USA > Missouri > Grundy County > The History of Grundy County, Missouri : an encyclopedia of useful information, and a compendium of actual facts > Part 48
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Mr. McCollum was married on the 11th of July, 1854, to Miss Elizabeth, youngest danghter of John and Mary Keepers, of Guernsey county, Ohio. . This union proved a happy one, and Mrs. McCollum has been a worthy helpmeet to her husband in his holy calling. Five children have been born to them: Mary H., born May 14, 1855; William J., born March 19, 1859; Emma C., born May 3, 1862, died October 14, 1878; and a twin brother to Emma who died the day of his birth; and Sarah Annette, born July 5, 1870.
W. II. M'GRATII
Was born in Boston, Massachusetts, June 25th, 1837, where he attended school from the time he was old enough until he reached the age of twelve, when he left home on account of dislike for his step-father-his father having died when he was six years old. On leaving home he went to Ran- dolph, Massachusetts, and served an apprenticeship in the shoemaking busi- ness with a cousin, with whom he worked as an apprentice and attended school, for nearly four years. In 1853, he came west and worked at the trade of shoemaking in various places in Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas. Coming to Trenton in 1860, he engaged in boot and shoemaking with Thomas Torpey, as McGrath & Torpey, and the firm continned busi- ness until the breaking out of the late war. The following year he, in answer to the first call for troops by the governor of the State, enlisted in the State service, company A, second battalion of Missouri State troops, and served until the term of enlistment expired in 1862, when he was commissioned second lieutenant of the Thirty-third regiment of Missouri volunteer
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infantry, which he soon after resigned and served as commissary in the State service until the spring of 1863. He then went to Susanville, the county seat of Plumas county, California, and engaged in shoemaking until 1864, next went to Corvalis, Oregon, and thence to Vancouver City, Washington Territory. In this latter place he remained four years, serving one year as deputy sheriff and three years as warden in the Territorial penitentiary. In the fall of 1868 he returned east via Panama and New York City, to Trenton, where he engaged in making and dealing in boots and shoes, and continued the business up to 1870, in which year he was appointed city asses- sor and street commissioner. holding the former position until 1881 and the latter at various times during the same period, and in 1877 and '78 was deputy county assessor. In 1881 he was elected justice of the peace and is now serving in that position. December 23d, 1860, Mr. McGrath married Miss L. J. Wisdom, of Randolph county, Missouri, by whom he has one. child, George T., who graduated at the Trenton high school in 1880. Mr. Mc- Grath is a prominent Mason, and has served as worshipful master eight years, high priest three years, and is now prelate in the commandery, and has been deputy grand master of the Grand Lodge of Missouri, for five years.
JOSEPH M'MULLEN
Was born in Prescott, Canada, on the 13th of July, 1836. When Joseph had reached the age of seven years his parents removed to Chicago, and in that now "great city by the lake " he grew up and received his education, and there continued to reside until 1860, when he visited the snow-crested Pike's Peak, returning by way of New Orleans in December of the same year, and owing to the troubles arising previous to the outbreak of the civil war was detained for some time in the "Crescent City." On returning to Chicago he received employment as foreman in the lumber yard of Mears, Bates & Co., which situation he held until 1862 and then accepted a similar position in the lumber yard of McMullen & Officer. With this latter firm he continued until 1868, when he embarked in the same business on his own account, carrying it on up to 1869, when Mr. J. L. McVickar became associated with him under the firm name of Me Vickar & McMullen. In 1870 he retired from the lumber business and with Mr. A. McGrath opened the store of McGrath & Co., dealers in wall-paper, etc. Another year passes and the early months of 1871 find him a citizen of Missouri and a resident of Trenton, where he opened the first lumber yard in Grundy county and conducted the same until 1873. when he purchased the interest of Joseph Robinson in the firm of Yerian & Robinson, dealers in furniture, and the present house of Yerian & McMullen was formed.
Mr. McMullen was united in matrimony to Miss Sarah A. Ghent, of Chi- cago, on the 4th of November, 1863. She died July 2Sth, 1877, leaving
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six children: Mary, Alice, James, Joseph, Edward Francis, Sarah Agnes and Frances Gertrude. January 8th, 1880, he married Miss Catharine Coan, of Leavenworth, Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. McMullen are members of St. Joseph's Catholic Church of Trenton.
THOMAS A. MURPHY
Was born near Mansfield, Ohio, August 2, 1842, and was there reared on a farm, and attended the district school during the winter terms. In his eighteenth year, in 1861, he enlisted in the First Ohio independent battery of light artillery, and served three years, doing duty in West Virginia, in the army of the Potomac, and in the Shenandoah Valley during Sherman's campaign, in the fall of 1864, and participating in many engagements. He was mustered ont at Martinsburg, Virginia, December, 1864, and returned to Mansfield, from where, after spending the winter, he started west in com- pany with an old schoolmate and army chum, John C. Patterson, and came to Grundy county, where they purchased a farm near Trenton, and with it a large flock of sheep. They farmed one year and then sold out at an ad- vance of $2,600 on the original price. They separated, and Mr. Murphy went into the grocery business with A. J. Spitler, as Spitler & Murphy, and the firm continued business until the summer of 1866, when his old chum purchased Mr. Spitler's interest, changing the name to Murphy & Patterson. They did business until the latter part 1867, when he retired from the firm and engaged in the stock business with R. and J. B. Carnes, as Carnes, Murphy & Carnes. Discontinuing business in the fall of 1868, he gave his attention to farming and the stock business until 1876, when he engaged in the hardware business in connection with farming, and soon after Solomon Asher became asociated with him, as Asher & Murphy. In 1878 Mr. Asher retired from the firm, and C. Borders and H. C. Lanius became his successors, and the firm of Murphy, Lanius & Co. was formed. In 1880 Mr. Borders was succeeded by W. W. Hubbell, and the present firm of Murphy, Lanius & Hubbell was founded. He has ever been identi- fied with the growth and prosperity of Trenton, and has built several sub- stantial buildings, both business and residence. He gave the grounds to the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway company for their depots, round-house and switch yard; and to secure the Quincy, Missouri & Pacific Railway, gave $300, as his share of the $40,000 raised by subscription for the company. October 15, 1867, he married Miss Mary E. Wiggins, of Trenton, by whom he has four children: Martha Grace, Salome Lilian, Thomas A. and Hugh C.
MRS. M. L. MOBERLY.
Martha L. Wilson, the daughter of Aaron and Sarah Wilson, pioneers of ' Grundy county, was born in Linn county, May 26th, 1840. Her parents came to Grundy county, when she was six weeks old and settled on a farm
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near Trenton, where she was reared. November 4th, 1859, she was united in marriage to Orville Moberly, son of George W. Moberly, of Trenton. He died at Trenton, January 11th, 1875; they had two children Bertha and Bessie, aged respectively seven and nine, both born in Trenton. Mr. Moberly was an active business man, and at the time of his marriage was in the mercantile business, which he followed until the breaking out of the late war when he discontinued, and enlisted in company B, Twenty-third Missouri volunteer infantry, under Col. J. T. Tindall, and served three years and four months, and was promoted through the various grades from private to first lieutenant. He was mustered out of service at Atlanta, Georgia, in 1865 and returned to Trenton in October of the same year, and the same fall was elected sheriff of Grundy county and served four years. He farmed as renter until 1871, when he was deputized county clerk and recorder by A. K. Sykes and acted as such until 1873, when he went into the First National Bank of Trenton as book-keeper where he was employed at the time of his death.
MRS. MARY A. MERRILL.
Mary A. McCoy was born in Booneville, Kentucky, April 29, 1818. Her parents came to Missouri when she was an infant and settled on a farm near Franklin'in Howard county, where she was reared. On the 15th of Feb- ruary, 1837, she was married to Benjamin Wiggins, of Howard county, Missouri. In 1847 she came to Grundy county with her husband and set- tled on a farm five miles northeast of Trenton, on which they lived one year, when they removed to Trenton where she has since resided, with the exception of two years-1850 and '51-when she lived in St. Joe. In September, 1850, she was bereft of her husband while he was en route for California. In August, 1854, she was married to James R. Merrill, one of the early settlers of Trenton, and a prominent eitizen of Grundy county. Mr. Merrill came to Grundy county in 1837 and invested in land in differ- ent parts of the county. His homestead farm then adjoined Trenton, but is now a part of the city, forming a part of several additions. At the organi- zation of the county in 1841 he was appointed the first treasurer, which office he held until 1846. In 1850 he was elected county judge, and filled that position up to 1858, and was appointed county treasurer in 1862 to fill an unexpired term. His death occurred December 10, 1864.
By her first husband she has two children: James Wiggins, a farmer of Trenton township; and Mary E., wife of Thomas A. Murphy, hardware merchant of Trenton; and three by her second husband: Salome S., wife of James Beach, of Chariton county, Missouri; and Isabelle B. and John R., who still live with her, the latter a clerk in the store of H. Stein in Trenton.
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G. W. MOBERLY.
George Washington Moberly was born on a farm near Lancaster, in Gar- rard county, Kentucky, on the 18th of September, 1812. When fifteen years of age he was apprenticed to learn the tailor's trade, at Stanford, Ken- tueky, and his only opportunity for attending school was during his term of apprenticeship. In the month of September, 1832, he bade farewell to the blue-grass fields of his native State, and journeyed to Missouri, settling in a small town called Florida, in Monroe county, and there he lived, engaged in working at his trade, until the fall of the year 1841 rolled around, when he removed to Trenton. In December, 1841, he opened a saloon in Trenton, and conducted that business some three years, selling out in 1844 and enter- ing the mercantile business. For twenty-three years he continued to do a general mercantile business, selling out in 1867, when he removed to his farm, and gave his attention to agricultural pursuits, which he still makes his avocation. He served as postmaster at Trenton from 1843 to 1847; also held the office of justice of the peace, and served a term of four years as county judge. In 1872 he, in company with others, organized the First National Bank of Trenton, and was elected vice-president. In August, 1876, the First National surrendered its charter, and the Union Bank became its successor, with Mr. Moberly as president, and he officiates in that capacity in addition to his farm duties.
Mr. Moberly was united in marriage to Miss Eliza Kibbey, of Lewiston, Lewis county, Missouri, on the 17th of April, 1834. She died in 1854, leaving him six children, all of whom are now dead. In February, 1855, Miss Margaret B. Robinson, of Trenton, became his second wife. This union was blessed with three children, all of whom are living. The eldest, Mary E., is now Mrs. Benjamin C. Nichols; the second, Harriet A., now Mrs. G. W. Gardner; and the youngest, Margaret B., still at home.
O. G. NEWTON
Was born on a farm in Steuben county, New York, November 11, 1831. His parents left there when he was eleven years old, and removed to Lucas county, Ohio, where he lived until 1849, when he came with them to Mis- souri, and settled in Grundy county, five miles west of Trenton. His father being a blacksmith and gunsmith he learned these trades, and when twenty years of age established the first blacksmith shop in Edinburg, where he carried on blacksmithing, gunsmithing and wagon-making. In 1866 he retired from that business and engaged in hotel-keeping until 1874, when he left Edinburg and came to Trenton, and became proprietor of the Trenton Hotel, which he still conducts. September 17, 1854, Mr. Newton married Miss Mary J. Keys, of Ray county, Missouri. They have four children; namely, Dora, wife of O. M. Shanklin, of Trenton; Alice, wife of Thomas Elmore, Jr., of Trenton; Emma L. and Edwin, still at home. Mr.
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Newton, during the late war, served in the State militia, and was more or less in active service while on home duty, and was a solid union man. Mr. and Mrs. Newton are members of the M. E. Church, and have been for many years.
JOSEPHI L. NICHOLS
Was born of Quaker parents near West Chester, Chester county, Pennsyl- vania, May 4, 1843. When he was about one year old his parents removed to Philadelphia, where he was reared. At the age of fourteen he began to support himself, being employed as an errand boy in a queensware estab- lishment in Philadelphia, where he remained until the latter part of 1858. In this last mentioned year he went to Wilmington, Delaware, and was em- ployed in an auction house. In 1861 he returned to Philadelphia and was employed as messenger and postmaster in the United States army hospital until the fall of 1862, when he began to learn the trade of book-binding and worked two years at that business. In 1864 he enlisted in company F, One Hundred and Ninety-second Pennsylvania volunteer infantry and served until the fall of 1865, when he was mustered ont. Returning to Philadel- phia he resumed the business of book-binding, following it until 1868, when he was employed as hotel clerk in the Arch Street House, Philadelphia. In 1872 he gave up elerking, came to Grundy county and established his present business of dealing in musical instruments and faney goods and con- ducting a restaurant, at Trenton. In 1875, in company with several busi- ness men of Trenton on their way east, he met with a severe accident on the Wabash Railroad, the train falling through Gower's bridge, and he re- ceived an injury from which he has never recovered. In 1877, January 17th, he married Mrs. Josephine Range, of Trenton. They have three children: Claude, Lee Murray and Norris. He is a prominent Mason, having taken the Knight Templar degree. He is also a Knight of Pythias and is past grand chancellor of that order.
DAVID C. PUGH,
The present county clerk of Grundy county, was born near Lebanon, War- ren county, Ohio, July 15, 1828. From Warren county his parents removed to Logan county, Ohio, and thence to Perry county, Illinois, where his mother died in 1843, and his father followed her to the grave two years later. David, then seventeen years of age, returned to his native county in the Buekeye State, and there remained until 1853, when he removed to Putnamn county, in the same State. His opportunities for acquiring an education had been few, consisting of one year's attendance in the district schools, where the facilities for imparting instruction were meager, but with a set- tled resolve he persevered, using his every leisure moment at home to sup- ply his thirst for learning, and at the age of twenty-six, when he removed to Putnam county, his ample qualifications at once gave him the post of
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teacher in the district school. On the 10th of November, 1853, while a resident of the above named county, he wedded Miss Lydia Wamsley. Mr. Pugh continued to teach school during the winter months and farin during the summer until the momentous year of 1861, when, among the many gal- lant sons of Ohio, he volunteered in defense of the Union, enlisting in com- pany D, of the Twenty-first regiment of Ohio volunteer infantry, and in one year's service was promoted from the ranks to corporal and then orderly sergeant, when he was discharged on account of sickness. Returning home, rest and attention soon restored him to health once more, and on the first day of September, 1863, he again enlisted, going out as orderly sergeant of company G, of the Twelfth regiment of Ohio volunteers. He participated in a number of engagements, the most important being the sanguinary bat- tles of Mount Sterling, Ky., Saltville, Va., Bristol, Tenn., Wytheville, Va., and Salisbury, N. C., and was mustered out of the service as first lieuten- ant of his company on the 14th of November, 1865. After a short stay at his home in Putnam county, Ohio, he started out to make a home in the West and to grow and flourish with the country. Arriving in Missouri, the fertile prairies and wooded land of Grundy county attracted his attention and he settled upon a farm in Franklin township, and for the first seven years of his residence there divided his time between tilling the soil and " teaching the young idea how to shoot " the shaft of knowledge from the bow of learning, in the district school. In 1872 he became cashier of the First National Bank and most acceptably filled the position for two years, when he resigned his place. In 1876 he was appointed to fill an unexpired term of county clerk, and in 1878 was elected to the position for the full term by a handsome majority. He is a elever, genial gentleman, and most worthily presides over the affairs in the county clerk's office, giving cour- teous attention and entire satisfaction to all comers who visit him.
Mr. and Mrs. Pugh have been blessed with five children, all daughters; namely, Josephine, now Mrs. J. B. Lindsay, of Kidder, Mo .; Mary, now Mrs. W. C. Key, of Trenton; Alice, now teaching school in Colorado; Eleonora and Florence remaining to brighten home with their presence.
STEPHEN PEERY.
The subject of this sketch was born on a farm, near Jonesville, Lee county, Virginia, June 23, 1836. In 1838 his parents removed to Missouri, and settled on a farm near Edinburg in Grundy county. He shared in the trials and hardships with which the life of the early pioneer was fraught, and retains in memory many of the scenes and events transpiring when Grundy county was a wilderness, and the savages roamed the forests where the startled deer bounded from their lurking places. He acquired such an education as the old log school-houses afforded, during his earlier years, and afterward attended the Grand River College in 1852, '53 and '54, and com- pleted his school days at MeKendric College, of Lebanon, Illinois, in 1855.
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Concluding to adopt the legal profession, he entered the law office of Tindall & Shanklin, in 1856, and was admitted to the bar in 1857. However, he continued his studies with the above firm until 1859, when he severed his connection with them, and opened an office in Trenton, where, with the cx- ception of two years, he has practiced ever since. In 1859 he was elected probate judge, holding the office until 1861, and in August of the same year was commissioned, by acting-governor W. P. Hall, adjutant of the Twenty- third regiment of Missouri volunteer infantry, under Col. Jacob T. Tindall, holding the position until March, 1862, when he resigned, receiving a com- mission as major of the Thirtieth regiment of Missouri State militia, under Col. John H. Shanklin. On the 6th of April, 1864, he resigned his com- mission, and soon after crossed the plains, with his family, by team, to Cali- fornia, where he remained until 1866, visiting Napa City, Cloverdale, Oak- land and San Francisco, during his stay, and returning by steamer via Panama and New York, reaching Trenton in February of the year mentioned, where he has since made his home. Mr. Peery was united in matrimony to Miss Emma Hendrick, of Trenton, in 1858. Seven children are the fruits of this union, five of whom are living, whose names are Bessie E., born in Cali- fornia, September, 1864; Herbert born in Trenton, September 16, 1866; Nellie, born in Trenton, October, 1868; Jennie, born in California, Novem- ber, 1875; Hortense born in Trenton, April, 1878. They have lost two: Carlisle aged eleven years, and Prentiss aged four years.
C. C. PARKER.
On the 28th of March, 1852, Charles C. Parker was born, in the county of Carroll, State of Ohio. In his native State he was destined to remain but a short time, and at an early age he accompanied his parents to their new home in Jefferson county, Iowa, where they resided for two years, at the expiration of which time, the land of the Hawkeye "knew them no more," and next the family is ensconced at home in Scotland county, Mis- souri. From Scotland county they removed to Memphis, Tennessee, where his father was engaged in the mercantile business. In the spring of 1870 our subject, while a resident of Memphis, began work for the railroad, and from the lowest round in the ladder he has gradually ascended nntil at the present time he holds the position of freight condnetor on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad. Mr. Parker and Miss Haddie Brackett, of Saybrook, Ashtabula county, Ohio, were joined in the holy bonds of matri- mony, October 2, 1878. They reside in Trenton, and have one child, a son, named Earle Tracey.
CHAS. E. PECKIIAM
Was born at Windham, Windham county, Connecticut, in the year 1841, and lived in that county until his ninth year, then went to Brighton, Massa- chusetts. He remained there one year, then returned to Pomfret, Connec-
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tieut, where he lived one year, then back to Windham and resided there until he was twenty-one years old. Was educated at Dr. J. C. Fitch's Seminary at South Windham. In the spring of '62 he went to Hartford, Connecticut, and was employed at Colt's armory, remaining there until the spring of '64, then went to Springfield, Massachusetts, and was employed in the United States Armory until the spring of '65, when he left for Philadelphia, arriving there on the 14th day of April-the day of Lincoln's assassination. He was subcontractor in Sharp & Hankin's pistol factory for one year; from there went to Sellersville and worked there until the spring of '67, then was sick and returned home, remaining there three months. In August of the same year he started from New York for Antigua, British West India Islands, visiting Santa Cruz, St. Thomas, San Juan and Marquesas Islands and returned to Philadelphia in the spring of '68. Was employed in Cooper, Jones & Cadbury's brass works, remained there two years, and from there went to Baldwin's locomotive works where he remained six months. In the spring of '71, he went in the machine business for himself; in '72 was mar- ried to a Miss Grant, of Philadelphia; in '73 sold out his business and came out to Missouri and went to work in the machine-shops of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway at Trenton; in June, '76, went with his wife to Philadelphia, taking in the exposition and remaining five months, visiting in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut; returning again to Trenton in the fall he resumed work again in the shops. On the 12th of January, '77, a daughter was born to them and named Florence G. Peckham; she lived to be eight months and nine days old, dying on the 21st of September, '77. In the fall of '79 he bought the photograph gallery from J. W. Oliver, and has been doing a fine class of work ever since.
T. B. PRATT
Was born near Kokomo, Howard county, Indiana, September 26th, 1852, where he lived till 1855, when his parents moved to Grundy county, Mis- souri, and settled on a large tract of land near Trenton. He assisted on the farm and attended his home school till in the spring of 1867 when he ac- cepted a position in a store where he remained till fall, when he returned to his school. In the spring of 1868 his father sold the large home place and moved to southwestern Missouri, and T. B. entered "Spring River Seminary " and was one of its hardest working students; in the spring, appli- cation was made for a teacher and the faculty were a unit in recommending him. At the close of his school he returned to the seminary and continued his studies. In the spring of 1870 he returned to north Missouri, taught a fall and winter school and then entered the Trenton high school. He con- tinued to teach and attend school till 1875, when he graduated with the highest honors of the school. He took charge of the Edinburg public school, the fall and winter term, and continued with a select summer school. The next year he taught the Spickardsville school, and during the summer of
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