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 64
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 64
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Mr. Miller secured a position without difficulty on the Chicago & Alton Road, acting as brakeman until February, 1885, since which time he has acted as conductor, and since 1890 he has run the local. He has never had any serious accidents and has found his work congenial. Mr. Miller has a very pleasant home on Main Street in this city, which is presided over by his wife, who is an affable and interesting lady. They were married in Slater, December 23, 1887. Mrs. Miller was
formerly Miss Ida M. Hoover, and was born in Pike County, Ill. She is a daughter of Josiah lloover, a native of White County, Ill., and her grandfather, David Hoover, was a native of Maryland, who came West and settled in White County as early as 1820, later removing to Pike County and making a settlement in 1827. His wife was a native of Kentucky. Mrs. Miller's mother was before her marriage Miss Caroline Smith, and was of English ancestry. Our subject and his wife are the parents of two children, whose names are Avonelle and Walter II. Fraternally Mr. Miller belongs to the Knights of Pythias, and is a charter member of Slater Division No. 212 of the Order of Railway Conductors. In his political belief, he is a Republican.
S. MEAD. a prosperous agriculturist and highly respected eitizen, is now a resident of section 3, township 50, range 26, Lex- ington Township, La Fayette County, Mo., and has been a constant dweller within the borders of the State for almost two score of years. Dur- ing this period of time he has ever been identified with the best interests of his home and vicinity, and has lent his willing aid in behalf of local prog- ress and improvements. Our subject was born m Lynchburgh, Va., June 23, 1823, and was the son of Stith and Prudence ( Wadkins) Mead, who were both natives of the Sunny South, their earliest home in Virginia, the mother having been born in Richmond, noted as the home of the old aristo- cratie families, and the F. F. Vs. of the Old Do- minion.
The paternal grandfather was during the early days an extensive cotton-grower, and owned a large plantation in Georgia, where he took a posi- tion among the leading men in his portion of the State. The first ancestors of the family to emi- grate to this country from England came to the New World about the time the far-famed William Penn landed upon the shores of America. Seven
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of the States of the Union now have cities bearing the name of Meadville, and throughout the eoun- try the Meads are prospered and are ever known as excellent, law-abiding citizens. The father of our subject, Stithi Mead, was a Methodist Episcopal minister, and a most worthy and upright man, widely known and highly respected.
Mr. Mead spent his early life in Lynchburgh, Va., and there received his education and prepared himself to meet the duties of life in an able and self-reliant manner. At the age of seventeen he was apprenticed to a carpenter and builder, and for eight years devoted his time to this trade, which was in the new countries then especially valuable. In 1849, our subject came to La Fayette County, and found ready business as a carpenter, and was steadily employed until he decided to make the overland trip to California. The gold craze of 1848 had not yet subsided, and thousands were on their way when he joined the army of travelers, and, slowly proceeding, reached after countless incidents-amusing, serious and instrue- tive-the golden El Dorado of the West. Many of the trains had started with horses, others had ven- tured across the desert with mule-teams, but most of the majority favored the style of conveyance adopted by Mr. Mead, whose oxen were just six months on the road.
Arriving in California, our subjeet lost no time in endeavoring to reach some of the far-famed "yellow dust" for which countless thousands have periled their lives. For nearly sixteen years he toiled unweariedly in the pursuit of wealth. First he prospected, and then mined, and afterward en- gaged in work in a sawmill. The years passed, and finally he decided to return to Missouri, in which State he located permanently in 1866, and settled upon the farm which he yet prosperously conducts. The ninety acres are all under a high state of cultivation, and yield an abundant harvest year by year. Mr. Mead devotes himself to the duties of general agriculture, but also owns some tine stock, and is successful in his methods and ideas. In politieal affiliations, he is a Demoerat, but ean scarcely be called a politician, as he has never held nor desired publie office, but he feels the interest shared by all good citizens in the out-
come of national and local elections, and realizes the necessity of giving the responsible conduet of affairs into the hands of intelligent and upright men and worthy citizens.
E JDWIN F. and FRANK G. BOWMAN, of the firm of Bowman Bros., the enterprising and energetie editors and proprietors of the well-known Lexington News, established in 1889, and the official organ of the city and county, are both men of excellent business ability, progressive in their ideas and intelligent in their handling of the direct issues of the day. Their attractive paper is Democratie in politics and contains thirty-two columns of neatly printed matter, readable and newsy. The Bowman Bros. are the sons of John P. Bowman, a native of Kentucky, and an early settler of Missouri, who located in Lexington, La Fayette County, in 1844.
The father of our subject served six years as Sheriff of La Fayette County, and for four years was Circuit Clerk, which official position he held at the outbreak of the Civil War. Possessing unusual ability, and energetie and faithful in the discharge of all duties intrusted to his care, John P. Bowman was also courageons in character and decisive in action, and, responding to the sentiment of his heart, entered the Confederate ranks, and as Col. Bowman distinguished himself by his gallant bearing upon the field of battle. He engaged in numerous battles and skirmishes, and fell a vic- tim to constant exposure in inclement weather, contracting a severe eold, and finally dying of a congestive chill. His death was mourned as a public loss, and his memory is yet green in the hearts of all who knew him well.
The mother of Edwin and Frank Bowman was Mary E. Chinn, of Lexington, Ky., a daughter of Dr. Joseph G. Chinn, who lived to the advanced age of ninety-seven years, and was married three times. His last marriage occurred at the age of ninety-four, and his wife, who was ninety-six when
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she married him, died in her ninety-ninth year. Mrs. John Bowman is still living, and is now in her seventieth year, and resides in Lexington. where the Bowman family is represented by four succes- sive generations. The Bowman brothers are both married, and their pleasant homes are blessed with the presence of children. Edwin F. has been in the printing business for twenty-five years, and Frank G. has been engaged in the same occupa- tion for twenty years, both beig thoroughly at home in every detail of their work, and, in every sense of the word, practical printers. They run several job presses of large power, and turn out fine specimens of typographical work.
Frank G. Bowman holds the State medal of- fered by the Missouri Press Association, which was held in St. Joseph in 1882, and which medal was given for the champion office, the swiftest and neat- est in job printing. Our subjects, the Bowman Brothers, have an extended circle of warm friends. and enjoy the esteem and confidence of the gen- eral publie, among whom they have passed almost their entire lives. Together with their families they are important factors in the promotion of all the best interests of their city. and with word and deed sustain its worthy enterprises, be they re- ligious, benevolent or purely business. The power of the press in the hands of such men as our sub- ject is always effectively used in behalf of progress and reform, and its value cannot be overesti- mated.
IIARLES L. ELGIN. a successful and repre- sentative agriculturist of Saline County, Mo., is a man of unusual integrity of char- acter, and is highly respected as a citizen of worth, ability, and self-reliant energy. Located in town- ship 49, range 19, he has for many years prosper- ously conducted his tine farm of three hundred and twenty acres. pleasantly situated near the flourishing town of Napton. Our subject is of Southern nativity, and was born in Prince William County, Va., April 7. 1833. His paternal grand-
father, William Elgin, was of English descent, and was widely known in Loudoun County, Va .. where he passed the greater portion of his life, and died, deeply regretted by a host of true friends.
John C. Elgin, the father of our subject. was born in Loudoun County, the Old Dominion, in Feb- ruary, 1806. and there passed his early days, and continued to be a resident of Virginia until he had reached middle life. He came to Saline County in 1856, and about one year later was joined by his family, who finally located on a farm. Mr. Elgin had been an overseer in Virginia, and for a time followed the same occupation in Missouri, but dur- ing the latter portion of his life devoted himself to agricultural pursuits. He was married in 1825, to Miss Julia Macatee, who was born in November. 1805. and died in November. 1878.
The sons and daughters of Mr. and Mrs. John C. Elgin were all born in the hospitable old State of Virginia, and are as follows: Mary Jane. the eldest- born, is the wife of James Keys, of Saline County; Delila Ann, married to Charles W. Foley, of Henry County; Eliza. is the wife of William Skinner, and resides in Loudoun County, Va .; Charles L. the subject of this sketch; Harriet, the widow of W. Reminington, lives in Sedalia; James L. lives in Pettis County, Mo .; Susan A., the wife of William Nordyke, of Parsons. Kan .; Catherine, married to Robert Riggins, of Ft. Worth, Tex .: Martha, the widow of Thomas Sellers, lives in Bates County, Mo .; Julia, wife of Adam Clarkston, lives near Marshall; and John C., who is a resident of Bates County, Mo. The father of our subject was in early life a Whig, later a Democrat, and during the Civil War his sympathy was with the South. Lle was a man of sterling integrity of character, and passed peacefully away in 1879, at the home of a daughter, near Marshall.
Charles L. Elgin enjoyed the advantages of a brief schooling in his native State. and soon after the family had settled in Missouri left home, and at the age of twenty-two years began the battle of life for himself. Ile immediately engaged in farm- ing in Maryland, where he hired out by the year, and continued in the same occupation for eleven years. Upon February 6, 1856, he married his first wife, Miss Eliza Arabella, a daughter of James Fos-
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ter, of Maryland. In 1866 he removed with his family to Saline County, Mo., and rented land un- til 1879, when he bought the line property where he now resides. His wife died March 21, 1871, leaving a large family to mourn her loss. She had borne nine sons and daughters, and dying, be- queathed to her husband's loving care and tender- ness a family of children, all young, while one was a helpless infant.
The eldest of the children was Millard L .; then followed Lucius C., John H., George B. McEIsworth, William B., Viola G., Amanda D. (deceased), Charles J. (deceased), and Walter Vincent, who passed away in 1891. Upon October 19, 1874, Mr. Elgin mar- ried Miss Margaret Ann Grady, whose family was of English descent, but whose grandparents, Will- iam and Jane Grady, were native Virginians, who soon after their marriage settled in Kentucky, in which latter State all of their children were born, and which State was also the birthplace of their granddaughter, Mrs. Elgin, who is a native of Adair County. Her father and mother were Thomas L. and Cynthia (Carrington) Grady. The Car- ringtons were among the old families of North Carolina. Mrs. Elgin was the eldest of her parents' children, who were three in number. The sister Naney still lives in the old Kentucky home with the venerable father. Ephraim, the only son, en- listed in the Confederate service, and when with Morgan on his raid north of the Ohio River, was captured, and while a prisoner in Chicago, died at the youthful age of seventeen years. Ile was a brave and gallant lad, and his untimely death car- ried the anguish of bereavement into the pleasant Southern home.
By his second marriage our subject had no chil- dren, but the noble-hearted woman who shares his life has been a mother indeed to the helpless ones committed by their father to her care and atten- tion, and deep was her grief when death claimed the youngest of the family, the idol of father, mother, brothers and sisters. Walter Vincent, who passed away in the dawn of early manhood, at nineteen years of age, was a most lovely character, amiable, generous, and withal possessing strong principles and deep religious convictions, which sustained and cheered him, as he neared his earthly
end. No "Valley of Shadows" awaits his coming, for even before the last farewell to earthly scenes, and while the soul yet lingered in the frail tene- ment, Walter Vincent Elgin beheld, as in a vision, "the land that is fairer than day."
For some time the health of our subject has not been of the best, and although he still superintends the management of his valuable farm, his labors are materially lessened by the active aid of his two sons, who yet reside upon the old homestead. Mr. Elgin has never been an ardent politician, but has always taken a great interest in the national and local issues of the day, and affiliates with the Dem- ocratie party. Ile is in religious belief a Baptist, and has been a liberal supporter of the extension of the good work of that denomination. Our sub- ject and his wife, and their sons and daughters in their various homes, enjoy the esteem and con- fidence of friends and neighbors, and have a high place among the industrious and self-reliant citi- zens of their locality.
b UGH M. GILHAM, one of the extensive land-owners of Saline County, who is liv- ing on section 9, township 51, range 23, was born in La Fayette County, Mo., March 18, 1830. The grandfather of our subject, Will- iam Gilham, emigrated from his native England to America at an early day and settled in Floyd County, Va. Ile was a stonemason by trade, but through much of his life followed the occupation of farming. He wedded Mary Goodkoontz, a lady of German descent, who lived to the advanced age of ninety years. Mr. Gilham died in Virginia many years previous to the death of his wife. They had a family of eight children, namely: David, Isaac, Ezekiel, Levi, Naomi, Lydia, Dru- cilla and Leah. All are now deceased except Levi and Leah, who reside in Floyd County, Va. The latter is the widow of Eden Eperly.
Isaac Gilham, the father of our subject, was
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born in Floyd County, Va .. in 1802, and in 1827 was married to Miss Mary, daughter of Chris- topher and Ann (Myers) Slusher. Her people were of German deseent, and her family removed to La Fayette County, Mo., in 1828. where her parents died. Her father there entered land and in his business undertakings was very successful, accumulating about nine hundred acres of valu- able land in La Fayette County. At the time of his death, in 1853. he was estimated to be worth about $100.000. Isaac Gilham was the owner of a good farm of eighty aeres, and was a stonemason and bricklayer by trade. In politics he was a Dem- ocrat. His death occurred in 1840. and his wife departed this life six years later. They had a fam- ily of six children: W. W., who died in Califor- nia in 1871; IIngh. of this sketch; Eliza, who became the wife of W. J. Byars. and died in this county; Maria L ... widow of W. K. White; Mary Jane, who became the wife of John Shaw, and is now deceased: and Nancy, wife of Matthew Wake- field.
The subject of this sketch spent the first seven years of his life in the county of his nativity, and then came with his parents to this county. He was educated in the subscription schools during the winter season, while in the summer months he worked in the fields. At the time of his mother's death he was sixteen years old. and upon himself and his brother William, two years his senior, de- volved the care of four younger children. In 1849 Mr. Gilham went to California, his brother stay- ing with the family, but returned in 1851. Two years later William went to that State, where he spent the remainder of his life, while Ingh took charge of the business and family. One of the sis- ters had already married, and in 1858 the last one married and went to a home of her own. Since that time Mr. Gilham's home has been under the charge of housekeepers, and is now cared for by his niece.
Our subject bought the interest of the brothers and sisters in the home farm of one hundred and twenty acres, where he resided until 1866. He then removed to the river three miles north and did a general warehouse and trading business in stock and grain for about ten years. Previous to
this, for nine years he had operated a sawmill, which he built in 1858. On leaving the warehouse he returned to his farm, and has sinee carried on agricultural pursuits. From time to time he added to his possessions until he owned thirteen hun- dred acres of land. but. not wishing so much on his hands. he sold eight hundred acres. Of the five hundred aeres remaining he has rented the entire amount except a small plat, upon which his home is located. Ilis house is one of the finest in the township, being quite imposing in appearance. He has ever had his farms under a high state of cultivation and, in consequence, they have yielded to him a goklen tribute in return for his care and labor. Mr. Gilham has led a busy and useful life, and his honorable career has made him a highly esteemed citizen, with many friends throughout the county.
NDREW J. ALLISON, well known for many years as a leading carpenter and builder of La Fayette County, now suc- cessfully devotes his time to agricultural duties and resides upon his homestead, pleasantly loeated upon seetion 18, township 18, range 27. Mr. Allison was born June 14, 1829, in Augusta County, Va., and is a son of John H. and Sarah (Neavis) Allison. Grandfather Andrew Allison was born in "Bonnie Seotland" and early emigrating to America settled in Augusta County, Va., where he industriously tilled the soil and made a comfort- able home for his wife and the sons and daughters who in time clustered about the family hearth. The children were seven in number: Andrew, John H., William, Thomas, and three sisters. John IT., the father of our subjeet, was born in Augusta County in 1812 and. like his grandfather, decided to make a change of residence, so when twenty- one years of age traveled with team and wagon to Logan County. Ohio, and, arriving in the Buckeye State in 1833, purebased a farm and settling thereon lived several years in Ohio.
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In the year 1839, John 11. Allison came to La Fayette County, and locating on land about two miles east of Odessa lived in this eommu- nity until his death in April, 1862. Politieally, he was a Whig, and in religious convictions a Presby- terian. His wife, who died many years before him, passing away in 1846, was the mother of five sons: Andrew J .; William M .; John N., of EI Do- rado, Mo., who served from August, 1862, in Gen. Shelby's Cavalry, Confederate service; Clayborne T., who served in the same command; and James F. also in the same command of Washington; all three came home without a seratch. Our subject's mother was born in Rockbridge County, Va., and was the daughter of John Neavis, a Virginia farmer and a citizen well known and highly respected. Our subject, Andrew J. Allison, spent his boyhood in busy industry and received a primary education in the district schools, and in starting out in life worked by the month on a farm. In 1853 he made a trip to New Mexico with a Government train, and returning home engaged in the business of a earpenter and builder and continued in the active work of his trade for fifteen years.
In 1866, Mr. Allison located where he now re- sides upon eighty aeres of excellent land, which under the intelligent cultivation of its present owner yields an abundant harvest. In 1858, our subject purchased fifty acres and then added twenty-six more and has himself made all the im- provements of the well-kept farm. Mr. Allison has been three times married. Ihis first wife was Jane Radford, a daughter of John B. and Rebecca (Radford) Radford. This estimable lady was a member of the Christian Church and died in Octo- ber, 1859. The second wife, Miss Sallie Saunders, was born in this county and was the daughter of William and Sarah ( Wood) Saunders, who came to Missouri about 1810. There were four children born of this second union: John W., Jesse P., Ar- thur A. and Fred J. The second wife died JJune 13, 1882, aged forty-four years. The third wife of our subject was born March 14, 1841, and was the daughter of William E. and Susan .J. (Hender- son) Frakes. The Frakes were from Bourbon County, Ky., where the father was a farmer. They came to La Fayette County on the Johnson line
in 1839 and entered and bought three hundred and fifty acres of land. Mr. Frakes was a stock- trader and removed to Odessa in the fall of 1882, and died in 1891, at seventy-nine years of age. Ilis wife survived him until January 10, 1892, and was the mother of eight children: Mary E., Lu- einda M .; Anna C., who died and left two children; Rachael W., who died young; Andrew E., Susan A., James G. and Joseph A. Mr. Frakes and his wife were members of the Christian Church and polit- ically in early days he was a Whig, and later a Demoerat. Mrs. Frakes was the daughter of Will- iam and Elizabeth (Stark) Henderson, natives of Virginia, who early emigrated to Kentucky and from there some time afterward came to Missouri, settling in 1839 in Columbus, Johnson County, where Mr. Frakes died.
Mr. Allison has been a prominent member of the Christian Church for thirty years and has been one of the honored officers of that religious organiza- tion, serving faithfully as a Deaeon. Ilis wife has been connected with the same denomination since, her childhood. Our subject is an active Democrat and deeply interested in local and national issues, and in all things pertaining to the advancement of the publie good is an earnest and progressive citizen.
OSEPH A. WIHITSITT, a prosperous agri- culturist and stock-raiser, is one of the most able and energetic business men of La Fay- ette County, Mo. Ile was born June 7, 1819, in the western part of Washington Township, and has spent his life within the borders of his native county, where he has self-reliantly won his way upward and is now a large land-holder. Our subject is a son of James and Sydney (Noland) Whitsitt, carly settlers and honored residents of Missouri. The paternal grandfather, James Whit- sitt, lived and died in Kentucky, and in that good old State the father of our subject was also born, and at seventeen years of age, a brave and fear-
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less lad. fought in the War of 1812. under the skillful guidance of Gen. Ilarrison. He made his home in 1816 in La Fayette County, Mo .. and was one of the pioneer citizens who laid the broad foundations of the future prosperity of the State.
Arriving in his new home when it was an al- most unbroken wilderness, Father Whitsitt entered a farm, and in time owned six hundred acres of valuable land, much of it under a high state of cultivation. The father and mother of our subjeet were members of the First Cumberland Presby- terian Church, of Kentucky, and were ever dis- tinguished for their Christian conduct and honest integrity. The father died in the early part of 1861, and the faithful wife, the mother of twelve children, passed away in 1880. The sons and daughters of the pioneer household who reached maturity were Nancy A. Shaw; Burrilla C. Robin- son, deceased; Thomas, who served in the Mexican War; Joseph A .; Elizabeth, who died at sixteen years of age; Fidelia Barton, who died in 1869; and I'pton, who died at twenty-one years of age.
Our subject was reared and educated in the little subscription schools of those primitive days, and resided with his parents until their death. Ile has made but three moves in his life, and is now lo- cated upon seetion 8, township 48, range 27, and is the owner of the highly improved homestead of three hundred acres, and also possesses other val- nable farming properties, owning in all about eight hundred aeres of excellent land, most of which he has acquired by his energetic industry. Mr. Whitsitt was united in marriage in March, 1865, with Miss Mary C., a daughter of William and Rachael (Beeler) Powell, who came to La Fayette County in 1820, and were associated with the early struggles of Missouri. Mrs. Whitsitt was one of five children of her father, William Powell. The mother married a second time, her husband being John Daniel, unto whom she bore one child.
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