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 66
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 66
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On returning to Chicago our subject took a position on the Chicago & Alton road as engineer, with a route between Chicago and Braidwood. After a connection of six months, he went to Bloomington in the employ of the same road, and in September of 1883 came to this division and located at Slater. Hle runs the engine that is known as the "first extra passenger." llis magician of the silver rails is No. 221, and he has presided over its throttle for more than two years. It is a passenger engine, as the greater part of his engi- neering work has been on passenger trains.
Mr. Lane was born in Hamilton, on the Fox River, in Wisconsin, October 11, 1851. He is a son of J. B. and Ann ( Reynolds) Lane, the former a native of Ohio, and an early settler in Kenosha, In 1886 Mr. Lane had an accident between Shackleford and Mt. Leonard. Ilis engine struck Wis., near which town he owned a farm. Later he went to Hamilton, where he was employed as " some cattle on the track, ran over two of the ani-
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mals, and was then thrown from the track. In this accident the fireman was killed. In April of 1890, a serions collision occurred between Laddonia and Farber, in which our subject was severely in- jured. His engine was completely wrecked and he only saved his life by jumping. The engine was rebuilt and is the one he now runs.
Mr. Lane was married in Kenosha, Wis., July 16, 1874, his bride being Miss Ella Reeve, who was born in Salem, of the same State, but reared and educated in the city where her marriage was sol- emnized. She is a daughter of S. P. Reeve, who is a carpenter there. Mr. and Mrs. Lane are the parents of two children, Adelbert and Ethel. Our subject belongs to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, being a member of the Eighth Division, and is also identified with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen. In religious matters he is liberal and his wife is a Presbyterian. Mrs. Lane has made a very pleasant home for her husband and family, and is no small contributor to the so- cial harmony of the home locality.
S TROTHIER RENICK. The man of gener- ous impulses is a blessing to his commu- nity, even if at times his kindnesses are misplaced. A frank manner and cheery disposition, with honesty of life. combine to make an individual popular among his associates. Of Mr. Renick it may be said that he was a whole- souled man, generous to a fault, utterly unselfish, modestly refusing office, kindly giving counsel, and yet a leader of men, because they respected him and were glad to follow his wise and judicious directions.
Our subject was the son of William and Betsy (Reniek) Renick, natives of Maryland, who re- moved to Kentneky and made their home in Barren County, near Glasgow. The father was born Sep- tember 5, 1762. The grandfather was Samuel Renick. also a native of Maryland, where he died. The eight children born to William Renick and his
good wife have been called from earth. The father was a sincere and consistent member of the Cum- berland Presbyterian Church. His ancestors were Scoteh-Irish people, some of whom took part in the Revolutionary struggle.
Strother Reniek was born in Barren County, Ky., January 19, 1804, and remained on a farm until fifteen years of age. In 1820 he removed to Missouri, following his father, who had come in 1819, and made a claim near the site of Wel- lington. In 1822, having attracted the attention of Gen. McRea, a man of means and enterprise, our subject was employed by the latter to take a small stock of goods on pack mukes over the then trackless prairies to Mexico, known in those days as the "Spanish country." During this trip, while detained and snowbound on the banks of the Ar- kansas River, he attained the nineteenth annivers- ary of his lurth, January 19, 1823. Proving sue- cessful on this trading expedition, he returned to Missouri and afterward made several similar trips for himself. Ile was absent on these expeditions to Mexico some six years in all, during which time he accumulated the money that laid the foundation of the large fortune afterward acquired. In this way he learned to speak the Spanish lan- gnage with fluency, which knowledge was after- ward called into requisition by the Circuit Court, when he acted as interpreter in the trial of a Span- iard for murder at the Court House in the old town of Lexington.
In November, 1839, Mr. Renick married Miss Rebecca II. Livesay, daughter of Fountain and Mary (Handly) Livesay, both natives of Virginia, the father being a farmer and blacksmith. In 1833 the latter brought his family to Missouri and settled in Lexington. Nine years later, in 1842, he located on a farm one mile east of his first pur- chase, where he died at the age of sixty years. Ilis widow survived him many years, dying when she was ninety-two years old. In her religious belief she was a member of the Old-school Presby- terian Church. They were the parents of eight children, four boys and four girls, three of whom are now living. Mrs. Renick was born March 18, 1813, in Greenbrier County, Va., where she was reared and received a fairly good education.
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After his marriage Mr. Renick located on section 25, township 50, range 29, where he had purchased four hundred and eighty aeres of school land. paying therefor $2 per acre. In addition to gen- eral farming, he operated as a trader of mules and horses in the South, and made trips there every other year. On his place he made a speci- alty of raising hemp, in which he was very sur- cessful. From time to time he added to his prop- erty until he became the owner of over two. thousand acres of land, but sold off at various times, and at his death retained m his possession eight hundred and thirty-five acres. No children were born to this wedded pair, but, with gener- ons and noble impulse, they reared five little ones to maturity. The children of their adoption are: Mary R. Renick, wife of Samuel W. Creasey, and the mother of one child; C. R. died May 5, 1867; Bettie Livesay is the wife of James W. Renick; Joseph Lightner married Anna, daughter of John C. Handly, and they have four children: Florence R., Kittie R., Willie Belle and Strother R .; Belle Lightner. wife of William H. Poindex- ter, has eight children; and Kate Lightner, Mrs. Il. 11. Corbin, is the mother of two children.
Our subject and his wife were both members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Ile be- came a very active worker in that society and gave more to churches than any other man in La Fayette County; in fact, he aided all the large churches, as well as colleges, in this county. Dur- ing the Civil War he remained at home. declin- ing to take any active part in the conflict. Ilis sympathies were with the South, and he was fre- quently threatened with injury because of his well-known sentiments. llis kindness toward erea- tures in general is shown in the fact that his slaves, of which he owned many, positively re- fused to leave him and had to be taken away by force. Hle was a decided loser by the war. his losses aggregating $30,000. After the war, and until his death, he was an active and influential member of the Democratic party, having been a very earnest member of the Whig party as long as it had an existence. Again and again did he positively refuse to accept office, which his admir- ing fellow-citizens sought to thrust upon him.
Charitable to a fault, a friend to the cause of edu- cation, a leader whom the people were glad to follow, and friendly to all, he passed away De- cember 10, 1891, in the faith of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. His remains lie buried in Arnold Cemetery, one and one-half miles east of his oll home place.
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ETER UPHOUSE, a prominentand wealthy old settler and retired farmer of La Fayette County, Mo., was born in the province of Westphalia, Germany. April 11, 1818, and is a son of Henry Uphouse, a native of Germany, a farmer of that country, and also a soldier of the War of 1814, who died there at the age of eighty- nine years. The mother of our subject was named Mary Horsmann, and she lived to the remarkable age of one hundred and five years, four months and fifteen days, and at the age of one hundred years was able to carry a pail of water with ease. On that day she celebrated her birthday, and peo- ple came from far and near to see a relic of those olden days. She reared six children: William, Emily, Peter, Harmon, Casper and Anna, and one child died when young. Both parents came to this country, and after becoming settled they joined with the Baptist denomination, as at that time their own church, the Lutheran, was very small.
Onr subject was reared and educated in the Old Country until he was fourteen years old, and came with his parents to this country in 1818. Two and one-half months were spent upon the ocean in the voyage, and the party endured many hardships upon the way. They landed at New Orleans, came up the river to St. Louis, and spent the win- ter there. The winter was very severe, and the river froze; there was no chance for any agricul- tural work until spring, and it was a case of neces- sity for them to remain. Our subject had $150 in money when he settled at this place. Neighbors were two miles away, and no doubt he would very often have been a convert to the ancient faith
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which kept a vestal lamp burning, when, on the darkest and coldest of winter mornings, he had to turn ont for a tramp of two miles to the nearest neighbor for some live coals to start the kitchen fire.
Mr. Uphouse built a log cabin in the wilderness. In these late days it is the pleasure of the artistic cavilers of other less favored lands to declare that the architecture of America has sprung from the log hut. In a measure they may speak the truth, but that unpretentious structure has been the germ of a series of woodland cottages, villas and retreats which are not only comfortable, but at the same time are picturesque. It is not probable that the artistic side of the subject struck Mr. Uphouse when he erected his cozy cabin on the lonely prairie. Deer at that time were so plentiful that a part of his first year was spent in driving them from his corn, and one neighbor killed sixty-three in one season, and dried most of the meat.
The nearest mills at that time required three or four days' travel to reach, and there the corn was ground into meal in a mortar made in the top of a stump. The nearest trading-station, when it was desirable or necessary to do a little shopping, was at Lexington, twenty- five miles away, and with no roads to follow, only Indian trails, and sometimes, in cases of freshet, streams to ford. In 1819 Miss Catherine Westerhouse, a native of Germany, came to be his wife and share his pioneer life. No chil- dren have been born of this marriage, but the warm hearts of our subject and his wife were opened to four orphan children, who have found a home at their hearth. Mrs. Uphouse died in 1882, when she had reached the age of sixty years. In 1888 Mr. Uphouse married a second time, in the month of May, and his wife was Mrs. Lena Winkleman, who had been married twice be- fore. She was born in Germany, and had lived for eleven years in Liverpool, England, and came to the United States in 1881.
Our subject settled upon his present farm before it became the site of a town. Ile bought first one hundred and twenty acres, improved that, and then bought more, until now he has five hundred and twenty-five aeres, all improved land. In 1881 he retired from active life, and rents his land. In
former days he raised much stock, and his first wife sold $10 worth of butter per month, which was sent to St. Louis. In his political belief, Mr. Up- house attiliates with the Democratic party. His wife belongs to the Baptist Church, while he is a member of the Methodist. They are highly re- garded citizens of the town of Concordia.
C HARLES C. WALLACE, now County Re- corder of La Fayette County, located in Lexington, Mo., was born in Woodford County, Ky., October 10, 1835. Ile was a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Carlyle) Wallace, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Virginia. Charles C., the youngest of a family of ten chil- dren, accompanied his parents to La Fayette County when eight years of age. His early education was received in the subscription schools of his State, supplemented by attendance at the Masonic Col- lege in Lexington, the name of which now is Cen- tral Female College.
When our subject closed his school life he began his business career by becoming a clerk in a general store, in which capacity he served until the break- ing out of the Civil War. The clamor of war awoke in his heart an enthusiasm which resulted in his becoming a member of a Missouri company under Capt. H. A. Bledsoe, and serving as a Gun- Sergeant in his army under Gen. Price. For four years he faithfully performed his duty, enduring many hardships with heroism and having many narrow escapes from danger and death. For a time, he served under the noted Confederate Gen- erals Joe E. Johnston and J. B. Hood, and in Har- dee's Corps in Claiborne's Division, Army of the Tennessee.
After the war, Mr. Wallace returned to Lex- ington, where he clerked for different parties, as the ravages of war had left him with lim- ited means. In his political opinions, he was a Democrat, active in the ranks of the party, and in
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June, 1884, was elected ('ity Register and Treas- urer for a term of two years; upon the expiration of this time he was re-elected, thus serving four years. In November, 1890, his election took place to the office of County Recorder for a term of four years, on the Democratie ticket, with a handsome majority.
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In June. 1874, Mr. Wallace was mited in mar- riage with Miss Lizzie M. Kennedy, of Lexington, Mo. She was born in Kentucky, a daughter of George Kennedy, a resident of La Fayette County. Mr. and Mrs. Wallace have a family of six chil- dren, four boys and two girls, as follows: Bessie II., Charles C., Ir., Lilburn, E. Carlyle, George K. and Margaret (. Both our subject and his wife have been members of the Baptist Church for a number of years, active in its interest and finding work within its walls, Mr. Wallace has become well known in the county for the efficient manner in which he has conducted the offices of the county. giving satisfaction to both parties, a very difficult feat to perform.
AMES W. RENICK, a prosperous and en- ergetic farmer, located upon his homestead of one hundred and sixty acres, seetion 27. township 18, range. 27. is one of the repre- sentative and progressive citizens of La Fayette County. and is the first Postmaster of Broadlands. A native of the State, and all his lifetime closely identified with the growth and advancement of La Fayette County, he was born near Wellington. October 1, 1842. Our subject is a son of Andrew and Sabina ( Livessay) Renick. Andrew Renick came to Missouri from Virginia in 1835, and lo- cated near Wellington, and later, in 1812, settled upon section 31. township 18. range 27, and bought six hundred and seven acres of excellent land, which, with three hundred additional acres, he owned at the time of his death. He was attacked with the cholera while driving stock to St. Louis, and died at St. Charles in 1852.
Andrew Renick was a successful agriculturist and stock-raiser, and was widely known as an en- ergetic and upright man. His wife survived him until 1874, and was a devoted mother to her fam- ily of three sons and five daughters, who were: William S .. Robert F., James W., Mary R., Sarah 1., Emma V., Amanda S. and Josephine A. James W., our subject, received a common-school educa- tion, and. though not having yet attained his ma- jority, enlisted in the fall of 1861 in the First Missouri Regiment, Company E, and gallantly participated in many of the most decisive battles of the Civil War. He took an active part in the engagements of Elkhorn, Corinthi (Miss.). Vicks- burg, Baker's Creek, Grand Gulf, luka, Atlanta, Peach Tree Creek, Altoona (Mo.), Columbia and Franklin (Tenu.)
Mr. Renick was almost continuously, during the entire period of his military service, at the front, and, constantly exposed to danger, received severe wounds. Ile was injured in the left arm at Cor- inth, and wounded in the right arm at Kenesaw Mountain, both of his arms having been broken. The last two battles in which our subject engaged were Mobile and Spanish Fort, and he was dis- charged from service in Mississippi in July, 1865, having with courage and fidelity given four years of his life to the dangers and privations of active warfare. Once again a civilian, Mr. Renick re- turned to agricultural duties, and now owns six hundred aeres of fine land all in one body, with the exception of eighty acres of timber-land. U'pon December 9, 1875, our subjeet was united in marriage with Miss Sallie A. Greenwell, who was born in Columbus, Johnson County, a daughter of Ralph and Naney ( Williams) Greenwell, who came to Missouri from Fayette County, Ky., about 1852, and who were highly regarded by their friends and neighbors. The happy home of Mr. and Mrs. Renick has been blessed by the birth of six children: Nannie S., William A., JJames R., Mary B., Robert L. and Clarence G.
Our subject and his estimable wife are members of the Christian Church, and are numbered among the active workers and liberal supporters of that religious organization. Politically, Mr. Renick is a strong Democrat and ardent advocate of the
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party founded by the immortal Thomas Jefferson. Winning his way upward with honest energy and sterling integrity, he has ever been a prominent promoter of all objects of enterprise and an advo- cate of educational advancement, and has liber- ally aided in local improvements. He and his wife and family of bright, attractive young people are social favorites, and enjoy the confidence of a large circle of friends.
LEX W. LAUGHLIN, a prosperous agri- culturist, taught school in the early days, and has also served with efficient ability as Justice of the Peace. Ile is now actively engaged in the cultivation of his valuable home- stead located in Washington Township, La Fayette County, Mo., and is well known and highly re- spected as an energetic, intelligent and upright citi- zen. Our subject was born March 8, 1840, in Coles County, IlI., and is the son of Harvey P. and Eliza M. K. (Newman) Laughlin. The paternal grand- father, Alex Laughlin, was a native of Tennessee, and a farmer by occupation, and bravely assisted the Government in the War of 1812. His wife was Miss Lavina King, a daughter of William King, owner of extensive salt works in West Vir- ginia. In 1833, Grandfather and Grandmother Laughlin moved to Coles County, Ill., and later both husband and wife passed away in Jefferson County, lowa. They were members of the Cum- berland Presbyterian Church, and devoted Chris- tian people, who were highly regarded by all who knew them.
The sons and daughters who gathered around the family hearth were William, John, Harvey, Alex, Jonathan, Mary, Virginia, Amanda, Evaline and Melvina, and all were trained to religious observ- ance, their father having been in the early part of his life an Elder in the Old-school Presbyterian Church. Great-grandfather Laughlin was born in Ireland, but early cmigrating to this country, married a German lady, and thus bequeathed to his descend-
ants the virtues of both nationalities. The father of our subject was born in the Tennessee home- stead. and, locating with his parents in Illinois, re- moved with them later to Jefferson County, Iowa, and with his wife, who was born in Tennessee, made his permanent home in this latter State. The eight children who blessed their home were Alex W .; William M., who served in the Thirtieth Iowa Infantry; Thomas S., Floyd K., Sarah J., Margaret L., Mary C. and Blanche L.
Alex, the eldest of the family and our subject, was reared upon a farm, and received instruction in the district and select schools. At eighteen years of age, he began life for himself, teaching in the winter schools and during the fall for about twenty terms, at the same time farming upon his father's homestead. In 1866, he with his two brothers bought one hundred and fifty-five acres in Iowa. In 1888, Mr. Laughlin removed to Saline County, where he raised a crop, and in the same fall came to his present location, settling upon eighty acres, to which he has since added, now owning one hundred and fifty-seven acres. Our subject served bravely in the Federal army, enlisting April 4, 1862, in Company I, Seventeenth lowa In- fantry, and participated in the siege of Corinth, bat- tles of luka, Corinth, Port Gibson, Jackson, Cham- pion Hill, siege of Vickburg, Chattanooga, and Missionary Ridge, and was stationed at Tilton, Ga., where he was captured in October, 1864, and sent to Andersonville, Calaba and Lawton, Ga. He was discharged in 1865 from Andersonville, and re- turned to his home after years of danger and pri- vation, and after experiencing the full horror of being captured and held a prisoner of war.
Entering the service of the Government a private, Mr. Laughlin received well-deserved promotion, first being detailed as Orderly, then made Third Sergeant, later made First Sergeant, then Sergeant- Major, and though giving three years of faithful service and almost constantly at the front, es- caped even a slight wound. Our subject has been twice married. His first wife was Elvira J. Lyons, daughter of David and Mary Lyons. This esti- mable lady died in 1875, leaving a family of five children, four of whom lived to mature years: Myrtle M., married to Mr. Roe; Lillian C .. Alden
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11. and Warren L. The second wife, Sarah M., is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Whitaker, natives of England, as is also their daughter, Mrs. Laughlin. The maiden name of Mrs. Whitaker was Jane Wood. This well-known and highly respected lady is the mother of one child. a daughter, Ruth. Our subject and Ins present wife have been ac- tively connected with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, he being an Elder. The first Mrs. Langh- lin was also actively connected with that church. Fraternally, Mr. Laughlin is an honored member of the Ancient Free & Accepted Masons and takes an active interest in politics, both national and local. A firm supporter of educational advancement, and desirous to assist in the promotion of the best in- terests of the community, our subject is justly ranked among the public-spirited and progressive citizens of to-day.
F RANK M. GRAY. A half-century ago the Gray family, which was then located in Marion County, this State, was made happy by the advent of a son and heir, who is the subject of this sketch and now a resident of township 49, range 26. Hle is the son of the Rev. Fincelius R. and Margaret (Ferguson) Gray, the former a na- tive of Kentneky, who emigrated with his father to this State in the '30%.
After remaining for a time in Missouri our sub- jeet's father returned to Kentucky and there made his home until 1859, when he came back to Mis- souri and settled on a farm in La Fayette County, whereon our subject now lives. He there died, August 17, 1890. He was one of the pioneers of this locality, having settled in the woods when the country was unbroken by roads. Being so iden- tified with the carly growth of this region, he knew and was known by all the settlers hereabout. lle was the father of eight children, four of whom are now living: Leticia; Mary A., who is the wife of J. P. Bear; Susan C. and Frank M. Fincelius
Gray was a minister in the Presbyterian Church and an organizer of churches of that denomination in this locality, and when a resident of Northern Missouri he was one of the first preachers to min- ister to the people in that part of the country. lle was at one time identified with the Odd Fel- lows' Society. In his death the country lost one of its representative and best citizens. His wife departed this life in the year 1851. Frank M. . Gray grew up in this locality where he now lives. Ile acquired his education under the supervi- sion of his father, who was a scholarly man. As was the custom in his youth, he was brought up to think more of the man who worked than of the one who lived in idleness, and was well drilled in agricultural duties. Ile was married September 3. 1872, to Miss Martha E. Gray. a native of Ken- tucky and a daughter of James and Mary Gray. By this union there have been born five children, whose names are Cathline, Florence, James, Fan- nie and Fincelius.
Our subject is the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of land, which he has himself devel- oped. Politically he is a Democrat, and although he has no aspiration for publie office the interests of the country lie close to his heart. lle is a man whose standard of honor and culture is high, and, living with this constantly in view, his own character has ever approached his ideal.
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