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 22

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 22
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 22
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 22

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and subsequently had charge of the wounded who were transported to Little Rock. About this time he was made Chief Surgeon of Gen. Churchill's Division and filled that position on the Red River Expedition against Banks and at the battle of Pleasant Hill, where, on account of an unex- pected movement of the troops, the field hospital of which he had charge was fired upon from every side and many of the patients killed. After this unfortunate affair he moved with his command to meet Gen. Steele, who was marching north front Little Rock, and met him on the banks of Salt River, near Compton, Ark., where the battle of Jenkins' Ferry took place. Subsequent to this battle his command surrendered at Shreveport, La., and they were given transportation by the Government to their homes. The fortunes of the war were extremely depleting to the pocketbooks of its participants and when he reached home Dr. Jaudon had but five dollars in money and a case of instruments with which to begin his business life. Settling in Monroe County he borrowed a horse and, getting some medicine on credit, prac- ticed in that vicinity for a year; in 1866 he took up his permanent residence in Palmyra. His long practice has extended over forty-two years, and he well deserves a rest from future toil. He has al- ways been a student and on his return from the army he happened to look over an old Greek book and, finding that he had nearly forgotten his knowledge of that language, at once resumed its study, reading the Greek New Testament en- tirely through. When his father went to Kansas City, about thirty-five years ago, he bought twelve acres in the vicinity of Twenty-fourth street and Southwest Boulevard for twelve hundred dollars. This property has since become very valuable and during the great boom in real estate there the doc- tor sold one lot, to which he had fallen heir, for ten thousand dollars. He has taken the ninth degree in Masonry and is still active in the fra- ternity. For many years he was President of the Marion County Medical Society and he belongs also to the State and National Medical Associa- tions. Since 1846 he has been identified with the Missionary Baptist Church and is now Senior Deacon.

May 30, 1867, Dr. Jaudon married Elizabeth F.

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Yeager, a native of Shelby County, Ky., born November 8, 1841; she is a sister of John R. Yeager of Marion County, Mo., and R. L. Yeager. a prominent lawyer of Kansas City, and daughter of Elijah and Elizabeth (Redd) Yeager, natives of Virginia and Kentucky respectively. Mrs. Jaudon is the seventh child of her father's second marriage and was nine years old when she was taken by an aunt (Caroline McPheeters of Palmyra, Mo.), with whom she lived until twelve years of age; then she went to Independence, Mo., and was educated in a private school con- ducted by Mrs. B. T. Tillery. She remained in the school until nineteen years of age when she returned to Palmyra, making her home with her Aunt Caroline McPheeters until she was mar- ried. Two children have been born of the mar- riage: Annie T., who graduated from Hardin College and is now at home; Benjamin Y., who is pursuing medical studies in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York City.

J UDGE COLUMBUS FRANKLIN KIRT- LEY, one of the old and prominent citizens of New London, Mo., was born February 24, 1816, in Green County, Ky., and is a son of Elijah and Lucinda (Cook) Kirtley, the former a native of Virginia, but who removed to Ken- tucky with his parents when a young man. Eli- jah Kirtley was a son of Thomas Kirtley, also a native of Virginia, but of English ancestry, who removed to Kentucky at an early day. He had a family of nine children: Nancy, who married William Herndon; Polly, who married John Wood; Bessie, who married Belfield Henry; Lucy, who married William Hobson; Juda, who married George Wilson; Matilda was married to George Miller; Lewis, who was killed in the war of 1812; William, and Elijah.

Elijah Kirtley, the father of our subject, was reared to farm life in Green County. He came to Missouri in 1854, with a view of locating here, and was taken with cholera and died at his son's home in 1854. In his political affiliations he was a Whig. His wife was a daughter of Thomas

Cook, who lived and died in Kentucky. She died in 1872. Mr. and Mrs. Kirtley were the parents of the following children: Washington, deceased; Alvira, who married John Stayfield, of Kentucky; Columbus F., our subject; Edwin, deceased, was a Baptist preacher, who died in Kentucky; Man- let, deceased; Elijah, living in Bowling Green; Luciana, deceased, and Lafayette.

Our subject was reared in Green County, Ky., and at the age of eighteen left his native State for Springfield, Ill., where he remained for a time, and in 1836 went to Alton, and that year en- tered Shurtliff College and studied there until 1838. He was then engaged as Superintendent of Construction on a railroad that was being built out from Springfield, Ill. He returned to Ken- tucky in 1839 and located at Greensburg, which then had a population of about two thousand, and was admitted to the bar in 1840. He prac- ticed there till 1843, and then located at Palmyra and remained there until 1849, when he took the gold fever and went to California, taking the overland route, and being about five months on the way. While there he kept a hotel and en- gaged also in trading in goods. He was success- ful and returned in 1851 to Palmyra and built the house known as the McKabe. In 1853, not being contented in the practice of law, he started again for California with a drove of cattle. He left St. Joseph about the middle of May and arrived in California in August. Out of two hundred head of cattle, with which he started, he lost very few. He disposed of his drove at a good profit and re- turned the same year, purchased a farm of six hundred acres in Spencer Township, and which had already been improved, on which he lived until 1882, when he removed to New London and erected the nice residence in which he now lives. In 1874 he was elected to the State Sen- ate, representing Ralls, Marion and Shelby Counties, and served one term. In 1882 he was elected Probate Judge and was reëlected, serving eight years. He assisted in the organization of the Ralls County Bank and was for some years its President. While in Kentucky he was ap- pointed County Attorney, which office he re- signed upon removal to Missouri.

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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Judge Kirtley was married in Palmyra in 1844 to Virginia, daughter of Thornton Buckner, a native of Virginia. She was a niece of Judge Buckner, of Kentucky. Her mother was Miss Stanton, of Virginia. Of their children, Frank Buckner was thrown from a horse, from the ef- fects of which he died some years later; Anna is now the wife of James Caldwell, of New London; Richard E. is an attorney in Kansas City, Mo .; Jennie is engaged in teaching at Hannibal; Jessie is the wife of James Brown, a merchant of New London. Mrs. Kirtley died in January, 1882. She was a member of the Baptist Church.

Judge Kirtley was married the second time to Mrs. Foreman, who was born in Pike County, Mo., and is a daughter of Timothy Ford. The Judge is a member of the Christian Church and the Masonic order. He has been an active man and has accumulated large properties. He is now living in retirement, enjoying the fruits of a long and honorable life, surrounded by friends who honor and respect him.

J I OHN WILLIAM JAMES. Among the promising young farmers of Ralls County mention must surely be made of our sub- ject, who was born in Pike County, this State, August 3, 1868. His father, John D. James, who was one of the largest landowners and wealthy residents of the county, left him an estate con- taining two hundred and forty-three acres of pro- ductive land, besides property in Illinois. On this tract he now makes his home.

The father of our subject was also born in Pike County, in 1849, and in young manhood went to California, where he engaged in mining. Upon his return he located in Spencer Township, Ralls County, where he purchased a large tract of land and was engaged in its cultivation for some time. This estate was located near New London, and contained three hundred and fifty acres on the Pike Road. He afterward added to this place some three hundred acres, and besides this ex- tensive property he owned a thousand acres in

the Sni Bottoms, across from the City of Hanni- bal, in Pike County, Ill. To the cultivation of this he gave his attention up to the time of liis death. He was very prominent in the affairs of his community and in 1876 was elected Sheriff and Collector of Ralls County, serving acceptably for two years. He was a Democrat in politics and a leader in his party. The Christian Church recognized in him one of its most valued mem- bers. He died October 9, 1886, aged forty-six years, two months and eighteen days.

The maiden name of our subject's mother was Jennie A. Rector, the daughter of Jesse H. Rec- tor, one of the prominent and influential citizens of Pike County. She died March 10, 1892. Her religious faith was also that embodied in the Christian Church. The parental family included six children: Lizzie and Laura, twins; the for- mer the wife of Preston Megown, of whom a sketch appears in this book, and Laura is Mrs. J. E. Megown, cashier of the Ralls County Bank; Lola May is now Mrs. Claude W. Nicholson, of Quincy, Ill .; Jefferson B. resides in New London, and Thomas is deceased.

The original of this sketch received his educa- tion principally in the public schools of New London, and when leaving school began farming on the old homestead and also gave some atten- tion to the cultivation of the Prairie State farm. On the death of his father and the division of the estate, he received as his share two hundred and forty-three acres, besides a portion of the estate in Illinois. He makes his home, however, in Ralls County, and has erected for the occupancy of his family a beautiful cottage, elegantly fur- nished. He takes great pride in the fine stock which he breeds, and derives a handsome income from this branch of business.

On April 27, 1892, Mr. James and Miss Sallie F., daughter of Nathan and Rebecca (Kessler) Gregg, were united in mariage. Mrs. James was born in Pike County, of which portion of the State her mother was also a native, while Mr. Gregg. who is now deceased, was from Kentucky. Our subject and his wife are the parents of a son, John D., and a daughter, Bertha. The mother of these children is a member of the Baptist

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Church, while her husband is connected with the Christian Church. In politics Mr. James is a Democrat, and socially a Mason, belonging to Lodge No. 180, at New London. He is also a Knight of Pythias and an Odd Fellow.

J AMES A. HUDSON, editor and proprietor of the Macon "Times," is one of the most public-spirited and highly respected citizens of the county. He is a native of this State, having been born in Montgomery County October 7, 1853. His parents were James M. and Elizabeth (Thomas) Hudson, natives respectively of Vir- ginia and Kentucky. They were married, how- ever, in this State, where they have since made their home.

James A. was the third in order of birth of his father's family and was a lad of six years when deprived of his care. He remained at home until attaining his fifteenth year, when, having received a common-school education, he felt that he would be able to make his own way in the world. Ac- cordingly he left the old homestead and was variously employed until 1872, when he came to Macon County. Being desirous of learning the "art preservative," he entered the office of the "Times" and after working there for some months went to Bowling Green. Very soon, however, we find him again in this city engaged in setting type, which business he followed until 1874. That year he established himself in the grocery business, but not having a particular liking for mercantile life, he soon abandoned it and went to St. Louis, where he set type in the office of the old St. Louis "Republican."

In 1875 Mr. Hudson returned to Macon and in 1877 purchased an interest in the "Examiner," but later, disposing of this to good advantage, established the "Chariton Courier," published at Keytesville. This he conducted for five years with ever-increasing success and influence. While a resident of that place he was stockholder and director of the Farmers' Bank and also in the Keytesville Building Association. In 1883 Mr.

Hudson disposed of his interests in Keytesville and returned to Macon, purchasing the office of the "Register," which he changed to its old time name-the "Times." It is one of the most ably conducted papers of Northern Missouri and the year in which he assumed the proprietorship of this sheet Mr. Hudson was awarded a gold medal by the Missouri Press Association for publishing the best printed paper in the State.

The lady to whom our subject was married October 30, 1873, was Miss Julia, daughter of Judge J. R. Alderman. To them have been born four children: Ethel, Alexander, James F. and Theo. Wilson. Mr. Hudson is a member of the A. O. U. W., the I. O. O. F. and a Knight Tem- plar in the Masonic fraternity. In politics he is Democratic, tried and true, and an out-and-out, old-fashioned sound money adherent, and during the silver craze (from 1893 on) advocated the sound money doctrine in the "Times" with much force, his articles attracting attention throughout the State.

O SWALD HICKS, one of the progressive young business men of Macon, is rapidly making his way to the front rank among his fellows. As a man of business his transac- tions are characterized by honesty and good judg- ment; he is a close observer of passing events and well informed on all questions of general interest. The Hicks family came originally from England, locating first in Virginia. Josiah, the first of whom we have any definite record, was born in Chesterfield County, that State. He was a farmer and came to Missouri in 1837.

The original of this sketch was born in Ran- dolph County, this State, February 26, 1861, to George W. and Jennie (London) Hicks, natives of the Old Dominion and Schuyler County, Mo., respectively. The father was a farmer and came with his parents to this State in 1837. They first located near Glasgow, Howard County, where Grandfather John Hicks was engaged in the culture of tobacco. He was twice married. By his first union there were born eight children:

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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

John A., Morris E. and George W. are deceased; Payton, a soldier in the Confederate Army, was killed at Pea Ridge, Ark .; Napoleon B., a physi- cian, died in Chariton County in 1893; Mary, wife of Robert Turner, a farmer of Randolph County, Mo .; Priscilla, who married Theophilus Sears, an extensive land owner of this section, and after his decease became the wife of William Richmond of Moberly; Willie, wife of George W. Carnes of Randolph County, this State.

The Londons settled first in Alabama and from that State were scattered over other portions of the South. William London, the father of Mrs. Hicks, made his way to Missouri when it was yet a Territory. He had a supply station or store at Westport and in that early day owned the land on which Council Bluffs, Iowa, now stands. To George W. Hicks and wife was born only one son, our subject.

Oswald Hicks worked on his father's farm un- til attaining his seventeenth year, when he came to Macon and began attending the public schools. He was graduated with the class of '83 and re- turning to his home taught school for two winters, occupying his time in farming during the summer months. With the money thus earned he went to New Haven, Conn., where he took a business course in the commercial college of that place, returning to Chariton County in 1886. Here he farmed the following summer and in October of that year he and a classmate, M. E. Bomback, opened a grocery store at Chillicothe, Mo. Soon thereafter our subject took charge of a school, while his partner managed the store. A few months later he bought an interest in the real estate and abstract business of John M. London, Macon, Mo., the firm now conducting an extensive business under the name of London & Hicks. They have complete abstracts of Macon County and do a large business, principally for the Omaha Loan and Trust Company, and have loaned over one and a quarter million dollars since our subject was taken in as partner, without the loss of a single cent.

Oswald Hicks is a K. of P. and takes great in- terest in the order of Maccabees. He is District Master Workman (District No. 23, Missouri), of

.the K. of L. and in other ways is connected with many of the secret societies of the place. He was a true blue Republican in politics until 1892, when he attached himself to the Populist party. He made a canvass of the county in 1890, also in 1894, when he was candidate for the office of County Recorder, but on each occasion was de- feated by a small majority.

V AN BUREN LEFEVER. This gentle- man is very well known in Marion Coun- ty and, indeed, in this section of the State, as was also his worthy and honored father, who was among the pioneers of this region. For years he held the office of School Director and served on the building committee under whose supervision the stone school-house at Providence was constructed. In 1861 he was elected Asses- sor of Marion County and so faithfully performed his duties that he was reelected the following year, though he was obliged to wait until the close of the war to receive the salary for the last year. He may well be proud of his beautiful farm, fine stock and neat buildings, the homestead being situate on Section 29, Miller Township. It would be hard to find a more public-spirited, progressive and genial member of the community, or one more highly respected by his associates.

Our subject's father, Samuel Lefever, was born in Pennsylvania in 1793 and was a soldier of the War of 1812. In 1816 he married Rebecca Kel- sey and, moving to Fairfield County, Ohio, re- sided there for two years, when he came to Ma- rion County, Mo. He first settled on Section 16, then located on Section 29, and lastly on Section 36, being obliged to give up the first two tracts of land, as he was unable to raise the money to prove them up. He succeeded in paying for eighty acres on Section 36, and later added eighty acres more, this now constituting what is known as the old Lefever Homestead. The present own- er of the place is Emma Lefever, who possesses the original government patent. At the time of his death the father was the owner of two hundred and forty acres, which he cultivated besides work-

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ing at the trade of a stonemason. In 1833, while he was building a large stone house for James, the father of Stephen Glascock, in Ralls County, seven miles from his home, the remarkable phe- nomenon, remembered by some of the old settlers as "the shower of stars," occurred. Mr. Glascock had arisen early, called the men who were em- ployed in working on his new house and told them there was no need to build any fires, as they would all soon be warm enough, for he believed the end of the world had come. After watching the wonderful display until dawn Mr. Lefever hastened home, expecting to find his family bad- ly frightened; they, however, had slept peacefully through it .all and had thus missed one of the most remarkable sights of this century. His two eldest daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, were among the first pupils of the first school established in Miller Township, three miles distant from their home. During the winter the father would hitch a horse to a log and drag it to the school-house, thus making a path through the snow for the chil- dren. His death occurred February 22, 1888, at the extreme old age of ninety-five years and twen- ty-six days; his faithful wife, who survived him three years, died March 13, 1891, aged ninety-five years, seven months and fourteen days. This worthy couple shared each other's joys and sor- rows for over seventy years, a record that is rarely eclipsed, and are now sleeping their last sleep in Bear Creek Cemetery.

Samuel Lefever had eight children who lived to maturity, namely: Mary, wife of B. F. Pepper; Elizabeth (Mrs. I. D. Elzea), of Ralls County; Rebecca, who married James A. Elzea of the same county; David N. (deceased); Emily, who has never married; Van Buren, subject of this sketch; Sarah A. (Mrs. James Keith), of Ralls County; David Nelson. David enlisted in the Confederate States service under Gen. Price, serv- ing for six months, but on the expiration of that period he returned home and took the oath of allegiance to the Government. He was after- ward falsely accused of participating in the "An- derson raid," in which a number of Union inen were killed. He was arrested on this charge and started under military guard to St. Joseph, but before reaching there was deliberately murdered.

His father, on learning of the dreadful fate which had overtaken his son, went for his re- mains, which were interred in Providence Ceme- tery.

Our subject was born on the old homestead on Section 36, July 22, 1832, and obtained a fair gen- cral education in the district schools. During his early youth he attended school in the winter, the remainder of the year being devoted to farming. In 1847 he entered Vermilion College, Hayes- ville, Ohio, and after graduating there taught in Franklin County, Ohio, for two years; in the in- tervals between terms he found employment on farms and as a carpenter. Going next to Adams County, Ill., he taught school at Ursa for a short time and then obtained a school in his home county. As previously he employed his spare time on the farm and also operated a threshing machine. In 1859 his right arm was caught in the cylinder of the machine and the bones in the hand and arm above the wrist so shattered that it was considered necessary to amputate the arm just below the elbow, but notwithstanding this misfortune he pursued his accustomed work with his usual energy and managed to do as much with one arm as many others do with two; nor was he deterred from continuing to run the thresher, and it is truly said that he has handled more grain in this way than any other man in the county. He owned a half interest in the first steam thresher in this vicinity and was the pro- prietor of the first traction engine introduced here. In 1894 he operated two steam threshers, one of them in the wheat district on the Illinois side of the Mississippi, known as "Sni Bottoms." As a teacher he was very successful and received forty dollars a month at a time when this was considered exceptional wages. In 1870 he pur- chased one hundred acres of land, which he has since increased to his present farin of three hun- dred and twenty acres, besides which he owns two hundred acres in "Sni Bottoms," Illinois; on one corner of this farm is situated the club-house of the Sni Ecarte Hunting and Fishing Club, a great resort for sportsmen. Mr. Lefever himself is very fond of hunting and shoots as many ducks as any of the "boys." Having lost his right hand he shoots from the left shoulder, resting the gun 011

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the stump of his right arm. In company with some of his neighbors he often goes to the south- eastern part of the State, hunting deer and tur- keys, and over the front door of his house is a handsome pair of antlers-a trophy of his skill.

November 29, 1866, occurred the marriage of our subject and Sarah, daughter of Jacob Sarber of Franklin County, Ohio. She was one of his pupils and after his return to Missouri they cor- responded, their attachment for each other ripening into love. From Mr. Lefever's glowing account of the country Mr. Sarber was induced to come here on a prospecting tour, and the re- sult was that he moved his family to Marion County. The acquaintance of Mr. Lefever and his former pupil was resumed and their marriage took place in less than a year afterward. They have become the parents of seven children, namely: Albert, the eldest, who married .Allie Thompson and owns a good farm adjoining that of his father; Samuel, who now resides in Elgin; Kelsey, Effie, John, Emily and Dana, who are unmarried and still under the friendly shelter of the old home. As an example of Mr. Lefever's benevolence and public-spirit it might be men- tioned that, though not a member of any congre- gation, he donated one hundred dollars to the fund for enlarging and repairing the Providence Church.

R OBERT SLOAN SPAHR, a prominent and well-known business man of Hannibal, is numbered among her public-spirited young citizens. He is very popular and possesses those qualities of energy, perseverance and de- termination which are always bound to come to the front. At present he has a field of labor which affords him ample scope for his ambition, for he is a member of the Humphreys-Spahr Shoe Com- pany, which bids fair to become one of the prin- cipal business concerns of this section.

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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 22

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