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 54
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 54
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 54
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Robert Tribble was married in 1854 to Louisa Hawkins, who was born in Bedford County, Va., May 10, 1836. She was the daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Jennings) Hawkins, the former of whom died in the Old Dominion in 1880, aged seventy-six years. His wife passed away in 1836 at the age of twenty-five years. Her parents were Benjamin and Jemima Jennings, and they, too, were Virginians by birth.
Benjamin and Elizabeth Hawkins were married in their native State and reared a family of one
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son and four daughters. They were Sally, de- ceased; Elizabeth, living in Virginia; Benjamin, engaged in farming in the Old Dominion ; Louisa, Mrs. Tribble, and Jemima, who makes her home with her sister Louisa.
The family of our subject embraced two sons and five daughters. Of these Margaret is now the wife of Eaton Paynter, a farmer, and also a carpenter, living in Spencer Township; John W. is farming in this section; Jemima A. and Sarah E., twins, are deceased; Robert T. is cultivating a good farm in this township; Sarah married Jo- seph Wilson, a substantial tiller of the soil in the vicinity of her old home, and Laura B. married James Calhoun, also a farmer by occupation.
The subject of this review aided his father at home until three years after attaining his ma- jority, when he began for himself on forty acres which he had purchased. This he kept for four or five years, and then disposing of it came to his present estate, where he has resided ever since. He was at one time the owner of two hundred and eighty acres, but since sold ninety acres, so that his place is now nearly two hundred acres in ex- tent. He is a careful manager and good financier, and stands well in the business world. In politics he uses his influence for the interests of the Demo- cratic party. Religiously he is a Baptist, and a member of the church of that denomination.
It is scarcely necessary to add that he is held in high repute by the citizens of Pike County on ac- count of his excellent character and pleasant qual- ities.
W ILLIAM F. LINK, who in 1891 pur- chased a one-half interest in the Kirks- ville Journal, became sole proprietor cf this sheet in 1894. He was born in Nevada City, Col., November 8, 1861, to Samuel M. and Mary E. Link, natives of Carrollton, Greene County, Il1.
The father of our subject, S. M. Link, who is now President of the First International Bank of the above city, is a well-educated gentleman and
a shrewd business man. When attaining his ma- jority he went to Leavenworth, Kan., and two years later, in company with his father and brother, journeyed farther westward to the gold fields of Colorado, where he became one of the organizers of the Nevada District and was elected its first Recorder and Secretary, and later elected Judge of the Miners' Court.
Samuel M. Link returned to Missouri in 1861 and was married to Miss Mary A. Link; with his young bride he retraced his steps to Colorado, where he followed mining until 1866. That year he came to Kirksville and engaged in the stock and grain business.
Grandfather Lewis W. Link was born in Bour- bon County, Ky., in 1807. He married Hannah Crane, and afterward moved to Illinois, where he became a member of the Legislature, serving in that capacity when Vandalia was the capital. In 1866 he became a resident of Kirksville, and here died (1883) when advanced in years. His father, bearing the name of Christian Link, was born in Germany, and on coming to America lo- cated in the Old Dominion; later he emigrated to Kentucky, but passed his last days in Illinois.
Samuel M. Link was made Vice-President of the First National Bank of Kirksville, Mo., and elected President in 1884, and when it became the First International Bank he was elected Presi- dent of the new bank, which position he now holds. His son, our subject, was given a good education, being graduated from the State Nor- mal, at Adair, with the class of '81. When ready to begin a business career he engaged in the grain and implement business in partnership with J. M. Kennedy and sustained this relationship until 1891, when he purchased a half interest in the Macon Journal and desired to give his atten- tion to this business. The paper, of which he is now owner, is a neat, well-regulated sheet, con- taining much useful information and local mat- ters of interest to its readers. It is a Republican organ and firm in the support of party principles.
William F. Link was married October 8, 1891, to Miss Mamie, daughter of George and Orma Vance. Mrs. Link was born in Santa Ana, Cal., . in 1868, and by her union with our subject has
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become the mother of two children, Julian and Helen. Mr. Link is a member of the Baptist Church, and Mrs. Link of the Christian Church. The former takes a prominent part in politics, being a member of the City Republican Com- mittee.
J UDGE WILLIAM N. HICKMAN is one of the representative men of Marion County, where he has dwelt for about half a century. He was elected Judge of the County Court in 1882 and re-elected in 1884 in the western district of Marion County. In this responsible position he has acquitted himself admirably in every detail and has won the warm commendation of all con- cerned. His home is on Section 10, Township 59, Range 6, which property came into his possession by purchase.
The Hickmans werc of German origin and our subject's Grandfather Peter was one of the early Virginia settlers and a farmer by occupation. He married Miss Mary Oakwood, member of an old family of that region, and had three children: Ja- cob, born November 1, 1801; Michael, who emi- grated to Knox County, Mo .; Catherine, who died in childhood. The two brothers went to Brown County, Ohio, with an uncle when the elder one was only ten years of age and remained there several years. Jacob, who was our subject's father, served an apprenticeship to the carpenter and millwright's trade and in 1838 came to Mis- souri, whither his brother had preceded him a year, settling in what is now Knox County. Jacob also took up land, but then went back to Ken- tucky, where he remained until 1843; Eighty of his two hundred and forty acres of Missouri land are still in possession of his descendants.
The marriage of Jacob to Eliza, daughter of Jacob and Mary (Wiley) Stroube, occurred in the Blue Grass State. The lady was born in Bracken County, Ky., and was married April 5, 1831. Her death occurred November 8, 1837, when she left two children: Augustus, born November 17, 1834; . William N., of this sketch. The father sub-
sequently (February, 1842) married Elizabeth Wiley, who was born December 14, 1807, in Bracken County, Ky., being a daughter of Elijah and Martha (Seal) Wiley. By this union there were born the following children: Martha C., February 17, 1843; Mary M., August 17, 1844: Sarah C., March 1, 1846; Matilda E., March 7, 1849. With the exception of the eldest, they were all natives of Marion County. Mary became the wife of Edwin Hansbrough and died February I, 1880. Sarah C. married H. S. Potter of this coun- ty and Matilda, who is the wife of John T. May, resides in Vernon County, Mo. For several years the father of these children was County Sur- veyor of Bracken County, Ky., and also served as Postmaster of Locust Mills for some time. After coming here he was Justice of the Peace for twelve years and for three years was Postmaster of Taylor's Mill, Marion County. For many years he was engaged in the milling business, having operated the plant at Palmyra for a short time and in 1847 became interested in Taylor's grist and saw mill, located on the Fabius River. This he operated for three years and in 1848 bought the farm of two hundred acres, on which his son now resides. From that time onward he gave most of his energies to agricultural pursuits, raising stock and grain; he had previously owned a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Fabius Town- ship and still retained his Knox County land. His death occurred August 23, 1868, but his widow is still living, making her home with our subject, and is in the enjoyment of good health.
The Judge was born May 17, 1836, in Bracken County, Ky., and was only seven years of age when he came with the other members of the fam- ily to Marion County. His early life was passed on a farm and his education· was such as was af- forded by the district schools; several times dur- ing his youth he visited his own home in Ken- tucky and once he spent a winter there. In 1868 he took charge of the farm, which he has man- aged with good executive ability. He raises a gen- eral line of the crops common to this region and also keeps a number of cattle and horses on the farm. During the war he was a member of the State Militia and had horses confiscated on several occasions. He has never married and his maiden
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sister and mother receive his dutiful care and at- tention.
Since 1886 Mr. Hickman has been a member of Fabius Lodge No. 24, A. O. U. W., of Palmyra and he is also identified with the American Anti- Horsethief Association of Palmyra. In 1876 he went to the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia and on the way enjoyed the beauties of Niagara Falls. He returned through Kentucky, having previously stopped in Washington and Cincin- nati, and at that time made his last visit to the old home and friends in Kentucky. At the death of our subject's sister Mary she left four children, namely: Ella, John, Elbert and William; three years afterward their father died. Our subject then took and reared three of the children, the fourth and youngest having died at the age of about eight months. Two of the children, Ella and Elbert, are still living with our subject.
J AMES A. SCOTT is one of the old and hon- ored inhabitants of Marion County, his home being on Section 12, Township 59, Range 6. He has made a specialty of buying, feeding and selling live-stock and has made a good income ir. this line. For over a quarter of a century his dwelling has been on his present farm, which con- prises one hundred and sixty acres of well-in- · proved and fertile land. He is esteemed and re- spected by his large circle of friends and acquaint- ances and is known to be a man of strict integrity of character.
Our subject is one of four children born to Smith and Mary (Chilton) Scott, natives of Vir- ginia, whose marriage was celebrated in Kentucky' at the home of Miss Chilton, a daughter of George and Ellen Chilton. Mr. Scott engaged in farming and kept a number of slaves in Kentucky, where he resided until his death. After that event his widow became the wife of James McPike, who had located in Pike County, Mo., in 1842 and the fol- lowing year had settled in Marion County, buying about five hundred acres of land in Round Grove Township and some time afterward purchasing
eight or nine hundred acres in Fabius Township, a portion of which Benjamin McPike now owns. The brothers of our subject are J. W., George and Smith, the first mentioned a resident of Mar- ion County, the second a fruit-grower of Califor- nia and the youngest a farmer of Fabius Town- ship. By her second marriage our subject's moth- er had five children, of whom Charles A. died at home (1862) of consumption and Benjamin and Jefferson went through the war. Benjamin now lives on the old homestead; Jefferson is a resident of Knox County, Mo .; Zachary C. died when fif- teen years of age; Ellen, the only daughter, is the wife of James Proctor of Monroe City, Mo.
Born in Henry County, Ky., June 25, 1828, James A. Scott resided with his mother until he came to Missouri (1847). He received a common- school education and when nineteen years old left home to engage in making an independent liveli- hood. At first he worked for twenty-five cents a day and was employed in various ways until 1851. Then going to Pike County he entered three hun- dred and twenty acres of Government land near Curryville and in 1853 traded the place for a tract of two hundred and twenty acres belonging to William McPike, a brother of his step-father, this place being the one on which his youngest brother now lives.
November 17, 1857, Mr. Scott married Annie E., daughter of Dr. Obed M. and Elizabeth (Smith) White, the former one of the first physi- cians who settled in this county. The young cou- ple began housekeeping under favorable auspices and from that time forward were exceptionally prospered. In 1868 they moved to the old White Homestead, on which Mrs. Scott's girlhood was spent and which Mr. Scott purchased in the fall of 1867; in the settlement of this estate some litiga- tion was encountered and the matter was appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States. In 1870 Mr. Scott sold his farm to a brother.
During the war Mr. Scott was drafted for the service and though furnishing a substitute was ar- rested a number of times, but afterward released; in a financial way he suffered extensively, as did many others in this region. His life has been a very active and successful one in every respect and besides educating his children he has provid-
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ed well for his family. . For forty years he has been a member of the Christian Church and since 1872 has been an Elder in the congregation. For twen- ty years he was Treasurer of the Board, during which time he has handled all of the funds of the church.
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Scott was blessed with the following children: Augustus M., who died in 1873, aged fifteen years; Elizabeth, born September 17, 1860, now the wife of H. C. Brown of Lewis County. Elizabeth was married October 16, 1883, to Henry, son of Willis Brown, farmer and trader of Lewis County. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have two children: Eva, born Sep- tember 23, 1884; Leonard Scott, born August 27, 1886.
1 SAAC K. ROHRER is one of the influential agriculturists of Miller Township, Marion County, where he' has made his home for the last twelve years. His homestead comprises two hundred and forty acres of well-improved land, well adapted to farming and stock-raising, and its proprietor is a practical man, who by strict atten- tion to his business affairs is now in possession of a goodly competence.
Our subject's grandfather, John Rohrer, a na- tive of Lancaster County, Pa., was born in 1777 and was of German descent. He was a carpenter by trade but devoted himself chiefly to farming and owned considerable land. His ten children were as follows: Daniel, the father of our subject; Benjamin, a farmer, now dead; Mary, wife of Joseph Myers; Hettie (Mrs. John Musser); Isaac, now dead; Israel, a farmer and miller, now dead; Michael, a farmer in the vicinity of Canton, Ohio, now dead; Joseph, a practicing physician of St. Louis, died in early manhood; Martin; Elizabeth (Mrs. Samuel Buckwalter), of Lancaster County, Pa. Those whose occupation is not especially re- ferred to are farmers in Pennsylvania. The father died in 1863, having attained the ripe old age of eighty-six years.
Daniel Rohrer, who was born March 2, 1803, in Lancaster County, Pa., was reared on his fath-
er's farm and attended the common schools in winter; at the age of twenty-four he married Mary Kreider, daughter of a widow, Mrs. Mary Huber Kreider by name. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Rohrer settled on a farm in Lancaster Coun- ty, Pa., of which place the former is still a resi- dent, his daughter keeping house for him, his wife having died February 28, 1894, when in her eighty-seventh year. He has held a number of minor offices, but he has never been a politician. Of his children, John and Jacob live in Lancaster County, Pa .; Daniel is in Crawford County, Mo .; Benjamin and Israel died in infancy; Abrahamı departed this life recently in Lancaster County; Anna married Abraham B. Miller of Lancaster County; Esther died (unmarried) in 1875; Isaac is the next in order of birth; Henry died of scarlet fever when five years old; Mary is the wife of Isaac Stone, of Lancaster County. Altogether the living descendants of Daniel Rohrer number one hundred and two persons, as follows: Six chil- dren, forty-seven grandchildren and forty-nine great-grandchildren.
Isaac K. Rohrer, like his ancestors for several generations, was born in Lancaster County, Pa., his birth occurring June 4, 1843. He was reared and educated on a farm and remained at home until 1865, when he went westward as far as Can- ton, Ohio, there remaining for one winter. Then after spending a short time in Dayton, Ohio, he went to Crittenden County, Ark., where he en- gaged in farming for his brother Daniel, who was then operating a cotton plantation. For about a year he was Overseer on the same, and when in 1867 Daniel Rohrer purchased a farm in Ten- nessee our subject went with him and conducted the farm on shares until May, 1868. He then ac- companied a small colony to Lamar County, Tex- as, going by way of the Tennessee, Mississippi and Red Rivers, thence up Black Lake to Jeffer- son, a place of about ten thousand population. Our subject worked in a sawmill about one hun- dred miles from Jefferson until fall and then rented a farm, which he managed for a year, raising cot- ton as the chief crop. In the spring of 1870 he became the owner of two hundred acres by pur- chase and improved this farm, whcreon he re- sided until 1882, raising cotton mainly. In the
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spring of 1883 he moved to this county and pur- chased a farm, which he now owns and which was previously known as the Effin Wilson Place.
November 20, 1868, Mr. Rohrer married Anna E., daughter of William and Lotta Henry. This family had removed from Tennessee to Texas with the little colony, but the young couple were engaged before the journey was attempted. Mrs. Rohrer was born October 24, 1845, and died Feb- ruary 4, 1880, leaving four children, namely: Alice C., wife of Jason Landis of this county; Mary E. (Mrs. Eugene Wagner), of Palmyra; Isaac, Jr., unmarried, and lives at home; Lulu P., now living with her eldest sister. January 16, 1881, Mr. Rohrer married Emma A. Nance, by whom he has had five children: Annie, Selinda, Daniel, John and Esther. Mrs. Rohrer is a daugh- ter of William A. and Mildred (Echols) Nance, who immigrated from Alabama to Texas in 1879. In the family of our subject there is an old colored woman who was sold to Mrs. Rohrer's father in Memphis, Tenn., in 1852 and taken to his home in Cherokee, Ala. When she was given her free- dom she refused to accept it and has always been very faithful to the family. Mr. Rohrer has al- ways given his allegiance to the Democratic party, but is liberal in his views.
T HOMAS JEFFERSON DOWNING, M. D., is one of the leading physicians of Ralls County. He was born near Bowl- ing Green, Pike County, Mo., May 26, 1851, and is a son of William C. and Margaret Ann (Read- ing) Downing, who were natives of Kentucky, the former born December 12, 1812, and the latter in 1819. William Downing was a son of James Downing, who was born in Virginia, and was the son of Ezekial who was the son of William, who came to this country from the north of Ire- land in Colonial days, and was killed during the Revolutionary War by a Tory. He had three sons who were in the War for Independence: Eze- kiel, John and William. They came over with their parents and settled in Virginia.
James Downing moved with his parents to Kentucky, and in 1819 he came with his family to Lincoln County, Mo., locating near New Hope where he lived and died. He was a hatter by trade and also carried on farming. His death occurred at the age of fifty. His wife was a Casey, and was a grand niece of Col. Casey who fell in the fight with the British at Fort Duquesne, in Braddock's defeat. They had these children: Mary, William C., Benjamin F., Prudence, Andrew, Lewis R., Martha and Stephen W.
William C. Downing was born in Kentucky, and was seven years of age when his parents moved to Missouri. The family located in Lin- coln County, where he received his primary edu- cation. He attended school at Bowling Green for a time, after which he entered the college at Jacksonville, Ill. After leaving school, he en- gaged in teaching in Lincoln and Pike Counties for about four years, when he purchased a farm in Buffalo Township and engaged in farming. Later he sold that farm and purchased one near Frank- ford, Pike County. He subsequently sold that farm and purchased another in Cuivre Town- ship, of some nine hundred acres, where he lived until 1890, and then removed to Bowling Green where he died in January, 1894. He was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and in politics was originally a Whig and then a Democrat. He was a man of large stature, weighing about two hundred and fifty pounds, and was a leader among the people with whom he resided. In his younger years, he was connected with the militia with the title of Major. He was kind and liberal yet firm. His wife, Margaret, was a native of Bourbon County, Ky., and a daughter of William and Margaret (Cheat- am) Reading, who were of Irish descent. Mar- garet died in 1877, and was also a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. They were the parents of thirteen children: Lusetta, who married James Jones, of Pike County, and is now deceased; William R., at Liberty, Mo .; John J., who was killed at the Battle of Helena, Ark., under Price; Joseph C., farming in Pike County; Rebecca A., living in Bowling Green; Benjamin, who died in infancy; George W., a farmer near
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Bowling Green; Samuel C., who died in New London in 1893; Thomas J., the subject of this sketch; Docia, who married James Affutt, living on the old homestead; Susan M., who married William H. Miller, living near Bowling Green; Andrew J., a farmer of Curryville; Nancy M., who married John Duvel, of Bowling Green.
The subject of this sketch was reared at home on the farm and was educated in the subscription schools. He studied there until twenty years of age and then taught school for a time. He read medicine and entered the St. Louis Medical Col- lege from which he was graduated March 12, 1874. On graduating, he opened an office at Frankford and Ashburn, remaining there one year, when he located at New London where he has since practiced his profession. He is recog- nized as an able and successful physician and has built up an extensive practice.
Dr. Downing was married November 13, 1878, at New London, to Miss Cammie Hays, a native of Ralls County, and daughter of George C. and Mary J. (Wise) Hays. By this union, three chil- dren have been born: Campell, Mary and Nellie. The Doctor and his wife are both members of the Christian Church. In politics he is a Demo- crat. He is a member of the Tri-County Medical Society, embracing Lincoln, Pike and Ralls Counties, and is at present the President of the society. He is also a member of the State Medi- cal Society. For many years he has been a meni- ber of the Masonic order, holding membership with the New London Lodge, No. 307. He is also a member of Newton Lodge, No. 76, A. O. U. W. Dr. Downing is a close student of his profession and keeps abreast with the latest discoveries of medical science and their appli- cation.
J OHN E. MEGOWN, holding the responsi- ble position of Cashier of the Ralls County Bank, is one of the substantial and highly respected residents of New London, Mo. This city is the place of his birth and where he first saw the light thirty-six years ago. He is the son of
Judge John and Mary E. Megown, for a full his- tory of whom we refer the reader to their sketch elsewhere in this volume.
John E. was reared in his native city, and when completing his studies in the common schools entered the Missouri University at Columbia, tak- ing a course there of two years. On his re- turn home he was appointed Deputy County Clerk with George D. Biggs, holding the office for four years. At the expiration of that time he was elected County Treasurer on the Democratic ticket, entering upon the duties of the office in 1888. Two years later he was re-elected to the same office, serving in all four years. In June, 1893, he was chosen Cashier of the Ralls County Bank, which position he now holds. The bank was organized in 1877, with O. K. Caldwell as Cashier and Dr. George E. Frazier, as President. William Christian then succeeded Mr. Caldwell as Cashier, and was followed in turn by A. C. James, who held the management of the bank until Mr. Megown was installed. The first Presi- dent of the institution was Dr. Frazier, with C. F. Kirtley as second. He was followed by J. M. Smith, the present incumbent. It was opened with a capital stock of thirty thousand dollars, which has since been raised to seventy-five thou- sand dollars, with forty per cent paid up. The present directors are E. G. Matson, Elijah Jami- son, C. F. Kirtley, W. J. Tapley, George A. Sall- ing, S. K. Flowerree, J. E. Megown, J. M. Smith and R. B. Conn. The bank is in a good financial condition and has the confidence of the people.
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