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 89
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 89
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 89
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Our subject appreciates the benefits of a good education and has given his earnest attention to the matter of providing his children with the best advantages procurable. He is a stanch sup- porter of the Republican party platform, having used his ballot on behalf of this organization since becoming a voter. He is a faithful member of the Baptist Church, and the poor and needy always find in him a sincere friend and helper.
J UDGE DAVID H. SMITH, of Center Township, was born in Ralls County, Au- gust 22, 1847. Thomas Smith, his grand- father, was a native of Louisa County, Va., and was born in 1756. Like most of the old families of Virginia he owned a plantation and slaves. He was married in Virginia and raised a family, of whom John remained single and died many years ago; Stephen married, lived and died in Ralls County; James, the father of our subject, was born in Louisa County, now West Virginia, April
3, 1805, grew to manhood in his native county, and came with the family to Ralls County; Cath- erine married John Byers in Virginia and emi- grated to Missouri with the Smith family; Nancy remained single until coming to Missouri. when she married Joshua Wilson, of Ralls County; Henrietta was also married in Missouri to Rob- ert Grimes, of Ralls County. Their old home in Louisa County was situated far from any railroad, and such a thing as one running through their place was never thought of. But soon after the family left a railroad was built through their old orchard.
Upon coming to Missouri Thomas Smith and his three sons entered a tract of three hundred and twenty acres. The family here, as in Virginia, remained together, leaving home as they mar- ried. James remained with the family until he was forty years of age, when he married Lucinda Alexander, daughter of James and Margaret Al- exander. She was born in Nicholas County, Ky. After his marriage he removed to his own farm, which lies just east of the farm of our sub- ject. He lived here, however, but a short time, when he bought the place where he spent the re- mainder of his life and reared his family. Here he lived an uneventful, though successful, farm- er's life, having acquired about one thousand two hundred acres of land previous to his death. He was a very industrious and hard working man, and died at his home December 20, 1892. His wife survives him and lives with her only daugh- ter, still owning the old homestead. In the fani- ily were four children, three sons and one daugli- ter: Margaret, now the wife of E. Millen, of Ralls County ; John B., who still resides in Ralls County; David H., our subject; George H., now a dentist in Hannibal, Mo.
David H. Smith, our subject, spent his early life on the home farm until he was twenty-one years of age, receiving such education as the coin- mon schools afforded. He was married Novem- ber 28, 1867, to Augusta Lucas, daughter of George and Susan (Coontz) Lucas, a native of Ralls County, born December 8, 1846. After his marriage he located on a portion of the home estate, comprising one hundred and forty acres,
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which was deeded to him at the time of his mar- riage. He afterwards bought land at different times, until he now owns a section of as good land as there is in his neighborhood. He has en- gaged extensively in grain and stock farming, formerly giving his attention largely to wheat, but of late he has been principally engaged in stock- raising. The railroad company granted Mr. Smith a favor not often shown in this county, by running, in May, 1895, a special train for his stock. Nine children have been born unto Mr. and Mrs. Smith: James, born September 29, 1868; Lucinda, May 25, 1871; Virginia, July 21, 1873; Royal, deceased in infancy; Verner, Jan- uary 15, 1881 ; Langdon, August 13, 1884; Laura and Elton, June 11, 1887; Frances, January 22, 1890.
The subject of this sketch is recognized as a man of sterling worth and a practical business man. The appreciation in which he is held by his fellow citizens was shown in 1888 by his elec- tion to the office of Judge of the County Court, and his reelection four years afterward. He is a stockholder in the Center Bank, and in 1893 was elected President of the same. He was reelected in 1895 and still occupies that office. The Judge is a "boiled down" Methodist, of which church he has been a member since the age of sixteen. An earnest supporter of the church, he is always looked to when assistance is needed for religious and benevolent purposes. He has been Steward and Trustee in the church for years. For eight years he has been a Master Mason, and for four years he has been Treasurer of his lodge, Ralls Lodge No. 33. He has been a member of New- ton Lodge No. 7, of New London, for fifteen years.
Judge Smith is one of the prosperous and pro- gressive farmers of Ralls County, and every- thing about his place denotes the practical busi- ness man. During the present season he built his present commodious residence, and few men in Ralls County are better known, and none more highly respected. In 1864, at the time of Shelby's last raid through Missouri, the Judge and a num- ber of his companions were taken from the schoolhouse where they were attending school
and forced into the Confederate service. They followed the fortunes of war about one week when he, in company with two of his comrades, took French leave and fled to Shelbyville, where the Federal troops were located. They were given a pass by the troops and sent home. Our subject was fortunate enough to escape with his own horse, which was taken at the time of his capture. In 1895 Judge Smith was elected Presi- dent of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of Missouri, which was organized in July of this year.
C HARLES P. M'ELWEE, a prosperous farmer and stock-raiser of Pike County, dwells in Township 54, Range 2, where he has lived for the past twenty-eight years, re- spected by his neighbors and acquaintances. He comes of a Southern family, who were of Scotch- Irish extraction, and his father was one of the pioneers of Missouri.
Grandfather McElwee was born in Greensville County, Va., August 19, 1758, and died in this vicinity January 13, 1834. He was a hero of the War for Independence, enlisting when only six- teen and serving during the seven years of our country's peril under Gen. Sumter, his brother William also being with the same command. James McElwee was captured by the enemy and held on the British prison-ship "Munificence" for some eight months. His father, William, Sr., emi- grated to America from County Tyrone, Ireland, and settled in Virginia.
Daniel McElwee, father of our subject, was a native of South Carolina, born in 1807, and in his twentieth year moved west, locating on the North Branch of Noix Creek, entering land, which he cultivated until 1848, then trading it for a farm about a mile southeast of our subject's present home; two years prior to his death he moved to Louisiana and thenceforth lived retired. For sev- eral years he filled the office of Justice of the Peace with honor to himself and friends, and was called to the home beyond in March, 1873, lamented by
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a host of sincere friends. He had married Nancy Bradley in 1835, and to the worthy couple seven children were born, four of the number yet sur- viving.
C. P. McElwee was born May 7, 1839, and grew to maturity under the parental roof; he had such educational privileges as were to be found in the district schools of that day and was trained to agricultural pursuits. About the time he reached man's estate the war came on and he enlisted June 17, 1862, in the Pike County Home Guards, six months later becoming a member of Col. Fagg's Regiment, the Fifth Missouri. In 1863, when the Provisional Regiments were organized, he enlisted in the First Provisional Regiment and was commissioned Second Lieutenant of Com- pany I, acting as such until the regiment was dis- banded.
June 19, 1862, Mr. McElwee married Mollie J. Edwards, daughter of Nimrod B. and Jane (Mar- tin) Edwards. Five children graced the union of our subject and wife, but one is now deceased. Cora L. is now the wife of Richard H. Ogden, a promising farmer of this county, and they have three children; Nannie G. and Lucy Pearl are well educated and accomplished young ladies, and Charles H. has recently arrived at his ma- jority.
On his return from the war Mr. McElwee con- ducted his farm, which then comprised but sixty acres and adjoined his father's homestead. In 1867 he disposed of that property and came to the place where he has since lived. He supports the worthy charities and enterprises and is a pillar in the Baptist Church; his ballot he uses in favor of Republican principles.
W ILEY CAMPBELL. The gentleman of whom we write, though deceased, still lives in the esteem and affection of his neighbors and friends. He was a man of great industry and left his family well provided for. For many years prior to his demise he was engaged in the hardware business in Clarksville. His birthi
occurred December 14, 1825, in Amherst County, Va., and his decease took place in this city August 12, 1894.
The parents of our subject were Joel and Eliza- beth (Fulcher) Campbell, also natives of Amherst County, where the father was an old Virginia planter. To himself and wife were born four sons, of whom Wiley was the eldest; William is living in the Old Dominion on the homestead; James died in 1863, and Joel, the youngest son, died when quite young.
Wiley Campbell was educated in the common schools of Amherst County, Va., and so well did he improve his opportunities in this direction that he was enabled to teach when quite young, which vocation he followed for a short time in his na- tive county. After seventeen years spent with his parents he removed to Lynchburg, Va., and et !- gaged as clerk in a grocery store, in which ca- pacity he remained for a few years, when he pro- cured a position in the same city in a hardware store owned and operated by Henry Davis. He remained in the employ of that gentleman until the outbreak of the late war, when he enlisted in the Lynchburg Grays, volunteers in the Southern service. He participated in many battles and skirmishes of that period, among them being those of Bull Run and Gettysburg.
After the establishment of peace Mr. Campbell returned to Lynchburg and, in company with Marcellus Goodman, conducted a hardware busi- ness, in which they continued together until our subject's removal to Clarksville, this State, in 1868. On his arrival in this city he engaged as clerk in the hardware store of a Mr. Drake, for whom he worked for fourteen years; he then re- moved to Hannibal and entered into the hardware business as the partner of Lee Middleton. He made his home in that city for about eighteen months, when, finding the venture was not a very profitable one, he sold his interest in the business and returned to Clarksville, engaging in the gro- cery business with Ed Middleton. This partner- ship existed for about two years, when Mr. Camp- beil withdrew from the firm and opened an estab- lishment of his own, conducting the same for a twelvemonth.
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December 14, 1865, Mr. Campbell was married to Miss Martha A. Fox, a native of Campbell County, Va., who was born August 14, 1840. She was the daughter of James and Fannie B. (An- derson) Fox, also natives of the Old Dominion. To them have been born nine children, as fol- lows: Annie C., November 5, 1866; Ella K., March 4, 1868; Mary W., June 17, 1870; Henry D., December 9, 1871, died the same day and month three years later; Emma R., October 16, 1873, died October 5, 1874; Mattie D., February 1, 1876; Sudy L., April 30, 1878; Thomas B. F .. June 9, 1880; David Ivy, June 12, 1883.
Our subject, at the time of his death, was a member in excellent standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics he was a Demo- crat, and for several terms served as a member of the Council, was on one occasion Clerk of the School Board and one term filled the office of City Assessor; socially he was a member of the Triple Alliance. He was an honest, conscientious, charitable man, and measured up to the full stand- ard of a Christian. He left behind an unbleni- ished name as a priceless legacy to his children.
OSEPH L. CARROLL. Many of the men connected with the city government of Clarksville in various capacities have achieved distinction in the higher ranks of official life, but none more so than Hon. Joseph L. Car- roll, the capable and enterprising Mayor of that city. He is a man of public spirit, fine executive ability and correctness in fulfilling any duty in- trusted to him, and is well known for a high de- gree of integrity in his general relations. As Mayor of Clarksville he is praised by everyone. for he has done and is doing much for the good of the city. In addition to his official duties he car- · ries on a thriving business in the line of hardware, tinware and furniture, and is also proprietor of an undertaking establishment.
Our subject is a native of Pike County, and was born in Buffalo Township, on Christmas
Day, 1858, to Elias L. and Elizabeth (Stark) Car- roll. The father; who was also born in this lo- cality in the year 1818, died in 1862. He was the son of Joseph Carroll, a native of one of the Caro- linas, who emigrated to this State and county at a very early day. Selecting as his future home Buffalo Township, he here purchased Congress land and passed the remaining years of his life.
To Elias L. and Elizabeth Carroll were born ten children, of whom we make the following mention: Virginia died in infancy; Henry S. is General Manager of the L. C. & W. Ry., St. Louis, Mo .; Edna is the widow of J. W. Hunter, of Bui- falo Township, this county; John B. is engaged in farming in this vicinity; Calvin L. is Cashier of the Clifford Banking Company, of Clarksville ; Laura married A. W. Riggs and makes her home in Ann Arbor, Mich .; Hannibal D. is a substan- tial farmer and stock-raiser of Buffalo Township; Rush died in infancy; Joseph L. was the youngest but one; Gussie married W. J. Mackey, of Clarks- ville.
Elias Carroll departed this life when our sub- ject was a small boy, and thus the care of the fani- ily devolved upon the mother, as her eldest son was then only a lad of fourteen years. He grew up on the farm in Buffalo Township, obtaining his rudimentary education in the country schools taught in his district. During the winter of 1876-77 he attended La Grange College, Lewis County, this State, and the following winter took a course in the Business College of Jacksonville, Ill.
Returning from school, our subject remained on the farm for about a year. In 1880 he em- barked in the grocery trade at Elsberry, Mo., and on the expiration of a twelvemonth came to Clarksville, where he received the appointment of Deputy Postmaster. This position he filled for about one year, and in 1882 he embarked in the furniture business in this city, which he has con- ducted now for about thirteen years. In May, 1893, he formed a partnership with J. H. Kissin- ger, and the new firm purchased a hardware stock, which they consolidated with their furni- ture store. To this has been added the undertak- ing business, in which line they receive the pat- ronage of residents for miles around the city.
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Mr. Carroll was married December 27, 1882, to Miss Mary J. Idle, of Clarksville, who is the daughter of the late William and Mary (Ward) Idle. Both our subject and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South and are active in all good work in their community. Politically he is a Republican, and on that ticket was elected Mayor in April, 1893, and since en- tering upon the responsibilities of the office has displayed rare executive ability. He is one of the most agreeable men and is ever ready to extend a helping hand to the needy and suffering. For about eight years he served as a member of the City Council. He is the owner of considerable real estate in Clarksville and vicinity, which he himself has accumulated entirely.
C APT. FRANK BURNETT, one of the best known residents of Missouri, makes his home in Louisiana, where he was born January 12, 1829. He is the son of John and Sarah (Johnson) Burnett, the former of whom was born in Kentucky in 1801 and was in his sev- enteenth year when he came to Missouri, at once locating in Louisiana with his parents. Soon afterward he began ferrying and, purchasing the interest of a Mr. Cook in this business, continued it until his decease, which occurred in 1846. In addition to this enterprise he was the owner of a valuable tract of land, to the operation of which he gave his personal attention. On it he raised large quantities of grain and the best breeds of stock. In politics he was a Whig and was well known to the members of that party in this county. His father also departed this life in Louisiana, when advanced in years.
The mother of our subject was a Kentuckian by birth, and was the daughter of Col. James Johnson. He was a very intelligent and worthy gentleman, and at one time was a member of the Illinois Legislature. He took a prominent part in the Indian wars and thus obtained his title of Colonel. Mrs. Sarah Burnett departed this life
in 1844, true to the faith of the Christian Church, of which she had been a member for many years. By her union with John Burnett she became the parent of five children, of whom Frank was the eldest. The others were George, James and John, all deceased, and Eliza, now the wife of William Lansdowne, is living in Louisiana.
The original of this sketch was reared in Lou- isiana and received his education in the common schools of the place. He succeeded his father in the ferry business, which he carried on until 1854, when he dropped it in order to take up steamboat- ing, and for a period of seven years was pilot on the K. & St. L. line of steamers. After this he began building vessels, having his yards located at Madison, Ind. The first boats turned out were the "Alone," the "Effie Deans," the "Mollie Mc- Pike," and the "Tom Jasper," all of which he commanded for a time. In 1870 he sold his ves- sels, having been appointed Supervising Inspector of Steam Vessels for the Fourth District of Mis- souri, with headquarters at St. Louis. This ap- pointment came from President Grant, and Mr. Burnett was the incumbent of the office until 1885, when he was asked to resign to make room for one of President Cleveland's appointees.
On returning to private life Capt. Burnett again began building boats, this time launching the "New Pike," with which he plied the river until the spring of 1890, when, under administration of Harrison, he was reappointed to his former posi- tion of Inspector. When the Democratic party again came in power he resigned, and has since given his attention to dealing in real estate and ferry boating in Louisiana.
Capt. Burnett was united in marriage with Miss Martha L. Pettibone, daughter of Levi and Mar- tha (Lowrie) Pettibone. She was born in Bowl- ing Green, Mo., while her father was a native of Connecticut, where he was born in 1780. He lived to the remarkable age of one hundred and one-half years, departing this life in St. Louis in June, 1881, where our subject was then living. For many years he was one of the prominent and well-to-do merchants of Bowling Green.
Levi Pettibone was a native of Connecticut and emigrated to Missouri in 1817, locating first
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at St. Louis, then at St. Charles, and finally set- tled in Bowling Green. He was accompanied west by Mr. Schoolcraft. By occupation he was a merchant. In politics he was a Whig, and later became a Republican. During his life he held many responsible positions, among which were Judge of the Probate Court, County Clerk and County Treasurer. He was a popular and very efficient officer, and had the confidence and esteem of the people to a high degree. He was the son of Giles Pettibone, a native of Connecticut, who was the son of Jonathan, who was a native of Wales and a Colonel in the Revolutionary War and died while in the service.
Capt. and Mrs. Burnett are the parents of a daughter, Augusta P. The family are members of the Episcopal Church. As the reader doubt- less already knows, the Captain is a true blue Re- publican and is an earnest worker in the ranks. He is a man who is popular with all who know him and sustains the enviable reputation for hon- esty and uprightness which he established years ago.
W ILLIAM B. ARNOLD comes from a good old Virginia family, his father having been an extensive land and slave-owner and a very prominent man in his community. Our subject came to Missouri in 1871, at which time he was engaged in buying and shipping stock principally. He had trav- eled in various parts of the country with a view to making some suitable and desirable place his permanent home and at last came to the con- clusion that Marion County was more advan- tageous in many respects than any other section he had visited. He has owned his present home- stead, comprising three hundred and twenty acres, for the past ten years. It is situated on Section 32, Township 57, Range 8, and being a tract of rich land, well adapted for general farm- ing and stock-raising, is valued at a high price.
Our subject is a native of Campbell County, Va., born June 14, 1850. His parents were Alex-
ander A. and Grabrella E. (Andrews) Arnold, who were married in Bedford County, Va. The former, a native of Virginia, died in 1890, at the age of sixty-five years, but his good wife, whose birth occurred in Campbell County, Va., died over a quarter of a century before, in 1862, when only thirty-five years of age. Their eldest child, Bettie P., is the wife of the Hon. William Shields McClintic, who is the Senatorial Representative of this community. Susan M. became the wife of John G. Braggs, who is engaged in farming and runs a sawmill in Virginia; and William B. completes the family. After the death of our subject's mother, Alexander Arnold wedded Mrs. Bettie V. Board, widow of Col. Frank Board, who was killed in the Confederate service. At the time of his demise the senior Arnold was the owner of an estate numbering some four- teen hundred acres. He was never desirous of holding office, yet was very active in political af- fairs and was a prominent citizen. Religiously he was identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The early years of our subject passed quietly on his father's farm, where he remained until six- teen years of age. He then went to Bristol, Tenn., where he obtained employment in a store, but was soon taken sick and obliged to return home. Upon recovering he entered school and pursued his studies for a year, after which he went to Lynchburg, Va., and for a year was enì- ployed by a wholesale house. In 1871 he emi- grated to Missouri and for one year worked on a farm near Lexington, for a cousin. On the ex- piration of that period, he came to this township, and for some two years was employed by neigh- boring farmers. In this way he obtained his start and rented a farm in Monroe County, which he managed for a year, at the same time buying and selling stock. In 1878 he returned to War- ren Township and after renting property for two years purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, operating the same for three years. He then sold out and bought the farm on which he now resides, a tract of three hundred and twenty acres. After selling his first place he went to Texas, but did not remain there very long, as he
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came to the wise decision that Missouri afforded better opportunities. Following his father's ex- ample he supports the Democratic party.
February 30, 1878, Mr. Arnold was married in this township to Maggie Shields McClintic, who was born in Rockbridge County, Va., and died December 30, 1880, when only twenty- seven years of age. She was a daughter of Shanklin and sister of James McClintic, of this township. The only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arnold, Lizzie S., born August 10, 1879, is now living with her aunt, the wife of Senator McClin- tic. Mr. and Mrs. Arnold were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which the former still adheres.
J OSEPH STAUS is the owner of one of the most desirable homesteads to be found in Marion County. It consists of one hundred and sixty-six acres finely located three miles and a half southeast of Palmyra in Miller Township. He is a native of Bishopsell, Switzerland, born October 25, 1844, and was only two years of age when he was taken by his parents to Hohnzellar, Prussia, and on reaching maturity was drafted according to the army regulations of Germany. He concluded to evade the service by coming to America and accordingly crossed the Atlantic, arriving in New York City, July 4, 1864. He soon established his citizenship and has been a loyal defender of his adopted country's laws, and a true patriot in every respect.
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