USA > Missouri > Clinton County > The History of Clinton County, Missouri : containing a history of the County, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens, Clinton County in the late war, general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men etc > Part 71
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80
171
HARDIN TOWNSHIP
since that time, to 173 acres. It is excellent land and all under cultiva- tion. J. C. was married January 24, 1865, to Miss Semantha Knight, an estimable lady and loving wife. They have, from this happy marriage, a family of three children : Jimmie Knight, Clifton C. and Shelby B. They are members of the Baptist Church, and contribute liberally towards its support. Mr. E. is clerk of the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church.
J. N. FORSEE,
druggist and merchant, Grayson. The subject of this sketch is a native of Kentucky, and was born October 28, 1831. He was there raised to manhood, and educated. At the age of twenty-five years he emigrated to this state, and settled in Plattsburg. He has followed his present occupation for the past twenty-four years, and is the successor of what was known as Clark & Co.'s store, in Grayson. He is well and favora- bly known in mercantile circles, and a popular man with the public. Mr. F. has been twice married ; first, to Miss Orphia Tucker, whose death occurred in 1862. He subsequently married Miss Susan Poteet, September 10, 1865. They have, as a result of this union, four children : Charlie E., Addie E., Romie N. and Juliet D. Mr. Forsee is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and an Odd Fellow. He is at present secre- tary of Plattsburg Masonic Lodge No. 113, A. F. & A. M., and has held that office for the last four years. He has also held all the offices within the gift of the Odd Fellow's Lodge.
E. S. FRY,
a successful farmer and stock raiser on section 15, stands among the foremost of the leading men of Hardin Township. He was born in Clinton County, Missouri, on the first day of May, 1845, and is conse- quently one of the county's earliest settlers. He is a son of Solomon Fry, who has been an illustrious citizen here for many years. Mr. Fry received his education here, and is a man well informed, and a brilliant conversationalist. He was married on the sixth of February, 1868, to Ann Eliza Deyerle, in Roanoke County, Virginia. The result of this union was three children, one son and two daughters: Julia V., Galen B. and Bessie M. Solomon Fry, the father of the above, was born November 24, 1797, in Frederick County, Virginia. He made that his home until three years of age, and thence removed to Kentucky, where he remained for twenty years, and then going to Clay County, Missouri. About the year 1840, Mr. Fry came to Clinton County, where he there- after continued to reside. His marriage occurred April 6, 1826, to Susan Snap, of Vincennes, Indiana. They had a family of eight children : Helen B., born February 26, 1827 ; A. S., born January 29, 1829; Harriet,
172
BIOGRAPHICAL.
(wife of George Hockaday, of Lathrop), born May 4, 1831 ; Louis S., born July 24, 1833 ; Amanda, born December 21, 1835 ; Anna, (married Theo- dore Todd), born June 24, 1838 ; Juda, born June 24, 1841 ; Emanuel S., born May 1, 1845. Mr. Fry's brother, Thomas, lives in Hardin Town- ship, south of the farm of George Hall.
P. GENTRY,
section 28, post office Bainbridge. Among the well known and successful farmers of this county, the subject of this sketch deserves special men- tion. He is a native of Kentucky, and was born December 15, 1820. In 1832, he with his father's family, removed to this state, and settled in Clay County, where he followed the occupation of farming. In 1847, he emigrated to Oregon and California, where he remained three years, after which time he returned to Missouri, and settled in this county, where he has since resided. In 1866, he settled on his present place, which con- tains 260 acres of land, all of which is under cultivation. Mr. G. was mar- ried, March 20, 1850, to Miss Martha West. Their family consists of George W., Virginia L., Ida P., Albert S. J., James M. and Nancy E. Mr. G. is a member of the Protective Association.
JOHN M. GRAYSON,
farmer and stock raiser, section 1, post office Grayson, although not an old settler of this county, is, nevertheless, one who has been closely identified with the agricultural interests thereof. He is a native of Mis- souri, and was born in Platte County, [December 28, 1845. He was there raised in the occupation which he now follows. His father, George W., was an old settler and a highly respected citizen of Platte County, and a man to whom the county owes much for the interest manifested by him in its prosperity and growth. He now resides in Jefferson County, Kansas. The town of Grayson was named in honor of his family. John Grayson has 180 acres of good, average land, most of which is under cultivation. He has been twice married. First, to Miss Anna Belle Conway. They had, from this marriage, two children, one of whom is living, Conway. Mrs. G.'s death occured May 4, 1876. He was again married, May 1, 1879, to Miss Maggie Williams. They are members of the Christian Church, and contribute liberally towards its support.
J. C. HALL,
farmer and stock raiser, section 19, post office Bainbridge, is an old pioneer of this county, and is a man who has been long associated with its farming interests. He was born in Tennessee, and at the age of
173
HARDIN TOWNSHIP.
seven years, with his father's family, he removed to Missouri, and settled in Boone County. J. S. Hall, his father, was among the first settlers of that county. His death occurred in 1860, at the age of 77 years. The mother of J. C. died in 1857, at the advanced age of 83. The hardships which the subject of this sketch underwent during his boyhood days in Boone, did much toward preparing him for a successful farmer of this district. He has 212 acres of land, the larger portion of which he culti- vates .. He has been twice married; first, in 1836, to Miss J. Calla- way. After living together happily for seventeen years, she passed away in 1853, leaving eight children : Sarah K., Jane C., William J., America A., Elizabeth A., Martha J., Thomas J. and Mary A. E. In 1855, Mr. H. was married to Miss Mary MacColloch. They have from this marriage one child, George. They are members of the Baptist Church, Mr. H. being one of the original members of the church in his township. There is at present but one original member living besides himself.
BIRD HIXSON,
proprietor of saw mill, section 17, post office Bainbridge. The subject of this sketch is a native of Missouri, and was born September 18, 1842. When a small boy, his father moved to this county, where Bird was raised and educated. He is proprietor of Hixson's Saw and Corn Mill, a splendid structure, having a capacity of 5,000 feet of lumber and 100 bushels of corn, per day. Mr. H. supplies nearly this entire district with hard wood lumber, besides supplying large firms in Kansas City with walnut. He has forty-three acres of land, fifteen acres of which is under good cultivation. He was married September 1, 1867, to Miss Sarah Helms, a native of Indiana. They have, from this union, six children : Albert W., William T., Joseph F., Annie M., Oliver P. and John F. During the late civil war, Mr. Hixson was a volunteer in the Federal army, in Company F, Sixth Missouri State Militia Cavalry. With that and other companies, he remained till the close of the war, receiving his discharge April 8, 1866.
E. H. HORD,
farmer and stock raiser, section 31, post office Plattsburg, is one among the old settlers and prominent farmers of this district. He is a native of Mason County, Kentucky, and was born June 7, 1834. He was there raised to manhood, and it was there he learned the occupation he now follows. He has 170 acres of good land, all of which he cultivates. He was married February 28, 1855, to Miss Amelia Allen. They have, from this union, eleven children : Charles A., Mary S., Adalaide, Flor- ence, Dora M., Annie, Abner, Elias, Sabina, William, and Herndon. Mr. and Mrs. H. are members of the Christian Church.
174
BIOGRAPHICAL.
JUDGE W. H. LOTT.
section 22, post office Edgerton. The subject of this brief narrative is an old pioneer of this county, and a man who has been closely identified with its interests from an early day. He is a native of Kentucky, hav- ing been born August 1, 1816, and was raised and educated in Clark County. He has, from his boyhood, principally followed the occupation of farming. Emigrating to Missouri, in 1839, he settled in Caldwell County, where he remained eighteen months, after which time he removed to Clay County. There he resided four years, and, in 1847, set- tled where he now resides, owning 500 acres of land. He is one of our most successful farmers ; has been school director for his district since 1859, with the exception of three years. He was justice of the peace in his district for a term of three years. Judge Lott has been three times married ; first, August 22, 1839, to Miss Sarah Duncan. They had from this union one child, James, now deceased. Mrs. L.'s death occurred in 1842. In 1844, Miss Letitia Duncan became his wife. She died in 1845. Eighteen months afterward, or January 26, 1847, Mr. L. was married to Miss Louisa J. Wilkinson. The result of this marriage was eleven children : Benjamin F., Mary E., Matilda A., Loumira A., Luella (now deceased), John R., Clara K., William, Thomas K., James E. and Nannie D. Mr. Lott is now holding the office of Presiding Judge of Clinton County, having been elected to that responsible position in 1878, the duties of which he has continued to discharge faithfully and to the credit of all concerned.
WILLIAM R. NEWMAN,
section 27, post office Edgerton, is a native of Kentucky, and was born April 11, 1826. At the age of eleven years, with his father's family, he removed to this state and settled in Platte County, where he followed the occupation of farming. In 1849, he came to this county, and settled where he now resides, in 1869. He has 363 acres of land, the principal part of which he has under cultivation. William, the father of the sub- ject of this sketch, was an old resident of this county and a man of sterling worth in the community in which he resided. He raised a large and interesting family, six of whom are now living; his death occurred in 1865. Mr. William R. Newman is a successful and progressive farmer and stock raiser, and has done much toward raising the grade of stock in this county. He was married January 10, 1851, to Miss Martha A. Woodard. They have, from this union, nine children : Celia A., Pleasant C., Mary E., Theodore L., Sterling P., M. L., William J., Henry, and Alexander R. They are members of the Baptist Church.
175
HARDIN TOWNSHIP.
A. W. PALMER,
farmer and stock raiser, section 28, post office Bainbridge, is a native of Ohio, and was born August 19, 1827. In 1836, he, with the family, emi- grated to Missouri, settling in this county. Thomas, his father, was an old pioneer of this county, and a man who was identified with the early settlement of this district. His death occurred in 1856, at the age of 72 years. A. W. Palmer moved on his present place in 1864. He has 100 acres of good land, most of which he has cultivated. At the breaking out of the war, he enlisted in the Confederate cause, in Company D, First Regiment North Missouri, and participated in the engagements of Camp Holloway, Carthage, Wilson Creek, Dry Wood and Lexington, where he was taken prisoner and paroled December 10, by General Lane, of a Kansas regiment. Mr. P. has been twice married ; first, March 22, 1852, to Miss Martha James ; her death occurred in 1859. January 1, 1860, he married his present wife, Miss Maria T. Mayo. They have from this marriage ten children : William H., Louisa I., Martha A., Cora L., James T., Susan J., Fannie M., Mollie B., Anthony W. and Katie T. Mr. P. is an Odd Fellow of some prominence, having held all the offices within the gift of his lodge.
DANIEL REED,
section :5, post office Edgerton, was born May 18, 1849, and is a native of this county, where he has been raised. John, the father of the sub- ject of this sketch, was an old pioneer of this district, and a man closely connected with its interests from an early day. He was shot and killed by Federals in 1862. Daniel Reed is a successful young farmer, and at present is conducting the home farm, of 540 acres. This is good average land, and the larger share of it is under cultivation. Mr. R. was mar- ried September 30, 1876, to Miss Laura Cook, a daughter of an old set- tler, and a lady in every respect worthy of him.
WATSON REED,
farmer and stock raiser, section 14, post office Edgerton, although a young man, is one of our representative farmers. He is a native of Missouri, and was born in this county June 16, 1855. He was here raised in the occupation he now follows, and in 1875 he settled on the place where he now resides. He has 296 acres of land that will average with any in the state, most of which is under cultivation. Mr. R. was married September 6, 1874, to Miss Anna Worth. They have two chil- dren : Albert and Elmer.
176
BIOGRAPHICAL.
WILLIAM H. H. SLAYTON
(deceased), the subject of this sketch, was a native of Kentucky, and was born August 7, 1831. He emigrated to this state and settled in Clay County, in 1844, where he resided till 1866, when he removed to Clinton County and settled where his sons now reside, on section 8. He was a man of sterling worth in the community, and at his death the county lost a representative farmer. His death occurred February 4, 1872. J. W., and G. W., sons of the above, have, since their father's demise, successively managed the home place, and are young men of good habits and character. They will, without doubt, one day make their mark in life, no matter in what position they are called to fill. Their father, at his death, left a widow and seven children.
J .. W. SPANN.
farmer and stock raiser, section 24, is a native of South Carolina, and was born July 7, 1829. There he was raised to manhood and educated, and in 1852 emigrated to Florida, where he remained one year. After this he re- moved from there to North Carolina, where he made his home for about twelve months, and then emigrated to Kansas, in which state he remained three years. During his residence there he participated in what was known as the Kansas war. He afterward came to this state and settled in Platte County. At the breaking out of the war he enlisted in the Confederate service, in which he remained six months. At the close of the war he moved to Illinois, where he remained one year, when he returned to Missouri and settled in Buchanan County. After a short time he came to this county, and, after leasing his present farm for some time, he purchased the place on which he now resides. He has eighty acres of land, most of which is under cultivation. Mr. S. was married January 14. 1860, to Miss Hannah Woodard, and they have from their union a family of Emma A., Mary E., Henry L., Alice, Vidan, James R., Lance, Langdon, Laurel and William. They are member of the Pres- byterian Church, and are liberal contributors thereto.
B. STOUTIMORE,
farmer and stock raiser, section 4, post office Plattsburg. Among the old settlers of this district, and those who have been closely identified with the interests of this county from an early day, may be mentioned the subject of this sketch. He is a native of Virginia, and was born March 4, 1822. There he was raised, and received a common school education. He emigrated to this state in 1852, and located where he now resides, owning 500 acres of land, which will average with any in the county. Most of it is under cultivation. Mr. S. has been twice
177
HARDIN TOWNSHIP.
married ; first, in 1847, to Miss Elizabeth Pittit. By this marriage they had two children, James W. and Mary V. Mrs. S.'s death occurred in 1858. Two years after, or in 1860, he married Miss Eliza Martin, an estimable lady. They have four children : Edward, Lucy A., Jacob B. and Floyd D.
JACOB WALKER,
farmer and stock raiser, section 34, post office Plattsburg. This popular gentleman is one of Clinton County's most respected citizens, and has contributed an ample share towards its development. He was born in Fayette County, Kentucky, July 31, 1809. His father, Henry, was a native of Maryland, and migrated to Kentucky at an early day. The subject of this sketch spent his early days on the farm, and resided in his native state until 1831, when he came to Missouri, locating in Clay County. There he resided until the spring of 1834, when he came to Clinton County, locating on the tract of land which he now occupies. The county, at that time, was sparsely settled, there being but few resi- dents in his neighborhood. Mr. Walker opened a farm, and has since been a prominent person among the agriculturists of the county. He first entered 120 acres of land, and has been adding, at times, until his estate consists of 250 acres of choice land, conveniently located to Plattsburg. A neat and attractive residence adorns his farm. At an early day he discovered upon his land some springs, which possessed great medicinal properties, and for years was known as Walker's Chaly- beate Springs. However, they were never brought prominently before the public until the spring of 1881, when the water was analyzed, and the name changed to that of the Peerless Springs, a sketch of which is given in another part of this history. Mr. Walker has been twice mar- ried ; first to Miss Cynthia Fisher. By this union they had five children, three of whom are living : Sarah A., Nancy C. and John L. ; two died in infancy. Mrs. W. died in 1837. The maiden name of his present wife was Charlotta Jones. By the latter union there were eleven children, ten now living : James H., Susan A., H. C., Permelia J., Brazelton A., Theo. F. (deceased, Alice G., Rebecca I., Thomas W., Edward J. and Fannie. The latter is married, and resides in Kentucky.
JAMES A. WINN,
farmer and stock raiser, section II, post office Grayson, stands prominent among the representative agriculturists of this district. He is a native of Kentucky, and was born November 7, 1832. He was there raised and educated, and, in 1850, emigrated to California, settling in Placerville. There he embarked in mining, which he followed two years, and after- ward removed to this state, and settled on the place where he now
L
178
BIOGRAPHICAL.
resides. He has 395 acres of land, most of which is under cultivation, and upon which is a nice residence. His improvements generally, are of the first order. He has been twice married. First, to Miss Virginia A. Dunlap, a native of Virginia. They had, by this union, three children : Emmet G., Charles D., and John. Mrs. Winn's death occurred May 13, 1873. He was again married December 15, 1874, to Miss Carrie C. Tremble. They have, from this marriage, two children: William B., and Annie M. Mr. W. is a member of the Protective Association. He and his wife belong to the Presbyterian Church, and are liberal support- ers of the same.
ATCHISON TOWNSHIP.
R. G. ANDERSON,
farmer and stock raiser, section 30, post office Plattsburg, is a native of Kentucky, having been born in Monroe County, August 31, 1821. When quite young, his parents removed to Tennessee, where he was raised to manhood and educated, his early life being spent in tilling the soil. In 1851, or 1852, he came to Clinton County, Missouri, locating in Platte Township, where he was identified with its progressive farmers until 1877, when he removed to his present location. His estate con- sists of eighty acres of land, well cultivated. Mr. A. possesses those traits peculiar to a Kentucky gentleman, and is popular with all who may form his acquaintance. He has been three times married. First, to Miss Angelina McCrowder, who died, leaving three children, two of whom are living, Sallie and Jane ; John, deceased. His second wife was Miss Julia Boyd (now deceased). By this union there were five chil- dren, four of whom are living : Julia, Mary, William and James ; lost one, Susan D. His present wife was Miss Sarah Randolph. They have had five children, four of whom survive : Maggie, Franklin, Robert and George ; lost one, Maggie. Himself and family are closely connected with the Christian Church.
HON. DAVID R. ATCHISON.
179
ATCHISON TOWNSHIP.
GENERAL DAVID R. ATCHISON.
Ex-Senator David R. Atchison, of Missouri, was born at Frogtown, in Fayette County, Kentucky, August 11, 1807. Being the son of a wealthy farmer of that county, he received all the advantages of a liberal education, which developed those powerful intellectual faculties that ren- dered his name, in after life, conspicuous in the history of the country. His father was William Atchison, the son of a farmer of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and who moved, with his parents, when six years old, to that garden spot of the west, which now constitutes the rich and magnificently improved County of Fayette, in the State of Kentucky. His mother's maiden name was Catherine Allen. She was a native of the State of Georgia, and a lady of rare natural and acquired endow- ยท ments. General Atchison was the eldest of six children, four sons and two daughters. His brothers were, B. A. Atchison, generally known as Allen Atchison, who died in 1857, leaving one child, John C., who, with Mary, a daughter of William Atchison, resides with the General ; Alex- ander Atchison, who died insane, since the war ; and William Atchison, the father of Dr. J. B. Atchison, at one time a well known physician of St. Joseph. One sister, Mary, was married to Madison Allen, a farmer of Buchanan County. Miss Rebecca Atchison, another sister of the General, died at her residence in Clinton County, in August, 1874. The brothers were all large farmers, and recognized as men of more than ordinary natural and acquired endowments of mind. Largely blessed with the gifts of fortune, intellectual worth seems to have been no less the heritage of this distinguished family. Blessed with ample means and a proper appreciation of the advantages of mental culture, the parents of the subject of this sketch spared no efforts in developing those dawning powers of mind which were, in after life, to render his name prominent in the history of the government. In 1825, he was graduated, with high honor, in Transylvania University, then the leading institution of learning in the state, and since incorporated in the new Uni- versity of Kentucky. Upon receiving his degree in the arts, Mr. Atchi- son, with characteristic energy immediately applied himself to the study of law. Among his preceptors in this faculty were the eminent Judge Bledsoe, Charles Humphrey and William T. Barry, afterward Postmaster General of the United States, during the administration of Van Buren. In 1829 Mr. Atchison was admitted to the practice of law in his native state. Notwithstanding the most flattering encouragement and persuasion to remain from those who knew and appreciated his talents, he determined to try his fortune in the West, and a few months after, in 1830, removed to the comparatively wild district of Clay County, Missouri. In April of that year he received, in St. Louis, his license to practice in the Supreme Court of the state, and immediately settled in the village of Liberty,
180
BIOGRAPHICAL.
now the important seat of Clay County. The only lawyer settled in that place at the time of his arrival was Judge William T. Wood, now a resident of Lexington, and a man highly respected for his personal and professional worth. About this period Mr. Atchison was appointed Major General of the Northern Division of Missouri State Militia. Gen- eral Atchison soon commanded a lucrative practice in his new home, where he continued to reside, in the discharge of the duties of his pro- fession, until February, 1841, when his superior legal attainments, which were known and recognized throughout the state, won for him the appointment by Governor Thomas Reynolds of Judge of the Circuit Court of Platte County on its organization in February of that year, when he moved his residence to Platte City. It appears that in that day judges were appointed to this position by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the senate. The office was not made elective till several years after. General Atchison, though endowed with an inflexible will and unyielding firmness of character, was ever a man of unassuming bearing, large benevolence and convivial and social habits. These, together with his recognized professional ability, ren- dered him highly popular with all classes among the early set- tlers of that region, and in August, 1834, as again in 1838, he was elected to the state legislature from Clay County. Upon the death of Dr. Linn, United States Senator, in the autumn of that year, Judge Atchison was appointed by Governor Reynolds to the vacancy thus occasioned in the Senate. It was by many considered that this appointment was merited, and had been recommended by Colonel Benton, and other authorities of the Democratic party ; by others, it was said, that the Governor, hintself, was ambitious of the senatorship, and had selected Judge Atchison as a person who could be easily beaten at the next election. The death of Governor Reynolds, however, occurred before the meeting of the next Legislature, and Judge Atchison was elected with but slight opposition. He was re-elected for two full terms, in succession; the last of which expired March 4, 1855, during the admin- istration of Franklin Pierce. Two years after this he moved his residence from Platte to his present home in Clinton County. He was elected President of the Senate, to succeed Judge Mangum, a Whig Senator from North Carolina, who is mentioned by Judge Atchison as a man of considerable ability and uncompromising integrity. Two or three years after, Judge Atchison was again elected to that distinguished position, which he continued to hold for some time, till he was relieved, during a temporary absence on private business, by Jesse D. Bright, whose elec- tion to fill the vacancy was the result of a suggestion to that effect from his distinguished predecessor. The fourth of March, 1849, occurring on Sunday, General Z. Taylor was not inaugurated till the following Mon- day. Judge Atchison thus, as presiding officer of the Senate, became
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.