USA > Missouri > Marion County > Portrait and biographical record of Marion, Ralls and Pike counties, Missouri, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties; together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the Unted States > Part 100
USA > Missouri > Pike County > Portrait and biographical record of Marion, Ralls and Pike counties, Missouri, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties; together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the Unted States > Part 100
USA > Missouri > Ralls County > Portrait and biographical record of Marion, Ralls and Pike counties, Missouri, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties; together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the Unted States > Part 100
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In his various undertakings the subject of this sketch has prospered in a very satisfactory de- gree, always exercising a cool and deliberate judgment, which has enabled him to escape many of the uncertainties of active business, and has consequently assisted him in acquiring a very comfortable competency to lessen the cares and vicissitudes of his declining years, besides giving him leisure to enjoy the society of his two daugh- ters, Mrs. R. H. Stillwell and Mrs. C. T. Lamb, and the reverence and affection of their children. He has acquired considerable real estate, among which are two farms in St. Louis County, one of one hundred and thirty-five acres, and the other of fifty-five acres adjoining the City of St. Louis; a valuable farm of one hundred and seventy-six acres in St. Charles County, and two homesteads in Ralls County, one comprising one hundred and sixty acres. He also owns valuable posses- sions in both the Cities of St. Louis and Han- nibal.
When a reasonable time lad elapsed after the death of his wife, as mentioned above, Col. Voor- his was married to Miss Elizabeth A. Gordon, daughter of James and Margaret (Breckenridge) Gordon, both of distinguished Kentucky fam- ilies. The ceremony was performed in Novem- ber, 1860, and of this union there were born three children: Lulu H., who married R. H. Stillwell (see his sketch on another page); David
J., deceased, and Margaret D., wife of Charles T. Lamb. Mrs. Voorhis died in 1868 in the faith of the Presbyterian Church, lamented by a large circle of relatives and friends.
Col. Voorhis, although strictly attentive to his business interests, has never lost fondness for the pleasures of the rod and gun, and to this day joins sympathetic friends in hunting and fishing excursions in the proper seasons. He is a promi- nent member of the select Hickman Club, of Hannibal, and participates heartily in its annual festivities. In all his social relations he is frank and genial, loyal to his friendships, benevolent and generous to the deserving and is a most worthy citizen. He is always wont to believe that blood is thicker than water, and is ever ready to extend a hand to his less fortunate relatives.
As a citizen Col. Voorhis is enterprising, always willing to join any measure promising the gen- eral welfare. He has held offices of public trust with approval, such as Collector of Internal Revenue for the Fourth Revenue District of Mis- souri, and City Treasurer of Hannibal. He was one of the organizers of the Hannibal Bank, and is still a director of the same. He is still hale and hearty, with promise of a long life of use- fulness, for he comes of long-lived ancestors. In politics he is a liberal Democrat, reserving the right to choose between candidates in local in- terests.
J OHN N. CALDWELL. It is a pleasure to the biographer to head this sketch with the name of the man who is in every sense worthy of the distinction accorded by honorable mention among the prominent citizens of the community in which he has passed so many of the active years of his life. He is a native of this State and was born near West Ely, Marion County, October 27, 1854.
John and Sarah (Lashley) Caldwell, the par- ents of our subject, were natives respectively of Virginia and Belmont County, Ohio. They met and were married in the Buckeye State and there
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continued to live and farm until the year 1837. At that period they moved westward to this State, settling near West Ely, where the father purchased property and lived until his decease,. in 1856. His wife survived him until 1890, when she too passed away. He was a very suc- cessful agriculturist and became one of the earli- est residents of the county, it being then little more than a wilderness, unimproved and unset- tled.
The family of sons and daughters born to John and Sarah Caldwell all died in infancy with the exception of the four named, as follows: Eze- kiel, Samuel, Sarah, and John N. The first- named married a Miss Bradley and, on her death, became the husband of Miss Fanny Stone; they are now living near New London. Samuel took for his wife Miss Kate Hunt, who died, and he was then married to Mrs. Ellen Smith; he is now deceased and she makes her home in Linn County, this State. Sarah married John Dice, and afterward became the wife of John Mattox, who is deceased; she is a resident of Hannibal.
Our subject attended school during the winter season until attaining his sixteenth year, when he assumed the entire management of the home farm in Marion County. Four years later, Jan !!- ary 30, 1874, he was married to Miss Nina Reeves, who was born in the State of New York, in 1857. Her parents were Thomas and Eliza- beth Reeves, and her father was killed while serv- ing in the late war.
After his union our subject continued to man- age the home farm near West Ely until 1882, when the homestead was sold and he came to Ralls County. He first purchased forty acres of choice land and, on disposing of that some time thereafter, became the proprietor of an eighty- acre tract, which he has added to until he now has one hundred and twenty acres. This is all well cultivated, bearing a full line of improve- ments in the way of good buildings and modern machinery, and is stocked with fine breeds of horses, cattle, and swine, from the raising of which the owner derives a good income.
To Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell there have been born seven children, namely: Samuel F., whose
birth occurred December 27, 1875; Annie, born August 25, 1877, is deceased; Rhoda, May 10, 1879; Bert, August 30, 1882; Alice, November 10, 1887; Eddie, January 22, 1890, and Leslie, August 15, 1892.
Both our subject and his wife are working members of the Christian Church, to the support of which they contribute regularly and liberally. In politics he affiliates with the Democratic party and lends his influence to the furtherance of its principles and support of its measures on all necessary occasions. He has always fulfilled the duties of citizenship in a faithful manner and is a loyal resident of the community.
T HOMAS A. GOODWIN. The subject of this present sketch is a prosperous farmer and resides on Section 14, Township 53, Range 7, Ralls County. He is a native of this State and was born November 15, 1858, in Lin- coln County, to Richard and Nancy (Parker) Goodwin. The father was born in Lincolnshire, England, while the mother was a native of Ten- nessee.
At the age of twenty-two years Richard left his English home, and, accompanied by a cousin, came to America. His destination being one of the western States he continued his way to- ward the setting sun and halted in Lincoln Coull- ty, Mo. For one year he was employed as clerk in a store at Cappel Gray, when he removed to Anderson County, where his marriage occurred soon after. He was a miller by trade, but never worked at the business in America, as he found farming to be the more profitable venture. In 1870 he became the owner of the farm on which he is now living and is retired from the active la- bors of life.
Richard and Nancy Goodwin became the par- ents of seven children, namely: Lizzie, the wife of L. S. Cowley; Thomas A., of this sketch; Martha, who died when aged twenty years; Sarah Ann, also deceased; Guy H., married Miss
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Jane Norman, and is living in Wellington, Mo .; Louisa is now Mrs. Elijah Meyers, a resident of Pike County, this State; Richard, at home.
The original of this sketch remained with his parents until attaining his majority, in the mean- time being given a good education in the con- mon schools. March 18, 1880, he was married to Miss Ann Inlow, who was born in Pike Coun- ty, January 30, 1859. She was the daughter of James and Louisa (Branstutter) Inlow, natives of Pike and Audrain Counties, Mo., respectively. Their marriage occurred in Audrain County, Mo., in 1855, where they remained three years and went to Pike County, Mo., where they have continued to reside. To Mr. and Mrs. Inlow were born the following children: Jennie, the deceased wife of Joseph M. Kelly; Annie E., wife of our subject; Mary E., wife of James Cheadle, . residing near McCune's Station; John S., living in Rails County ; Cornelius H., living in Audrain County, Mo .; Saphronie B., residing with her parents at McCune's Station; Dudley B., living in Pike County, Mo .; Thomas L .; Edgar and Ezra, twins, residing with parents; and William A. Mr. Inlow engaged in farming until 1883, at which time he went into the mercantile busi- ness at McCune's Station and continued there until 1893, when his place was destroyed by fire. He then returned to farming for two years, when he resumed his old business at McCune's Sta- tion, where he now resides with his wife and above mentioned children. He was Postmaster and Justice of the Peace from 1883 to 1893, and both he and his wife are members of the Bap- tist Church.
After their marriage our subject first rented a tract of land near Frankford, Pike County, where he remained for three years and then pur- chased a tract of eighty acres near his father's place. One year thereafter he sold this, and com- ing to Ralls County again became a renter for four years. At the end of that time he pur- chased his present farm of eighty-four acres, all of which is cultivated and bears the best class of improvements in the way of buildings and ma- chinery.
Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin are the parents of four
children. The eldest died in infancy; Jessie Atha, Sarah Louisa, and Edith Wilda Bell are at home. Socially, our subject is a member of the A. O. U. W., holding connection with Perry Lodge. In politics he supports Democratic can- didates. The Baptist Church at Hutchinson re- gards him as one of its most valued members and to this congregation Mrs. Goodwin also belongs.
OHN M. HURLEY, a prosperous farmer on Section 10, Township 53, Range 7, Ralls County, was born on the same farin where he now resides, February 26, 1841. His parents were John and Louisa (Biggers) Hur- ley, natives of Kentucky. The former came to Ralls County, Mo., with his grandfather Ely on a flatboat in 1818, settling on the Ely farm, where they lived for about a year, and then came to the farm where our subject is now living.
On the old homestead the father of our sub- ject lived until his death, which took place Octo- ber 24, 1867. He entered two hundred acres of land when locating there, on which he erected a substantial log cabin, which is still standing. His wife departed this life in October, 1841. She was a Mrs. Douley before her marriage to Mr. Hurley, and the fruit of her first marriage was one daughter, Josephine, the wife of John R. Hall, now residing at Oakland, Cal. Mr. and Mrs. Hurley were the parents of four children, of whom James married Miss Mary Gilbert, and is now living in St. Louis, Mo .; William is a resident of Perry, this State; and Hiram died in Arizona in 1881; the fourth was our subject. At the time of his mother's death he was a babe of seven months and was cared for by his grand- mother, Matilda Biggers, with whom he lived until attaining his majority.
Being seized with a desire to see something of the West, our subject, accompanied by friends, set out for Nevada, where he engaged in the lumber business for two and one-half years, then returned home, where he remained until the
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spring of 1874, when he went to California and farmed for two years and a half in Yolo county. During that time he saved quite a snug sum of money and returning to Ralls County, pur- chased the old homestead, which was one hun- dred and forty acres. To this he has added as he became more prosperous, until to-day he is the proprietor of over three hundred acres of some of the finest and most highly cultivated land in the county. His father was one of the very earliest settlers of this section and John M. remembers well of hearing his father say that he had killed as many as seven elk in one day.
The marriage of our subject with Miss Susan M. Shell occurred February 12, 1868. She was born in this county March 7, 1846, and is the daughter of James and Aucret T. (Payne) Shell, natives of Tennessee. They came hither at an early day and both are now living on a farnı in Audrain County. The five children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hurley are Lydia, Ethel, Edith, James Howard and Maude, the last-named dy- ing in infancy.
Our subject received very little schooling, but is nevertheless well informed on all subjects of importance and interest and is recognized by one and all as a progressive and substantial farmer, owning one of the best estates within the confines of the county. As we have shown he is truly self- made and looks with satisfaction on an honest and industrious past. Socially, he is a United Workman, holding membership with the lodge at Perry, and is insured in the Bankers' Life In- surance Company. In politics he has always affiliated with the Democratic party.
J AMES W. GREGG operates a valuable farm of one hundred and sixty acres, most of which is under cultivation. The place is situated on Section 2, Township 53, Range 6, Ralls County, and is suitable for raising cereals and live stock. The proprietor has made his for- tune by hard labor and is well known through- out this portion of the county as a straightfor-
ward, energetic business man, and is greatly re- spected by one and all.
The parents of our subject were Nelson and Mary Ann (Haydon) Gregg, who were both born in Virginia. The former emigrated to Gallatin County, Ky., with his parents in his childhood and was reared on a farm. After his marriage he concluded to make agriculture his vocation and lived on a farm in Kentucky until 1849, when he moved to Ralls County. From that time until his wife's death, which occurred about 1865, he gave his attention to the management of a farm comprising three hundred and sixty acres. This place was adjacent to the one now owned by our subject. The county was then wild, and the senior Gregg was one of the first to erect a dwelling house in this locality. In 1866, he mar- ried Mrs. Elizabeth Leake, nee Rice, and for two years lived on the same farm. Then retiring from active life he became a resident of Centre, where he remained for fifteen years. He then broke up housekeeping and passed his remaining years with his children, dying at the home of one of his sons in Audrain County, in 1892. His wife did not long survive him, being called to the si- lent land the following year.
James W. Gregg is one of eight children, the others being: Elizabeth, Isaac S., Sarah Cather- ine, George Waller, George Morton, Garvis H. and Luchian. He was born August 24, 1832, in Gallatin County, Ky., and in common with his brothers and sisters attended the district schools of that period. The nearest one was three miles distant from home, and, owing to this fact, as well as to the one that, as the eldest son, he was early obliged to help his father in the farm work, he received but little education. When he was about twenty-seven years of age his father gave him eighty acres of land, and with this as a nucleus of fortune his success was secured. He afterward bought more land until he is now the owner of a quarter section. Since becoming a voter he has exercised his duty as a citizen ac- cording to his convictions, by supporting the Democracy. He is not identified with any fra- ternity with the exception of the "Wheel" Lodge, an organization of farmers.
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December 29, 1859, Mr. Gregg married Eliza Jane Butler, who was born May II, 1849, in Ralls County, Mo. Her parents were Dudley and Matilda Butler, the former one of the first settlers in this part of the county. He was a man of great hospitality and all people passing through this section found a ready welcome and were urged to make his home their headquar- ters. He continued to dwell on the farm in this neighborhood until his death, November 21, 1887. Mr. and Mrs. Gregg have had eleven chil- dren, as follows: Nelson, who married Susie Leake, and who now resides near Perry; Georgia Ann, wife of Robert Ellis, who owns a farm two miles east of here; Mary Elizabeth, wife of James Gregory, whose home is a mile and a half north- west of our subject's; Dudley B., whose wife was formerly Alice Turner; William, who married Zelia Lester; Elbert T., at home; Matilda Cath- erine, who died May 7, 1894; Fannie J., whose death occurred in February, 1893; Orie Lee; Zadie May, and Isa, who are still at home. The married sons are all noted for their thrifty and industrious business habits and are a credit to the community in which they dwell. Mr. and Mrs. Gregg are members of the Presbyterian Church at Madisonville and are worthy people in every respect.
J OHN E. HOLLINGSWORTH. The gentleman of whom we give this brief no- tice is living at Hartford, where he is en- gaged in business. He was born in Davis Coun- ty, Ind., March 12, 1864, and is the son of Eli and Harriet (Hawkins) Hollingsworth. The father, who was also a native of the above State and county, was born in 1833.
Grandfather Samuel Hollingsworth was a Kentuckian by birth, but of German descent. His ancestors on first coming to America settled in Virginia, whence some of them went to Ken- tucky. In that State Grandfather Hollingsworthi was married, after which event he moved to Davis County, Ind., where he died about 1867,
well advanced in years. Two of his sons, Eli and Philander, enlisted in the late war in an In- diana regiment, the father of our subject serving in Company G, Seventy-fourth Infantry, under Gen. Sherman. He saw much hard fighting, par- ticipating in the following well-known engage- ments : Resaca, Cassville, New Hope Church, Lost Mountain, Kennesaw Mountain, Marietta, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, Savannah, Benton- ville; he was also with Sherman's Army on its march to the sea. After peace was declared he accompanied the remaining members of his reg- iment to Washington and participated in the grand review before President Lincoln. He was mustered out and discharged in Indiana.
Eli Hollingsworth was married to Harriet Hawkins before entering the service of his coun- try. On his return home he sold his farm in the Hoosier State and moving to Kansas lived there for about four years, engaged in agricultural pur- suits. At the end of that time, being dissatisfied with farm life in that State, he came to Missouri and located in Pike County. Here he purchased property and was living thereon at the time of his death in 1888.
The mother of our subject was the daughter of William Hawkins, by whom she was reared, her mother having died when she was very small. Her grandfather was Col. William Hawkins, who built a fort in the forks of the White River when Indiana was still a Territory and infested with the Indians. He was engaged in farming in that locality and the stock and produce which he raised were shipped down the river in flatboats and sold in Southern cities. He was the owner of several hundred acres of valuable land, and held a warm place in the hearts of his neighbors and friends in the community.
Mrs. Eli Hollingsworth died on the farm in this county in 1886. She was the mother of nine children, of whom William died when an infant. The others were: Samuel, Anna, Grace, Edward, Charles, Louis, Minnie and John E. Samuel was educated in the common schools in Indiana and is now engaged in the hardware business at Vincennes, that State; Anna married Louis Motley, a merchant and farmer of Aud-
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rain County, this State; Grace is now Mrs. M. J. Jones, also a tiller of the soil in Pike County ; Charles received a good education and is now farming and conducting a merchandise establish- ment in this county; Louis is unmarried and makes his home with his brother Charles; Min- nie is living with her brother Samuel in Vin- cennes, Ind .; Edward was graduated from the public schools in Bowling Green, Mo., and then, deciding to follow a professional career, en- tered the medical department of the Central Uni- versity, Louisville, Ky., from which he was grad- uated June 19, 1890. He at once located for practice at Gazette, where he is now living and has an excellent patronage. He was married to his wife Maggie on April 2, 1891, and to them has been born a son, Frank. This son of Eli Hollingsworth is a K. of H., and in poli- tics is a Democrat. In religious affairs he is a member in excellent standing of the Baptist Church.
S AMUEL R. ARCHAMBEAU, as hisname would indicate, is of French descent, his paternal grandfather having been a native of the great Republic across the sea. He, how- ever, is a native of Pike County, Mo., and since reaching man's estate has lived on a good farnı, situated on Section 14, Township 53, Range 7, Ralls County. He is a self-made man, as he started out to fight the battles of life without cap- ital, save a good constitution and a willing heart. He has prospered in his various business under- takings and is well known and esteemed by all.
Charles Archambeau left France to settle in Canada in the early part of this century and at . one time, in partnership with Col. Paul and oth- ers, owned seven acres of land, now the heart of St. Louis, Mo., and on this tract the first court- house was erected. His death occurred near that city at his home on the banks of the Missis- sippi River known as the Gilbert Landing. In the early days our subject's father, Charles, who was of Canadian birth, was an engineer on a
steamboat, running from St. Louis to St. Paul, and this occupation he continued to follow until his marriage. During the winter season he was engaged in cutting and shipping cordwood, and, when there was no ice in the river, was em- ployed on steamers. His death occurred in Pike County at the early age of twenty-seven years. He left a widow, formerly Lucinda Jeffries, a na- tive of Tennessee, and two children, our subject and James T .; the latter is now living with his brother on the farm, but for many years traveled extensively. . The mother went to live with her father, Mr. Jeffries, on his farm in Saverton Township, this county, and in a year or so be- came the wife of Alexander Wilson, a native of Kentucky, who had in his youth come to this locality with an uncle. He was a farmer by oc- cupation and lived on various homesteads in Pike and Ralls Counties, his death occurring near Elk Lick Springs, in March, 1874. His wife died near Frankford, Pike County, Mo., in 1864.
S. R. Archambeau, was born in Pike County, Mo., March 14, 1843, and grew up at his motli- er's home, living with her until her death, when he was but twenty-two years of age. He then rented a farm in his native county for about a year and in 1865 married Elizabeth W., daughter of William W. Thompson. She was born in Schuylkill County, Pa., and in 1860 came with her father to Missouri. He was a ship carpen- ter by trade and was employed in that occupa- tion until coming West, when he settled on a farm. After his marriage our subject bought eighty acres of land lying northeast of Frank- ford and lived thereon for two years. Then for fourteen years he rented various farms in that county, and, after coming to Ralls County, leased a farm for five years near New London. The following year he operated the old Briggs farm, and finally, in 1889, in company with his only brother, bought one hundred and forty acres of his present farm, two years later adding eighty acres more. They have made many substantial improvements on the place and make a specialty of raising cereals, such as wheat, oats, and corn. To Mr. and Mrs. Archambeau have been born
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six children, the eldest of whom, Charles W., died at the age of two years; Elizabeth T., wife of Hugh Muldron, resides in Centre, Mo .; James H. married Minnie Muldron and lives in the vi- cinity of Perry, Mo .; the next child died in in- fancy, unnamed; John D. is at home, and Mary E., the youngest, is attending school.
Our subject and wife are worthy members of the Christian Church, at Prairie View, and have always been foremost in the support of worthy benevolent and religious undertakings. On questions of political importance Mr. Archam- beau is an ally of the Democratic party, and fra- ternally he belongs to the A. O. U. W., at Perry. He will leave to his children a good estate, and what is far better, an untarnished name.
W ILLIAM W. WILLIAMS. Nun1- bered among the well-to-do and prominent agriculturists of Township 56, Range 8, Marion County, is the gentleman whose name heads this article and who has re- sided in this locality since he was three years of age, with the exception of a short time spent in Kentucky and Indiana during the war. He be- gan his career by renting land and at length had saved sufficient money from the sale of his crops to purchase a homestead of his own. From the start he has had his own way to make and though he has met with misfortunes and reverses, such as fall to the lot of all, he has met them with a brave heart and eventually has conquered.
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