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 76
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J. W. ANDERSON,
of the firm of Anderson & Deppen, grocers and proprietors of meat market, was born in Hardin County, Kentucky, August 19, 1840, and in 1850, with his parents, he moved to DeKalb County, Missouri, where he was raised and educated. In February, 1873, he moved to Stewartsville, and since that time he has been engaged in the grocery business. November 19, 1864, he enlisted in the Federal service, Company I. Twenty-first Missouri Infantry, and remained in service until the close of the war. Mr. A. was married October 1, 1861, to Miss Mary A. Snethen. She was born in Kenton County, Kentucky, March 7. 1842. They have eight children : Malcom P., Emery L., Wm. D., Emma M .. Leona A., Charles O., James B., and one infant.
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W. H. BROWN,
one of the firm of McCrosky & Brown, stock dealers, and also of the firm of Brown & Ardery, feeders and dealers, is a native of Kentucky, and was born in Mason County, December 12, 1846. In 1856, his parents moved to Clinton County, Missouri, where he was reared and educated. He supplemented his early schooling by a course at the Platte City Academy. October 14, 1865, Mr. Brown was married to Miss Della Ardery. She was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky, September 23, 1852. After his marriage he moved to DeKalb County, Missouri. He has followed the stock business during life, and is now one of the leading stock dealers and feeders of this vicinity. His landed estate consists of 300 acres, all of which he uses for stock purposes.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL HARVEY SMITH BUCK.
Among the representative citizens of Clinton County is Colonel, or, as he is familiarly styled, "Captain" Harvey Smith Buck, widely known as a popular banker of the town of Stewartsville, in DeKalb County, just across the line from Clinton County, where most of his landed possessions lie. He was born in Gouverneur, Saint Lawrence County, New York, in 1838. His parents, Roger and Patty Maria Buck, moved from New York to Brown County, Illinois, where, in 1851, his father died, leaving a widow, three sons and four daughters, Harvey, then thirteen years of age, being the oldest son. After his father's death he was sent to Augusta, Illinois, to live with John B. Compton, a merchant, and hus- band of his oldest sister, Elizabeth, where he remained several years, acquiring a knowledge of mercantile business. He was then sent to Galesburg, Illinois, and matriculated in Knox College, remaining there until he had exhausted the means saved in Augusta. Left to work his own way in life, without any means but the knowledge he had acquired in the store, the partial education obtained in school, a stout hand and a willing spirit, he, at the age of eighteen, began the battle which he ha; so successfully fought. He first sought a subordinate position in a store, but finding no situation that suited him, he determined to embark in business for himself, though absolutely without means. Securing the endorsements of the leading merchants of Augusta as to his integ- rity and business habits, he borrowed $1.50 to pay railroad fare, proceed to Quincy, Illinois, and bought, on credit, a small stock of drugs, books and notions. Assisted by Dr. Ellis, a physician of Augusta, he soon became a competent druggist, and by the correctness of his busi- ness habits succeeded in securing a large patronage. At the breaking out of the war, his business in the line of general merchandise was recognized as one of the largest and most prosperous in the place. In
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1861, obeying the call of his country, he turned his business over to his head clerk, to whom he gave an interest in the profits, and with fifteen associates proceeded to Quincy, where he enlisted under Captain Sterling P. Delano, a prominent lawyer of that city, who was organizing a com- pany of dragoons, afterward assigned to the Second Illinois Cavalry. This company was detailed as an escort to General B. M. Prentiss, who was soon relieved by General U. S. Grant, and the command proceeded to Cairo, Illinois. Shortly after this he was promoted to the position of clerk at General Grant's headquarters, where he remained until the battle of Shiloh, and, for gallant services rendered to General Grant as bearer of dispatches, etc., at the battles of Fort Donaldson and Shiloh, he was recommended for promotion to Governor Richard Yates. Although personally a stranger to Colonel Thomas J. Kinney, who had just organ- ized the 119th Illinois Infantry Regiment, that officer, on the strength of his reputation for courage and ability, requested Governor Yates to commission Mr. Buck adjutant of his regiment, which was accordingly done. He was thus the first clerk at General Grant's headquarters who received a commission. He was with this regiment through all its cam- paigns in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi under General A. J. Smith, who commanded the Sixteenth Army Corps, and with General Banks in his Red River expedition. He served in fourteen engagements, in most of which he commanded the left wing of the regiment, the colonel being frequently in command of the brigade. In two hot engagements he commanded the regiment, the superior officers being absent or wounded. During the last battle at Nashville, December 15th and 16th, 1864. he performed some of the most daring feats of the war. In one instance, at a critical point, when his regiment was wavering before a storm of shot and shell from two six-gun batteries, he volunta- rily headed the charge, and by his consummate skill and determined bravery, succeeded in inspiring his men to renewed effort, which resulted, after a desperate hand to hand conflict, in the capture of the guns. For this achievement he was unanimously elected by both officers and men to be major of the regiment, and strongly recommended to Generals A. J. Smith and George H. Thomas for gallant and meritorious conduct on the battlefield. Shortly after this, his regiment being trans- ferred to New Orleans, he was detailed on General Canby's staff. In the spring of 1865, he was commissioned by the war department captain' in the subsistence department, and assigned as above stated. He dis- charged the onerous duties of his position with marked ability until the fall of 1865, when he went to Washington and was mustered out of the service. He then spent considerable time in traveling over the United States, visiting all points of special interest, and observing the habits and customs of the people. In the spring of 1866, he moved to Clinton County, Missouri, where he improved what is known as the Maple Ave-
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nue farm, a highly adorned tract of 640 acres. Completing his work, he moved to Stewartsville, DeKalb County, and again engaged in mercan- tile pursuits. In 1875, in connection with Franklin Finch and William D. Totten, he established a bank in Stewartsville, which enterprise has added largely to the business facilities of the county, and ranks high as a safe and reliable institution. Of this bank he is now sole proprietor. His landed interests are extensive, including three large farms which he owns in Clinton County. One of these includes 640 acres, another 240 acres, and a third of 170 acres. He owns, besides, a fine farm of 320 acres in DeKalb County. These are stocked with about 380 head of cattle, 300 head of hogs, besides sheep, horses and other stock. The chief product of his farms is hay ; live stock being the chief yield for market. He is an active worker and has, by his own efforts, accomplished much in pro- moting the general interests of Northwest Missouri, where he is held in universal esteem. Much of the proverbial prosperity of Stewartsville is due to the active and energetic efforts of "Captain" Buck, as he is still called, while in reality he ranks as lieutenant colonel. Through his man- agement, old fabrics have been torn down, streets widened and new ones located. His residence is among the finest in the place, and through his untiring energy the town has grown from a small village to the propor- tions of a city of the fourth class, of which he is (1881) the mayor. Called upon to take the lead in all public and private enterprises, he is now at work with a determination of securing to Stewartsville, a point in the Saint Joseph & Eastern Railroad, about to be constructed from Saint Joseph to a point on the Wabash, Saint Louis & Pacific Rail- way. On the organization of the militia of the state, in 1867, he was appointed lieutenant colonel of the Thirty-eighth Regiment of Missouri State Militia. He united with the Masonic order, in Augusta, Illinois, and is an active member of the Chapter, Council and Commandery. He has served three successive terms as High Priest of Russell Royal Arch Chapter No. 77, of Stewartsville. In politics, he has always been a staunch Republican. He was married January 18, 1866, to Miss Louisa Lewis, daughter of Judge William Lewis, of Brooklyn, Schuyler County, Illinois. They have (1881) four children : Frank, aged ten years, Dell, aged eight years, George, aged five years, and Pearl, aged three years. Colonel Buck's habits have ever been strictly temperate, the only stimulant in which he indulges being tobacco, and that in a moder- ate degree.
DR. J. C. BYNUM,
a prominent and successful physician and surgeon of Stewartsville, is a native of Alabama, having been born in DeKalb County, on the 6th of December, 1847. In 1850, he was brought by his parents to Missouri, they locating near St. Joseph, in Buchanan County, where he remained
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until the following October. He then moved to Ripley, Mississippi, made his home there for one year, and soon after returned to St. Joseph. He was educated in the common schools of this district, afterwards sup- plementing it by a course in the college of Springfield, Missouri. For some time he lived in the country, six miles east of St. Joseph, and in the spring of 1856, went to Texas. Upon his return, he located at Springfield, Missouri, in the spring of 1857, and in 1858, again moved to Buchanan County. In 1866, Dr. Bynum took a trip, the second time, to Texas, returning to Clinton County in 1867. Having made choice of the practice of medicine as his profession, he commenced its study in 1867, under the tutorship of Dr. P. H. Hereford, of Easton. He was an attend- ant of lectures at the St. Louis Medical College, for one full course and a part of another. In October, 1868, he commenced the practice of his chosen profession in Buchanan county, there continuing until January, 1876, when he moved to Clinton County. Dr. Bynum further fitted him- self for his calling, by attending the St. Joseph College of Physicians and Surgeons, during the session of 1879-80, graduating at its close. In the fall of 1880, he located at Stewartsville, where he has since continued to practice, and with no small degree of success. He makes a specialty of the diseases of women. Dr. Bynum found a wife in the person of Miss Bettie Whitson, whom he married June 5, 1873. Mrs. B. is a native of Buchanan County, Missouri, and was born September 14, 1853. They have two children : Ella, born at Matney Mills, June 20, 1875, and John C., born at Starfield, August 17, 1877. In the spring of 1873, Dr. B. joined Agency Lodge No. 10. He was exalted to the Royal Arch degree, in Russell Royal Arch Chapter No. 77, in the fall of 1881.
BENJAMIN F. AND WILLIAM T. CLARK,
(twins), are natives of Indiana, and were born in Hancock County, May 7, 1860. March 10, 1865, they moved with their parents to DeKalb County, Missouri, where the latter now resides. Their father's family consists of ten boys and five girls-five of each are now living. The resemblance of the two used as the subject of this sketch was so close that when they were quite young it was necessary to place a different colored string of beads around their necks. Their appearance and actions were very much the same, and rendered it most difficult to tell them apart. They were educated in the schools of DeKalb County, and have never been parted for any great period of time worth mentioning. From May, 1878, till July, 1879, B. F. acted as Deputy County Clerk of DeKalb County, Missouri, and August 27, 1879, he took charge of the store as one of the'firm of Clark & Son, druggists, in which he has met with great success. Being an accommodating and a pleasant business man, he finds numerous patrons. March 26, 1878, W. T. came to Stew-
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artsville and accepted a position in the drug store of W. A. Clark, his uncle, and which is now the store known as Clark & Son. He continued as clerk in the same till March 26, 1879, when he was given the position of bookkeeper in the Stewartsville Bank, in which institution he has since been employed, and in which he is now cashier.
A. J. CULBERTSON, M. D.
dealer in general merchandise, is a native of North Carolina, and was born in Wake County, July 4, 1840. While an infant, his parents moved to Clay County, Missouri, where, in a short time, they died. A. J. was then taken to Gentry County, where he was reared. He was partly educated in that county, and, in 1859, he came to Stewartsville, where he attended Stewartsville College for one year. He followed teaching in Clinton, DeKalb and Gentry Counties for some length of time. In 1862, he enlisted in the enrolled militia, and for one year was hospital steward at St. Joseph. He was then made lieutenant, and in the sum- mer of 1864, he re-enlisted in Company C, Forty-third United States Infantry, and served as lieutenant till the close of the war, when he returned to Stewartsville. Having previously prepared himself for the medical profession, he began in the practice of his profession, and in the drug business. He continued the latter till 1876, when he com- menced in his present business. He also continued the practice of medi- cine till 1879. Being the fortunate possessor of a host of acquaintances, he commands a large and lucrative patronage. Dr. C. was married in the year 1862, to Miss Mary Barnes, of Indiana, who was born in October, 1837. She died May 8, 1868. They had two children, both of whom are now deceased. He was again married October 4, 1869, to Miss N. Valdenear, of Missouri. She was born in the year 1852. Dr. C. is a Mason and a member of Stewartsville Lodge No. 182, and Rus- sell Royal Arch Chapter, No. 77. He also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is a member of Stewartsville Lodge, No. 137.
P. H. DEPPEN,
of the firm of Anderson & Deppen, grocers and proprietors of a meat market, was born in Stark County, Ohio, February 16, 1838. He was reared on a farm, in his native county, and, in 1862, enlisted in Company B, 104th Ohio Infantry, remaining in service for eight months. He was then discharged on account of disability, and afterwards returned home, and joined the national guards, acting as second lieutenant for one year. In 1864. he moved to Buchanan County, Missouri, and located on a farm, and, in 1870, he moved to Stewartsville, where he has since prin- cipally been engaged in the mercantile trade. He was married, in Sep-
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tember, 1863, to Miss Catherine Bair. She was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in September, 1843. They have four children : Alice A., Otto E., Campbell and Bertha.
SAMUEL DEVALL,
merchant tailor. The subject of this sketch is a native of England, and was born June 3, 1844, in the town of Leominster, in County Hereford. He received his literary knowledge in the British schools of his native town, which afforded him the advantage of a classical education. His father established a hat manufactory in the town of Leominster, in the year 1348, which he continues to operate. Samuel, until thirteen years of age, assisted his father in that business. He then was employed as clerk in a drug store for one year, when, having an anxiety to learn a trade, he at once began as an apprentice to the tailor's trade, serving as such for five years. In the year 1863, he went to the town of Burton- on-Trent, where he followed his trade one year, and from that time till 1866 was engaged at the same in Birmingham. In 1866, he estab- lished himself in the merchant tailoring business in the town of Rugby, in County Stafford, with his uncle, Thomas De Vall, as a partner, and con- tinued the same till 1869. In 1866, he enlited in the British Volunteers, and, in 1868, was elected section officer, or special constable, acting in this important position during the Fenian excitement. Resigning in the spring of 1869, he then emigrated to America. Before leaving England, he was married to Miss Sue Harvey, a native of that land, and who was born in County Stafford, December 7, 1851. At the time above men- tioned they crossed the ocean, landing at Castle Garden, New York, and at once came to St. Joseph, Missouri, where they remained a short time, there becoming further familiarized with the ways and customs of the American people. After this, they located in Stewartsville, the point chosen as their home before leaving England. At the time of his arrival at Stewartsville, Mr. D. possessed a small amount of means, and has since adhered strictly to his occupation, and is now considered one of the leading citizens of the town. He has recently erected on North Main Street a business house, and dwelling in connection, which adds much to the appearance of that locality. At any time he may be found at his place of business, ready to supply the wants of the people in his line of trade. The family of Mr. and Mrs. DeVall consists of five chil- dren : Lella, Samuel, Edward C., James A. and Owen L.
CHARLES L. FOWLER
was born in Uniontown, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, September 30, 1840, and after an education, finished in Madison College, of that place,
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learned the printing trade in the office of the Genius of Liberty, a paper still published in that town, in its seventy-seventh year, without missing a number. He came west directly after serving his apprenticeship, and rambled over the country, drinking in its beauties and storing up a fund of knowledge of men and things, only obtained by closest observation. He crossed the plains in "bull-whacking" times, stopping for brief sea- sons in Colorado, Nevada, Montana, Idaho and Utah, and crossing the mountains to California, traversed the wilds of Oregon and Washington, when "Injun meal" was about the only sign of civilization in that region. When "Sumpter was fired upon" Muscatine, Iowa, claimed him as a citizen, and he left one of its daily newspaper offices for the field as acting drum major of the First Iowa Regiment of Infantry. He served with that regiment during its campaign with General Lyon and else- where, and during that time wrote several "soldier songs" that were sung by every camp fire in the West and South. In the month of May, 1877, he brought out the first number of the Stewartsville Independent, of which he is still sole owner and editor. This was a somewhat haz- ardous venture, as Stewartsville had been the scene of a half dozen news- paper failures, in all of which the citizens had been sufferers, as they had advanced the capital for the purchase of the material, etc. Mr. Fowler asked no donations, brought his entire printing outfit with him, and started his paper upon the principles which govern all legitimate busi- ness. By its merit alone it has succeeded, and that it has succeeded is evidenced by its exceedingly healthy advertising patronage and sub- stantial subscription list. A writer of unusual force, terse, sharp, pointed, brilliant, and at the same time cultured and refined, Mr. Fowler's edito- rials are the household treasures of a large number of weekly readers in the best families in Northwest Missouri. In June, 1879, he became a member of Stewartsville Lodge, No. 182, A. F. & A. M., and in Decem- ber following, was elected its Secretary, which position he still holds. As actor, author, soldier, poet and journalist, his has been an eventful life, and one upon which no spot of dishonor or dishonesty has ever found a resting place. His earnestness of purpose has served him in all countries and among all people, and he hopes to lay down the armor in the end with the knowledge that he did what his conscience admonished was the best in all things.
THOMAS G. MCCROSKY
was born in Greenup, now Boyd County, Kentucky, October 18, 1849. He is the youngest of a family of three children. The two elder, who were daughters, died before the birth of their brother. The father of the subject of this sketch was James D. McCrosky, and his grandfather, John McCrosky. They both moved from Rockbridge County, Virginia,
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and settled in Greenup County, Kentucky, in 1813. The maiden name of his mother was Flora Canterbury. She was a native of Kentucky. The McCrosky family are of Scotch-Irish extraction, and are numbered with the earliest settlers of Virginia. Thomas G. McCrosky was raised on a farm and educated in the public schools of his neighborhood till the spring of 1857, when he left Kentucky with his parents, and moved to Daviess County, Missouri, where he remained engaged in farming three years. In the spring of 1860, he moved with his parents to Stewarts- ville, where he attended the college presided over by Professor Sum- mers, and now (1881) conducted by Prof. W. O. H. Perry. In 1864, he moved to a farm on which he lived till 1868. He then engaged as a clerk for the mercantile firm of Sanders & Snow, composed of Daniel Sanders and J. H. Snow. Some time after he embarked in business on his own account in the family grocery trade. At the end of eighteen months of successful business, he turned the concern over to his father. He then took an interest in the house of Sanders, Snow & Co. in Stew- artsville, dealers in general merchandise. He remained in this connec- tion till 1875, having achieved success in his enterprise. He then pur- chased 220 acres of land near Stewartsville, and engaged in farming, stock dealing, etc., shipping extensively. He subsequently added 160 acres to this tract. His farm of 380 acres includes some of the most productive soil in this section of country. Eighty acres of this farm lies in Clinton County. In December, 1870, he was made a Mason in Stew- artsville lodge, No. 182, A., F. & A. M .. In this body of the order he has filled successively every official position up to the rank of worship- ful master, to which latter he was elected in 1875. In the same year he was exalted in Russell Royal Arch Chapter in Stewartsville and subse- quently filled the office of principal sojourner in the same. In politics Mr. McCrosky has always been a Democrat. He married, October 6, 1874, Miss Belle Wylic, youngest daughter of Rev. C. A. Wylie, a min- ister of the Presbyterian Church. His family consists of Bertha, born June 16, 1876; Grace, born April 15, 1878, and Flora, born October 10, 1880. Mr. McCrosky is a liberal minded and public-spirited as well as an enterprising citizen, and stands high in the opinion of all who know him.
COL. ORLAND G. MCDONALD),
lumber dealer, also real estate agent for the Hannibal & St. Joseph Rail- road Company, is a native of Pennsylvania, and was born in Center County, October 23, 1824. When about seven years of age, his parents moved to Philadelphia, where his mother died when he was about eleven years of age. Being almost an orphan boy, he was compelled to work for his own support, and was engaged in various occupations over differ- , ent parts of Pennsylvania, till 1841, when he went to Guernsey County,
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Ohio, where he learned the carpenter trade. This he followed, in that locality, till the spring of 1845, when he went to Tazewell County, Illinois, remaining in Peoria, and vicinity, till the fall of 1847, when he went to Plattsburg, Clinton County, Missouri. He was there engaged in various branches of business, having held nearly all of the offices of the county, in that early day, and being the first public administrator of the county. In 1859, Mr. McD. moved to Stewartsville, and began in the mercantile trade, which he continued for some time. He was then chosen as captain of a company of state militia, and was mustered out as lieutenant colonel. From the year 1863 till 1866, he was station agent for the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, since which time he has held the land agency for the same company. His time has also been occu- pied in other minor enterprises, and he has, for some time, been in the lumber trade. In 1872, he was elected to the legislature, of which body he was a member for one term. In 1870, he was superintendent of the state registration, and has also held other offices since locating in Stew- artsville. Mr. McDonald has been three times married : First, May I, 1853, to Miss Minerva J. Osborn, of Ohio. She was born July 21, 1837, and died May 8, 1854. June 25, 1857, he married Miss Mary J. Holman, of Missouri. She was born August 25, 1839, and died January 24, 1861. February 25, 1862, Miss Mary P. McGinness, of Missouri, became his wife.
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