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 98
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 98
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 98
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5, 1824, and they were married in Tully, July 20, 1840, living happily together for over fifty years. The Owsleys are descendants of an old English family and have had many distinguished mem- bers in this country, among them Ex-Governor Owsley, of Kentucky. Mrs. Wood is a graduate of Christian University and a lady of culture and refinement and has a host of friends. The son Harry is a promising boy of fourteen who bids fair to follow in the footsteps of his father, to whom he was most fondly attached.
F IELD ALFORD. Any resident of Ralls County would speak of our subject as one of the most respected and prominent of her many fine men. He is one of the largest landholders in the county, which property he has accumulated by good management and excellent business ability.
Mr. Alford is a native of this county and was born December 7, 1854, to Capt. Thomas and Martha (Yeager) Alford, natives of Kentucky. They were there reared and married, soon after which event they came by wagon to this State, being at that time among its very earliest settlers. They first took up land near Madisonville and were there engaged in farming for a number of years, when they retired from the more arduous duties of life and, moving to Vandalia, passed the remaining years of their life in ease and com- fort, enjoying the fruits of their early years of industry.
To Capt. Thomas and Martha Alford there were born four children, of whom Field was the eldest but one. Betty married Thomas Evans, whose sketch the reader will find on another page in this book; Nannie married Samuel Chinn and is residing near our subject; Red- man L. is at home and attending school.
Our subject obtained his education in the dis- trict school and at the age of twenty years began to work for himself. His first venture was a trip to California, his destination being the
southern portion of the State. There he began working in a saw mill in the mountains, continu- ing to be thus employed for four successive years. He was very successful and, saving his money, was enabled to purchase land on his return home, in 1879. - At that time he became the pro- prietor of eighty acres, included in his home farm, to which he has added as his means would allow until now the land has increased to three hundred acres. It is all under the most ap- proved methods of cultivation and bears a splen- did line of farm buildings, including a commodi- ous and substantial residence.
March 10, 1885, Field Alford and Miss Mal- lie Cowden, natives of this county, were united in marriage. The lady's birth occurred Septent- ber 1, 1865, to Hiram and Martha (Rice) Cow- den, also natives of this State, where they were farmers, well-to-do and highly respected. They are now living in Centre, Mo., retired from ac- tive work. To Mr. and Mrs. Alford there have been born two children: Nellie, born Deceni- ber 4, 1886, and Charlie, born August 30, 1887.
In addition to raising the usual amount of cereals, Mr. Alford handles cattle and hogs in large numbers and has his place well stocked with fine breeds of these animals, as well as some blooded horses. He is a Democrat in politics. His wife holds membership with the Presby- terian Church, in which she is an active worker.
Mr. Alford is self-made, and is one whose ex- ample is well worthy of emulation, and should serve to encourage others, who, like himself, have to begin life at the bottom of the ladder.
C APT. ABIJAH JOHNS. The gentle- man whose life it is our privilege to pre- sent to our readers was formerly one of the enterprising business men of Clarksville, where he was engaged in the saddlery and har- ness business. Although now deceased he still lives in the memory of his many friends in this county.
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Mr. Johns was a native of Ohio and born at Sharonville August 23, 1825. He was the young- est of four sons, comprising the houseliold of James and Sarah (Cunningham1) Johns, the for- mer of whom was a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio. Only one of this family now survives: James W., the eldest, who resides in the World's Fair City; Seth S. died in 1843, and Abia departed this life in 1858.
When young our subject served an appren- ticeship at the saddlery and harnessmaker's trade and when eighteen years of age began traveling about the country as journeyman at his trade. He worked at different times in Port Gibson, Lafayette, Vicksburg and Natchez, Miss. At the last-named place, in 1847, he volunteered his services in the Second Mississippi Volunteer Rifle Corps, during the Mexican War, and after rendezvousing in camp at Vicksburg until june 18, 1848, he was mustered out of service. For a number of years afterward he worked at his trade in that southern State, and then located for a time at Florence, Ky. While there, in 1853, he married Miss Emarilla Derr. In 1855 he emi- grated to Missouri and made his home in Lou- isiana City for one year, when he made perma- nent location in Clarksville and established hin- self in the saddle and harness business.
In answer to the call for more soldiers Mr. Johns closed his shop on December 1, 1861, and after assisting to raise a company entered the Union Army as a private in Company A, Third Missouri Cavalry. June 15, 1862, he was pro- moted and commissioned First Lieutenant by Gov. Gamble, and February 10, 1863, was made Captain. In command of his company he was on duty through Northern Missouri until after the battles of Kirksville, Moore's Mill and Dunar Church, when he with his command was ordered to Pilot Knob, and after participating in the bat- tle at that place was ordered to Patterson, Wayne County, thirty miles south of Pilot Knob, on out- post duty. While scouting in that vicinity he was attacked by a band of bushwhackers under Col. Rieves. During this conflict the Captain's clothing was riddled with buckshot, a few of his men were wounded and several horses killed.
He was later ordered into Greene County, Ark., to scatter and break up Sam Hildebrand's band of desperadoes. With a hundred men he scoured the swamps thoroughly and finally found his headquarters on Crowley's Ridge, Ark., where he was attacked by Hildebrand's men, who tried to divert the attention of the men by driving cat- tle, so as to get within his lines. But he was on the alert and, discovering the ruse, a simultan- eous attack took place. In the first fire the Cap- tain's clothing and the tree of his saddle were riddled with balls and slugs, and his left arm was broken; many of Hildebrand's men' were killed and his band dispersed. While on this expedi- tion our subject captured several wagons loaded with ammunition and stores of different kinds, which were being conveyed from St. Louis to Rebel camps, and also about five thousand dol- lars' worth of contraband property belonging to Confederates hid in the swamps. Mr. Johns was known as "Old Biga," and was sometimes called "Old Yaller," on account of his riding a clay- bank or yellow horse.
Capt. Johns served until the expiration of his term of service in 1865, when in February of that year he was mustered out at Macon City, Mo. He then returned to Clarksville and resumed his former business. In 1860 he was called to mourn the death of his wife, she leaving him two sons: Jesse F., and Charles W., who is now de- ceased. Another son, Clinton, died before the mother's demise.
Our subject married December 23, 1869, his second wife, who prior to that event was Miss Margaret Stark. To them was born a son, Harry S., August 8, 1871, who died January 10, 1888. Mrs. Johns was born August 27, 1844, in Pike County, Mo., and is the daughter of James and Catherine (Schooler) Stark, the former of whom is deceased. Her paternal grandfather was Judge James Stark, one of the pioneers of Pike County, for he emigrated hither from Bour- bon County, Ky., in 1816. He was a hero in the War of 1812.
Capt. Johns to the time of his demise, which occurred June 29, 1891, continued in the busi- .ness in which he first embarked on coming to
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Clarksville. His property was destroyed by fire December 4, 1870, when he lost everything, but as nothing however discouraging could daunt him, he resumed operations in a few months. At the time of his death he owned a fine farm of eighty acres located near Paynesville, besides his business house and residence in Clarksville. The Captain never identified himself with any church organization, but was a thorough-going Univer- salist in belief. Politically he was a stanch Re- publican, but was of a very retiring disposition and never aspired to public office. He was a kind, sympathetic, generous and charitable gen- tleman, who measured up to the full standard of manhood, and was a great lover of home. His remains lie interred in the Clarksville cemetery. Mrs. Johns is a consistent member of the Cum- berland Presbyterian Church.
W ILLIAM P. JACKSON, deceased. For over sixty years the home of this hon- ored old pioneer was in Marion County, and while living on his excellent estate in Warren Township he was called to his final rest, September 7, 1891. His parents, Julius A. and Elizabeth (Walls) Jackson, were natives of Delaware, whence they made the journey to this State and county when William P. was a lad of twelve years. They resided here for about ten years, when they changed their location to Shelby County, Mo., and there passed the remainder of their lives. They were extensive land-owners, having their property worked by slave labor. They were the parents of two sons, the brother of our subject being James W., who is also de- ceased.
After the death of his wife Julius A. Jackson was again married, the lady on this occasion be- ing Mary Griffith. She was also a native of the State of Delaware, and departed this life in Shelby County. To them were born three children, Ju- lius A., Eliza and Elizabeth, all of whom are de- ceased. Elizabeth married Dr. Lemuel Frank-
lin, who now resides on the old homestead in Shelby County, Mo., which was settled by Grand- father Jackson.
The original of this sketch, born June 12, 1818, was given a good education, completing his studies in the St. Charles College. He then en- gaged in teaching in Shelby and Marion Coun- ties, following this vocation with signal success until about twenty-four years of age, when he abandoned that kind of life and gave his attention to farming, locating at once on the farm which is now occupied by his widow. This estate had been given him by his father on his removal to Shelby County. His ventures in the agricultural line were prospered and at the time of his de- cease he left an estate of about four hundred acres lying in Warren Township, this county. He acquired a moderate fortune, became promi- nent in his community and for a number of years was Justice of the Peace, and for fifty years was School Director. Mr. Jackson always took an active part in church and educational affairs and was highly respected by all who knew him.
Our subject was twice married, his first union being with Miss Emily E. Sharp, who was born in this county and died May II, 1849, at the age of twenty-three years. She left two children, Richard A., a farmer of Marion County, and Mary E., who married John Toliver Ragland; both are now deceased. In 1850 Mr. Jackson chose for his companion Miss Sarah Taylor whose birth occurred in Oldham County, Ky., July 4, 1832. Her parents were John and Jane (Woodard) Taylor, natives respectively of the Blue Grass State and Virginia, the father having lived to be eighty-five years of age, but his wife died when young. To Mr. and Mrs. Taylor there were born six children, William, John, Elizabeth, Joseph and Jane, all deceased, and Sarah, Mrs. Jackson. Mrs. Jane Taylor departed this life in the Blue Grass region, after which her husband came to this State and county and lived with his daughter for about twelve years, when he was taken into the home of his son, John, Jr., where he passed the remainder of his life. He was never an office-seeker or holder, yet was very promi- nent in his community, pushing forward to com-
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pletion any scheme set on foot for the betterment of the people. He was a member, and for many years a class leader, in the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics he always voted for the Dem- ocratic candidates.
To our subject and his estimable wife there were born a large family of children, eleven in number. Of these James W. is engaged as a gen- eral merchant in Bucklin, Mo .; Eliza F. is de- ceased; John T. is a farmer of this county; Sarah F. is at home with her mother; Emily E. mar- ried J. W. Rouse, a banker of Bucklin; Lulu is now Mrs. A. W. Cassidy, a merchant of Lamar, Mo .; Minnie F. is engaged in teaching school at Monroe City; Julia B. is the wife of W. T. Stamper, and both are school teachers of note in Corvallis, Mont .; William W. is a farmer of Bar- ton County, Mo .; Annie E. is at home; Julia A. is deceased.
Mrs. Jackson has retained one hundred and twenty acres of the home place, to the cultivation of which she gives her attention, and is manifest- ing herself to be a woman of business ability. The family occupy the brick residence which was erected by Mr. Jackson in 1855. She is a faithful, consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and an active worker in the same. Edu !- cational measures find in her a warm friend, as she is strongly in favor of good schools and teachers.
T HOMAS C. WILSON. This prominent business man of Hannibal was born in Lincoln County, Mo., April 12, 1851. He is the son of Alexander K. and Alzira M. (Gibson) Wilson, the former of whom was born April 1, 1813. He in turn was the son of David Wilson, a native of Ireland, who emigrated to the United States in 1809, settling in North Carolina. Eight years later he removed to St. Louis, Mo., and after a stay there of two years became a resident of Lincoln County, where he passed his time in farming until his decease, in 1821. The grandfather of our subject married
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a Miss Elder. All of their children are now de- ceased. Mrs. Wilson passed away in Lincoln County in 1867, at the age of ninety-seven years.
The father of our subject was reared to mature years in Lincoln County and, when of sufficient age, learned the blacksmith's trade, which occu- pation he followed the greater part of his life. After the formation of the Republican party he voted for its candidates, being one of the twelve men in Lincoln County who cast a ballot for Lincoln, in 1861. He departed this life Febru- ary 8, 1886. Alzira, his wife, was born in what was many years ago the Territory of Louisiana, but now the State of Missouri, April 27, 1816. Her father was Gayon Gibson, and the maiden name of her mother Selamy Sitton. The former was the son of Gayon Gibson, Sr., whose birth occurred in Ireland, January 7, 1744. He crossed the Atlantic in 1772 and in this country was mar- ried to Eleanor Kennedy, December 8, 1773. He died of yellow fever in Augusta, Ga., in 1795. Gayon was born in South Carolina, October 7, 1787, and his wife was a native of. North Caro- lina, her birth occurring October 5, 1793. Their marriage took place in Tennessee, October 10, 18II, and to them were born eleven children, of whom Alzira was the third. The grandfather died January 8, 1848. Selamy Sitton was the daughter of Joseph and Diana (Beck) Sitton and was the youngest member of a family of twelve children. Joseph Sitton was a native of Scotland, in which land his family were very prominent and noted people.
Grandfather Gibson fought as a soldier during the Indian War. He went to what is now Mis- souri in 1808, but three years later returned to Tennessee, where he was married, and brought his wife to his new home, reaching Kennedy's Fort on Christmas Day, 1811. Although the parents of eleven children, fifty years rolled by before there was a natural death in the family.
The parents of our subject were married in Lincoln County, Mo., November 6, 1843, and unto them were born eight children. Ann Isa- bella is now the wife of John M. Gladney, of Lit- coln County, and the mother of ten children: Luther M. died in February, 1894, leaving five
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children; Franklin L. is a resident of Bowling Green, this State; Zelima F. died in Lincoln County in 1868; Thomas C. was the next born; Sarah K. is living in Lincoln County, in which section Alexander H. also makes his home; Charles William died in Lincoln County, in 1864. The mother of this family departed this life March 4, 1888, in the above county. Alexander Wilson was for many years Justice of the Peace of Lincoln County and, at one time, was Presid- ing Judge of the County Court.
The original of this sketch was reared to man- hood in his native county, where he received the advantages of a common-school education. On attaining his seventeenth year he took a course of study in the Hardee College at Louisiana, Mo., and in 1869 entered the State University at Columbia, from which institution he was gradu- ated in 1874. After leaving the university he en- gaged in civil engineering for the St. Louis & Hannibal Railroad Company, remaining in their employ until 1882. That year he began con- tracting for railroads, supplying the different cor- porations with ties and railroad lumber, and is still engaged in this branch of business.
In 1891 our subject, in company with H. L. Bock, W. K. Kavanaugh, Louis Kavanaugh, and a Mr. Strange, organized the Union Sand Company, in which Mr. Wilson is still one of the prominent stockholders. In March, 1894, he, with R. H. Stillwell, Cornelius Voorhis, and Z. Fielder, established the Hannibal Pressed Brick Company, of which he is now Secretary and Treasurer, R. H. Stillwell President and C. Voorhis Vice-President. The company have a capital stock of $40,000. Their yards are lo- cated about two miles south of Hannibal and the capacity of the plant is thirty-five thousand brick per day. There they have a fine body of clay and the quality of the brick manufactured is equal to any made.
Thomas C. Wilson was married February 12, 1885, at Troy, Mo., to Anna R., daughter of H. W. and Georgia (Ritnor) Perkins, natives of this State. To them have been born three children, two of whom died in infancy. Hazel, the daugh- ter now living, was born March 24, 1888. Mrs.
Wilson is a member in excellent standing of the Presbyterian Church, in the work of which she takes an active part.
Our subject is a Republican in politics and in 1888 was alternate delegate to the Chicago con- vention and also represented his district in the National Convention which met at Minneapolis in 1892. He is a member of the Phi Kappa Psi Society, in which he takes great interest.
souri.
D AVID A. BALL resides in the City of Louisiana and is among the prominent members of the legal profession in Mis- He was born June 18, 1851, in Lincoln County, Mo., on a farm where he remained un- til 1870, when he went to Louisiana to attend school. He was educated in the public schools, attending to his studies during the winter and working on the farm the remainder of the time. After he came to Louisiana, when not at school, he worked in the tobacco factory of A. Tins- ley & Co.
In 1873 Mr. Ball was licensed to practice law by Judge G. Porter, then judge of the Third Judicial District of Missouri. In 1874 he was elected City Attorney and served one year. He was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Pike Coun- ty, Mo., in 1878, and served two terms-four years. Mr. Ball made a vigorous and success- ful prosecutor during his four years of service as Prosecuting Attorney. It is a remarkable fact that he did not have a single indictment quashed, 01' a case called for trial that he did not answer "ready."
In 1882 Mr. Ball was elected a member of the Democratic State Committee and was one of the executive committee having in charge the man- agement of the State campaign and by which management they succeeded in electing a solid Democratic delegation to Congress from Mis- souri. In 1884 he was elected to the State Sen- ate from the Eleventh Senatorial District of Mis- souri, composed of the counties of Audrain, Lin-
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coln and Pike, in which position he served four years. The Senate elected him President of that body at its organization in January, 1887. Upon the death of Gov. John S. Marmaduke, in 1887, Mr. Ball, under the Constitution of Missouri, be- came the Lieutenant-Governor of the State, in which position he continued until January, 1889.
While a member of the Senate Mr. Ball was quite active and progressive, taking a leading part in the great fight for railroad legislation and succeeded in forcing the enactment of the present railroad laws of Missouri. He was also the author of a bill giving to a State a uniform system of school books, and while not successful in this effort, he demonstrated to the people of the State the great saving in money to be made by passing such a measure, and at the next ses- sion of the Legislature the bill became a law. He was also a member and Chairman of the com- mittee to visit the State institutions, and through the recommendations in his report the asylum at Nevada, Mo., was built.
Gov. Ball takes great interest in all public mat- ters, although since 1889 he has not been en- gaged in politics, but devotes his time and at- tention to his profession. As some evidence it may be stated that he is on one side or the other of all the important cases in his county. And he has never lost a criminal case when under his management. Gov. Ball studied law with the firm of Fagg & Dyer, the then leading lawyers of Northeast Missouri. In 1877 he formed a partnership with Hon. Champ Clark. This part- nership resulted in the warm personal friendship of these men, which has ever since continued. To Mr. Ball much credit is given for the able and successful manner in which he managed the Clark-Norton campaign in 1892.
In 1891 Mr. Ball formed a partnership with Judge T. J. C. Fagg, his old preceptor, and the firm is now Fagg, Ball & Hicks.
ly: John, Chloe, William, Sallie, James and Tol- liver. Three of the number still survive: John, Chloe and James. John Ball, father of our sub- ject, was brought up on a farm and has been a life-long agriculturist, his home being at pres- ent in Montgomery County, Mo. During the war with Mexico he served under command of Sterling Price, and in the late war was Captain of Company E, Forty-ninth Missouri. Previous- ly, however, in 1861, he had helped to organize a militia company, and was identified with the same about two years. With the gallant Forty- ninth he took part in numerous prominent bat- tles, including the defense of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely.
In 1850 John E. Ball married Elizabeth Dyer, daughter of David and Nancy (Sammons) Dyer, who came from Henry County, Va., and moved to Lincoln County, Mo., in 1844, settling on a farm. David Dyer was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was a prominent member of the Whig party in the Old Dominion. He served for sev- eral terms in the State Legislature, both in the Upper and Lower House. Mrs. Elizabeth Ball is still living and is a worker in the old school Baptist Church with which she has long been identified. Her nine children were named as follows: David, Nettie, James F., John B. M., Galen R., Claud R., Laura, William S. and Ed- ward. Nettie is the widow of Thomas F. Walsh and Laura died in girlhood. James F. and Claud are lawyers: William S. is a traveling man, hav- ing his. headquarters in Montgomery City and the other sons who reside in the same locality are farmers.
May 13, 1875, Gov. Ball married Jessie, daugh- ter of Samuel O. and Elizabeth (Carter) Minor. The lady was a native of Pike County, but her parents were from Albemarle County, Va. Mr. and Mrs. Ball are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South and are always to be found as liberal contributors to worthy causes.
Our subject's paternal grandfather, James Ball, was a native of Fauquier County, Va., and Since his youth Gov. Ball has been an active Democrat in politics, and since 1880 has been a delegate to nearly every State Convention of the party, and also has attended Congressional a farmer by occupation. Some time during the forties he started Westward, locating near Bridgeton, St. Louis County, where he died in 1850. His family comprised six children, name- , Convocations. In 1885, while a member of the
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Legislature, the Tinsley Tobacco Company voted him $1,000 worth of stock in the Mercan- tile Bank and made him a director, which posi- tion he has held since. This large and import- ant concern has always been his friend and has given him all of its legal business. Gov. Ball is a self-made man and has risen to his present honorable position at the bar and in society by his energy, perseverance and intrinsic worth. He is straightforward in all his dealings with his fel- low-men and stands well with the members of the Bench and Bar. Socially he belongs to Riv- erside Lodge, A. O. U. W. and to Evening Star Lodge I. O. O. F.
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