USA > Missouri > Grundy County > The History of Grundy County, Missouri : an encyclopedia of useful information, and a compendium of actual facts > Part 46
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MAJ. JOHN C. GRIFFIN.
John Collier Griffin was born near Cynthiana, Kentucky, October 1, 1812. He lived with his parents until his thirteenth year, when he went to live with Dr. Samuel C. Miller, of his native town, with whom he lived
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three years, and was then employed in the store of Joseph Van Deren, of the same place, for two years. The close confinement impairing his health he was advised to go sonth, and went to Natchitoches, Louisiana, remaining there and in that vicinity for seven years. Returning to Kentucky in the · winter of 1838, he stopped at Louisville until the following fall, and then came to Missouri and settled in that portion of Livingston county, now known as Mercer county, and engaged in farming and stock-raising. In 1839 he was elected major of the first battalion of militia organized in Livingston county. He came to Trenton in February, 1841, and engaged in the mercantile business and followed it until the spring of 1845. At the first general election held in Grundy county, in 1842, he was elected repre- sentative, and elected his own successor in 1844. In 1845 he was elected by the Fifth senatorial district as a delegate to the constitutional convention, to revise the State constitution. In 1847 he was elected captain by a volnn- teer company of cavalry, which was received into the United States service at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to serve during the war with Mexico, and as- signed to duty in the Indian Territory. His company was mustered out of the service at Independence, Missouri, in September, 1848. He elosed out his mercantile business in Trenton in 1845, and removed to his farm some six miles north of that place, to which he returned in 1852. In 1850 he was elected senator by the Fifth senatorial district and served as such until 1856, and in that year was elected cirenit attorney for the Eleventh judicial circuit, and elected his own successor in 1860, since which time he has been in the law practice at Trenton. April 6, 1843, he married Miss Nancy J. Clark, of Grundy county, who died September 6, 1858. They had seven children, only one of whom, Martha J., wife of William W. Bonta, is now living. Major Griffin has been identified with all the best interests of Trenton and Grundy county since the pioneer days, and been called upon to serve the people of Grundy in a public capacity more times than any person now living, and has fairly earned " the well done, good and faithful servant," which has been bestowed upon him.
GEORGE GILMORE.
George Gilmore was born on a farm near Bloomington, Illinois, June 1, 1845. He was reared upon the farm, and received an elementary education in the district schools. In 1864, when nineteen years old, he joined the Union army, enlisting as a private in company G, Thirty-third Illinois vol- unteer infantry, serving eighteen months, when he was discharged on account of disability, having been wounded at Spanish Fort, Alabama, by the explosion of a shell, which shattered his ankle joint and rendered ampu- tation of the foot necessary. After his discharge he returned home, and in April, 1866, entered Eureka College, at Eureka, Illinois, and was a student until the spring of 1870, when he went to Bloomington, Illinois, and studied
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law in the office of E. M. Prince for six months, having previously been a member of the law class while attending Eureka College, and was admitted to the bar at Bloomington in 1871. He began practice at Pontiae, Illinois, but remained only a short time, and in March, 1872, came to Trenton, where he practiced until 1876, then accepted the position of cashier in the . First National Bank of Trenton, which he filled until it surrendered its charter in August, 1876, when he became cashier of its successor, the Union Bank of Trenton, which position he still holds. October 6, 1878, he married Miss Isabelle M. Borin, of Pontiac, Illinois. They have one child, Gladys, born in Trenton, July 8, 1880.
WILLIAM GESSLER
Was born in New York City, October 11, 1845, and was there reared, edu- cated and learned his trade of machinist. His father dying when he was four years of age, and his mother when he was twelve, he at that early age had to maintain himself. He was first employed as an errand boy in the Bockman Street Bank, which position he held some eighteen months, and after that served in the same capacity for the Singer Sewing Machine Com- pany one year. December 27, 1859, when fifteen, he apprenticed himself to the Novelty Works Company, to learn the machinist trade, and served until 1863, when he was employed by the Gennett Brothers to go to Chats- worth, Livingston county, Illinois, to superintend the placing of machinery in their Beet Sugar Factory, and was with them until 1864. From there he went to Chicago, and was employed as machinist by the Illinois Central Railroad Company. In 1866 he quit the above company and was employed by the Frost Manufacturing Company, of Galesburg, Illinois, and worked for them until 1870, when he went to Lincoln, Nebraska, and built and put up the machinery in the Lancaster Mills, of that place. After completing this work, the following spring he, with John Mckesson, built a machine- shop and foundry at Lincoln, under the firm name of Mckesson & Gessler. Retiring from the firm in 1872, he came to Trenton and was employed in his present situation as machinist in the C., R. I. & P. Railroad shops. July 2, 1871, he married Miss M. C. Carson, of Galesburg, Illinois. They have three children: Maud, Grace and Frances, all born in Trenton. He is a member of Adelphia Lodge, No. 38, K. of P., of Trenton, and of Alpha Lodge No. 155, A. F. & A. M., of Galesburg.
S. GREENABAUM
Was born in Offenbachı, Prussia, August 3, 1837. He knows but little about his father, who came to the United States prospecting in 1842, and soon after his arrival in New Orleans died of yellow fever. His mother remained in Europe and died there in 1871. At ten years of age he came with friends to the United States, where he had two brothers, one, Alex-
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ander, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the other, Moses, in the Nappa Valley, California. He lived a short time with the brother in Philadelphia, who removed to Fayette. Howard county, Missouri, and engaged in mer- chandising, and he remained with him and clerked in his store and · attended school until 1852, when he went to his brother in California, who was also in the mercantile business, with whom he lived until 1856, when he returned to Fayette. He was brought up a merchant, entering his brother's store when he first came to America, and continued as a clerk up to 1861, when he joined the Union army, enlisting in company D, Seventh Missouri cavalry, Missouri State militia, and served during the war in south- ern Missouri and northern Arkansas. He was mustered out at St. Louis in the fall of 1865, and went to Atchison, Kansas, where he was employed as a clerk in a clothing house for one year, then established himself in the millinery business at that city, which he followed until he was burned out in 1868. He next went to Hamilton, Missouri, and carried on the mercan- tile business for E. Fist & Co. until 1870, then accepted a situation to travel for a hide, wool and leather house in St. Joe. In 1872 he established him- self in the hide, wool and fur business at Trenton. June 22, 1872, Mr. Greenabaum married Miss Nettie Strouse, of Trenton, by whom he has four children, Leon, Lottie, Rinda and Abram, all born in Trenton. Mr. and Mrs. Greenabaum were brought up in and adhere to the Jewish faith, but are not members of any congregation.
HARVEY GINN
Was born in New Castle, Henry county, Indiana, October 1, 1848. When he was eight years old his parents removed to Putnam county, Missouri, where he lived with them until he was sixteen years old, at which age, in 1864, he enlisted in the Confederate army under Captain P. Thompson, in Col. Forbes's regiment, and served one year. After being mustered out in 1865, he returned to Putnam county and attended school until 1867. Jan- mary 1, 1867, he married Miss Sarah J. Ayers, who died March 3, 1871. Soon after his marriage he purchased a farm in Putnam county and lived on it until the death of his wife. In the spring of 1871 he began to work on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway as a laborer, working four months, then came to Trenton and worked in the machine-shops and round- house (then being erected) until February, 1872, when he went on the road as brakesman. He held this position until 1877 when he was given the position of conductor on a freight train, which he still holds. He has two children, Emma and Alvertes Omri.
CALVIN GILHAM
Was born on a farm near Morristown, Belmont county, Ohio, January 13, 1838, where he was reared and lived until 1854, when he came to Missouri.
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He first settled on a farm in Daviess county, and lived there until 1859, when he came to Grundy county and engaged in the milling business at Trenton, with his father, Isaac Gilham. He was one of the proprietors of the City Mills, buying an interest in them just before their completion. In February, 1862, he joined the Union army, enlisting in company I, Mis- souri State militia, under Col. King and Captain Garvin, served one year, and while out was promoted to second lieutenant. When his regiment con- solidated with the Seventh regiment, Missouri State militia, there were a number of supernumerary officers who were obliged to resign, he being one of them. He immediately returned home and engaged in farming. In 1870 and 1871 he was one of the originators of the woolen-mills of Trenton. Selling his interest in 1876, he engaged in his present business of farming and dairying. In 1873 he, with Byron and Daniel Markerts, prospected for and found the vein of coal that is now being successfully worked at Trenton. Like every new experiment the expenses were great, and they were obliged to sell, and others are now reaping the benefit. December 23, 1857, Mr. Gilham was united in marriage to Miss M. D. Merrill, who was born and reared in Trenton. They have three children, Charles, Bessie and Ada Belle. Mr. and Mrs. Gilham are members of the Baptist Church of Tren- ton. He is, also, a member of the Grand River Lodge No. 52, I. O. O. F.
JACOB GOLDENBERG
Was born in Horinghansen, Hesse Darmstadt, Prussia, February 7, 1842, where he lived until he was fourteen years of age, attending school up to that age when he began clerking in his father's store, and remained with him until 1858 then came to the United States, arriving at Castle Garden, New York City, July 4, of the same year. He went to St. Louis and purchasing a small stock of goods started out as a peddler, following the business for nearly one year, when, disliking it, he began clerking in a grocery store at Jerseyville, Illinois, and there remained until the fall of 1860, when he went to New Orleans and clerked in a dry goods house until the breaking out of the war of the rebellion. Returning to Illinois he held the position of clerk in a clothing house, in Jacksonville, until 1864, when he went to Springfield. same State, and accepted employment in a clothing house. In the fall of 1866 he located in Hamilton, Missouri, and opened business on his own account, dealing in clothing and gentlemen's furnishing goods. He contin- ned in this, until 1871, when he came to Trenton and established himself in the same business. Jacob Goldenberg and Miss Mary Bushnell were mar- ried at Springfield, Illinois, in 1865. They have two children, Simie and Bertha.
WILLIAM T. GEORGE
Was born on a farm near Knoxville, East Tennessee, April 8, 1848. He came to Missouri with his parents when he was three years old, settling
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near Princeton, Mercer county, where he was reared and lived until 1874. He started out in life at eighteen, farming as a renter, for six years. In 1872 he began railroading as a subcontractor under his father, Abner George, following the business until 1878. At that time he began to fur- nish piling, bridge timber and hard wood lumber to the Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fé R. R. Co., under contract. In 1879 he contracted with the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Company to furnish wood material for bridging, piling, car-building and ties, employing annually about two hundred men and furnishing about 250,000 ties, 5,000 piles, and 100,000 feet of bridge timber. He came to Grundy county and settled on Hickory Creek in 1874, and from this to Trenton in 1878. March 22, 1866, he mar- ried Miss Sarah A. Mulvaney, of Mercer county, by whom he has seven children; namely, Johnson H., Tisia Ann, James W., Salitha, Abner, Elma and Sarah. Mr. and Mrs. George are members of the Baptist Church.
JUDGE GEORGE IIALL.
The above named gentleman is one of the most influential citizens of Trenton, as well as one of the most polished and learned ornaments of the Grundy county bar, of which he has been a member since 1867. George Hall was born of highly respected parents, upon a farm, near Indianapolis, Indiana, March 10, 1840, where he continued to live until he became of age. He received an education, such as the common schools afforded, until he reached his nineteenth year, when he entered the academy at Danville, Indi- ana, and remained in attendance for two years. Returning home in 1861, at the outbreak of the war of the rebellion, he at once enlisted in company A, of the Nineteenth regiment of Indiana volunteer infantry, and in August, 1862, again enlisted, this time in company B, of the Seventy-ninth regi- ment of Indiana volunteers, in which command he served during the war. He was in many of the hotly contested engagements in that long and terri- ble struggle for the Union, having participated in the battles of Louisville, Virginia; Perryville, Kentucky; Stone River, Chickamauga and Chattanooga, Tennessee; Resaca, Kingston, New Hope Church, Pine Mountain, Kene- saw Mountain, Marietta, Peach-Tree Creek, Atlanta, Jonesborough and Love- joy's Station, Georgia; Franklin and Nashville, Tennessee. He was mustered out of service in June, 1865, at Nashville, returned home, and a short time thereafter went to Indianapolis, where he began legal studies in the office of J. W. Blake. In due time he was admitted to the bar, and also to prac- tice in the Supreme Court of his native State. Bidding farewell to his home and friends in Indiana, he journeyed westward in search of a location, and his prospecting tour ended in Trenton, where he "hung out his shingle," and entered upon the practice of law. His efforts were attended with signal success, and his business increased until his practice is now one of the largest and most lucrative in the city. In 1868 he was appointed
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city attorney, which position he held until November 8, 1870, when he was elected probate judge for the term of four years, and then reelected for the same length of time. Politically, Judge Hall is a Republican, and was the delegate from his district to the Republican National Convention, at Chicago, in 1880, which nominated President James A. Garfield. The same year he was the nominee of his party for the circuit judgeship.
Judge Hall married Miss Rachel A. Smith, a native of Morgan county, Ohio, April 15, 1869. They have four children, Hallie, Homer, Mabel and Frank. Mr. and Mrs. Hall are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
HON. E. F. HORTON.
Edward Festus Horton was born on a farm twelve miles west of Marietta, in Washington county, Ohio, on the 10th, of September, 1840. He attended the common schools where he acquired the elementary branches of an edu- cation, which he completed at Marietta College. Leaving home in 1857, at the age of seventeen, he went to Iowa, determined to fight his own battles and win his own way in the world. Locating at Unionville, he remained but a short time, and removed to Fort Dodge, in the same State, where he was engaged in the farm implement business. Returning to Unionville in the winter of 1858-'9, he taught school until the following spring, and then began the study of medicine under S. H. Sawyer, M. D., in whose office he continued until the breaking out of the civil war in 1861. He entered the service of the Union as second lieutenant of company I of the Third regi- ment of Iowa cavalry, and September 1st, 1862, was promoted to the cap- taincy of his company. June, 1863, he was honorably discharged on account of physical disability. Returning to Unionville, he was elected a member of the General Assembly of Iowa, and entered upon his duties, but before the expiration of his term, in 1864, was appointed provost-marshal of the Fourth Iowa district, which position he held until the close of the war in 1865. Resuming his medical studies, he graduated from the medical department of the Iowa State University, at Keokuk, in 1866, and soon after he began to practice at Iconium, Iowa. At Iconium he remained until the spring of 1868, then removed to Grundy county and located in Trenton, where he has since resided. Entering actively upon the practice of his profession, Dr. Horton soon attained a high standing in the community and secured a lucra- tive practice. In 1872 he was elected and represented the district in the lower branch of the Missouri legislature, and discharged the duties devolving upon him most creditably to himself and his constituents. Retiring from the prac- tice of medicine in 1874, he engaged in the grain and seed business with Gil- bert D. Smith, under the firm name of Smith & Horton, and continued until 1878, when he received the appointment of postmaster. This latter position he has most worthily and satisfactorily filled and still holds.
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
Dr. Horton was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Dean, of Unionville, Iowa, October 8th, 1861, by whom he has three children living; namely, Blanche, Claude and Edward; and one dead: Dean, who died at the age of two years.
J. E. HARRIS, M. D.
Joseph E. Harris was born on a farm, near Richmond, in Madison county, Kentucky, January 13th, 1821. In his native county he was reared, and received an education in the common schools of the district. Early evine- ing a desire to become versed in the science of medicine, his longing was not gratified until he had reached his twenty-fourth year when he became a student in the office of his elder brother. J. M. Harris, M. D., of Rich- mond, Ky., and afterward graduated from the Louisville Medical College of Louisville, Ky., and began practice in Madison county in 1849, and con- tinued for four years. In 1853 he removed to Manchester, Ky., where he practiced his profession one year, and then came to Grundy county, and permanently located in Trenton, which has since been his home. Dr. Har- ris is a Freemason of long standing, and one of the first chapter masons in the county having received the degrees in 1855, after riding one hundred and twenty miles to Huntsville, in Randolph county, for that purpose.
Dr. Harris has been twice married, the first time to Miss Jane McDonald, of Wyoming county, West Virginia, who died in 1861. In 1865 he mar- ried Mrs. Eva A. Bishop, by whom he has five children: Robert M., Anna, Lillie, May and Ada.
T. B. IIARBER.
T. B. Harber was born on a farm near Richmond, Kentucky, in October 1829, where he was reared, and lived with his parents until 1849, in which year he married Miss M. A. Phelps, only daughter of G. Phelps, of Mad- ison county, Kentucky. He bought a farm in the same county, and farmed there eight years. In 1857 he came to Clinton county, Missouri, and engaged in farming, as a renter, one year, then went to Osborn, a newly laid ont town on the Hannibal & St. Joe Railroad, where he engaged in the mercantile business, building the first business house and dwelling in the place. . He carried on business at Osborn until the fall of 1861, when he was so unfortunate as to have his store robbed while on a visit with his family to Kentucky, and on his return closed out his stock of goods, and engaged in farming. The fall of 1862 he kept a hotel and bought and shipped stock until August, 1864, when he went to Nebraska City, Nebraska, and engaged in hotel keeping until 1865. Quitting the hotel business, he devoted his attention to freighting at Julesburg, and other points in Col- orado, until 1866, when he returned to Clinton county, and pursued farm- ing. In 1872 he again embarked in the hotel business, continuing until 1874, when he was employed as a clerk in the stores of N. A. Winters &
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Company, and Chapman & Kirk, up to 1877, when he traveled as salesman for the mercantile house of R. L. McDonnald & Company, St. Joe. He became proprietor of the American Hotel, of Trenton, in 1878, and still conducts that house. During President Buchanan's administration he was appointed postmaster at Osborn, and held the office by re-appointment by President Lincoln, until 1864. In January, 1879, he was appointed presid- ing justice of the Grundy County Court, which position he held until 1881. He has eight children: James B., of Colorado; Edgar M .. attorney-at-law, of Trenton; Tivis S, of Colorado; Nannie L., relict of the late William Conant, of Trenton; Bessie, wife of M. F. Hough, of Chicago; and Rella and Charles, living at home. One child, George T., died in Colorado, in 18$1.
BENJAMIN F. HARDING
Was born in Meigs county, Ohio, April 25, 1831. He came to Grundy county with his parents in April, 1845, and settled on a farm five miles west of Trenton, near Edinburg, where he lived with them until he was about twenty years of age. What little education he has received was by attending the common schools in the different places where his parents re- sided, and at the Old Grand River College at Edinburg. In April, 1861, he joined the Union army, enlisting in company B, Twenty-third Missouri volunteer infantry as a private, but was afterward promoted to second lientenant of his company. On account of poor health he resigned his commission in the fall of 1862, and returned to Grundy county and engaged in the mercantile business with his father, E. P. Harding. Having the mis- fortune of being burned out soon after, from that time until 1865, he was employed as clerk in his father's store in Trenton. In the spring of 1866 he removed to Henry county, Missouri, and lived in Springfield a short time, and from there went to Clinton, and thence, in 1868, to Keytesville, the county seat of Chariton county, where he worked at his trade as mason and plasterer. Returning to Grundy county in 1870 he worked at his trade up to 1878, when he was elected county collector, and still holds that office. In 1881 he was elected school-director for the city schools of Trenton. Mr. Hardin married Miss Sarah Elizabeth Reynolds, of Trenton, and she died at Osceola, St. Clair county, Missouri, March 8, 1868. He has two children: Margaret C., wife of Harvey II. Griffy, of Trenton; and Kate, living with her father.
W. W. HUBBELL
Was born in Trenton, Missouri, November 4, 1844, where he was reared and has spent his life. He obtained his elementary education by attending private schools maintained by his father and a few of his neighbors for the benefit of their own families, and others too indigent to afford to pay for schooling their children, and among the teachers they employed were Messrs.
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
Stewart and Ficklin, who have since become eminent teachers, the latter now holding a professorship in the Missouri State University. His education was completed at the college of Glasgow, Missouri, which he attended for six months in 1850, and from that time until 1861 worked on his father's farm. In the fall of the last named year, when only sixteen years of age, he entered the State service as second lieutenant and adjutant of the Grundy county battalion, under Colonel Walter King, and served until the expira- tion of his term of six months. Early in 1862 he assisted in organizing the Third regiment Missouri State militia, going out as first lieutenant and ad- jutant, and served one year, when he resigned his commission and returned to Trenton. In 1863 he was deputized circuit and county clerk of Grundy county by his father. In October of the same year Mr. Hubbell was united in marriage to Miss Fannie Austin, of Trenton, and immediately after en- gaged in the mercantile business with James Austin, his father-in-law, and J. H. Shanklin, under the firm name of W. W. Hubbell & Co. That firm closing out in 1866, he engaged in farming and stock-shipping until 1868, when, with A. J. Spitler, he formed the firm of Hubbell & Spitler, and en- gaged in the grocery business at Trenton. They conducted the business only a short time when they were burned out, and from that time until the spring of 1881 he engaged in farming and buying and shipping grain and stock. In February, 1881, he purchased Mr. Borders's interest in the firm . of Murphy, Lanius & Co., and formed the present firm of Murphy, Lanius & Hubbell. Mr. and Mrs. Hubbell have six children: Alida T., Arthur R., Austin E., Laura L., Nellie Grant and M. Woolsey.
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