USA > Missouri > Lafayette County > Portrait and biographical record of Lafayette and Saline counties, Missouri : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 31
USA > Missouri > Saline County > Portrait and biographical record of Lafayette and Saline counties, Missouri : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 31
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The mother of our subject died in Hannibal, and his father afterward married a widow, Mrs. Mary Cooper. This good lady is a devoted Baptist, and spends most of her time in church work. Phillip Tucker, Sr., is also a member of the Baptist denom- ination, and both he and his wife are minch re- spected. She is a daily visitor to the poor and needy, and also while relieving their physical wants urges them to accept the Christian doctrine, and ministers to their spiritual needs. Our subject is the oldest now living of seven children, and was reared in Ilannibal, where he attended school.
When a mere lad he enlisted in the Government service as a drummer, but his tender age unfitted him for the long marches and ardnous duty, and his father brought the young patriot home. For the next two years our subject attended the eol- lege at Columbia, Mo., and when his studies were ended he entered his father's shop and learned his trade, working with him until 1873, when he began business for himself in Paris, Mo. The firm of which he was a member was known as McBride & Tucker, but our subject remained in Paris only one year, removing thence to Moberly, where he carried on business successfully for three years. In 1877 he decided to try his fortunes in California, and in Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, started a newspaper, the Lompoc Record, published in the cause of temperance and the local interests of. the valley. The venture, under the excellent manage- ment of our subject, was a prosperous one, and he continued to conduct the paper for four years.
At the expiration of that time, Mr. Tucker cn- gaged in the merchandise business for a while, and afterward was employed in Santa Barbara as book- keeper. The longing for his old home and early associations doubtless influenced him to return to Missouri, where he settled in Macon City, and oper- ated a merchant-tailoring house. In 1889 he came to Slater, and his success here has more than met his expectations. Through an unvarying course of fair and honest dealing he has won the confi- dence and esteem of the public, and annually in- creases his already extensive patronage.
In 1870 Mr. Tucker was united in marriage with Miss Ella B. Ilammer, a native of St. Louis, and a lady highly esteemed in social circles. Mr and
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Mrs. Tucker are the parents of one son, Clarence, who in connection with Ernest Paulson has an ele- gant merchant-tailoring establishment at Marshall, the only one of the kind carrying a full line of goods in that city. The pleasant home of our sub- ject in the eastern part of the city is the scene of many social gatherings and the abode of hospital- ity. As members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, he and his wife actively engage in relig- ious enterprises, and are valued as ready aids in every good cause. Mr. Tucker is Past Chancellor of the Knights of Pythias, a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and is Past Grand, and also a member of the Encampment. Politi- cally he is no office-seeker, but votes the Republi- can ticket, and is interested in all that pertains to the growth and progress of the American nation.
HARLES R. ANDERSON. Whether as a cit- zen. quietly at work on his farm, or a sol- dier fighting for what he considered to be the right, our subject has shown himself to be a worthy man, entitled to the respect and conti- dence of his neighbors. Charles R. Anderson, a farmer on section 22, township 48, range 26, La F'ayette County, Mo., is a son of William HI. An- derson, a native of Warren County, Ky., who was born in 1806, a son of Abraham Anderson. a soldier in the War of 1812. The mother of our subject was Didama (Dyer) Anderson, a native of Warren County. Ky., born in 1807, a daugh- ter of Abner Dyer, also a soklier in the War of 1812. She was married in Kentucky, and moved with her husband to this county in 1828, where they opened up the farm now owned by Mr. Hader, near Higginsville.
After Mr. Anderson sokl out, for several years they lived in various portions of La Fayette County. Pioneer settlers in that county, they re- mained here until their demise, Mr. Anderson's death having occurred in 1851, and his wife's in
1883. They were the parents of nine children, those now living being our subject, James, llarri- son, and Theresa, now Mrs. Fox. The parents were members of the Christian Church, having joined it at a very early date. The father was an active man in politics, and an old-line Whig. He was captain in the State Militia in this county, and was a soldier in the Osage War against the Indians.
Charles R. Anderson was born November 1, 1830, in La Fayette County, Mo., just two miles south of Higginsville. He was reared on the farm there and received a good district-school education. In 1850 his father and he crossed the plains to Cali- fornia, striking out from Independence, Mo., with a party of twenty-one, consuming six months in their journey. They reached Sacramento, and from there went to the gold mines, where they re- mained for three and one-half years, and met with fairly good success. Returning home by way of Panama, our subjeet went to work on the farm, continuing at it until the beginning of the Civil War, when he enlisted in Capt. Newton's Company, First Missouri Guards. He was present at, and participated in, the following battles: Carthage, Crane Creek, Wilson's Creek and Lexington, and the surrender of Mulligan.
Discharged from the guards, Mr. Anderson en- listed in April, 1862, in Company I, First Mis- souri Cavalry, under Col. Gates, and was com- missary for his company. He fought in the bat- tles of Baton Rouge, Baker's Creek and Big Black, Miss., where he was taken prisoner and was eon- fined twenty-one months in Camp Morton, Ft. Delaware, Point Lookout and Elmira. before he was finally exchanged. Mr. Anderson, referring to this period of his life, says that while a prisoner he received rough treatment and passed through all stages of suffering. After his release he joined his regiment at Mobile and took part in the battle of Blakeley, the last fight of the war. Ile was dis- charged in the spring of 1865, after a severe ser- vice of four long years, and after a short stay in Alabama returned home.
Mr. Anderson was married in 1872, to Mary E., daughter of Robert Mathews, born May 22, 1852, in this township. After their marriage the young couple settled on the farm they now occupy, hav-
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ing lived there ever since. They are the parents of live children: L. Price, Didama T., N. Ella, Rob- ert M. and Ernest G. Our subject opened up and improved his farm, which consists of two hundred and twenty-five acres, one hundred and eighty be- ing under cultivation. The residence was built in 1881, at a cost of $1,500, and he has his farm well supplied with barns and other needful buildings. While raising grain largely, Mr. Anderson devotes considerable care to stock, especially Shorthorn cattle and Poland-China hogs. IIe is a Deacon in the Christian Church, and himself, wife and chil- dren take an active part in the Sunday-school, the husband and wife being teachers. Mr. Anderson takes pride in giving his children a good education, Didama being now a student at the Normal School at Warrensburgh. Ile has been a member of the School Board; also of the Grange, of which he was Treasurer. Our subject is a Democrat, and always has been, his face being a very familiar one at the several conventions of his party.
. P IIILIP MILLER GAW, a retired mer- chant of Higginsville, is one of the oldest settlers of La Fayette County. He has been an important factor in the devel- opment of his adopted home, and passed through many of the exciting incidents of the perilous times when Missouri was a border State. A sketch of his life will therefore be of unusual interest to his fellow-citizens and of value to posterity.
Mr. Gaw was born in Woodstock, Shenandoah County, Va., on the Ist of November, 1811. Ilis fa- ther, John Gaw, a native of Ireland, emigrated to Virginia and settled in Woodstock, where he en- gaged in merchandising. In 1817, he made a trip to Missouri, and so much did the country please him, that in 1818 he removed his family to this State and opened a store at Old Franklin, where he continued in business until his death. His wife, Mary (Miller) Gaw, was born in Penn- sylvania and was a daughter of Philip Miller, also
a native of the Keystone State, who engaged m farming in Virginia, and there died. Mrs. Gaw died at Rocheport, Mo., at the advanced age of ninety-one years. She and her husband reared a family of two sons and five daughters, only one of whom is now living. Two of the children died on the trip to the mountains.
Our subject accompanied his parents to the State of Missouri in 1818, and during a large part of the two months which the overland trip consumed he walked and assisted in driving the stock. Upon his arrival in the new country, he found it very wild, with the exception of a fort here and there along the river, with the little clearing surrounding it. As wild game of all kinds abounded, he was accustomed to spend a great deal of his leisure time in hunting, and be- came a famous shot. Indians were numerous and much care had to be exercised to guard the few possessions of the little family from their thieving fingers.
While attending a private school in Franklin, our subject met Kit Carson, the famous trapper, and the acquaintance thus formed developed into a friendship that lasted until the death of the lat- ter. At an early age Mr. Gaw began to clerk in his father's store, which was then conducted by his brother. In 1832, he went to Rocheport and clerked for his brother, whom he afterward bought out and conducted business alone, procuring his goods from St. Louis. In 1839, he removed to Dover, this county, and rented a store from Judge Cox, in which he embarked in the mercantile busi- ness. The town of Dover was a new one, and Mr. Gaw prospered greatly. In 1850, receiving a good offer for his business, he sold out and there- after interested himself in farming and loaning money.
In 1880, Mr. Gaw located in Higginsville, where he bought property and built a fine north-front residence on Fair Ground Avenne. He is a stock- holder in the American Bank. In 1833, while re- siding in Rocheport, Mr. Gaw was united in marriage with Miss Mary Barnett, who was born in Mercer County, Ky., the daughter of Zachus and Nancy (Jachman) Barnett, both natives of Kentucky. The father engaged in farming in
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Mercer County until 1818, when he came to How- ard County, Mo., and improved a farm on the State road between Frankhn and Columbia. IIe and his wife both died in Missouri. Mrs. Gaw was the second in a family of nine children, and is the only survivor. She was born February 15, 1812, and was brought to Missouri in 1818 by her parents, who made the trip with team and wagon. Her childhood years were passed on a farm, where she received the training which has made her a capable wife and mother. Two children were born of this union: Eliza, a graduate of the Baptist Female College at Lexington, is the wife of Rev. G. W. Ilyde. of Lexington, a Baptist minister; Ellen, a graduate of Chillicothe Academy, is the wife of Capt. Ai E. Asbury, President of the American Bank.
In their religious conviction, Mr. and Mrs. Gaw are Baptists, and he was made a Deacon in that denomination about fifty years ago. In polities he is a stanch Democrat, and upholds the principles of his party upon every occasion. The various scenes through which he has passed have been so stirring, and his memory so good, that he has a fund of valuable information concerning pioneer days, and his friends find great pleasure in listening to the delightful stories and thrilling incidents which he narrates.
R ICHIARD SEWARD, or "Dick" Seward, as he is familiarly known, is one of the most popular men in Slater, and that is saying a great deal, for those who read these pages will find that our city boasts of many popu- lar men and does so with good cause. The sub- jeet of this sketch is an Alderman from the Sec- ond Ward, and is a successful engineer. He has passed through some thrilling accidents and wrecks, for which, however, he was in no way to blame. Ile seems so far to bear a charmed life, and his friends most smeerely hope that this may continue to be true of him. Physically, he is a
large, well-built, finely proportioned man, good looking, and with a personal magnetism that wins friends without effort on his part, these friends being kept by the real worth of the man. He is an engineer on the Chicago & Alton Railroad, Kansas City Division, having held his position since March. 1878. lle runs on the new exten- sion and is the oldest engineer in the division.
Mr. Seward's native State is Ohio. lle was born in Richland County, near Manshield, August 3, 1852. His father, Dennis Seward, was born in County Meath, Ireland, and was a stock-dealer and trader in grain and other products in the Old Country. Ile was married there and came to this country in 1847, locating at Bridgeport, Conn., being for a time in the employ of P. T. Barnum. In 1849 he moved to Ohio and located in Mt. Vernon, Knox County. At that time he went into the employ of the Sandusky, Mansfield & Newark Railroad as fireman, remaining in this po- sition till 1861, when he changed to the Erie Rail- road, now the Atlantic & Great Western. 1Je was engaged in work for the road under construction till 1864, when he bought a farm consisting of two hundred and ten acres of improved land three miles from Mansfield. Ile then engaged in farming and stock-raising and money-loaning, which he still continues. Ile is a Democrat in politics and is well off. Ilis wife, who was before her marriage Miss Mary White, of Ireland, died in 1865.
Mr. Seward is the third of nine children, eight of whom grew to maturity, and six are still liv- ing. Ile was educated in the common sehools, as have been so many of our ablest men, and re- mained at home until he reached the age of eighteen, when he went into the employ of the railroad. beginning as fireman on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern, and continuing there till 1873. Afterward he went to Canada as fireman on the Canada Southern Railroad, working in that capacity eight months. From there he came as far West as Chicago, engaging as fireman on the Baltimore & Ohio, between Chicago and Chicago Junction, Ohio, continuing there till July, 1877, at which time he participated in the strikes then in progress, leaving the road entirely. Subsequent
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to this he took a trip through the Western States and Territories. In March, 1878, he entered the employ of the Chicago & Alton Railroad as fire- man on the new extension, taking care of the en- gines at the branch in Glasgow till fall, when he was made engineer, which position he has since held.
In 1881, Mr. Seward came to Slater and has made his home here since then, with the exception of one summer in Kansas City. He has been through several accidents as before stated. Decem- ber 8, 1881, he had a collision on Independence HIill, with a freight coming up the hill. This de- molished both engines and wrecked eighteen cars, but no one on his train was killed. The cause of the accident was the fact that the other train was out of its limits. Our engineer saved himself by jumping, but was hurt about the head and limbs and was laid up for two months. This was the worst wreck that he encountered. In 1883 he was running a passenger train and collided with a freight, which this time, also, was out of its own limits. The engine was jammed and the engineer on the other train badly hurt, but fortunately no one was killed. At one time he had an engine blow up, collapsing in the firebox. With all these accidents he is still safe and sound, seeming to bear a charmed life indeed. He has been running in the pool between Slater and Kansas City, Slater to Roodhouse, for eight years. One of his engines is No. 217.
Mr. Seward is a member of the Mutual Home Building and Loan Association of Kansas City. He is interested in real estate in that city, and owns his residence here and a farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres at Garden City. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, also of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, being Third Assistant Engineer of this Division. No. 8, and is on the Legislative Committee. In April, 1891, he was elected Alderman for the Second Ward, and has been on the Sidewalk Committee and others. In politics he affiliates with the Dem- oeratic party.
March 25, 1878, Mr. Seward and Miss Maggie Conner, of Mt. Vernon, Ohio, were married in Chi- cago. The lady is a daughter of John and Isa-
bella (McBride) Conner. natives of Ireland. After coming to America and loeating at Mt. Vernon, her father engaged as railroad foreman and con- tractor on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. IIe now lives at Whitley, Ind. His wife died in the fall of 1891. Mrs. Seward, the fourth of nine children, spent her childhood years at Mt. Vernon. Mr. and Mrs. Seward have five children: Harry, Mary, Lillie, Isabella, and F. Leo. Mrs. Seward is a member of the St. Joseph Catholic Church. It is a pleasure to write about men of whom so much good might be said as about the gentleman whose name heads this sketch; at the same time, he is so well and favorably known that an extended arti- cle under this head seems superfluous, as his friends are one and all ready to speak in his praise.
R OBERT K. THOMSON, a prosperous agri- culturist and successful stock-raiser and breeder of Shorthorn cattle, also owner of the celebrated stallion, "Crane," who holds the race record of a three-year-old of Missouri, is one of the most enterprising and energetie resi- dents of Saline County, and makes his home upon section 36, township 52, range 20. He was born in 1829, his birthplace being almost within a stone's- throw of his present home. His father, R. Y. Thomson, born in 1803, was a native Kentuckian and in 1821 came to Missouri. Two years later he located in Saline County, on one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he entered from the Government. Being prospered, he continued to add to his property until he possessed twenty-five hundred acres, fifteen hundred aeres of which have been divided among the children.
In addition to the daily duties of agriculture, the father of our subject was a Baptist minister, an earnest and convincing preacher of the Gospel, and a man of upright character, strong in argument, and wise in judgment. While not a politician, he was interested in public affairs and held the office
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of Justice of the Peace for a short time. llis wife. an excellent helpmate and devoted companion, was born in 1809, and was the mother of ten chil- dren. of whom eight are yet living. Luey A .. born m Saline County, was married to William Thom- son and now resides in Texas; Elizabeth married Squire Jenkins, and lives in Slater, Mo .; Quincy A .. who married Miss MeDaniels, enlisted in the Confederate army. was taken prisoner in 1862 and confined in MeDowell College, in St. Louis, Mo., where from exposure he contracted pneumonia and died in 1862: Asa P .. who married Miss Saltonstall. enlisted in 1861, under Col. Brown, and was killed in Kansas. in the last battle attending Price's inva- sion of Missouri; Leona V. was born in Saline County, and is the widow of Col. William Brown. who was killed in the service of the Confederates in 1861; Mary F. married William G. Fowler and makes her home near Slater; Alvin W., born in Saline County, is a business man of Slater: Susie M. married Dr. Ford and resides near Slater; Zaek T. lives on the old homestead.
Robert K., our subject, was married in 1867, to Miss Mary M. Plant, who was born in 1844 and is the mother of eight children. all of whom are liv- ing: E. T., born in 1868; Ernest R .; V. V., born in 1873; Y. P .. in 1876; Sne May. in 1878; Berta. in 1879; (. Roy, in 1881; and Lillie, in 1886. Now, engaged in the peaceful pursuit of farming, and surrounded by a bright and interesting family, the time seems long in the past since our subjeet was actively devoted to the scenes and dangers of the battle-field. A mere boy completing his edu- eation in an excellent Kentucky school, he was among the first to respond to the call for Confed- erate volunteers.
Enlisting in 1861 under Col. Brown, Mr. Thom- son gallantly served through the entire war, where he suffered great privations and was constantly in danger. He was captured at Boonville, in the first engagement in the State of Missouri. He was soon paroled by Gen. Lyons. but at that eritical juncture came near losing his life by an almost fatal blunder. Through some mistake he was thought to be a Camp Jackson prisoner and was sentenced to be shot, and it was only after a most thorough investigation that he was finally paroled.
After a severe illness, he returned to the service and was again captured, near the close of the war, at Cane Ilill, and was once more paroled, this time by Gen. Curtis. At that date he was First Lieutenant under Col. Gordon in Shelby's Brigade, and was distinguished for his courage and meri- torions conduet on the battle-field.
Upon the conclusion of the war, Mr. Thomson located in Lewis County, Mo., and taught school, and there met the lady destined to be his future wife. Soon returning to his old home he built a house and began industriously to improve three hundred and twenty acres of land, which have for many years yielded him an abundant harvest. Among the valuable horses upon his fine farm is a handsome Hambletonian mare. The record of the well-known stallion, "Crane," is 2:29}, and this noble animal is one of the most noted in the State. Our subject, like his father, is in religious behef a Baptist, and has been a member of the church ever since he was fourteen years old. While not a politician, he is a sturdy Democrat and deeply interested in the public conduct of af- fairs. He and his family are all well known and highly respected, and possess a large circle of sin- cere friends.
S AMUEL J. KLEINSCHMIDT, an enter- prising citizen and well known as the ed- itor of the Advance, published regularly by the firm of Kleinschmidt & Schwartz, is also Secretary of the Home Building and Loan Association, and one of the prominent business men of Iligginsville. He is a stockholder of the American Bank, and Vice-President of that flonr- ishing institution. Connected with social and re- ligions enterprises, and interested in all that per- tains to educational advancement and local im- provements, he is progressive in his ideas, and, as a man of intelligence and culture, commands the respect and esteem of all who know him.
Mr. Kleinschmidt is a native of Missouri, and
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was born near De Soto, Jefferson County, March 15, -1860. His father, Charles Kleinschmidt, was born in Germany, and there received his educa- tion, and was married. He was in the shoe busi- ness, and, being an energetic man, determined to try his fortunes in the United States, which offers to her citizens so many unparalleled advantages. About 1845, he emigrated to America, and lo- cated near St. Louis, but finally settled in De Soto, and there engaged in the boot and shoe business, which he continued until his death in 1869. Ilis wife, Mary Moehlman, was born in Germany, and passed away in De Soto. leaving eight children, four sons and four daughters, all now living.
Our subjeet is the youngest child, and was reared in De Soto, where he attended the public schools. Ile further enjoyed the advantage of a thorough course of instruction in the Central Wesleyan Col- lege, at Warrenton, and was graduated with honor from that institution in 1881. He then engaged as Principal of the Marthasville school, where he taught for two years, and was for four years en- gaged as teacher in Hermann. Mo. In educational attainments and excellent method of instruction, he was peculiarly adapted for the duties of a teacher, and it was a matter of regret to those who had enjoyed the pleasure of his ready aid in the upward path of progress, when they knew he had abandoned the profession of teaching and was going into a new field of business.
This decision Mr. Kleinschmidt made in the year 1887, when he came to Higginsville, and at first engaged in the grocery business. His new occu- pation demanded his service one year, at the ex- piration of which time he disposed of his interest in the business. Then, in partnership with Il. C. Schwartz, he purchased the Advance, and having reformed it politically by changing it from a Democratic paper to a Republican organ, has since most successfully conducted the editorial depart- ment of this well-known publication. Mr. Klein- schmidt finds himself at home in his new work, and is as facile in the use of his pen as he was gifted in making explanations to his pupils of other days. The press is a great instructor of the day, and our subject has now a broad field in which he can do much to educate the men and women of.
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