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 18

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago, C. O. Owen & Co.
Number of Pages: 820

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 18
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 18
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 18

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Mr. and Mrs. Jackson Rouse had six sons and six daughters, whose record is as follows: Pey-

ton A., is a farmer of this township; Rebecca J .; Virginia married Charles D. Grieves, a farmer of this county; William D., deceased; Robert J., is still at home; John I., is an enterprising farmer of this township; Elizabeth V., married J. W. Mounce, a farmer of this locality; Mary E. and Bertha M., are living with their parents; Jacob F., Sarah A., and Manna P., who died in infancy, completes the family. Mr. and Mrs. Rouse are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. In his political relations Mr. Rouse is a Democrat, but is liberal in his ideas and sound in his principles of government.

D AVID HETTICH, a native of Germany, is one of the enterprising and progress- ive citizens of Pike County and has his dwelling on Section 34, Township 54, Range 2. Many years have passed since he landed on the hospitable shores of the United States, a stranger in a strange land, with the great disadvantage of not knowing the language, added to a condition of poverty and lack of influential friends, but he was a brave youth and possessed strong and will- ing hands with which to hew out his fortune.

Our subject is the elder of two sons born to Christian and Agatha (Hadish) Hettich, who passed their entire lives in the Fatherland, en- gaged in the cultivation of the soil. David and his brother John were both ambitious young men and often talked about seeking a home in the New World, but it was not until 1867 that they were able to carry their cherished dream into ef- fect. At that time David was an intelligent and business-like young man of sixteen years, hav- ing had a good education in his mother tongue, and being possessed of those great blessings --- sound health and a sturdy constitution.

The brothers sailed from Bremen in March, 1867, and arrived at New York at the end of a voyage of forty-two days. At once they con- tinued their westward journey, coming direct to Pike County, where they have since made their home, John now being in Bowling Green. Sev-

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enteen years elapsed, during which time our sub- ject worked faithfully for various persons, care- fully saving his earnings in the meanwhile. The next six years he cultivated land of his own at the head of Grassy Creek, but when a good oppor- tunity presented itself he sold out and invested the proceeds in the valuable tract he now owns and operates. The fine manner in which every- thing about the place is kept and the neat and substantial house and barns show what can be accomplished by a man who is not afraid of work and is honest and thrifty.

August 3, 1883, Mr. Hettich married Julia A. Wing, a lady of many personal charms and lov- able qualities. They have had four children, three of whom survive: Ambrose B., a lad of nine years; Lucretia, seven years old; Ruth, the sunshine of the household, now in her second summer. The family are greatly respected by their neighbors and have a large number of ac- quaintances; they are well deserving of the high regard in which they are held by all. Mr. Het- tich supports the Democratic party. Religiously he is identified with the Baptist denomination, to which he contributes liberally.

H ENRY L. LOUDERMILK is one of the most progressive and enterprising young farmers of Lewis County. His home- stead, which is situated on Section 30, Union Township, bears evidence of modern ideas and improvements. The geared windmill, the first in- troduced into the county, and purchased by him in the spring of 1895, is used for running various kinds of machinery and furnishes power for grind- ing feed, sawing wood, etc. While in no sense despising old and long-tried methods, he believes in taking up with new ideas of practical value and gives credit to brain as well as muscle, which is not always done by the more conservative.

Before presenting the life sketch of Mr. Loudermilk some mention of his ancestry will be of interest. His great-grandfather, John Louder- milk, was of German descent, but born in Virgin-

ia (1774), whence he removed to Kentucky, com- ing from that State to Missouri, where he died July 30, 1846, aged seventy-two years. Grand- father John Loudermilk, Jr., was born June 27, 1797, and died August 5, 1850, aged fifty-three years, one month and eight days. He married Betsy Mathews, who was born September 27, 1804, and passed from earth February 26, 1880. She was the second among seven children, whose father, William Mathews, Sr., was born in 1776, and died September 15, 1845, aged sixty-nine, and whose mother, Jane B., was born September 22, 1771, and departed this life March 12, 1846, aged seventy-four years, six months and twenty days. Her brothers and sisters were as follows: Stuart, born May 30, 1802; Mary Ann, born Feb- ruary 6, 1807; Isabel B., born June 29, 1809; Margaret, born January 9, 1811; Eleanor, born September 6, 1814; William, born July 10, 1818.

Of the children of John, Jr., and Betsy (Math- ews) Loudermilk we note the following: Ander- son, born October 5, 1827, died on the plains (1849) while en route to California; Mary Jane, born May 26, 1830; William Mathews, born May 9, 1833, died July 15, 1883, aged fifty years, three months and six days, having served in the militia during the war; Margaret, born February 20, 1836; Thomas, born November 19, 1839; Mary Jane is the wife of Capt. Willis Brown of this county; Margaret married Austin Smith of this county ; Thomas is an enterprising business man of Union Township.

The father of our subject, William Louder- milk, was born in this county May 9, 1833, and was reared upon the home farm three miles south- west of La Grange, which had been entered by his father and uncle. May 7, 1856, he married Margie E., daughter of Dabney A. and Bertha (Tyler) Bowles, natives of Kent, England, the former of whom died at seventy-five and the lat- ter when seventy-nine. Of the family of William Loudermilk we note the following: Ella M., born April 25, 1859, was married to George P. Porter October 27, 1878, by J. A. Minter, and now re- sides three and one-half miles southwest of La Grange; Joseph D., born October 12, 1861, was married December 8, 1885, to Lizzie R. Cason, J. A. Minter performing the ceremony, and after

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her death in California (on November 8, 1891), he returned to the old home and now lives with his mother; Susan E., born October 15, 1863, was married December 8, 1885, to Joseph F. Pulliam by J. A. Minter, and since her hus- band's death (February 19, 1890) she has resided with her mother; Henry L., born May 9, 1866, married October 30, 1889, Artiemecia P. Lillard, A. S. Ingman performing the ceremony, and they are located on the old Snapp Farm, one and one- half miles north of Maywood; Bertha A., born December 2, 1870, married Arthur T. Barr De- cember 22, 1891, and they live on the old home place.

William Loudermilk and his mother entered the old home place of one hundred and sixty acres and afterward bought a thirty-eight-acre tract from Judson Jones and forty acres from Hiram Yates. After his marriage William pur- chased the interests of the other heirs in the home- stead, to which he added until it included two hundred and forty acres. He was a very active and energetic man and shortened his life by over- work, dying at his home July 15, 1883. Politi- cally he was a Democrat. He belonged to the Baptist Church of Dover, but his widow holds membership in the Christian Church.

The early years of Henry L. Loudermilk were passed in a quiet manner, much of his time being spent in the acquisition of an education in the district schools; when nineteen he entered La Grange College and remained for two years un- der the instruction of Prof. Cook. He then en- gaged in teaching for a year and for a similar period assisted on the farm. After his marriage he continued to live on the home place for a year and a half and then purchased the Snapp Farm, where he has since resided. There are two hun- dred acres in the place, and in addition to this his wife inherited one hundred and twenty acres of the old Lillard Homestead, now more general- ly known as the Mckinney Farm. He makes a specialty of raising and feeding live-stock and ships from one to two carloads each year. At this writing (1895) he is building a modern barn, which will add greatly to the desirability of the farm.

October 30, 1889, occurred the marriage of

Mr. Loudermilk and Artiemecia P., daughter of David E. and Mildred A. Lillard. Mrs. Louder- milk was born in this county and here grew to womanhood and was married. Both our subject and his wife are members of the Baptist Church and possess the esteem of all who know them. Fraternally he belongs to Maywood Lodge No. 2750, M. W. A., and politically he is a supporter of the Democratic party.

H ON. SAMUEL J. MELSON is now rep- resenting Ralls County in the Thirty- eighth General Assembly of Missouri, having been elected to that responsible and dis- tinguished position in the fall of 1894 on the Democratic ticket. He is one of the most en- terprising business men of this community, being very wealthy and influential. A good financier, possessing capital judgment and a wide knowl- edge of men, he has not confined himself to a narrow farmer's life but has made many invest- ments which have proved very profitable and has dealt extensively in live stock and in real estate. At present he owns a valuable interest in a Texas ranch company which controls one hundred and sixteen thousand acres and also is identified with the Monroe Cattle Company. In the legislature he has already shown the great interest he takes in the prosperity of his home district, and his con- stituents are justified in the confidence they mani- fest in his fidelity to their best interests.

John D., father of the above named gentleman, was a native of Bedford County, Va., his birth having occurred May 31, 1818, and his parents being Thomas and Elizabeth (Dent) Melson. Thomas Melson was also born and reared in Bedford County, Va., in which State his wife also grew to womanhood. At a very early period they moved to Ralls County and a year later lo- cated in Shelby County, Mo. Mr. Melson was a hero of the War of 1812. His three children were Sallie M., who married John Bufford; Har- riet, wife of James Nimmo, and John D., who is now living at Shelbyville, this State, and the only

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survivor of his father's family. In former years he was a prominent business man and served aeeeptably as Treasurer of Shelby County for four years. For the past thirty-seven years he has been Justiee of the Peace and is the present in- eumbent of the offiee. His wife was a Miss Mary A. West, born January 4, 1819, in Bedford County, Va., and a daughter of Capt. Samuel and Anna (James) West, who were also of Bedford County, but whose parents were of Pennsylvania origin. Capt. West died at the extreme old age of ninety-six years in 1889, and his wife, who sur- vived him a year, also attained the same ripe age. Their children were as follows: Evan, a retired farmer in Virginia; Mary A., Mrs. Melson; Green, a farmer of Ralls County; Susan, wife of Henry Neighbors, a Kansas farmer; Isaae and Van, who were both killed in the late war; William, a far- mer of Monroe County, Mo .; Sarah, wife of James Horn, a farmer of Kansas; and North W., deeeased.

The marriage of John and Mary Melson took place in Bedford County, Va., in 1840, and was blessed by the following ehildren: Joel, an agri- eulturist of Monroe County, Mo .; Nathaniel, de- eeased, a soldier of the Civil War; Annie E., wife of Martin I. Ely, an extensive farmer of this township; Samuel J .; Isaac N., a farmer of this loeality ; John C. and Marble, deeeased; Sallie, de- ceased, formerly Mrs. Chester Gunby, of Shelby County, Mo .; Virginia W., widow of D. L. Cooper, who was aeeidentally killed while out hunting; Matson, who was Constable and Deputy Sheriff at Vandalia, Mo.

Samuel J. Melson was born in Bedford County, Va., November 2, 1846, and there passed the first ten years of his life. In 1856 he came to Ralls County with his parents and lived at home until September, 1862, when, though a youth of but sixteen years he enlisted in the Confederate Army and served six months. Then going to Iowa he lived with relatives for a similar period, returning home after Lineoln's Proclamation. At the end of a year he was married and began his career as a farmer. At this time he often worked for neighbors, receiving perhaps seventy- five eents per day and this in times when cotton

eloth was fifty eents a yard and all other manu- faetured artieles in proportion. After renting land for a year he purehased a small farm in Saline Township, which plaee he made his home for thirteen years. In 1880 he was elected Sheriff and Colleetor, and in order to better diseharge his duties he located in the town of New London, where he was a resident for five years. Later he settled in Monroe City, where for four years he not only managed a farm but dealt extensively in live stoek, and for the past ten years he has made his present homestead his headquarters. This place comprises four hundred and forty aeres of well-improved land, which is well adapted to general farming and stoek-raising.

January 2, 1866, occurred the first marriage of S. J. Melson, the lady of his ehoiee being Sarah, daughter of Presley and Duleena (Lyle) Pendle- ton, natives of Kentucky. Mrs. Melson was born in Saline Township, Ralls County, May 6, 1847, and died Deeember 4, 1878. She was one of nine children, and by her own marriage became the mother of the following children: Edmond P., Secretary of the Monroe City Safety-Fund Life Insurance Company; Meadow M., deceased; David Dent, a liveryman of Monroe City; Dul- cena, wife of John L. Owen, a farmer whose home is in Monroe City; James A., now a student in Westminster College at Fulton, Mo., and Oza E., who graduated from Hardin College and is now at home. August 14, 1879, Mr. Melson wedded Louisa F., daughter of James D. and Lueetta (Yeager) Crawford. She is a native of this eounty, having been born October 6, 1856. Her parents were likewise born in this township, the father November 2, 1834, and the mother August 14, of the same year. They were married in 1854 and are still living on their old farm in Saline Town- ship. Their four sons, Addison, Emmet J., Ed- ward N. and Elbert D., all are farmers and, with the exception of Emmet J., who is located in Marion County, reside in this township. Mr. and Mrs. S. J. Melson lost their second ehild, Cora L., who was born April 25, 1883, and died May II, 1894. Their other children, Ira G., Lillie F. and John D., are at home.

Fraternally, Mr. Melson is a member of the

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Masonic Order and is identified with the Knights Templar. Both he and his estimable wife are valued members of the Baptist Church. They are much esteemed by their large circle of ac- quaintances and possess the good will and con- fidence of all who know them.

T HOMAS C. ISGRIG (deceased) was for- merly one of the successful farmers of Pike County. He was born in the Bhie Grass State, in Harrison County, July 12, 1817, and was the eldest of four children born to his par- ents. The latter were Michael and Margaret (Currant) Isgrig, respected residents of Ken- tucky. The father was born in Fayette County, that State, where he grew to manhood and was married; his sons and daughters were reared in the same house in which he was born. He fol- lowed the vocation of a farmer, and during that day was one of the well-known agriculturists of Kentucky. He departed this life about three years prior to the outbreak of the late war.

Mr. Thomas C. Isgrig grew to manhood under the parental roof and acquired his education in the schools of the neighborhood. His father's farming interests being extensive, Thomas con- tinued to remain at home after attaining his ma- jority, assisting in the management of the farm. When in his twenty-sixth year he was married to Miss Mary F. Jump, and for the following fifteen or sixteen years assumed the management of the old homestead. At the expiration of that time the death of his father occurred, and a division of the property was made. Thomas C., however, fell heir to that portion of the estate on which the dwelling stood, and until 1866 lived with his wife in the home which had sheltered him since his birth.

In the above year Mr. Isgrig decided to come to Missouri, and in the fall of that year turned

his face westward. On arriving here he spent the first winter with the parents of his wife, after which he purchased land in Pike County, upon which his widow now resides. The location is a historic one, for upon it was built the fort which sheltered the first thirteen pioneer families of the county and which stood one hundred yards in front of Mr. Isgrig's present residence. An old elm tree still stands, marking the memorable spot, from under which flows a sparkling spring that supplied them with water. After our subject lo- cated here, he devoted himself to the cultivation of his property, and under his efficient manage- ment the land was placed in the rank of the most productive in the county.

The lady whom he married was the daughter of John and Jane (Moore) Jump. Her parents had born to them seven children, of whom she was the third in order of birth. Of these six grew to manhood and womanhood, but at the present time only two survive. Miss Mary, under the careful training of intelligent and loving parents, grew to be a noble woman, and January 9, 1844, married the subject of our sketch. For forty- eight years they lived happily together, but on October 25, 1891, a cloud of sorrow darkened their home in the death of the devoted father and husband. This was the third time the dread de- stroyer had entered their home, taking away a son and daughter, the only children born to them. The son died in infancy, but the daughter was an accomplished young lady of nineteen sum- mers at the time of her decease.

Mr. Isgrig was a man of sterling qualities, and his word once given was considered as good as his bond. He endeared himself to all about him by his kindly nature and genial disposition, and his death was mourned by a host of warm and loving friends. In politics he was a staunch sup- porter of Democratic principles and candidates. In religion he was a consistent member of the Methodist Church, with which his wife and daughter were also actively connected.

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REV. MICHAEL J. M'LOUGHLIN.

R EV. MICHAEL J. M'LOUGHLIN. There is no position held by man so im- portant as that of pastor of a church. Nor is there a position that has attached to it so great a responsibility when properly conceived and conscientiously discharged. This is more essen- tially the case with the clergyman of the Catholic faith, for he is held more as an instructor and guide, not only in religious faith, but in moral and social conduct, by his congregation. There are few men by character and education so well fitted to preside over a people in all these rela- tions as the Rev. Father McLoughlin.

The subject of this memoir and Pastor of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, of Han- nibal, was born in Stalybridge, England, March 15, 1846. He is the son of Michael and Mary (McDonough) McLoughlin. The father was a native of County Wexford, Ireland, and the mother of County Sligo, Ireland. The paternal grandfather of our subject bore the name of Will- iam and hailed from County Wexford, in which county his wife, who was Bridgett Doyle, was likewise born, The father of Mary McLoughlin was Michael McDonough, and her mother's maiden name was Margaret Conlon. The parents of our subject met and were married in Staly- bridge, England.

Michael and Mary McLoughlin emigrated to the United States in the summer of 1852, locating at first at Fall River, Mass., where they resided for a period of twelve years. They removed to Providence, R. I., where Mr. McLoughlin's death ·occurred in November, 1864. He was a devout member of the Catholic Church. His wife re- turned to Massachusetts after her husband's death, making her home in Boston, where she departed this life May 7, 1891. Father McLough-

lin's ancestry on the father's side fought in the rebellion of 1798, and were present at the battle of Vinegar Hill.

To Michael and Mary McLoughlin there were born five children, of whom Margaret died in in- fancy; William J., is now living in Boston, Mass .; our subject was the next in order of birth; Peter A. and Mary, who is the wife of John McGrath; are also residents of the above city.

Shortly after his father's death our subject came West and entered the St. Louis University, of St. Louis, Mo. He was graduated from the above noted institution in the summer of 1870 at the head of his class, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Subsequently he was sent by Archbishop Kenrick to Montreal, Canada, where he pur- sued his theological studies, and was ordained two years later in St. John's Church, St. Louis, by Bishop Ryan, the present Archbishop of Phila- delphia. This occurred September 8, 1872. Shortly after, he was appointed assistant pastor to the Rev. F. M. Keilty, of the Church of the Holy Angels, of St. Louis. He served in this capacity for twelve years, the first four years of which he was also Chaplain of St. Joseph's Or- phan Asylum.

Father McLoughlin remained with the Church of the Holy Angels until September II, 1884, when he took charge of the Church of the Im- maculate Conception, at Hannibal, Mo., succeed- ing the Rev. Dennis Kennedy. The first resident pastor at Hannibal was Rev. John O'Hanlon, who arrived in that city May 9, 1848. Visiting priests had, from time to time, as it became necessary and opportunity offered, gone into northwestern Missouri. These missionaries recorded mar- riages, birthis and deaths, and administered to the religious wants of the Catholic people. Father

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O'Hanlon was the guest of Judge Harrison, a leading lawyer of Hannibal, until a pastorate was established. There was a very large district over which he was expected to preside, and he could only give every fourth Sunday to the people of Hannibal. They met in a small frame structure, on the corner of Sixth and Center Streets, and in other places, until the first brick building was erected, which was built under the supervision of Father Murphy, on Church Street, between Fifth and Sixth Streets. The second Sunday of each month was devoted to Palmyra, when Mr. Con- roy became Father O'Hanlon's host. The third Sunday found this devoted priest at St. Paul, Ralls County, where he held services in a log church. He was then the guest of Ralph Leake. The fourth Sunday he was at Millwood, where he was entertained by George Mudd.

Father O'Hanlon's missionary work closed in September, 1850, when he returned to St. Louis. He is the author of the "Lives of the Irish Saints." He also wrote an interesting account of his missionary labors in Missouri. He is now in Dublin, Ireland. He was succeeded at Hannibal by Rev. Father Murphy, who was followed by Rev. B. O'Reilly, who later died in Boston, Mass. The next priest in charge was Father T. Ledwith, who was followed by Rev. P. Cronin, the present editor of the Buffalo "Catholic Union," a promi- nent journal devoted to the interests of that Church. Following Father Cronin was Rev. Pat- rick M. O'Neil; then came Father Kennedy. The chapel was built about 1850. The church build- ing of the Immaculate Conception, which was purchased from the Congregational denomina- tion of Hannibal, was dedicated in 1881 by Bishop Ryan. They have a membership of about three hundred families. The pastorate residence was begun by Father Cronin, and was completed by Father Kennedy.

Father McLoughlin has an assistant in the per- son of Rev. F. J. Ernst. The following named sodalities are connected with the Church: St. Michael Sodality; Holy Name Sodality; The In- fant Jesus Sodality; Young Ladies' Sodality of the Blessed Virgin; St. Agnes and Holy Angels Sodalities; The Catholic Knights of America, and

Knights of Father Matthew, a temperance or- ganization.

Father McLoughlin is a zealous, active and ef- fective worker for the Church, and is held in the highest esteem, not only by his people, but the residents of Hannibal generally. In the pulpit he is especially gifted. His voice is rich and well trained, and his manner of delivery very pleasing. His discourses are scholarly and pow- erful in their appeals to his people to follow tlie teachings of the Master.

J ACOB WILSON is a retired farmer and stock-raiser of Saline Township, Ralls County. In early manhood he left home to hew out his own way and after renting land for some five years came to his present homestead, which is located on Section 32, and has since en- gaged industriously in its cultivation and develop- ment. His first purchase was a tract of eighty acres and with this as a nucleus his possessions gradually increased until they numbered five hun- dred and twenty-two acres. A large share of this property he has since divided among his chil- dren, but still reserves one hundred and fifty-five acres.

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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 18

Author: Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Chicago, C. O. Owen & Co. Number of Pages: 820

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago, C. O. Owen & Co.
Number of Pages: 820