduous efforts. As may be supposed, he had no educational advantages, and the knowledge that he has since acquired is the result of self- culture.
Shortly before he was twenty-one, December 15, 1842, Mr. Ridenour was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Murphy, who was born in York County, Pa., November 21, 1821, being the daughter of Philip and Elizabeth (Stearmer) Murphy, natives of Pennsylvania. Her father en- tered the American service in the War of 1812, but did not participate in any active engagements with the British. Her grandfather, William Murphy, emigrated to this country from Ireland at the age of twelve years, and some years later became a soldier in the Colonial army. For his services in the Revolutionary War he was given a warrant to land in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, and it was to this property that the family removed when Mrs. Ridenour was a child of seven years. Her girlhood was spent there, and she attended the common schools of the neighborhood.
In May, 1843, a few months after his marriage, Mr. Ridenour settled on a farm in Wabash Coun- ty, Ind., his father having previously given him a tract of eighty acres of timber-land there. He. moved into a little cabin on the place, and at once began to clear the land. From the first success attended his efforts, and in a short time he was enabled to purchase an additional tract of eighty acres. To the improvement and cultivation of the place he gave his attention for twenty-six years, meanwhile gaining a large acquaintance in the county and becoming known as a thrifty and hon- orable farmer.
Disposing of his farm in Wabash County in 1869, Mr. Ridenour transferred his interests to Pettis County, where he has since made his home. Here he first bought four hundred and eighty acres, but afterward sold a large tract, then bought an additional eighty, and now owns two hundred and twenty-eight acres, all in a body. Though he has never sought office, yet he is inter- ested in public affairs and is well informed con- cerning questions of national importance. In former years a Democrat, he cast his first Presi- dential ballot for James K. Polk; for some years past, however, his allegiance has been given to the Republican party, the principles of which he supports with his vote. For many years, both while a resident of Indiana and since coming to
632
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Pettis County, he has served as School Director, and it has been his aim to see that not only his own children, but others as well, should have the educational advantages of which he was deprived in youth. He and his wife were reared in the Lutheran faith, but are now identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Ride- nour, but two of the number died in infancy. All were born in Wabash County, Ind. The eldest, Dan M., who is married and has five children, makes his home in Green Ridge, where he is en- gaged as a wagon-maker and carpenter. Mar- garet Rosanna is the wife of Joseph Upton, of Green Ridge. John P., a farmer and stock-raiser of Green Ridge Township, is married and has four children. David Sylvester, with his wife and seven children, resides on a farm in Washington Township, where he owns two hundred and eighty acres of land. Elizabeth, wife of Theodore Rice, lives in Oklahoma. Joseph, who cultivates the home farm for his father, married Miss Emma Saurbaugh, a native of Hardin County, Ohio, who came to Pettis County with her parents, and at the time of her marriage was living in Ionia City, Washington Township; they have one child, Omer W., born November 20, 1894. Louisa E., the youngest of the family, is the wife of D. Rice, and the mother of six children; her home is in the Chickasaw Nation, Okla.
ILLIAM GRANT COWAN, M. D., has been successfully engaged in medical and surgical practice in Sedalia only since 1894, when he entered into partnership with Dr. John W. Trader, having his office at No. 420 Osage Avenue, but even in this short period he has become well known, and gained the entire confidence of the people. He is a young man of recognized ability, and is sure to make his mark in his chosen profession.
The grandfather of our subject, John F. Cowan,
was born in the eastern part of Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, and came to this state in an early day. He was educated at Princeton, and was a pioneer minister of the Presbyterian Church, often having to ride forty miles to deliver one or two sermons. He helped to establish Westmin- ster College at Fulton, was on the first Board of Trustees, and later his son, Rev. John F., filled the same place of honor. For many years he was a resident of Potosi, Mo., but died in Washing- ton, this state, at the age of fifty-eight years. The Cowan family are of Scotch-Irish descent, and have many worthy representatives among those who have borne the name.
Rev. John F. Cowan, father of our subject, is a native of Potosi, Mo. He received a fine ed11- cation, obtaining the degrees of A. B. and A. M. from Westminster College, where he was a stu- dent, and after graduating with the degree of B. D. from Princeton commenced his pastoral work near Fulton, Mo. He has had charge of the Auxvasse Presbyterian Church for thirty- three years, and in 1888 was appointed Professor of Modern Languages at Westminster College, and is yet filling that position. In 1886 he was given the degree of D. D. by his Alma Mater. His good wife, who before her marriage was Miss Mattie Grant, died in 1884. She was born near Fulton, Mo., being a daughter of Capt. William Grant, a native of Kentucky, and an early pio- neer of Callaway County, Mo. For many years he ran a hotel on the stage line between Boon- ville and St. Louis, and conducted a large farm also. To Rev. John F. Cowan and his wife there were born four children. Charles H., the eldest, is a farmer of Callaway County; Florence is the wife of H. H. Miller, of Chariton County; Will- iam G. is the next; and Robert M. is a student in the St. Louis Medical College.
Dr. Cowan was born near Fulton, Mo., June 20, 1866, and attended the district schools. In 1882 he entered the preparatory department of Westminster College, in 1884 was admitted to the freshman class, and was graduated with the de- gree of B. S. in 1888. From boyhood he had al- ways had a great desire to take up the medical profession, and in 1889 he went to St. Louis,
633
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
where he began the required course. After re- ceiving his degree in 1892, he at once located in Webster Grove, Mo., where he practiced two years. Since 1894 he has been located in this city, as previously stated. He is a member of the Central District and the Pettis County Medi- cal Societies, and strives in every way to keep posted on all of the latest discoveries relating to his profession.
In 1893 occurred the marriage of the Doctor and Miss Frances Forman, of Fulton, Mo. She is a native of the latter place, and is a daughter of Theodore A. and Mary E. (Bailey) Forman, early settlers of Fulton. Mrs. Cowan's mother is a daughter of the late Judge William H. Bai- ley, formerly President of the Southern Bank of Fulton. The Doctor and his wife have one child, Helen Ogier by name. The parents are mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church, and take great interest in charitable work.
Socially Dr. Cowan is associated with the Le- gion of Honor, Knights of Pythias and the Royal Tribe of Joseph. In the last-named order he is serving as medical examiner, and fills the same position in the New York Mutual and other life- insurance companies.
OHN J. LOWRY. The name at the head of this sketch is that of a practical and success- ful stock-raiser of Cedar Township, Pettis County. Since 1884, however, he has added fruit-raising to his other interests, having fifty of his one hundred and thirty-eight acres in an or- chard, besides cultivating all of the smaller fruits.
Like many of the best residents of this section, our subject is a Kentuckian, and was born in Boone County, April 10, 1840. There his father, William Lowry, lived for many years, although his birth occurred in Virginia. Upon emigrating to Kentucky, his grandfather, Joseph Lowry, lo- cated in the southern portion of the state and there lived for several years, when he changed his place
of residence to Louisville. He was identified with the interests of that city but a short time, however, when, in 1854, he came to Missouri, settling with his family in the northern part of Pettis County, where he died five years later, ad- vanced in years. He was an agriculturist during the active years of his life, but never was so im- mersed in his own affairs that he could not find time to push forward all enterprises of a beneficial character in his community.
William Lowry was reared in Kentucky, and was married in Boone County to Miss Elizabeth H. Hardin, whose birth occurred in what is now the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, although at the time of her advent into the world it bore little resem- blance to its present condition. The parents lived for a time in Boone County, but later, removing to Louisville, made that city their home until 1854, when they, too, came to Missouri. They chose a farm near the home of Joseph Lowry in Pettis County, where they lived happily together until 1883, when, in May of that year, the husband and father was called to his long home. Mrs. Elizabeth Lowry is still living, although quite ad- vanced in years.
Our subject was the eldest of a family of ten children, and since coming to this county in 1854 has made this section his home, with the excep- tion of eight years spent in mining and in mer- cantile pursuits in the far West. For many years he made a specialty of stock-raising, but, as stat- ed above, since 1884 has devoted much time to the cultivation of fruits of every variety. His tract of land is one hundred and thirty-eight acres in extent, and is admirably situated for the pur- pose for which it is used.
December 9, 1874, Mr. Lowry was united in marriage with Eveline E. Major, and they became the parents of a daughter, Mande E. The wife and mother died December 15, 1891. The second marriage of Mr. Lowry occurred January 15, 1895, at which time he was united with Miss O1- lie P. Barrick, a native of this county and a well educated and most estimable lady. She is a daughter of Noah T. and Mattie J. (Carter) Bar- rick, natives of Maryland and Kentucky, respect- ively.
634
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
During the late war Mr. Lowry served about nine months in the Union army. He is a self- made man, as his school advantages were very limited. Appreciating, however, the value of an education, he has at all times been greatly in- terested in educational matters, and for eleven years served as a member of the School Board. For several years he was a Road Overseer, and as an influential Democrat he takes an active part in local politics. In 1855 he identified himself with the Christian Church, with which he has since been connected, and has held many official positions in that body. He is a very pleasant gentleman, and the community finds in him a val- 11ed citizen, who well deserves representation in this volume.
AMES HENRY SEIP. It is very fitting that the name of this worthy citizen should be placed among the representative men of Johnson County, for he deserves that honor in the fullest degree. At all times he has used his in- fluence and energies to advance the welfare of this region, and takes an active part in move- ments toward that end. His dwelling is on sec- tion 33, township 47, range 27, this being one of the best farms to be found in the county.
The father, John William Seip, was born near the famous River Rhine, in Germany, and, with his parents, set sail for America when but fourteen years of age. As his father was a weaver by trade, he learned the same business, and ultimately became the owner of an extensive factory in Ve- mango County, Pa. There he gave employment to some twelve or more men, and successfully managed the plant until death put an end to his labors. His wife bore the maiden name of Cath- erine Knaus, and five of their seven children yet survive.
J. H. Seip is a native of Lehigh County, Pa., his birth having occurred October 28, 1845. His first knowledge of agriculture was obtained on
the old homestead, which he and his brothers carried on while their father managed the factory. When but seventeen years of age he enlisted in the Union army and loyally fought in defense of the Stars and Stripes. On leaving the service he went to Oil City, and for over two years was em- ployed in taking and filling contracts for boring oil-wells.
In 1867 Mr. Seip started with a friend for the Pacific Slope, but first went through Tennessee and Georgia. At Nashville, Tenn., they took passage in a boat bound for Leavenworth, Kan., thence proceeded to the Salmon River, later com- ing back as far as Clay County, Mo. There he took contracts to furnish ties for a railroad then being built, and later went to Springfield, Mo. After a brief stay he went to Holden and em- barked in business in partnership with another man, starting a hedge nursery. During the next three years his success was very gratifying, but at last he became desirous of owning a farm, and purchased the one on which he now makes his home. To the original tract he has since added another piece, thus making it one of some three hundred and three acres. Considering the fact that he had almost nothing a few years ago, his rapid rise in a financial way is truly remarkable, and is owing to his indomitable pluck and per- severance.
In September, 1872, our subject was united in marriage with Susan Eliza Frisco. Their mar- riage was blessed by five children, all but one of whom are still living. Charles William has been a student in the Sedalia Commercial College for the past three years; while Grace, Daisy and Blanche are all attending the seminary at Holden, where the family are temporarily residing, in or- der to give better school privileges to the children.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.