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 19
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 19
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 19
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A son of Samuel and Diadama (Bell) Wilson, our subject was born January 27, 1827, in Bullitt County, Ky. The parents were both natives of the Blue Grass State, but passed the greater por- tion of their years in this vicinity. Mr. Wilson died in 1875, aged sixty-two years, while his wife, who preceded him to the better land, dying in 1860, was then but forty-six years old. In 1825 Mr. Wilson came to Ralls County, and after re- maining here a short time, was married and with his bride returned to Kentucky, where they passed the next six years. At length they decided to lo- cate in Ralls County, and made the journey in a one-horse rig. Settling in Indian Creek Town- ship, Ralls County, Mr. Wilson engaged in farnı- ing and at the time of his demise was the owner of one hundred and forty acres. His educational advantages had been very limited, but he was master of the elementary branches. Politically
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he was first a Whig and afterwards became a Democrat. Both he and his wife were faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Their family comprised ten children as follows: Winnie, deceased, was the wife of Joe Henderson, a farmer of Monroe County; Henry, deceased; Jacob, of this sketch; Martha, who married Thomas P. Waller, a farmer of this county; Elizabeth, who died in infancy; Eliza- beth, the second of the name, wife of G. Bradley, a farmer of Monroe County; John and David, de- ceased; Susan, a resident of this township, and Dica Jane, deceased.
In 1851 Jacob Wilson was married in this county to Louisa, one of the three daughters of Joshua Wilson. Although of the same name she was not even distantly related to our subject. She was born in Indiana and died in June, 1851, but three months after her marriage, of the dreaded plague, cholera. In October, 1852, Mr. Wilson married Frances Rouse, who was born in Boone county, Ky., October 3, 1824, being a daughter of Lovel and Eliza (Barlow) Rouse. The latter were natives of Virginia, but became acquainted in Kentucky and were there married in 1823. In 1834 they emigrated by wagons to Ralls County, and settling on Salt River, continued to dwell in that locality until 1860. For four- teen years they resided on the homestead now occupied by our subject. The father, who was born March 4, 1802, died April II, 1882, after which his wife broke up housekeeping and went to live with her children, her death occurring at the home of one of her daughters in this town- ship, February 23, 1894, at the extreme old age of ninety-two years, the date of her birth being November 20, 1802. Both she and her husband were devout members of the Methodist Episco- pal Church South.
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson has been blessed with the following children: Lovel O., who is at home; John W. and Eliza E., twins, the former deceased and the latter the wife of Alex- ander Grimes, a farmer of this county; James, who operates a farm in Monroe County; William S., a farmer of this locality; and Thomas A., who is engaged in farming in Monroe County.
Such education as fell to the lot of Jacob Wil- son was that of the primitive district schools, but his knowledge has been much increased by his habits of keen observation and reading. He has never been an aspirant for official distinction, but has always discharged his duties as a citizen according to his convictions, depositing his bal- lot in favor of the Democracy. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South and is generous and liberal toward the poor and needy.
J OSIAH GATES, M. D., one of the most noted physicians of Macon County, enjoys a lucrative practice and has accumulated considerable property. He is located at La Plata, and besides being engaged in general practice, makes a specialty of treating liquor, opium and tobacco patients, being very successful an curing people of these habits.
Our subject was born in Scott County, Ill., May I, 1832, and is the son of George W. and Sarah (Stanfield) Gates, natives respectively of North Carolina and Illinois. George W. accom- panied his parents in early years to Kentucky, where he was reared to man's estate and then re- moved to Illinois, where he met and married Mrs. (Stanfield) Miller. In 1839 he took up his abode in Macon County, this State, and was engaged in that section in cultivating a fine tract of land until his decease, which took place in 1877; his wife became the mother of three children, and departed this life in 1847. The two sisters of our subject were: Eleanor, now the wife of Jesse Gross, of Randolph County, Mo .; Mary (now de- ceased), who was the wife of John R. Graves, of Macon County, this State.
The early life of our subject was spent in farm work and in attendance at the district schools. He was very studious, and when desirous of fol- lowing a professional career was thoroughly fitted to enter college. He was graduated from the Eclectic Medical Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio, with the class of '59, and at once opened an office
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and commenced practice at Bloomington, then the county seat of Macon County. He removed to the old homestead in January, 1859, and con- tinued to live there until 1874, in the meantime being engaged in professional work. That year he came to this city, where he is well known and greatly honored and esteemed.
Dr. Gates married Miss Ellen A. Taylor in May, 1860. She was born in Belleville, Ill., and only survived her marriage one year. In April, 1863, the doctor chose for his companion Miss Mariette C. Linzee, a native of Wisconsin, and the three children born to them were: Erskine M., now in the employ of the bank at this place; Sallie S. (Mrs. \V. P. Kimble), of Illinois; William J., farming in Macon County, Mo. Socially the doctor is a Mason of high standing, and also be- longs to the American Eclectic Society. In poli- tics he is a Democrat.
G EORGE HORACE POPE is one of the pioneers of Marion County and for about forty-five years has lived on his present farm, which is situated in Township 58, Range 8. In early days he spent most of his time in hunting, for at that time wild game was very abundant, and it is within his recollection when thirty or forty deer were often seen. The wild turkeys were also very numerous and on one occasion Mr. Pope killed six turkeys without moving from one spot. Five deer were shot by his trusty rifle in one day, and once he killed two deer with one shot. The log house in which he is still living was erected in 1847.
The parents of our subject, Fortunatus and Frances (Urcell) Pope, were both natives of the same county in Virginia. The father was a car- penter by trade and followed that calling princi- pally until 1831. Being possessed of an adven- turous spirit he determined to try life in the West, and in company with Judge Davis, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume, started for Mis- souri. His household effects were placed in a wagon that he had made and July 5, 1831, he
arrived in Marion County. Soon afterward he settled on Section 29 of this township and worked at his trade, but finally he located on Section 16, where he built a log cabin. There he entered eighty acres, which he cleared and cultivated for twenty years. Then he moved to the farm which is now owned by our subject, entering eighty acres, and building a log house lived under its roof the remainder of his life. He died April 4, 1860, aged seventy years, and his wife, after sur- viving him a few years, died in her eighty-first year. They were the parents of six children, of whom the three eldest, Mary, Elizabeth and Mar- tha, died in Virginia. Frances, born July 4, 1833, was drowned after coming to this county, at the age of twelve years; George H. is next to the youngest, and John died in infancy at the old Virginia home.
George H. Pope was born in Richmond Coun- ty, Va., August II, 1826, and, though he was only four and one-half years old when his parents came across the country to Missouri, remembers many incidents of the trip. When they first lo- cated here the family lived in a tent and were kept busy in fighting rattlesnakes. George assisted his father until reaching man's estate and then, after marrying, settled on a farm just east of the one where he now lives. When his father died his farm of eighty acres was left to our subject, who moved to the old log house, which was de- stroyed by fire on April 12, 1847. - 'Mr. Pope moved to the old Wood Farm in' this township, where he raised one crop; since then he has lived on his present homestead. Much of this land was covered with timber, and this has been cleared away by the present owner.
December 26, 1844, G. H. Pope and Frances, daughter of William and Priscilla (Brown) Sut- ton, were united in marriage. The lady was born in Westmoreland County, Va., on Christmas Day, 1826, and her parents were likewise natives of the same county. They both died when Mrs. Pope was only six years of age, and of their five children she is the only survivor. The others were John, Ransel and Sarah (twins) and Pris- cilla. Of the seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Pope only three survive: Maria Emma, born February 28, 1846, died November 5, 1861; Vic-
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toria Hesser, born April 16, 1848, died March 8, 1849; John Randall, born May 5, 1851, married Melinda H. Walker (since deceased) and now lives in Shelby . County, Mo .; Joseph Edward, born June 16, 1854, married Martha Evans, and is also a resident of Shelby County; Adelaide Filmore, born August 16, 1856, married. John Allison (a farmer of this vicinity) and died September 16, 1892; Annie V., born October 4, 1858, died No- vember II, 1861; Richard Byron, born March 16, 1861, married Margaret Stephenson and is en- gaged in farming near his father's homestead.
During the first year of Mr. Pope's residence here a few of his neighbors were the following well-known pioneers: William Ralls, Isaac Wool- ery, Elisha Freeman, Cyrus Wells, Thomas Join- er, William Stephenson, John and William Day and Reuben Rollins. On some of his hunting expeditions he frequently came across trees in which the bees had stored honey for thirty years or more, and with his ax would cut the comb at the roots of the trecs and thus obtain the finest honey ever eaten by man. In the neighborhood of his present home he has found more than a thousand "bee trees." Many of the wild turkeys he has killed have weighed as much or more than twenty-nine pounds. Since the formation of the Republican party he has always adhered to its principles, and for many years he and his estima- ble wife have been members of the Ebenezer Bap- tist Church, near their home.
J AMES CORBIT has for sixteen years re- sided in Liberty Township, Marion County, where he owns a well-improved homestead and is engaged in market-gardening and bee cul- ture. Many years ago he became interested in raising bees and is now an expert in the business, having read and studied much on the subject. He finds a ready sale for the products of his apiary, and is setting an example in this comparatively new branch of labor; in 1879 he purchased twen- ty-one hives and at the present time has thirty . colonies.
The birth of our subject occurred in Grant
County, Ky., September 10, 1846. His father, John, was born in County Clare, Ireland, being a son of Philip and Margaret Corbit, with whom he remained until twenty-one years of age. He then emigrated to the United States, and here the re- mainder of his life was spent. His marriage united him with Elizabeth Vawter, born in Vir- ginia, and a daughter of Hiram and Mary (Good) Vawter. The family of which she was a member consisted of the following children: Virginia, widow of Thomas Barns, and a resident of Grant County, Ky .; Elizabeth, Almira (deceased), Mrs. Atheline Shelton (deceased), Mrs. Jane Shelton (deceased), Mrs. Eliza Webster (deceased), Albert and Hiram, engaged in farming in Kentucky; Jabins, engaged in agricultural pursuits in Illi- nois; Robert, a farmer living in Iowa.
Unto the union of John and Elizabeth (Vawter) Corbit were born four sons and one daughter, as follows: James, our subject; Margaret, wife of Samuel Smith, a grocer at Palmyra; William (de- ceased), John, who lives in Nebraska; Homer, an attorney in Iowa. The father of this family was a general farmer and carried on a vineyard in Fabius Township. His death occurred in 1868, at the age of fifty-one years. His widow, who was born October 18, 1818, is still living and makes her home with our subject.
When quite young James Corbit moved with his parents to Missouri. He lived under the pa- rental roof until the death of his father and then took charge of the home place, which was a rented one, comprising one hundred and forty acres. A few years later he went to the City of Palmyra and for some time worked by the day, but in 1876 became the owner of one hundred and forty acres of land, which he cultivated several years and then sold out, a good opportunity having presented itself. In 1879 he moved to his present home, where he has since resided without interruption. In 1893 he bought thirty acres and lie now gives his entire attention to raising fruit and vegetables for the market and to his apiary. He received a good business education and is industrious and persevering in whatever he undertakes.
For many years Mr. Corbit has been a faithful member of the Christian Church and actively con- cerned in its various departments of usefulness.
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He uses his right of franchise in favor of Repub- lican principles and endeavors to discharge his duties as a citizen to the best of his ability. The success with which he has met is the just reward of his merits, for he has been painstaking, ener- getic and judicious, and has displayed the utmost probity in all his business transactions.
J OHN W. KEACH is a representative farmer of Ralls County, where he was born No- vember 5, 1852. He was the eighth of a family of nine children born to John H. and Mary (Lake) Keach, of whom six now survive: Sarah A., now the wife of Mark Woods, of Pike County; Nancy G., married to Edward McPike, of Marion County; Laura M., wife of Benton Guttery, of Ralls County; Amanda B., who makes her home with her sister Laura; John W., the subject of this sketch, and James M., whose sketch appears else- where in this work.
John H. Keach, the father of our subject, was a native of Virginia, born in Prince William County, March 29, 1807. When he was eight years old his parents moved to Mason County, Ky., and spent some six or eight years in Mason, Fleming and Nicholas Counties, and then settled in Jesamine County, near Nicholasville. While there, he became a convert to the Baptist faith and united with the church in the fall of 1826. In 1831 the family moved to Missouri and settled in Marion County. Shortly afterward his father died, when the support of his widowed mother fell on his young shoulders. On March 29, 1831, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Lake, and with his young bride settled down to farm- ing. Since his conversion, his mind had been con- stantly on his church work, and he determined 10 study for the ministry. With the support of his mother and wife on his hands, and beginning life on nothing, study was an uphill work, but he had determined to consecrate his life to the service of his Master, and as he wended his way to the field in the morning in one hand he carried his Bible, and when the horses required rest he would be
sitting in the fence corner with his Bible open and in deep study. In 1841 he was ordained to the ministry, and from that time on he devoted him- self to the work. In 1848 the Baptist General As- sociation appointed him to raise funds for the en- dowment of William Jewell College, and for this purpose he traveled over Northeast Missouri dur- ing the years 1848, 1849, and 1850, raising in this time several thousand dollars. He was a life-long and warm friend to liberal and popular educa- tion. About 1850 he removed with his family to Ralls County, and settled where his son James now lives, and where he spent the remainder of a useful life. He was a great reader, and con- stant seeker after knowledge, and was known as one of the best pastors in Northeast Missouri. For many years he ministered to the Salem and Bethel churches in Ralls County.
John W. Keach grew to manhood in Ralls County, received his primary education in the common school, and spent two terms in the New London Academy, conducted by Laughlin, Ellis and Lucy. He remained at home until after the death of his father, and the following fall he de- cided to take unto himself a wife, and accord- ingly, on November 5, 1878, he was united in mar- riage with Miss Theresa McCune, the daughter of John S. and Winafred (Nichols) McCune. Her father was a native of Cumberland County, Pa., and was born November 8, 1825, and was the son of John and Sarah A. (Duncan) McCune. In 1853 he came to Missouri and settled on Spencer Creek, Ralls County, where he engaged in farm- ing, he spent the remainder of his life. He was for some years a Justice of the Peace in this town- ship. His death occurred September 7, 1870. Her mother was born December 25, 1836. She is the daughter of Richard and Rachel (Goodnight) Nichols, and is a native of Pike County, this State. She grew to womanhood in Pike County, where she married Mr. McCune, and bore him six children, all of whom are still living. After Mr. McCune's death she married Ammon Hos- tettor, with whom she lived happily for some three years, when he, too, passed away. She now makes her residence in New London.
Shortly after his marriage, our subject, with his
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young bride, moved to Audrain County, and set- tled about a mile and a half west of Vandalia. Here they resided some six years on rented land, and while residing there his mother died, and the home farm was sold to our subject, in partnership with his brother, James M. Other land was added some years later, and the brothers farmed to- gether until 1890, when they divided the place, our subject taking two hundred and seven acres where he now lives, and some eighty acres of the home place. He is now the possessor of three hundred and twenty-five acres and is engaged in general farming. To Mr. and Mrs. Keach have been born two children, Lorlie Belle and Willie M., both of whom are at home. Mr. Keach is well known for his upright, sterling character, and is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, and in politics is a Democrat. Mrs. Keach is a member of the Cumberland Presby- terian Church.
H ENRY W. WOOD is in partnership with his father, John O. Wood, and has large landed interests in Saline Township, Ralls County, and in Texas. They own a home- stead of nearly one thousand acres here and have an extensive cattle ranch in the Lone Star State. Our subject is an enterprising young man of good business ability, unusual foresight and good judgment, these qualities being amply manifested in all his commercial transactions.
H. W. Wood was born on the old homestead, situated on Section 20, Township 56, Range 7, Ralls County, May 31, 1860, and has since con- tinued to reside here, with the exception of five years. For about two years lie was pursuing his higher studies in the college at Canton, Mo., and the remainder of the time he was absent in Texas. There he conducted a drug store for a year, was engaged in mercantile pursuits for another year, and lived on the ranch for about twelve months. For the past ten years Mr. Wood has cultivated the old farm uninterruptedly, and has been blessed with success in his various undertakings.
In his political faith he is an ally of the Demo- cratic party, having been brought up in its prin- ciples by his father.
John O. Wood, father of our subject, was born in South Carolina in 1820, and was only eight years old when he moved with his parents to Ralls County. Here he married Elizabeth Broadley, who was born in Fulton, Mo., in 1830, and nine children were the result of their union. These are: Oliver J., now operating the Texas ranch previously mentioned; Laura J., wife of E. S. Boulware, a farmer of this county; James P., who was an attorney at law, is deceased; Katie S., wife of E. O. Sutton, a merchant of Canton, Mo .; Henry W., our subject; Luta B., wife of A. D. Lewis, a well-known banker of Canton, Mo .; Vir- ginia, who married James A. Graves, a Canton druggist; Ida, wife of G. W. Fanning, a tobac- conist in Keokuk, Iowa, and John S., clerk of the bank in New London, Mo. In 1881 John O. Wood retired from his active life and has since dwelt in Canton, his sons taking charge of his numerous business interests. However, he still owns the farm, comprising nine hundred and eighty-six acres, on Section 20, and also the Texas ranch. He is a member of the Christian Church, and has always been very liberal in his contributions to the same.
In 1883 Henry W. Wood was united in mar- riage with Etta Leora Cook, who was born in Marion County, Mo., June 16, 1865. Her father, Winchester Cook, was born in West Virginia, June 15, 1842, and her mother, who bore the maiden name of Mattie Bibb, was born in Marion County, December 23, 1849. This worthy couple were married in Marion County, June 23, 1863, and had three sons and two daughters. Lena is the wife of Lee W. Taylor, a farmer of Marion County, Mo .; Earl and Ernest, twins, are resi- dents of St. Louis, Mo., and Marion County, re- spectively, the former being a pharmacist and the latter a farmer. The youngest of the family died in infancy. Mr. Cook, with his faithful wife, is now living on a farm in Fabins Township, Mar- ion County. In 1884-85 he served as Deputy Sheriff under Thaddeus Ray, and was Deputy Collector under Mr. Hout. Five sons have been
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born to Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Wood, namely: Rex R., Roy C., Ray W., John O., Jr., and one who died in infancy. Mr. Wood is now feeding three hundred and ninety-five cattle on his home place, and is making a specialty of breeding thor- oughbred Hereford cattle, having a herd of about fifty head. He has three hundred acres of land in corn, the balance in pasture.
W ILLIAM H. JOHNSON, one of the rising young business men of Louisi- ana, Mo., and manager of the John- son Livery Stable, was born in Ashley Township, near Bowling Green, Mo., June 30, 1869, and is the son of Henry C. and Harriet (Frier) Johnson who were united in marriage November 10, 1864. The elder Johnson was a native of Pike County, Mo., and was born May 22, 1844. He was reared to farm life, and when grown to manhood pur- sued farming as a business for many years in Ashley Township, where he was the owner of a fine farm. Disposing of his farming interests he removed to Bowling Green, and there started a livery stable, which he conducted until 1891, when he sold out and removed to Louisiana, Mo., and established a livery business, which he car- ried on up to the time of his demise, December 6, 1894.
Henry C. Johnson was a man of uprightness and probity and much esteemed. In politics he was a Democrat, and was associated with the I. O. O. F. His widow is still residing in Louisi- ana. Her father was William K. Frier and her mother was Mary P. Luck, old Virginia families, who emigrated to Missouri at an early day, set- tling in Pike County, where Harriet was born. Mrs. Johnson is a member of the Baptist Church. She is the mother of three children: Elizabeth, Benj. H., and the subject of this biography. The former was born November 4, 1867, and secured his education at Bowling Green; he is now trav- eling for the Goddard-Peck Grocery Company, St. Louis, Mo.
William H. Johnson, the subject of this biogra-
phy, was reared at home and was educated at Bowling Green. In early manhood he went to St. Louis and engaged in his first occupation for himself, that of a hotel clerk. He was thus en- gaged for about five years, when, upon the death of his father, he returned home and took charge of his business. Mr. Johnson is a man of pre- possessing appearance, genial in disposition, of good habits, and stands well in the community, having the confidence and respect of all who know him.
C APT. BENJAMIN ELI GUTHRIE. Foremost among the lawyers in active practice at the Macon bar is he whose name heads this sketch. His services are in great demand because of his clear insight and know- ledge of law, coupled with his well established record for honesty and integrity; he is a gentle- man faithful to every trust imposed in him, and is ever true to his convictions.
Our subject was born May 31, 1839, in Chari- ton County, Mo., and is the eldest son of the Rev. Allen W. and Elizabeth A. Guthrie. His father was the youngest son of the family of Rev. Rob- ert Guthrie, who was born in Maryland Novem- ber 3, 1773, and whose parents were from the North of Ireland. Robert Guthrie's father lived for a short time in Maryland and then moved to North Carolina, near Guilford Court House. Robert moved to Tennessee and finally settled in Sumner County, where he reared a large family. Two sons, Eli and Allen W., came to Missouri in 1830, in order to find a location and prepare a home for the reception of the rest of the family, who followed in the fall of the next year. Here Robert Guthrie passed the remainder of his life, dying in 1843; his wife followed him ere long to the silent land, dying three years later. They had been married in North Carolina in 1790, and were members in good standing of the Cumber- land Presbyterian Church. Of their sons three became ministers: James S., Eli and Allen W. Eli was drowned in the Missouri River on Christ- mas Day, 1837, while endeavoring to rescue a
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