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 62

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 62
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 62
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 62

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April 30, 1860, Mr. McElroy was united in marriage to Melissa, daughter of William H. Haney of Marion County. Mrs. McElroy de-

parted this life February, 16, 1875, and was placed to rest in Palmyra Cemetery. August 9, 1881, was celebrated the union of Mr. McElroy and Belle, daughter of Walter Forsythe. They have no children of their own, but have an adopted daughter, Lottie. Politically Mr. McElroy is affiliated with the Democratic party and always takes a foremost part in all measures calculated to benefit the community; religiously he is a mem- ber of the Presbyterian faith. Mrs. McElroy is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

T HOMAS WALLACE, of New London, has, by hard work and persistent effort, won an extensive and worthy reputation as an author, traveler, linguist and lecturer, and having recently been admitted to the bar, bids fair to excel in legal learning. His life during recent years, either in the field of physical or men- tal exertion, has been one of constant activity and heavy pressure under self-imposed labor. He was born in Rock Island, Ill., June 25, 1855, soon after his parents had made a long journey overland from the Atlantic Coast. Thus it may be said that by prenatal influence, he inherited a disposition to travel. (See family genealogy in the sketch of David Wallace.) Besides, his birth- place was rich in pioneer history and romance, and renowned for its beautiful, wild, natural scen- ery. It was the early home of Blackhawk and his warriors, the fierce Sacs and Foxes; and per- haps the first signs of death the baby boy of the family ever saw were the beads and bones taken from Indian graves that were leveled down to make way for streets in his village home. The rippling waves of the Mississippi, that washed the rocks and shells of the island shores, very likely created a desire to behold the waves of the sea, and gather shells on foreign shores. His birth- place was also possessed of a variety of wild bea:1- ties and rustic scenes connected with pioneer life, all of which created hopes, which in after years yielded a harvest. For, indeed, childhood years are as little brooks, mature life is the river be-

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yond, and as the brooks are, so the river will be, for each river is only the union of many brooks.

At this time the character of the five-year-old boy foreshadowed that of the man. He was strong, active, venturesome and eager to see and hear all that was new or strange. Barefooted and often bareheaded, and with sun-browned hands, curly hair and a freckled face, he would wander away in the swamps to catch frogs and leeches and to kill watersnakes and snapping turtles. At this age he saw real pleasure in making bare- foot tracks in the early snows of winter; and the hoar frost. of October was but little more re- garded than the dews of May; hence, with these hardy habits, it is not surprising that in after years, he was able to endure almost any degree of exposure met with in a temperate, frigid or torrid clime.

Inherited economy was another trait of his early character. He would carry his new boots in his hands to save the wear of going over stony ways, and would bare his head to the rain rather than get his new hat wet; so, in after years, when economy was a necessity, it came natural to select the durable rather than the fashionable in dress, and spend his money for bread in place of beer; and his time with books instead of bil- liards. In about 1860, his father and family moved to Hannibal, Mo. It was then a small town with a mixed population of lumber men, river men, slaves, a few free negroes, and emi- grants from various parts of the world. This cos- mopolitan population gave the boy an early in- sight into the character and customs of the peo- ple he was destined to learn of in after years. The boy's time while here, like that of other boys, was chiefly spent in climbing high lumber piles, hunting birds' nests, going fishing, and getting into fights. This continued until the family moved to the farm of James Moore, near Big Creek, Clay Township, Ralls County. From this time on, the boy's calling and character under- went a material change. Hoeing in the garden, pulling cockle-burrs out of the corn, cutting sprouts in new ground, he was occasionally re- quired to suffer a siege under the pressure of a dull ax at the grindstone. In these respective

industries, he believed, as most boys do, that the heaviest hoe, the hottest day, the dullest ax, and worst row for weeds, fell to his lot. This con- tinued until the Civil War broke out, when the boy and his two big brothers, Will and Dave, grew very patriotic in the defense of the Union. Dave was Captain, Will was second in command, and Tom was a proud private, having fights al- most every day and living in high hopes of pro- motion. Weapons of war in this department of the Union Army consisted of wooden guns, tin swords, toy pistols, and case knives for daggers, which were streaked blood red by means of poke- berry juice, and all were mustered under flags which were striped with the same material, and studded with stars made of indigo blue. Tents made of sheets were set up in the woods. Mud balls, dried hard in the sun, and wet cobs, served as missiles of destruction in summer, and water- soaked snow balls served the same purpose in winter. The rebel camp, which this company usually stormed, was set up by the sons of James Moore, John, Tom and Jim. When they were made prisoners, they were required to throw down their guns and throw up their arms; their mud balls were pulverized, cobs were scattered, and they were released after promising to hurrah for President Lincoln and yell "Hang Jeff Davis on a sour apple tree and feed him to the turkey buzzards." But when they were the captors, the obligation was reversed. This war record of the boys was ended by the family moving to William Brown's place, near Big Creek. The log house, in which they lived, is yet standing as a worthy relic of that day.

While at this place, our boy, then about seven years of age, learned his letters at the Jeff Priest log school-house, where Miss Anna Lyel was teaching. The school-house was a model one for that kind, having a puncheon plank floor, benches and writing desks. The boys had to take turns in bringing water from the spring and chopping wood at the wood pile. Most of them wore blue or butternut-brown jeans, home- made "yarn gallases," and at home, corn bread and rye coffee, sweetened with. sorghum mo- lasses, were the chief articles of diet. Among the

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boys who went to this log school-house were Judge Sam Priest, of St. Louis; Dr. Sam Brown, of Monroe City; James Rudesil, ex-County As- sessor, also a number of the Hornback and Ogle boys. Here Thomas earned his first money (twenty-five cents) dragging hay with Sam Brown on the farm of Warren Hatcher.

In 1865, the family moved to the farm of Ada- niram Smith, near Ely Station, on the H. & St. J. R. R. Here Thomas worked for J. P. Myers, pumping water at the Ely tank. The summer was hot and dry, there was no well water near, and pond water was bad drinking. But neces- sity knows no law. Mr. Myers and his tank boy, by kind treatment and a little coaxing, became quite friendly with one of Jerome Kendrick's best milch cows, which grazed on the open prairies, and came to the tank pond for water every day at noon. This bovine supplied the tank folks with milk all summer. This revelation will spoil the many great snake stories which were told about the great blue racers and cow-sucker snakes, which during that summer stole the milk from Jerome Kendrick's cow, and caused the calf to pine away from the slimy poison that was left by the snake.

Leaving this locality, the family moved to the farm of Maj. Johnson, where Huntington is now located, and were living there when the remains of the Major were brought home for burial from the Centralia massacre. Leaving this place, the family moved to a farm in Jasper- Township, two and one-half miles south of Madisonville, in Ralls County. This has been the home of the family for over twenty years, or until all were settled in life.

At sixteen years of age our subject learned liis multiplication table at the Bridgewater school- house, and about the same time he made his first speech at a debate in the old log school-house at Madisonville. The summers were now spent in hard work on the farm, and the winters were spent in clearing up new ground, log-rolling, house-raising, corn-shucking, and going to spell- ing and writing schools and evening parties. At the age of seventeen, he was given his own time and began to work by the month on the Spencer

ranche, herding Texas cattle. It was then under the management of William Wood, now of West Hartford. Here he learned to be rather an ex- pert, riding wild mustangs brought in from Texas with the cattle. There were no idlers on this place; everything went with a rush, late and early, and in all kinds of weather. It was a fine drill for any young man, and it was a most helpful preparation for the work and endurance required by Mr. Wallace as a traveler in after years. Here he learned to overcome obstacles under almost all circumstances. A single in- stance will illustrate his character. Once while out on the prairie he found a large swarm of bees settled on a hedge fence. At first there seemed no means of securing them, for they would soon fly away; but by making good haste, he secured a salt barrel and sheet at a farm house, and cut- ting off a few branches of the hedge thrust bees and all into a barrel, and that night, after work, he carried the bees, barrel and all, on his back, to the home place, over seven miles away, and that over creeks, hills and a rough, stony road. But he returned in time for work next morn- ing. In after years, a like, but more severe ex- perience, was realized in Spanish America, when his horse was stolen one night, and he was re- quired to carry nearly all his earthly belongings on his back one hundred and fifty miles along the mountains on the Isthmus. From childhood, his rugged constitution seemed to be equal to every emergency. He would bind half the oats a self- dropping reaper would cut, and was never caught but once. He would cut fifty shocks of corn, sixteen hills square, in one day, and would aver- age thirty-five shocks per day for ten days. He would swim creeks when out of their banks, and after falling through the ice up to his neck, would wring out his clothes and let them dry on him in the cold raw winds of March.

These accustomed exposures, and trials of en- durance, especially fitted him for his work of exposure while traveling in the deserts, plains and mountains of temperate, torrid and frigid climes of other lands in after years. While on the Spencer ranche he saved his money, and spent it attending the New London high school and

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the Kirksville Normal. By this investment he increased his earnings from sixteen dollars per month on the farm to fifty dollars in the school- room, and in five years he made all expenses and finished a complete commercial course in the business college of Keokuk, Iowa, and delivered the valedictory before his class; he also finished a course at the Kirksville Normal, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Scientific Didactics. The close confinement and mental strain of these five years required a change of work for the preser- vation of health, so for the following four years he traveled through the States, making expenses by teaching penmanship, lecturing on temper- ance, canvassing for books, and writing for the papers. He visited the chief battlefields of all our wars and described the various resources of the North, South, East and West, besides the chief cities of the Union, including New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, New Orleans, and other cities of the South and West. In short, he saw the most that is to be seen between Canada and Cape Sable, the Atlan- tic and the Pacific.

In 1885 Mr. Wallace attended the World's Fair at New Orleans, and in the fall of the same year traveled in the Southwest, and in old Mex- ico, as a special correspondent of the Sedalia Democrat. He spent three and a half years trav- eling in Mexico, Yucatan and Central America. During this trip he learned Spanish, and wrote an account of the resources, strange customs and wild natural scenery of those parts. He ascended the highest volcanoes of the country and visited the chief ruins and natural wonders of Yucatan and the Republic of Guatemala. He made a trip of nearly thirteen hundred miles on horseback alone among tropical jungles, where the mon- keys, parrots, deer, tiger, tapir and mountain lions were found in an almost unmolested wild state. Here also the wild tribes of Indians were yet found in their primitive simplicity of dress and habitation. This kind of wild life among the fields of the tropics, and beasts of the forests, lasted until 1889, when he started from Central America for the Paris Exposition, by way of the City of Mexico, San Antonio, Tex., and Kansas

City, Mo .; thence to the old home. After six weeks spent visiting friends and relatives, and in lec- turing, he started for the Old World, by way of Chicago, Pittsburgh, Wheeling, Washington, Philadelphia and New York; thence by steamer to Amsterdam, and down through Belgium to Waterloo, and on to Paris, where five months were spent, after which he passed down the val- ley of the Rhone, then over the Alps into Italy, and thence to Rome, Naples, Pompeii, Herculan- eum, and by steamer to Alexandria, Egypt .. Then two months were spent along the Nile, traveling in the desert, among oases, pyramids, and dead cities of three thousand years ago. Leaving Egypt, he sailed for Jaffa (Joppa); then went up to Jerusalem, and from there down to the Dead Sea and the Jordan; thence to Bey- root, forty miles north of Dan. The next year was spent in traveling in Western Asia, Turkey in Europe, Greece, and the Barbary States of North Africa, all of which is described in his re- cent work, "Rambler's Travels in Classic and Bible Lands," so his route of travel, only, is given in this biography. Next, he returned to Europe, spending six months traveling in the British Islands, after which he returned to the . United States, landing at New York, January 19, 1892, after an absence of over two years and a half on his trip through the Old World.

In these ten years of almost constant travel Mr. Wallace has used almost every known mode of conveyance, from the donkeys of Egypt to the camel and elephant of Africa. He has been sheltered in almost every kind of human habita- tion, from the sod house, cave and bamboo hut, to the palaces of European and Oriental kings. In Paris, he saw the emporium of art, fashion and luxury; in Rome, he saw the ne plus ultra of ancient art. In Egypt, he saw the most ancient of dead cities; in Palestine, he saw the most sacred sights of earth; he has walked among the remains of dead and forgotten millions in the Catacombs of Paris and Rome, and has as- cended to the summit of the highest structures reared by man. He has sailed on nearly every sea and ocean, lived in every clime and under every ruler, from the despotic tribal chief to that

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of a free government made by and for the peo- ple. He has seen almost every kind of shrine from that where idols are worshipped to the altar where prayer is offered to the true God. After returning home, he published the above- named work, in one large volume, containing over eight hundred pages. It will soon be fol- lowed by other works of travel. On December 25, 1894, Mr. Wallace was married in St. Louis, to Miss Lillian Neiger, a missionary to Old Mexico, and they are now living at their home in New London, Mo. She speaks two and he speaks four languages, and with correspondence, lecturing, writing, study and the superintendence of the sale of his work, Mr. Wallace is a busy hard worker from early morning until late at night. Later he will make a tour around the world. Thus, with present good health and a strong body and mind, his future, like his past life, will be one of constant work in the various lines of his labor; and so it is hoped, when he shall have passed away, the world will be left better because of the ingathering of this busy bee in the hive of human industry.

G EORGE SMITH. Among the goodly number of farmers of Ralls County who have won a competence from the pro- ductive soil and have retired to enjoy the fruits of their industry, is the gentleman above named. He has long been a prominent resident of Saline Township, where he has one of the finest farms in the county. The acreage is devoted princi- pally to general farming, although in his earlier years Mr. Smith raised stock in considerable numbers.

Like many of the best residents of this county our subject was born in Germany, the date thereof being October 22, 1823. His parents were John and Catherine (Fister) Smith, also born in the Fatherland, where they spent their entire lives engaged in farming. The father de- parted this life in 1854, aged sixty-five years,

while his wife died at the age of forty-five years, in 1833. To them were born a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters. Of these John is deceased, having been accidentally drowned in his native land; Margaret married Mr. Conrad Sites and is living in the Fatherland; our subject was the third of the household; Cor- nie is deceased; Barbara is living in Germany; Hansel is deceased, and John, Jr., is a resident of Sidney, this county.

The original of this sketch set sail for America in 1848 and landed in Philadelphia, Pa., after a tedious voyage of fifty-two days. He remained in that city for a few days, when he went to Bucks County and obtained work on a farm, remaining there for six years. For his first month's wages he received a little over five dollars, and the fol- lowing year was given ninety dollars. At the expiration of the six years mentioned he worked a farm on shares for eighteen years. He came to Missouri and in 1874 became the owner of a portion of his present fine farm. On this he has resided ever since and has the satisfaction of knowing that the two hundred and forty acres have been accumulated solely through his own exertions.

Mr. Smith was married at Lewistown, Pa., in 1854, to Miss Elizabeth Mull, who was born in Snyder County, that State, January 7, 1831. She was the daughter of John and Margaret Mull, also natives of the Keystone State, where they lived all their lives. Her father was well-to-do and an expert machinist. They were the parents of the following children: John is living in Pennsylvania; Catherine married Daniel Omiler, of Williamsport, Pa .; Elizabeth, the wife of our subject, was the next born; Henry; Maggie is now Mrs. Peter Deal and is living on a farmi in Kansas; Susan, Jake and Polly are deceased: William is a farmer in Pennsylvania; the next born died in infancy; Ellen; Emma is the wife of A. Stroub, of Pennsylvania.

To our subject and his wife there have been born the following children: John, a farmer of Marion County, this State; Margaret, deceased; Emma J., the wife of John Schluckeber, a farmer of Marion County; William and George, who

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make their home in that county; Sarah E., now Mrs. William Linbauer, a farmer of this town- ship; Harry, Ann C., and Curtis, deceased; Sophia, the wife of John Phosmer; and Mary, deceased.

Mr. Smith has never cared to hold office, his time being fully occupied in looking after his vast interests. He is one of the largest land- holders in the county, and in the management of his affairs has met with remarkable success. In religious matters he is a member of the Luth- eran Church and in politics he never fails to vote for Democratic candidates. His fellow-men hold him in high repute as a man of honorable charac- ter, intelligence and usefulness. Before leaving the land of his nativity Mr. Smith was drafted into the German Army, but he was never compelled to serve on account of sickness. After coming to America and during the late war he was also called upon to become a soldier, but hired a sub- stitute to enlist in his stead.

P I

RESTON HANCOCK, now occupying the old homestead of his parents in Ralls County, was born on the farm where he now lives October 15, 1856. The land is favor- ably located in Saline Township, is carefully and intelligently tilled and the place is well stocked.

Austin and Mary (Young) Hancock, the par- ents of our subject, were natives of Kentucky, the father being born in Adair County, and dying March 14, 1884, when in his seventy-fourth year. His wife preceded him to the grave, dying in 1882, at the age of fifty-six. They were united in marriage in Marion County, Mo., and to them were born two sons, William, now deceased, and Preston, twins.

Prior to his union with Miss Young, Austin Hancock was married to a Miss Settles, who died in 1850. She became the mother of three sons, Robert, now living in South America; one died

in infancy, and James, who makes his home with our subject.

The father of our subject came to this county from Marion County, Mo., first working out by the month. He was prospered in his labors, saved his money, and in 1851 purchased the farm upon which Preston now makes his home. He worked hard to clear the place, and before his death had the satisfaction of knowing that it was one of the best and most fertile tracts in Saline Township. He was interested in school affairs in his locality and for some time served efficiently as a member of the School Board.

The subject of this sketch was reared to man- hood on the home farm, and has continued to make it his home, with the exception of two years which he spent in Colorado. He is well educated, attending the district school for many years, and well remembers the early life of the family in this county, when they lived in a little rude log cabin which the father erected. As he grew older he aided greatly in the work of cultivating the raw land, and today has one of the best-improved tracts in the township. It comprises two hundred acres, which Mr. Hancock devotes to general agriculture, raising, besides the various grains, large numbers of fine live stock. He was married in this township, May 15, 1892, to Miss Nora Fahy, who was a native of this locality and born November 27, 1867. Her parents were William B. and Mary E. Fahy, prominent residents of this locality, and for a full history of whom the read- er is referred to their sketch on another page in this volume. To Mr. and Mrs. Hancock there have been born two daughters, Mary A. and Josephine R.

As a true citizen should be, Mr. Hancock is in- terested in political affairs, and votes the Demo- cratic ticket. He is a devout member of the Cath- olic church. He has never held, nor has he de- sired to hold, any public office, with the excep- tion of serving on the School Board. He is held in high esteem by his fellow-citizens and is well and favorably known throughout the county where he has spent his entire life.

JUDGE O. M. WHITE.

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

501

JUDGE OBED M. WHITE.

J UDGE OBED M. WHITE. As a repre- sentative of the intelligence, integrity and moral worth of the citizens of Marion County, the subject of this sketch occupies no ordinary position. He is favorably known in this locality, and the fact that he is highly spoken of by high and low, rich and poor, is sufficient in- dication of his character. By a course of industry and judicious management he has become well- to-do financially and his fine estate of four hun- dred and fifty-five acres indicates to what good purpose he has labored. His farm is situated in Township 58, Range 7, and is numbered among the most fertile and productive places in the county. It contains all the modern improve- ments, including a neat residence and the out- buildings necessary for the storage of grain and shelter of stock.

In Round Grove Township, this county, the subject of this sketch was born April 28, 1844, being the fourth in order of birth of seven chil- dren of George G. and Elizabeth (Lathom) White, natives of Virginia, who were married there and thence came to Marion County in 1835. The father, who was a man of persevering, in- dustrious disposition, acquired a competency by the exercise of wise management, and became known throughout his locality as a man of wortlı and honor. The White family is of English de- scent, but has been represented in America for many generations.

The educational advantages enjoyed by our subject were limited to a brief attendance at the district schools and were abruptly terminated by the death of his father when he was a lad of four- teen years. He at once assumed the management of the home farm, which had been purchased by his father in 1835 and which he now owns. His

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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 62

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