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 60
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 60
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Judge Walker was married in 1813 to Miss Catherine, a daughter of John Wheeler, of Ken- tucky. They had two sons and one daughter; of these, John W. is deceased; William is a resi- dent of Nebraska; and Elizabeth is the wife of Joseph Smith, of Mason County, III. Mrs. Cath- erine Walker died in 1861, and November 4, 1865, our subject married Rachel Wilson, of Havana, Ill. She has been the mother of two sons and one daughter, who are: Arthur C., of La Fayette County; Robert H., a farmer of this county; and Alice, the wife of Thomas Yates, of La Fayette. Mrs. Rachel Walker died in 1871, and in 1872 our subject married Mrs. Margaret L. Downing, a native of Kentucky.
ILLIAM II. LANDRUM, the well-known and enterprising carriage and wagon man- ufacturer, and dealer in windmills and steam-threshers, whose business interests have been located in Waverly, La Fayette County, Mo., for over a score of years, bears an en viable reputation as a man of ability and unblemished character. Born in Campbell County, Va., our subject came of a family for several generations back of American birth, their personal history and lifework inter- woven with the record of the Sunny South. The father of our subjeet, J. J. Landrum, was born,
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educated and married in the State of Virginia. His wife, Mary C., a daughter of Richard Landrum. was also a native of Virginia. In the Old Domin- ion was likewise born the paternal grandfather, Burton Landrum, a man of ability and earnest purpose.
Mr. Landrum spent his boyhood in the county where he was born, and attended the common schools of his birthplace until he was fourteen years of age, when he industriously began the ac- quirement of his present trade, that of a carriage- maker. Having thoroughly mastered the details of carriage and wagon manufacturing, he afterward removed to Missouri, and settled in 1870 in the city of Waverly, opening a wagon and car- riage manufactory and repository here, and success- „fully engaged in business. Mr. Landrum advan- tageously combines the handling of pumps, wind- mills and steam-threshers with his other line of work, 'and meeting from the first year of his establishment in Waverly with an excellent pat- ronage, has prosperously continued his business, which, rapidly extending its limits, embraces a custom second to none in the county.
Among the excellent investments our subject has made since his residence in La Fayette County, is a fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres of land in Kansas, partially improved. The home residence of Mr. Landrum is in Waverly, and is well known as the scene of many a hospitable gath- ering. Our subject was united in marriage in 1876 with Miss Laura, a daughter of Robert S. Din- widdie of Waverly. Mrs. Landrum is a lady of worth and culture, and has a large cirele of friends and acquaintances in the home of her youth. Mr. and Mrs. Landrum are the parents of two bright and intelligent children, Clayton W. and Lolla E., who are receiving their primary education in the excellent schools of Waverly. Our subject and his wife are both esteemed members of the Metho- dist Church, and have long been active workers in that religious organization.
Mr. Landrum is a member of Waverly Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and is extremely popular among the fraternity. In political affiliations he is a stanch Democrat, and although not a politician in the generally accepted sense of the term, and never
an office-seeker, is always deeply interested in both local and national affairs. During his many years residence in Waverly, our subject, prominent as a business man, has also materially aided in the ad- vancement of the various local enterprises of his home and county, and an energetic, able and pub- lic-spirited citizen, has been an important factor in the upward growth and prosperity of Waverly.
R II. BENTON. There is no country upon earth that can offer a parallel to the scene witnessed in the United States at the close of hostilities in the year 1865. Men who had been arrayed against each other for four years in deadly feud quietly laid down their arms and promptly returned to their several avocations. Whether fighting for the South, or for the union of the States, one and all accepted the situation, and the sound of contention was hushed forever in the land. The subject of our sketch bravely did his part, fighting according to his conscience, and, following the line of duty just as resolutely, re- turned to the farm, acting his part as well there as on the field of battle.
R. Il. Benton is a well-to-do farmer living on section 10, township 19, range 28, La Fayette County, being a son of Levi T. Benton, a native of Georgetown, Ky., born in 1797. The latter was a son of Samuel Benton, born in Maryland. The Benton family is an old English one, which originally settled in Maryland. The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Harriet H. Chinn. and who was a native of Harrison Conmy, Ky., was a daughter of John Chinn, one of the pioneers of Kentucky. The parents of our subject were mar- ried in Kentucky; they came to Missouri in March. 1853, and settled on the farm on section 10, then consisting of one acre with a small log cabin for a home. Ilis death occurred in 1873, his wife dying in 1885.
Levi P. Benton and his wife were the parents of five children, the only son being the subject of
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this sketch. They were consistent members of the Christian Church, the husband being an Elder and a very efficient helper in that body. Hle was brought up to the trade of a carpenter and was quite skilled in the use of edged tools. Politics always had an attraction for him; the magie of Henry Clay gave him enthusiasm in the old-line Whig party, and earnest Americanism made him just as zealous, later, in the Know Nothing party. Our subject was born at Lexington, Ky., Septem- ber 28, 1841, and he and his two sisters are the only survivors of the family. During the Mexi- can War, when but five years old, he ran away from home and spent some days in the camp of the American volunteers.
At the age of eleven our subject accompanied his parents to Missouri, and grew to man's estate on the home farm, where he has always lived, re- ceiving his education in the home district schools. In November, 1874, he married Alice Johnson, daughter of Wesley Johnson, the latter a native of this county, his father having come here in 1820. Mrs. Benton was born March 21, 1856, at Waverly, in this county, studied at the Elizabeth Aull Sem- inary in Lexington, and afterward taught school. She has been the mother of seven children, five of whom are now living, namely: Carlton R , a student at Odessa College; Hattie C., Carrie B .. Mary Zoe and Richard Horace. Mr. and Mrs. Benton are members of the Christian Church, the former being a Deacon in the church at Odessa. He is a Demo- crat, active in all party movements and frequently a delegate to its conventions and was honored by it in being elected Judge of the County Court, in which position he served from 1886 to 1890. An earnest advocate of the schools. he has served as a member of the School Board.
Our subject enlisted in April, 1861, in the Mis- souri State Guards for a period of six months; then re-enlisted for the war in Company A, Ell- iott's Cavalry Battalion, serving as Second Ser- geant. Ilis record as a soldier is a very creditable one, he having borne a brave part in the follow- ing battles: Carthage; the siege of Lexington and its surrender: Independence, Lone Jack, Cane Hill, Prairie Grove, second battle of. Carthage, Hartsville and a number of skirmishes. After the
surrender of Lexington he also fought in the bat- tles of Pea Ridge and Newtonia, then was sent to Memphis, Tenn., after which he was sent back to recruit for the battalion.
Returning to his command, our subject partici- pated in all the battles named above, beginning with Cane Hill and ending with Hartsville. At Brownsville, Ark., he was captured, in September, 1863; was taken to Little Rock, Ark., then to St. Louis, and later to Camp Morton, Ind .; he remained there in prison until March, 1865, when he was ex- changed, and went to Richmond, Va., by way of the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama. Below Natchez he was captured for the second time and placed in the yards at Vicksburg, where he was held until the surrender of Johnston's army. Being forwarded with others for St. Louis, he left the boat at Hel- ena, where he remained and put in a crop. In September, 1865, after a war service of more than four years and a further absence of nearly six months, he returned to his old home. Our subject was wounded twice,-at Lone Jack, in the head, and at Springfield, Mo., January 8, 1863, by a rifle ball in the left thigh.
b ENRY B. TICKEMYRE. This wealthy far- mer and stock-raiser of Saline County was born in Allegany County. Md., August 25, 18.12, and is the son of Casper and Minnie (Christopher ) Tickemyre, natives of Germany. Cas- per Tickemyre and his father-in-law emigrated to America, but Mrs. Tickemyre did not come until some time later, when her husband had made prep- aration for her comfort.
The family of Casper Tickemyre and his wife consisted of six children, of whom the eldest was our subjeet. The second child was Frank, who now resides on a farm near Longwood, Mo .; Eva- line married Michael Walk; Mary died and left one son, George Tennel; Caroline became the wife of George Chance, of Kansas City; and Lettie mar-
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ned Frank Clark, of Kansas. Our subject came with his parents to Saline County. Mo., in 1851. and here he has spent the greater part of his life. HIe received his education in the common schools of this county, and the training received in boy- hood was such as to prepare him for a career of honor and usefulness ..
At that time party feeling ran high in Missouri. The location of the State contributed somewhat to this; touching lowa on the north. and Illinois on the east, where anti-slavery feeling was high, and Kan- sas on the west, where border rullianism had been rampant so long. and adjoining the slave State of Arkansas on the South, the people were neees- sarily made up of all shades of political feeling. In the spring of 1860 occurred one of those blots upon civilization which future residents of Saline County may feel ashamed to have incorporated in her history. Mr. Tickemyre was a witness to, al- though he took no part in. the hanging of two negroes and the burning to death of a third, for a further account of which see history of the county.
In 1861 our subject was still a schoolboy, a student in a school near the Will J. King place, south of Marshall. At that time recruiting officers were raising troops for the Confederate army, and our subject witnessed the distribution of twelve hundred kegs of State powder, which had been freighted there from Jefferson City. This powder was given to those who favored the Confederacy, but the Federal troops, learning of it. finally se- cured a large portion of the powder. In August, 1862. Mr. Tickemyre enlisted in the United States service, joining Company E, of the Seventh Mis- souri Cavalry, at Lexington. He served in the figlits at Prairie Grove, and aided in driving Mar- maduke out of the State. The regiment went to ('larington, crossed the White River, and engaged in the battle at Brownsville. From there they went to Little Rock, where they participated in the en- ; gagement with Price.
In February. 1863, our subject's company was sent to Pine Bluff to re-enforce Gen. Powell Clay- ton. The army here had hard work, and our sub- ject was in the fight at Monticello, and then, with his company, fell back to Pine Bluff, where they remained to guard the fort. lle was a member of
the cavalry that remained to guard the supply trains from Pine Bluff to Camden, and was in the fight known as Mike's Mills, where they lost their train, which was empty. Our subject was kept in active service until the close of the war in 1865. when he was mustered out at Little Rock, Ark., and afterward came home and began farming on his own responsibility. With a part of the money which he had carned in the service, he bought eighty acres of land in Saline County.
In 1867 Miss Ellen Hicks became the wife of Mr. Tiekemyre, and five children were born of their union. as follows: Minnie, the wife of Dr. Smith. of Slater; Mattie; Florence: Lulu, and one that died in infaney. Mrs. Ellen Tickemyre died February 21, 1878. Mr. Tiekemyre married a second time in October. 1880. Lucretia Weaver being the lady of his choice. Our subject is a member of the Cumber- land Presbyterian Church of Marshall, in which he is very highly esteemed. With his old comrades- in-arms he talks over the thrilling war times in the Post meetings of the Grand Army of the Repub- lie at Marshall. Politically he is a stanch Republi- iean, and ardently supports the principles he fought to strengthen.
LFRED F. RECTOR is one of the promi- nent members of the Saline County Bar. having practiced the legal profession at Marshall since 1885. Mr. Rector is a na- tive of Campbell County, Va., and was born March 26. 1852. Ile is a son of William B. and Susan D. (Frost) Rector. the former an attorney at Lynch- burgh for several years prior to the war. The pa- ternal grandfather of our subject was Alfred Ree- tor, of Fauquier County. Va.
On the breaking out of the war. William B. Ree- tor entered the Confederate army as Captain of Company 1, Forty-second Virginia Infantry. Ile was wounded at the battle of Kernstown, Va .. March 23, 1862. and died at Winchester, Va., on the 26th of that month, leaving a widow and
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eight children to mourn his loss. Ile was com- paratively a young man, being only thirty-seven years of age when he was killed. Our subject's mother was a member of the old Frost family of New England fame, and a daughter of Dr. Elias Frost, of Meriden, N. 11. She remained at the old home in Virginia, and devoted herself to the education of her children, who were named as fol- lows: Sallie, Alfred, George E., William B., Robert O., Jolin T., Mary Virginia and Susie B. The eld- est is the wife of David Franklin; Susie is Mrs. James Carson: John T. is a merchant at Slater. Mo .: William B. died in 1885. The mother now resides at Concord, Va., twelve miles from Lynch- burgh. She has reared her children in the doctrine and faith of the Methodist Church.
Our subject was educated in the common schools of Virginia, receiving good practical training, and in 1870, at the age of eighteen, he went to Chari- ton County, Mo., and worked on a farm for two years. Afterward he entered the service of the Wabash Railroad Company as station agent, and was thus employed for six years. In 1878 he came to Slater and took charge of the agency under the Chicago & Alton Railroad Company, with whom he remained until February, 1882. Meantime he was studying law and formed a partnership with John A. Rich, of Slater. Ile was admitted to the Bar by Judge John P. Strother, at Marshall, in February, 1885. after which he continued to prac- tice at Slater until the spring of 1886.
At the last-named date Mr. Rector was nominated by the Democratie party to the office of Prosecu- ting Attorney of Saline County, and after election removed to Marshall, qualifying for office Jan- uary 1, 1887. In 1889 he was re-elected and served until January 1, 1891, having filled the office in a satisfactory manner, and in such a way as to prove beyond a doubt his ability. Since the last-named date he has continued in private practice. and now has a large and lucrative business. With less ad- vantages than most professional men enjoy, by in- domitable energy he has gained his way step by step to a high position in the law. Ile is also in- terested in farming and stock-raising, and owns a line place in this county.
The original of this sketch married Miss Lucy
Venable in Chariton County, Mo., January 10, 1877. They are the parents of three children. whose names are George Vest, Baylis J. and Susan D. Fraternally, M". Rector is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and Knights of the Maccabees.
E RNST HOFFMANN, proprietor of the Lex- ington Brewery, is the subject of this sketeh. His birth took place in Darmstadt, Germany, March 5, 1831. For many years the father of Mr. Hoffmann was Postmaster of his native place, also carried on successful farming, and was a man of good business qualities. Ilis connection with the mail service continued for many years, to the satisfaction of the Government. In the prime of life he died, regretted by a large circle of friends. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Catherine Schwinn, and she was born in Germany and spent her life there.
The boyhood of our subject was passed in his native town of Brainsbach, until he was fourteen years of age attending school. At this age he en- tered a cooper shop to learn the trade, which he followed for two years, leaving it to engage in the brewery business at Oppenheim, on the River Rhine, where he remained for twelve months. After this. followed a season in his life when he traveled from town to town in the brewery business, also visiting some cities.
In 1853 Mr. Hoffmann sailed for this country, and. after landing in New York, engaged with Brown & Co., later entering the employ of F. & M. Schafer for six months. The next city where our subject entered into business was Allegheny City. Pa., but later he went to Birmingham, Pa. After this he removed to St. Louis, Mo., still following his line of business for various parties, continuing for two years and one-half. Our information does not permit us to say that at this time home-sick- ness overcame our worthy subject, but that or some other good reason induced him to again tempt fate
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upon the ocean by making a visit to the Father- land. His visit covered four years, then in 1861 he returned to America.
When Mr. Hoffmann again came to this country, he made his way to Pekin. Ill., where he had a brother, and with him he engaged in farming for two summers, in the winter time following his trade. For six months our subject resided in Havana, Ill. Looking about, and finally deciding upon that town as a good location, he opened up business there and continued for eleven years. In 1875 ' Mr. Hoffmann came to Lexington, Mo., where he has built a brewery which has a capacity of forty bar- rels per day, and enjoys a fine trade.
The marriage of Mr. Hoffmann was celebrated in 1863, with Miss JJennette Stockert, of Pekin, Ill., and a family of seven children was born into this household. as follows: Albert, who married Miss Kate Barry, now deceased: Emma, the wife of John Frederick. a tailor by trade; George, deceased; C'arl, of Chicago, Ill .; Edith, at home; and Ernst, who assists his father in the business. One child is deceased. Mr. Hoffmann is the owner of some very good property, his brewery also being large and commodious. In politics our subject is inde- pendent, always voting for the man he considers the best, apart from any party lines.
ENRY C. EWING. Prominent among the enterprising agriculturists of La Fayette County is the gentleman with whose name we introduce this sketch. and who operates a finely-improved farm on section 21, township 49, range 27. His landed possessions consist of four hundred and forty acres, the most of which is highly cultivated. In conducting farming oper- ations, Mr. Ewing uses modern improvements in the way of machinery, and it needs but a glance at his estate to convince the passer-by that he is a man of energy and of a progressive nature.
Born in La Fayette, Mo .. on the 22d of June.
1838. our subject is a son of Chatham S. and Mary B. (Young) Ewing, natives of Kentucky and Tennes- see. When a boy Henry C. came with his parents to Missouri, where for a time he resided in Howard County; he afterward removed thence to Henry County where he was reared to manhood. Mr. Ewing of this sketch received the rudiments of his education in the common schools of the district, and afterward supplemented the knowledge there ac- quired by attendance at the old Chapel Hill Col- lege, in Suiabar Township, La Fayette County. Having become familiar with farm work in his youth he naturally chose that occupation when starting out in life.
December 8. 1874. our subject was united in marriage with Miss Isabelle JJ., a daughter of E. M. Harrelson, and they are the parents of two living children: Chatham M., now a student in the Mis- souri Valley College, at Marshall, Mo .; and Flor- ence B., who is at home. One child, James II., is deceased. Mrs. Ewing is a member of one of the well-known families of Missouri. Her maternal grandfather, Gen. J. H. Graham, was among the first settlers of Lexington. this State, and is still living at that place, having attained to the vener- able age of ninety- five years.
Mrs. Ewing has three surviving sisters, namely: Mrs. Eliza Barton, whose home is in Bates County, Mo .; Mrs Edward S. Butt, a resident of La Fay- ette County; and Mrs. Warner Duvall. of Colo- rado. The father of this family came to La Fayette County in the '50s and settled in Davis Township. During the last year of the Civil War he removed to Washington Township, where for a number of years he made his home. From that township he removed to Rich Ilill. Mo., where he now resides. He is a prominent citizen, a stanchi adherent of the principles of Democracy and for many years has served as Justice of the Peace. In his religious connection, he is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
The political opinions of Mr. Ewing lead him into line with the Democratic party, of which he has always been an ardent supporter. Having spent all of his life in Missouri, he has witnessed its progress and aided greatly in promoting its interests. Mrs. Ewing is a faithful member of the
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Cumberland Presbyterian Church and an active worker in both the Home and Foreign Missionary Societies. She is a capable housekeeper, devoted to the interests of her family, and is highly re- garded in the community.
W ILLIAM GRANT FOWLER, a farmer and stock-raiser of Saline County, residing upon section 12, township 51, range 20, near Slater, is the subject of the present sketch. He was born in Boone County, Ky., in the year 1834, and is the son of J. B. and Mary (Stillwell) Fowler, both of whom were native Kentuckians, he having been born in 1800, and she at Maysville about the same time. Both grandfathers were soldiers in the Revolutionary War.
Our subject was one in a family of seven chil- dren. John, his eldest brother, was born in Ken- tucky, May 23, 1824, and died in that State in 1819; Daniel B. was born in Kentucky in 1836, married Miss Wolgamot, and died in Colorado in 188.4, leaving four children; Robert was born in Kentucky in 1840, married Miss Huston, of Scot- land County, Mo., where he is a physician, and they have a family of seven ehildren; Elizabeth, who was born in Kentucky in 1830, married John Win- ston, became the mother of six children, and re- sides in Saline County, Mo., where Mr. Winston is engaged in farming; Sarah J. was born in Kentucky, married Dr. Asbury, of Lewis County, Mo., and they had a family of four children.
In Saline County, in 1865, our subject married Miss Mary F. Thomson, who was born January 7, 1838, on the farm where she now lives. They are the parents of six children: Robert, born in 1866; Susie in 1870; Donald, born in 1872, now teaching school in La Fayette County; Effie, born in 1875; Cellie in 1877; and Mamie in 1879; all are at home. The eldest daughter finished her education at Hardin College. in Mexico, Mo., in 1889.
Our subjeet is a man of broad knowledge, hav- ing acquired an excellent education at the Morgan
Academy, Burlington, Ky. Ilis schooling ended, he went to Texas, where he engaged in trading stock between that State and Mexico for some three years. After driving a large herd of cattle to Chicago, where he sold them, he came to Missouri. llis first business venture in this State was that of cattle trading, but at the outbreak of the war he enlisted in the army under Martin Greene, who was the commander of the Greene Regiment. They were stationed for some time in Monticello, Mo., and their first battle was at Athens, Iowa, whence they went to join Price, and also took part in the Lexington light. Our subject was taken prisoner at Cane Ilill, Ark., in Price's last raid and was paroled.
In 1865, Mr. Fowler retired from the army and resumed his business of farming and stock-raising. At the present time, he has a farm of three hun- dred and thirty-five acres, situated on the high- way running east of Slater, and the land to-day is worth $65 per acre. The principal productions are corn, wheat and hay, in raising which Mr. Fowler has met with success. While not a mem- ber of any church, he is a liberal supporter of all religious measures. Ilis wife and four of the chil- dren are connected with the Baptist Church. So- cially, our subject has been a Mason for some twenty-five years. Ile is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Sappington School Fund for the education of poor and orphaned children of Saline County. Mo., which position he has held for twenty years. Politically, he is a Democrat, and takes an active interest in the affairs of his party.
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