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 77
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 77
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 77
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present homestead for two years. February 14, 1872, he wedded Martha Gatson, who was born in Ralls County, and was a daughter of John C. and Melinda F. Gatson, early settlers of Monroe County, this State, and later of this section, where they passed their last years. Mr. and Mrs. Quinn began housekeeping on the farm formerly owned by Mr. Gatson, near Perry. Aid- ed by his estimable wife, our subject found him- self in a position, when two years had elapsed, to buy out the other heirs of the old Quinn farm, which comprised a quarter section of land. After- ward he added another tract of one hundred acres, and, later still, another of one hundred and twenty acres, thus making his present farm one of three hundred and eighty acres. While corn and wheat are the principal staples raised on this fertile and productive farm, Mr. Quinn also de- votes some attention to raising cattle, hogs and sheep, from which source he derives a good in- come.
By their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Quinn became the parents of two daughters, the elder of whom died in infancy; the other, Mary, lives with her parents. They are all members of the Catholic Church and regular attendants at St. Paul's Chapel. Politically Mr. Quinn uses his right of franchise on behalf of Republican candidates and party principles, and has always voted in this manner.
T HOMAS O'CONNOR is a self-made man and a prominent farmer of Ralls County. He is now living on Section 13, Town- ship 54, Range 7, which he has developed into one of the most productive estates in this sec- tion. Mr. O'Connor, as his name indicates, is a native of Ireland, having been born in County Cork, November 17, 1830.
Jerry and Mary (Murphy) O'Connor, the par- ents of our subject, were natives of Ireland, where they were well-to-do farmers. They made their home in that country until 1846, when the father determined to come to America. Accord-
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ingly he engaged passage on a vessel for his wife and children, and was landed several weeks later in the harbor at New York. He then went to Allegheny County, Pa., where he resided until his death, about 1867. There Mrs. O'Connor also departed this life, when about seventy years of age. They were the parents of eight children, bearing the respective names of Mary, Johanna, Elizabeth, Margaret, John, Thomas, Daniel, and James, all of whom were born in the Emerald Isle and there given a very fair education.
The original of this sketch, when a lad of sev- enteen years, started for America, accompanied by his brother John and sister Johanna. They crossed the Atlantic on the ship "J. Z.," and were five weeks and three days in making the trip. On arriving in New York, they made their way to Martinsburg, Va., where they found work and remained for about two years, when our subject and John went to Allegheny County, Pa. Thomas was employed in a warehouse in Pitts- burg until 1857.
The lady to whom our subject was joined in marriage in 1854, was Miss Mary Flanagan, also a native of Ireland, who came to America alone the same year in which her husband emigrated hither. Her parents both died in the Old Coun- try. Soon after his marriage our subject was in- duced to come to Ralls County by a Mr. Gra- ham, who was the owner of a farm in this town- ship and for whom he worked one year. For seven years thereafter he was in the employ of a Mr. Muldrow, after which he worked for differ- ent farmers until about 1873, when he purchased sixty acres of his present estate. He was very prosperous in its management and was afterward enabled to add sixty acres more, so that now his possessions number one hundred and twenty acres, including some of the most productive land in the township. This tract Mr. O'Connor has cleared himself, and since locating on it has made all of its many valuable improvements.
Mr. and Mrs. O'Connor are the parents of a family of ten children, of whom the eldest son, Jerry, is living in the Sandwich Islands; Cath- erine married William J. Gibney and is now liv- ing on a farm one mile north of her father's
place; Mary, the twin of Catherine, is the wife of Samuel Leake, and lives one mile east of the home farm; Annie is now Mrs. James Noonan and is a resident of Orwood; James is living in Colorado; Thomas married Miss Kate Leake, and is cultivating a tract of land one mile and a half north of our subject; William and Edward are at home; John is married and resides in the State of Colorado, and Ellen died in infancy.
Both Mr. and Mrs. O'Connor are devout mem- bers of the Catholic Church, attending services at St. Paul, Mo. In politics Mr. O'Connor is Democratic. He is well known in this locality as a self-made man, an honest and upright citi- zen, and as such commands and receives the re- spect of all.
W ILLIAM BREBNER, manager of the Marblehead Lime Company of Louis- iana, was born in Frazierburg, County of Aberdeen, Scotland, July 8, 1852. His parents were James and Margaret (Paxton) Brebner. The father was the son of Thomas Brebner, also a native of Scotland and born in Aberdeen County. The grandfather was an architect and builder and departed this life about 1840. His son James also learned that business, which he too followed until his decease, this event occurring in 1880, in Frazierburg, Scotland. He was a devoted member of the Presbyterian Church, as was his father before him. Mrs. Mar- garet (Paxton) Brebner was a native of Edin- burgh, Scotland, and was the daughter of Thomas Paxton, a boilermaker. She survived her hus- band two years, passing away in 1882, also in Frazierburg. She became the mother of a family of eleven sons and daughters. Of these, Ann married Charles Noble; Thomas is living in Frazierburg; John died at Cape Town, South Africa, where he was engaged in the dry goods business; Margery married John Davidson, and lives in Edinboro; Margaret is now Mrs. George- Laben of Edinboro; James makes his home in Frazierburg; Eliza is deceased; our subject was
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the next born, and Jessie, the youngest, is tlie wife of M. McDonald of Aberdeen, Scotland.
The subject of this sketch was reared in Frazier- burg, where he attended the public schools. After completing his education he taught school for two years, but not finding the occupation to his liking abandoned it, and shipped as an ap- prentice on a vessel sailing from London to Sidney, Australia. He served in this position for four years and then began coasting along the Australian shores for about two years in various steamships. He then boarded a vessel from New Castle and sailcd for Java, entering Soura Bav, where the vessel was unloaded and then sailed for Manilla. He remained there with the crew about a month and when on his way back to England stopped for a time at St. Helena.
The next trip of our subject was from London to Singapore, on a vessel carrying general mcr- chandise. From that port they again went to Manilla, where they took in hemp and sugar as cargo, and then sailed for Augoon, Bay of Ben- gal, and the East Indies. They there loaded the vessel with rice and went to Marishes, where they took a cargo of sugar and spices, etc., and returned to London, then to Leath, where Mr. Brebner left the ship, and boarding another ves- sel, sailed for Cape Town. He was in Cape Town for about two months, then went to Adelaide, Australia, and later to Sidney, where the vessel was sold. Mr. Brebner then took passage on an- other ship at Newcastle, which was bound for Haigon, and then back to Bristol. England. From that place he set sail for home, having been on the seas for about twelve years in all.
Our subject remained with his parents for a time, but longing for the excitement of life on the ocean, he again set sail once more, this time going to Cronstadt, Russia, whence he sailed back to England. He then joined another crew in London, on this trip going to Yokahama, Japan, and from there to Tokio, where they added a general cargo. From that port they made for Manilla, where they loaded with sugar and started home, touching at St. Helena, from there to Falmouth, and thence to Bristol, where they unloaded their cargo.
Mr. Brebner again spent some months with his parents when he took a vessel at Leith and sailed for Cuba, and loading with sugar and to- bacco, made for the port of New York, his first landing on American soil, in 1880. From New York he sailed with the vessel to Baltimore, where he left the ship, feeling that he had had enough of life on the seas. Mr. Brebner later went to Pittsburg, where he worked for about a year in a machine shop. Leaving that city he went to St. Louis and later to Fulton, Mo., where he engaged with the Callaway Lime Company, rc- maining with them for a period of six years. He then left for Lockport, Ill., where he entered the employ of the Marblehead Lime Company, and was there for about eighteen months, when he came to Louisiana. This was in 1889, and since that time he has been in charge of the company's works there. The output of the concern is about seventy thousand barrels of lime annually, which is marketed usually in the West. They also fur- nish stone culverts for railroads, etc .; also handle all kinds of cement and plastering hair. They keep in their employ on an average of forty men and do a very large and paying business.
Mr. Brebner was married in October, 1885, in Fulton, Mo., to Miss Mary Elizabeth, daughter of William B. and Elizabeth (Edston) Wright, natives of Callaway County, Mo. They are now living at Auxvasse, that county. To our sub- ject and his wife there have been born three children: Maggie, Bessie and Jessie. Mrs. Brebner is a member of the Baptist Church, while our subject is an attendant at the Presbyterian Church, with which he is connected. In politics he is a Democrat. He belongs to Perseverance Lodge, No. 52, A. F. & A. M. of Louisiana; Riverside Lodge, No. 22, A. O. U. W., also of that place, and to the Maccabees, holding men- bership with Lodge No. 92.
Our subject has the entire confidence of the company for whom he is working so faithfully. Although well established in life and surrounded by his loving family, yet he occasionally has a longing for sea life. At these times he turns his gaze upon the broad waters of the great Missis- sippi, on the banks of which his lime works are
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located, and where also his residence is situated, and consoles himself with the thought that at any time he may choose its waters can carry him to the great seas, upon whose bosom he was wont to ride to all parts of the world.
J OHN H. BURCH. This name will be at once recognized by the majority of our readers as that of a citizen of Pike County who was for many years one of its leading agri- culturists. He is now deceased, passing from this life November II, 1882, at his home in Spencer Township. He was a native of this county and born November 26, 1830, and was therefore fifty- two years of age at the time of his demise.
Our subject was the son of Henry and Meake- yann Burch, natives of Vermont, whence they emigrated many years ago to this State, beco :- ing the first settlers of this county and township. As the country developed and the settlers came in they were accorded a position of prominence. Farming was their lifelong occupation, in which industry they were successful and acquired a good property. Their children were Henry, Francis, William, John H., Matilda Poole, Letitia McDowell, Francis, Eliza Shoars and George W., all of whom are deceased with the exception of Francis who is engaged in farming in Macon County, Mo.
Our subject was united in marriage in this township, January 6, 1853, to Miss Susanna Jacobs, and to them were born three children: Alfred H., deceased; Marion F., a farmer of this township, and Mary C., deceased. The wife and mother was born in Blount County, Tenn., May 7, 1831. Her parents were Alfred and Margaret (Bowman) Jacobs, also natives of that State, of whom the father died in October, 1845, at the age of forty years. Margaret Jacobs was born in Monroe County, Tenn., in 1812 and died June 13, 1873, when aged seventy-two years. She was the daughter of Robert and Mary Bowman, promi- nent farmers of that county where they passed their entire lives.
Alfred and Margaret (Bowman) Jacobs were married in Tennessee and to them were born thie following-named children: Adeline and Frank- lin, deceased; Susannah J., Mrs. Burch; Milton B., a retired farmer living in California; Mary J., the wife of Silas Kelly, a retired farmer of Audrain County, this State; Margaret E., Eliza, Alfred G., John N. and James L., deceased. The parents of this family came to Missouri about 1843 and passed the remainder of their lives in farming in this county. They were well-to-do and con- tributed greatly toward the advancement and de- velopment of the section.
Mrs. Burch was reared on a farm in this town- ship and remained with her parents until twenty- two years of age when she and her husband rented a farm, making it their home for one year. Mr. Burch then went to California and remained for two years working in the mines. During this time his wife stayed at home and there lived until they again began life on rented property in this vicinity. As before, they only resided on this property for a twelvemonth when Mr. Burch purchased the property on which his wife now resides. It consisted at that time of forty acres, but so well did he succeed in his farm work that at his death he left two hundred and ninety acres, of which his widow is now the proprietor of one hundred and seventy. Personally he was one of the most genial and companionable of men, strictly honorable in his dealings and therefore highly regarded by all with whom he had to do.
M OSES ALLEN FARMER. This gentle- man, who is one of the extensive agri- culturists of Pike County, is also the pro- prietor of Hotel Farmer, which is located at Far- mer, Indian Township. He is one of the pioneers of this section and as such is held in high esteem and counts among his friends its best people.
Mr. Farmer is a native of Pittsylvania County, Va., and was born June 27, 1829, to John and Jane (Woodson) Farmer. His father, who was also a Virginian, died in 1845, aged forty years.
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He in turn was the son of Marlin and Elizabeth (Acles) Farmer, who were born in Scotland. On emigrating from that country they made their home in Virginia, where they became extensive farmers and slave-owners and spent the remainder of their lives. To them were born the following- named children: James has heirs living in St. Joseph, Mo .; John, the father of our subject, was the next born; Moses died in Virginia; William's heirs are residents of Pittsylvania County, Va .; Polly married Samuel Willis; Nancy became the wife of Allen Woodson; Roddie was the wife of William Willis; Sally became Mrs. William Irby, and Permelia married Mariman Moore. They all became well-to-do in this world's goods and were people greatly esteemed in their respective con- munities.
Jane (Woodson) Farmer was born January 27, 1800, in Pittsylvania County, Va., and departed this life February 26, 1895, at Farmer. She was the daughter of Allen and Jennie (Taylor) Wood- son, an old family of Virginia, who were related to President Zachary Taylor. They were the pro- prietors of a large tract of land in the Old Do- minion, which was worked by slave labor. To them were born Allen, deceased; William and Moses, who died in Virginia; Steven uied in Pike County, Mo .; Elizabeth, the wife of a Mr. Vaden; Lucy, Mrs. Joseph Rogers, died in Vir- ginia; Jane B., Mrs. Farmer; Martha, the wife of William Farmer; Sarah, Mrs. Newton Farmer; and Polly, Mrs. Hubbard. They are all now de- ceased.
The parents of our subject were married in Pittsylvania County, Va., and to them were born four sons and three daughters, as follows: Maty A., now deceased, was the wife of Thomas Wright, a farmer and stock-raiser of this county; Elizabeth T., the widow of Francis Gourley, is now residing in Hartford Township, this county; Ella W. is the widow of Dr. Robert A. Vannoy, and she, too, is a resident of this county; Moses A., of this sketch, was the next born; William M. departed this life in California, and John F. M. is the owner of a fine estate in this township, and also carries on a thriving business as general mer- chant at Estes.
Mrs. Jane Farmer, after the death of her hus- band, was married to Stephen Burts, who died in 1854 at the age of fifty-seven years. The or- iginal of this sketch was married October 10, 1872, to Miss Susan Elizabeth Farthing, who is a native of Middletown, Montgomery County, Mo., and the daughter of Shelton B. and Julia A. (Glen) Farthing. Her father, who was born in Ken- tucky, died in 1875 at the age of sixty-six years. He was the son of Thomas and Polly (Vaughan) Farthing, Virginians by birth, whence they came to Montgomery County, this State, and here passed the remainder of their lives quietly and happily. They were the owners of a handsome property here and left their children well pro- vided for. Their sons and daughters were named respectively: Thomas, John, Shelton B., Sally, Mrs. James Hunt, and Bettie, the wife of William Hill.
Julia A. (Glen) Farthing was born in this State November 22, 1821. She was the daughter of Thomas and Lucinda (Stoddard) Glen, the former of whom was four times married and was the father of four children: William, James, Julia, the grandmother of Mrs. Farmer, and Elizabeth, now the widow of Osborn Stewart. She now makes her home in Montgomery City, Mo. Shelton B. and Julia A. Farthing were married in Lincoln County, this State, in 1837, and to them were born a large family, as follows: Thomas T. is engaged in the undertaking business at Omaha, Neb., Mary E. is the wife of John Boen, of Middletown, Mo .; John F. is a carpenter of Dallas, Ill .; Susan E. is the wife of our subject; George P. is a farmer of Montgomery County, Mo .; Austin S. is an agriculturist of Oklahoma; James A. is a blacksmith of Audrain County, this State; Will- iam O. is a lumber merchant of Omaha; Charles A. is a farmer of California; Robert W. is en- gaged in mining in California, and Ruey A. is the wife of Newton Farmer, a resident of Middle- town, Mo.
To our subject and his estimable wife there have been born six children, of whom we make the following mention: Marling was born July 25, 1873; he is now attending college at Bowling Green, this State; Elmer was born December 28,
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1874; he is at home and occupied in managing the estate; Beulah was born December 10, 1877, and died January 27, 1884; Clarence M. was born March 10, 1881, and died November 22, 1883; Herbert was born January 27, 1883, and died February 2 of the following year. Willard was born December 12, 1887, and is at home .-
The original of this sketch came to this town- ship in the fall of 1832 in company with his par- ents. The following spring they purchased a tract of forty acres, on which was erected a rude log cabin with a board roof and puncheon floor. It was heated by means of a large fireplace in one end of the room and lighted by a hole cut in the wall, over which was hung greased paper for glass. In this home the father died two years after coming here. The other members of the household continued to live there for fifteen years, when they came to this section, locating on land which is now the site of View Harmony.
Mr. Farmer continued to make his home with his mother and stepfather until attaining his twen- tieth year, when he began in life on his own ac- count. He first worked out by the month for eight dollars and occasionally split rails for fifty cents per hundred. He afterward obtained a po- sition with Moses Hendricks as overseer of his slaves. This he held for about six years, when we next find him in Louisiana, Mo., engaged in working at the tobacco business. Very shortly thereafter he went west on a prospecting trip, and the following winter he spent among friends in his old Virginia home. On his return the next spring he purchased eighty acres of his present estate, which he continued to increase, as his means would allow, until now it embraces seven hundred broad and well-tilled acres. On this place Mr. Farmer engaged in farming and stock- raising on an extensive scale, and was thus em- ployed in 1862, when he enlisted in the Union Army, joining Company A, of the State Militia. He went with his regiment to Paris and was there appointed Quartermaster, continuing in that posi- tion until the spring of 1863, when he was honor- ably discharged. He then purchased a number of mules, which he drove to California. This ven- ture proved a very successful one, and on his re-
turn home Mr. Farmer remained until the spring of 1864, when he again made the overland trip to the Golden State on the same mission. He re- mained there until 1866 and when again coming to Missouri it was with the intention of making it his permanent home.
Our subject has proven himself a very valuable acquisition to this community, for in 1885 he laid out the town of Farmer, which is now a pros- perous and thriving village. He is a noted nurs- eryman and supplies most of the people of this section with almost every variety of fruit and shade tree, besides shrubs in abundance. Politi- cally he is a stanch supporter of Democratic principles. Mr. Farmer is now sixty-six years of age and has always been of very temperate hab- its. In all his life he never took a chew of to- bacco, nor smoked a pipe or cigar, and never drank a glass of beer.
H ON. WILLIAM SHIELDS M'CLIN- TIC. In presenting to the readers of this volume the biography of this gentleman, we are perpetuating the life work of one of the most influential residents of the State. Through- out his honorable career, he has ever maintained the integrity of character and wisdom of judg- ment which are his most prominent characteris- tics. While he has been successful in securing wealth, he has also been successful in doing good, in serving others, in benefiting his fellowmen, and in winning the respect of a very large circle of acquaintances.
The service rendered by Mr. McClintic in an official capacity has been very valuable. In 1883 he was elected Justice of the Peace, in which po- sition he served so capably and with so high an appreciation of his duties to others that it seemed most fitting he should receive yet higher distinc- tion. In the fall of 1888 he was elected to repre- sent the county of Marion in the Missouri State Legislature and in 1892 was elected to the State Senate to represent the district composed of
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Marion, Ralls, Monroe and Shelby counties, Mo., and in that responsible position he has rendered distinguished service in behalf of his constituents. By his political opponents as well as by those of his own party he is held to be a worthy exponent of the ideas and principles upon which our Gov- ernment is founded. In addition to the duties in- cident to this position, he is the present incumbent of the office of Justice of the Peace and is also serving as School Director. He has a beautiful home on Section 9, Township 56, Range 8, where he has dwelt for the past two decades.
Referring to the history of the McClintic fam- ily, we find that the father of our subject, Shank- lin, was of Scotch-Irish descent and a son of Hon. William and Nancy (Shanklin) McClintic, natives of Bath County, Va. The former represented his district in the Virginia State Legislature and was a leading man in his community. His interests in a business way were very extensive, and his possessions included large tracts of land, cattle and live stock and a number of slaves. Shanklin McClintic was born in Bath County, Va., and died in the spring of 1880, aged seventy-two. Another brother, William, is deceased; James is a farmer and stock-raiser of Bath County, Va., and John is deceased. The sisters were Alice, who married a cousin having the same surname; Betty, who never married, and Susan, who mar- ried H. Byrd, a farmer of this township. All three of the sisters are deceased.
The first marriage of Shanklin McClintic united him with Hannah Wilson, and after her death he married Miss Seahorh, but had no chil- dren by either union. Subsequently he married Margaret, daughter of William and Margaret (Wilson) Shields, who were prominent people of Virginia. Mrs. McClintic was born in Rock- bridge County, Va., in 1818, and died in 1864. Her two brothers, Frank and William, are de- ceased, and her only sister, Lizzie, is the widow of P. H. Davie, now of Memphis, Tenn. Mr. and Mrs. Shanklin McClintic were the parents of the following-named children: William; John H., a retired farmer living in Monroe City; Hus- ton, a farmer of Audrain County, Mo .; James B. and Charles, who operate farms in this county;
Robert, deceased; Nancy, wife of William S. McClintic, a farmer of Marion County; Elizabeth, who married Joe Davie, of Memphis, Tenn .; Margaret, deceased, formerly the wife of Willianı Arnold, a farmer of this vicinity; and Alice, who married John Carr, also a local agriculturist.
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