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 88
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 88
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 88
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Mrs. Peggie L. Holliday was born in Noix Creek, about three miles south of her present home, July 17, 1867. She was the youngest of ten children born to her parents, John Eastin and Margaret B. (Biggs) Shannon, six of whom sur- vive. For a complete history of her parents, who are prominent residents of this county, we refer the reader to another page in this volume. Mrs.
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Holliday is well educated and is a woman pos- sessing many personal charms. Her two bright children, a son and daughter, are the pride and joy of the household. The daughter, Majorie, was seven years of age January 1, 1895, and Eas- ton B. will be six years old July 20, 1895.
Since his removal to this county Mr. Holliday has prospered in all that he has undertaken, and his valuable farm of four hundred acres is one of the best in the county in point of improvement and location. It lies in Grassy Creek Valley, and from the admirable manner in which it is culti- vated yields its proprietor a handsome income.
Our subject is an affable and courteous gentle- man and his hospitality and good nature, com- bined with his love of justice have made him a host of friends and won for him the esteem and good will of all who know him. In politics he always supports the candidates of the Democratic party, and in religious matters is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. As one of the leading and representative young farmers of Pike County, we are pleased to be able to place his sketch before our readers.
R EV. ERASMUS DARWIN PEARSON, D. D., was born in Saline County, Mo., June 6, 1830. He is the youngest of five children, three girls and two boys. Alonzo Pear- son, his father, was born in Maryland, came to Missouri in 1819, and married Eliza W. Sapping- ton, daughter of Dr. John Sappington, of Saline County, Mo. Her marriage was celebrated in 1822. Her father was by profession a lawyer and died in 1833, and in 1839 his widow married Gov. Clayburn F. Jackson.
The boyhood days of our subject were spent in Fayette, Howard County, and Arrow Rock, Sa- line County. He attended the Masonic College at Philadelphia, Marion County, in 1846 and 1847. He then attended the Cumberland University at Lebanon, Tenn., from which he was graduated in 1852. He united with the Cumberland Presby-
terian Church in 1848, and was licensed to preach by the Salt River Presbytery in March, 1854, at the Buffalo Church, in Pike County, Mo. In Oc- tober, 1854, he was sent by the Presbytery to Louisiana, Mo., where, in February, 1855, he and Rev. J. W. Campbell organized the Cumberland Presbyterian congregation. The church house was built during the fall and summer following. He continued to preach to that congregation until June, 1861, when, by reason of the Civil War, he resigned and moved to Marion County, and in the fall of 1864 he moved to Spencerburg, Pike County. In 1867 he moved back to Louisi- ana and resumed charge of his old congregation. He preached continually to other congregations from the time he left Louisiana until he returned. In the spring of 1890 the old brick church build- ing was torn down and a large modern church erected in its place, costing fifteen thousand dol- lars. With a short intermission he has preached continually to the Louisiana congregation for forty-one years.
On January 5, 1859, Mr. Pearson was united in marriage with Miss Orpha Matilda Dysart, daughter of Col. John and Matilda (Brooks) Dy- sart, of Howard County. By this union were born five children: Eugene, Will Ella, John A., Ras, and Donnell M., all of whom graduated in the public schools of Louisiana. Eugene and Ras graduated afterward in the literary department of Lincoln University, Lincoln, Ill., and in the law department of the Cumberland University, Leb- anon, Tenn., and are now practicing law in Lou- isiana, Mo. Will Ella graduated in Ward's Semi- nary, Nashville, Tenn., and then took a post- graduate's course in the same seminary, with a degree of "Cum Laude." She died in Septem- ber, 1885. John A. graduated in a business col- lege at Jacksonville, Ill., and has been with the Stark Bros. Nursery for eleven years. Donnell M. took the literary course in the Cumberland University and a three years' course in medicine in the St. Louis Medical College, graduating in 1891. He is now located in Louisiana, Mo., as a practicing physician, being associated with Dr. A. G. Muskey.
Hon. Ras Pearson, after having thoroughly
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fitted himself for his profession, opened his office at Louisiana in 1888. He has been successful in practice and is one of the rising young attorneys of the State. In 1892 he was elected by the Demo- cratic party as County Attorney for Pike County and is filling that position with ability and satis- faction to the people. He is quick to analyze the cases brought before him for trial, and masters the leading and important features. He is a good advocate and a vigorous prosecutor.
Dr. Pearson has been closely connected with the educational interests of the Cumberland Pres- byterian Church in the State of Missouri. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the McGee College, Macon, Mo., and is now a meni- ber of the Board of Trustees of the Missouri Val- ley College, at Marshall, Mo.
W ILLIAM HENRY DULANY, one of the prominent, successful business men of Hannibal, Mo., was born near Glas- gow, Howard County, Mo., January 9, 1818. His father, Joseph S. Dulany, was born in Lou- don County, Virginia, August 26, 1786, and emi- grated with his parents to Kentucky in 1790, lo- cating in Madison County. In 1816 he removed to what is now Howard County, where he en- gaged in farming; he departed this life in Monroe County, Mo., September 6, 1861. Sallie Maupin, wife of Joseph S. Dulany, was born in Madison County, March 17, 1797, and was the daughter of Capt. Daniel Maupin, a native of Loudon County, and a Captain in the Revolutionary War. She departed this life in Monroe County, Mo., in 1832.
Joseph Dulany, father of Joseph S. Dulany, and grandfather of W. H. Dulany, was born in Cul- peper County, Va., May 6, 1744, of French an- cestry. He died July 20, 1814. His wife, Frances Hume, was born November 14, 1756, and died December 9, 1814. He was a Henry Clay Whig in politics and in religious matters was a member of the Christian Church, To Joseph S. and Sally
Dulany there were born ten children: James S., is deceased; John G., died in infancy; Daniel M. was the next born (see biography on another page of this volume); William Henry was the fourth of the family; George died in 1852, on the Isth- mus of Panama; Joseph P. and Elizabeth F. are both deceased; Martha J. married Augustus Sweeny and is living in Centralia, Mo .; Garland M. makes his home in Moberly, Mo., and Sally died when young.
The original of this sketch was reared on his father's farm and first went to school to a man by the name of John T. Cleveland, an uncle of Presi- dent Cleveland, to whom he mentioned the fact on one occasion. He was a lad of fourteen years when his mother died and thus early in life he be- gan to do for himself, working out as a farm hand for twenty-five cents per day. He proved a very valuable assistant and a few months later was given $100 a year, and at the end of three years had saved $204. With this he made the first payment on a quarter section of land in Audrain County, Mo. This he did not operate, however, but continued to work out for eight years longer, the greater portion of the time on a farm. The last two years, however, he spent in a tobacco factory, receiving as his wages $25 per month. When ready to engage in business for himself he opened up a small tobacco factory at Clinton, Monroe County, Mo., which he carried on for about a year and a half, and then went to Paris, Mo., conducting the same until 1849. The gold excitement was then at its height in Cali- fornia and thither he made his way. For nearly three years Mr. Dulany remained there working in the mines. At that time the wages paid were very high and for his first week's work he received one ounce of gold per day. He returned home at the end of two and one-half years, the richer by several thousand dollars, and again began operating his tobacco factory in Paris, Mo. He remained there until the second year of the late war when he removed to Quincy, Ill., and made that city his home until peace was established. Then, in 1865, he purchased a valuable farm in Randolph County, Mo., which he operated for a year and a half and then sold and went to
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Hannibal, where he established a lumber busi- ness in partnership with his brother Daniel and J. H. McVeigh, under the firm name of Dulany & McVeigh. It was later reorganized as the Empire Lumber Company, with O. H. Ingram as President; D. M. Dulany, Vice-President, and the subject of this biography, Treasurer. It be- gan business with a paid-up capital of $800,000 and conducts the largest business of the kind in the State. Mr. Dulany is also a stock-holder and director in the Hannibal Sawmill Company, and the Standard Lumber Company, of Dubuque, Iowa; the Chippewa Lumber and Boom Com- pany of Wisconsin; the R. J. Hurley Lumber Company of Missouri, of which he is the Vice- President; the Rice Lake Lumber Company, of Wisconsin, located on Rice Lake, sixty miles north of St. Paul, and the Gem City Saw Mill Company of Quincy, Ill. He is a stockholder in the Hannibal Stove Company, also a partner in the Elliott-Dulany Grocery Company of Hanni- bal. He is interested in the Bank of Hannibal and has various other large interests, among these being large tracts of timber lands in Arkan- sas, Texas and South Missouri.
Mr. Dulany was married November 14, 1847, at Jacksonville, Ill., to Susan I., daughter of Isaiah and Cynthia M. (Tilford) Van Zandt, natives of Kentucky, in which State Mrs. Dulany was born April 2, 1826. To them have been born five chil- dren, namely: Mary T., who married T. G. Du- lany, connected with the Empire Lumber Com- pany; Daniel M., who has charge of the mills at Eau Claire, Wis .; George W., manager of the Empire Lumber Company; Sarah I., who died in infancy, and Susan B., now the wife of Dr. John H. Duncan of St. Louis. The wife and mother departed this life at her home, December 27, 1861, firm in the faith of the Christian Church, of which she was a devout member.
Our subject was married November 14, 1862, to Mrs. Telitha C. Bodine, daughter of Anderson Woods, a distinguished minister of the Baptist Church, now deceased. To them has been born a son, James G. Mrs. Telitha Dulany is also connected with the Christian Church, in which she is a valued and active member. In early
years our subject voted for Whig candidates, but of late he has allied himself with the Prohibition party, believing the principles which they advo- cate to be right.
Mr. Dulany is a practical illustration of what a man can do who starts out in life with a fixed purpose. He is a man benevolent and kind, of domestic tastes, and greatly devoted to his family. His genial nature attracts to him the young and the old, the stranger and the citizen.
It is to such men as Mr. Dulany that communi- ties owe their growth, the country its develop- ment and civilization its advancement.
G EORGE G. DOWELL, now living in Spencer Township, Pike County, is one of the pioneers of this section, and for many years has been identified with the industrial interests of the county as one of its most success- ful farmers. He is now living retired on his fine estate and is eminently worthy of a place among the representative men of Pike County. He was born in Tennessee April 6, 1827, and is the son of William and Sidney (Morehead) Dowell, the for- mer of whom was also born in the above State and died in 1845, aged forty-five years. He was the son of Nemeyer and Elizabeth Dowell, who were born in Virginia, where they passed their years tilling the soil.
The mother of George Dowell was born in the Old Dominion and passed away in 1855, when in her fiftieth year. She was the daughter of George and Eliza Morehead, who made the trip from the East to Pike County, this State, in 1843, and here spent the remainder of their lives. George More- head was an extensive farmer, and while in Vir- ginia was interested in operating a distillery. After making his home in Missouri, however, he lived retired from work of any kind. He became the parent of five children, namely: George, Jr., Gillmore, Lucy, Kittie and Sidney, all of whom have long since died.
The offspring of the parents of our subject
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numbered ten children, three sons and seven daughters, as follows: Mary, now deceased, was the wife of Palace Neal, also deceased; Sallie mar- ried Benjamin Livers and both departed this life many years ago; Jane and her husband, Joseph McCallum, are deceased; Nathaniel is a retired farmer making his home in Spencer Township; William is deceased; George G. was the next born; Dalton is living retired in this vicinity; Jimmie, John F. and Presley are deceased. The parents were united in marriage about the year 1820, and, when endeavoring to better their finan- cial condition, made their way to Tennessee, where they lived until 1833, the date of their re- moval to Pike County. The father was an exten- sive farmer and also raised stock of fine grades and in large numbers.
The lady who became the wife of our subject in 1848 was Miss Mary J. Clark, born in Spencer Township, this county, May II, 1835. She was the daughter of Andy and Mary J. (Taylor) Clark, natives of Tennessee, who emigrated hither in 1834. Like the family of Mr. Dowell they, too, were farmers and, though devoted to the interests of their family, found time for kindly intercourse with their many friends. Miss Mary Jane was their only daughter, and the other member of the family was Clayborn, a farmer of prominence liv- ing in Lincoln county, Mo. Mrs. Clark died in 1840 and her husband afterward married Paulina Lighter and reared four children, namely: Susan, who married Samuel Evans (on her death her husband removed to Ralls County); George, who is farming in that county; Martha, who married Abraham Butler and lives in Texas; Nancy, who is deceased.
The children who have come to bless the union of our subject and wife are ten in number, two sons and eight daughters, and their names are: Mary, the eldest of the household, who married William Wasson (both are deceased); Andrew J.,
who married Nancy J. Turner (both deceased and left six little boys); Sidney, wife of Thomas Liv- ers, a farmer of Spencer Township; Elizabeth, widow of John Wasson and making lier home in Frankford, this county; Georgie, wife of Robert Inlow; Addie, who lives with our subject; Fannie, wife of William Cragen, an agriculturist of this section; Mattie, who resides at home; Eliza J., deceased; William, also deceased.
George G., of this sketch, lived on the home farm for the first nineteen years of his life, and when beginning for himself rented a small farm, which he worked for one year. This tract not being as productive as he had thought, he left it and rented another, which he cultivated very suc- cessfully for three years, when he purchased the old homestead and for the following seven or eight years managed it in a profitable manner. At the end of that time the records tell us that lie became the proprietor of his present splendid estate, numbering four hundred and ninety-six acres. This makes him one of the largest land- owners in the county. He continued his agricul- tural operations until his advancing years made it advisable for him to retire. He has been an active, hard-working man, devoting his time to financial matters, but, having achieved success, is now enjoying life in a most comfortable way. He is self-made in the matter of education, as his ad- vantages were limited to attendance for a few months in each year in the old log schoolhouse, conducted by a teacher not very well informed himself. He is not a member of any church or- ganization, but endeavors in his daily life to prac- tice the precepts laid down in the Golden Rule, and does unto others as he would be done by.
Politically he is strongly Democratic, and, though urged at various times to become a can- didate for office on that ticket, has always kindly but firmly declined the honor. He is wise who keeps aloof from politics.
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yours Truly
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WILLIAM M. ELY. -
W ILLIAM M. ELY has been a witness to the vast changes which advancing civilization and progress have brought to Ralls County within his lifetime. He was born in Township 53, where he is now living on Sec- tion 3. He is the owner of four hundred and twenty-five acres of valuable land, three hundred of which are under fine cultivation. The land is especially suitable for raising stock, and Mr. Ely has the reputation of possessing some of the finest cattle to be found in the county. He is a good citizen, keenly alert to whatever tends toward the public good and strives to do his duty as a member of the community in which he lives. A friend to education, he has aimed to give his children good advantages in this line, and has lent his influence towards securing higher sys- tems of training and better teaching.
Mr. Ely was born August 24, 1838, and is a son of Joshua and Jane (Martin) Ely, both of whom were natives of Kentucky. Benjamin S. Ely, the grandfather of our subject, was born on a farm in Virginia, November 13, 1782. He re- mained in his native State until he reached man- hood and then emigrated to Kentucky, about the beginning of the present century. In Kentucky he met Nellie Boyles, to whom he was married, and in 1818 moved to Missouri, coming in a flat boat down Licking River to the Ohio, down that river to the Mississippi, and up the Missis- sippi River to Louisiana, Mo., and from there by wagons to the farm in Ralls County, near Perry, which he entered and improved, living there until his death, August 31, 1847. Benjamin S. Ely had four brothers and four sisters. The old- est brother, William, remained on the home- stead in Virginia, while the other three brothers, Isaac, Thomas and Joshua, with the four sisters,
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moved to Bath County, Ky. After living there for a time the three brothers followed Benjamin to Ralls County, Mo., settled upon farms, and there remained until their decease. Of the sis- ters, Jane married George Martin, and remained in Kentucky; Sarah married Conrad See; Nancy married James Herndon, and both families moved to Missouri; Elizabeth married Samuel Danley, and moved to Sangamon County, Ill. The Ely family are of Scotch descent, the great- grandfather of our subject coming from Scot- land. He married a Miss Scott and they reared a family of nine children of whom mention has just been made.
On the death of his father Joshua Ely pur- chased the old homestead and became one of the most enterprising farmers of Ralls County. He died, however, in the prime of his usefulness, November 15, 1853. To Joshua and Jane E. (Martin) Ely were born six children: William M., Benjamin F., Elizabeth E., James N., Sophronia, and George W. After the death of her husband Mrs. Ely became the wife of Dr. William Tandy, of Florida, Mo., their union taking place April 6, 1859. By this union there were three children: Ella J., Jessie M. and Orrin E. Dr. Tandy has since died and his widow now resides with her children. Jane E. (Martin) (Ely) Tandy was born in Fleming County, Ky., January 21, 1821, and was a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Watson) Martin, natives of Virginia and Ken- tucky respectively. They met in Kentucky, where they married and remained until 1828, when they came to Ralls County, Mo., by wagons and after five weeks' traveling on the road, with five little children, settled in Salt River Town- ship, Ralls County, Mo., where they remained the balance of their days. This union was blessed
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with the following children: Hezekiah, Jane E., Mary, Ann, Elizabeth, George, William, Joshua and Jessie. But three of these children are now living, as follows: Jane E., George W. and Joshua E. The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Tandy were Major Hezekiah and Mary (Cart- mill) Watson, natives of Virginia, who came to Missouri in 1835, settling in Salt River Township, where they died and are buried on our subject's farm. Major Watson served in the War of 1812 under General Harrison. The paternal grand- parents were George and Jane (Ely) Martin, natives of Virginia, where they remained during their entire lives.
The subject of this sketch was but fifteen years of age when his father died, but being the oldest son he at once assumed the responsibility of the farm management. From that time to the present he has given his time and attention to farm work and as already stated has one of the best farms in Ralls County. In 1861 he enlisted in the army under Colonel Brace and took part in several skirmishes but in no regular battle, and in the winter of 1862 returned to his home. Realizing that it was not good for man to be alone, on March 13, 1865, Mr. Ely married his cousin, Mary Ely, also a native of this county, and a daughter of James and Dulcina (Biggers) Ely, both of whom were natives of Kentucky. Since his marriage, Mr. Ely has always made his home on the old farm, which was entered from the Government by his grandfather, it being situated only two miles south of Perry. To himself and wife have been born six children, two only of whom are now living: Benjamin S., born Octo- ber 2, 1872, and Alice M., born February 7, 1877.
In politics Mr. Ely is a Democrat, and has always taken great interest in political matters. His popularity is attested by the confidence shown in him by his party associates in making him chairman of the County Central Committee. Fraternally he is a member of the Lick Creek Lodge No. 302, F. and A. M., of Perry, and also of the A. O. U. W. An interesting relic of fron- tier times is a chimney standing in the yard of our subject's home, which was erected in a very early day by James Newcomb, who had been left
an orphan in childhood; his mother was cap- tured by an Indian chief, by whom she had three children. A life long resident of Ralls County, and having mingled in party affairs, Mr. Ely is well known throughout the whole county and enjoys the respect not alone of his party asso- ciates but of his political opponents as well.
A BRAHAM B. SEELY, one of the honored old residents of Ralls County, was born within half a mile of his present home, on Section 10, Township 54, Range 5, the date of the event being September 25, 1837. He is a practical and progressive farmer, and since his boyhood has been closely connected with the upbuilding and development of this region. He well remem- bers when this country was but a little better than a wilderness, when the Indians had not yet de- parted for the Western reservations, and when wild game was plentiful. As the years passed he has seen all of this change, fertile farms being de- veloped from the virgin soil, the forests leveled and thriving villages arise here and there.
Our subject's parents were Abraham and An- geline Seely, natives of St. Louis County, Mo., and the city of the same name respectively. After their marriage the former settled on a farm in his native county, where he remained for several years, then entering land in Ralls County. Sub- sequently he moved thereon, and from that time until his death dwelt on various farms in this re- gion. He lived to a ripe old age, dying when over ninety. His first wife had departed this life several years before, and he had married Margaret Cowen, who is also deceased. For those days Mr. Seely was considered an extensive land- owner and was an influential man. He was the father of nineteen children, six of whom died in infancy or early childhood. The others in order of birth are as follows: Jane, Letha, Abraham B., Melinda, William, Elija, Rose A., Dallas, To- bitha, Sarah, Melvina, Genevra and Susan.
January 25, 1855, Mr. Seely married Lizzie
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Cowen, daughter of Calep and Margaret Cowen, and a native of Ralls County. The young cou- ple lived at the home of Mr. Seely's parents for about six months, when they moved to the pres- ent homestead, which is still in the possession of our subject. Mrs. Seely died January 15, 1888, leaving five children: Margaret A., born May 25, 1857, married Jesse McCormick, a farmer; Will- iam, born August 25, 1859, married Lizzie Mc- Clure and lives in this neighborhood; Nancy Jane, born September 15, 1862, married Thomas Hick- land, now of Ralls County; Mary Emily, born May 28, 1866, married John Bell, who resides near Perry; Jesse Ely, born August 23, 1871, married Myrtle Farnsworth, and is now living on the old homestead. May 1, 1890, Mr. Seely mar- ried Newell, the daughter of B. R. Rosser, who came to this county from Virginia and is now an inhabitant of New London, Mo. Mrs. Seely was born in Ralls County, August 4, 1853, and departed this life April 25, 1893. Her only child, Guy Richard, was born March 30, 1893.
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