USA > Missouri > Pettis County > The History of Pettis County, Missouri, including an authentic history of Sedalia, other towns and townships, together with biographical sketches > Part 72
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SAMUEL P. JOHNS.
Was born in Preble County, O., in 1835. His father, Stephen M., was a native of Pennsylvania, who died in 1870. His mother, Sarah, nce Parks,
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was a native of Ohio, now living in Pana, Ill. Samuel was raised on a farm in Ohio; educated at Waveland Collegiate Institute, Montgomery County, Ind., after which he engaged in the lumber business at Terre Haute, Ind., as salesman. In 1861 removed to Litchfield, Ill., and opened a lumber yard on his own account until 1865, when he moved to Pana, Ill., and opened a lumber yard. In 1879 he sold out, and in 1880 located in
Sedalia, Mo., but opened a lumber yard at Warsaw, Mo. Mr. Johns continues to reside in Sedalia, while conducting a prosperous business in Warsaw. He has been engaged in the lumber business about twenty-five years, and has accumulated a handsome prop- erty. He is a man of integrity, enjoying the entire confidence of a large circle of friends and acquaintances. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church, of which he has been a Ruling Elder since 1867. He was married in 1859 to Margaret A. White, a native of Perry County, Ind., daughter of William White, now a resident of Pana, Ill. They have four children living, William M., Samuel P., Jr., Robert M., Margaret A. Their eldest child, Laura A., died Sept. 19, 1581, aged nineteen years and four months: buried in Sedalia cemetry. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church, and fell asleep in Jesus. She was the pride of the family, loved and respected by all her acquaint- ances, both here and at her old home at Pana, Ill.
DR. JACOB B. JONES.
Sedalia, Mo. Was born in the State of North Carolina, Davidson County, May 23, 1841. His father, Rev. Thomas Jones, and mother, Lucy, nce Brunnell, were also natives of North Carolina. His mother's death occurred in 1848, and his father's in 1856. Dr. Jones was educated at Trinity College, North Carolina. In 1861 he entered the Confederate army in the Twenty-second North Carolina Regiment, serving as a private during the war. His regiment was a part of Stonewall Jackson's cele- brated corps. He was in most of the battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia, being wounded at the battle of the Wilderness. At the close of the war he prosecuted his studies in medicine by attending the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, and at the St. Louis Medical Col- lege, where he took his degree in the spring of 1868. Since that time he has lived in Pettis County. He was married in 1875, and has one child, Paul Jones. Dr. Jones is a member of the Pettis County Medical Society, and of the State Medical Association; has been President of the former, and a Vice President of the latter. He was Coroner of Pettis County for two years, and is the present Democratic nominee for that office.
GEORGE KAHRS.
Grocer and provision dealer. Mr. Kahrs was born in 1850 in Pettis
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County, Mo. His father, Herman Kahrs, was a native of Germany, who came to Pettis County in 1840, where he still resides. His mother, Mar- garet, nee Cordes, was also a native of Germany, still living. George, the subject of this sketch, was raised on his father's farm. In 1875 he came to Sedalia, and engaged in the Grocery business on Second street, which he still continues, although in the fall of the same year he moved to his own building on Third street, where he has ever since been located. He has a large and complete stock of everything usually found in such a store. He is a member of the K. of P .; also of the German M. E. Church, as is also his wife. He was married in 1874 to Anna Cordes. They have three children living, Charles J. H., Katie M. and Arthur L.
JOHN KAISER.
Restaurant. Mr. Kaiser was born in 1841 in Prussia, and in 1856 came to America, locating in St. Louis, Mo., where he learned the confection- ery business. In 1861 he enlisted in the Federal army in Company A, Third Missouri Volunteers; was soon after promoted to Orderly Sergeant; He served three and a half years, taking part in many of the battles of Missouri: also siege of Vicksburg, Lookout .Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Sherman's Georgia campaign, and the capture of Atlanta, besides many others. For the last six months he was in command of the cơm- pany. After the war he returned to St. Louis, and in August, 1866, he came to Sedalia, where he engaged in the bakery business. In March, 1879, he bought a bakery and restaurant, to which he has ever since given his time and attention. Mr. Kaiser started here without a dollar, but by industry and economy has accumulated a handsome property. He now furnishes meals for from 250 to 400 persons daily at his restaurant. Mr. Kaiser was married in 1865 to Miss Maggie Hilseweck. They have five children, Anna, Lizzie, Josie, John, Oscar; three dead.
PHILIP KELLY.
The oldest official of the city of Sedalia by a number of years is the subject of this sketch. He was born in Monaghan County, Ireland, in May, 1831, and was educated in the schools of his native country. In the fall of 1855, he emigrated to the United States, settling in New York, where he remained for about five years; then he moved to Ohio, settling near Dayton; here he remained for several years. Then, in the spring of 1868, he moved to Missouri, settling at Sedalia, where he has since resided. In the spring of 1872, Mr. Kelly received his first appointment as police- man, under Mayor George Cummings, and was reappointed each suc- ceeding year, until the spring of 1877, when he was elected City Marshal. He held this position one year, when he was reappointed by Mayor Geo.
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L. Faulhaber, to his old position, that of city policeman. He has been reappointed each succeeding spring since. Mr. Kelly has been on the police force of this city since the spring of 1872. He is not only the oldest official of the city, but one of the most efficient officers the city has ever had. He is deservedly popular with all classes, and when Philip Kelly stands at the post, the peace of the city is well guaranteed. He was mar- ried, Nov. 29, 1858, to Miss Rose Campbell, a native of Ireland. From this union there were six children, only three of whom are now living, viz .: John, Michael R. and Maggie. Mr. Kelly has given his children an excellent business education, and the sons are each holding honorable positions of trust.
JAMES W. KENNEDY.
Was born in Morgan County, Ill. His father, William Kennedy, was a native of Kentucky. His mother Sarah, nee Wright, a native of Tennes- see. James W. Kennedy entered the Federal army, 1861, Company I, Four- teenth Illinois Infantry, being the first man to enlist from Morgan County. He took part in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, siege of Vicksburg, besides many others. He served three years. After returning he was in a gen- eral merchandising business at Murrayville, Ill., until 1877, when he came to Sedalia, and engaged with W. S. Mackey, as traveling salesman, where he has ever since continued. Mr. Kennedy was married in 1866 to Emma H. Strong, of Morgan County, O. They have three children liv- ing, Mattie B., J. Frank and Elizabeth. Mr. Kennedy is a member of the Masonic fraternity.
T. F. KIDWELL.
Is the son of Thomas N. Kidwell, of Washington, D. C. The subject of this sketch was born in Washington City, June 3, 1850, and is the old- est child in a family of twelve children. He received his primary educa- tion from the schools of his native city, completing his education at Christian Brothers College, at St. Louis. After quitting school, he took a trip to California and Old Mexico, remaining about three years, when he returned to Missouri, stopping at Hannibal, and engaging in the railroad business. Here he remained five years, then returned to California, and remained three years, engaging in the same business, that of railroading. In Oct., 1871, Mr Kidwell returned to Missouri again, and located at his old home, at Hannibal, engaging at the same business, but only remained a short time, when he took a trip to Texas. He remained in the Lone Star State two years, when he went to New Orleans, where he remained about a year and a half, engaging all the while in the railroad business. In the spring of 1873, he returned again to Missouri, and accepted the position of conductor and yard master with the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Rail-
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road Company, at Sedalia. He holds the position at the present time. Mr. Kidwell is popular with railroad men, and a thorough, competent man in his business. He was married June 12, 1-81, to Miss Lucy L. Edwards, a native of this county.
WILLIS P. KING, M. D.
There are few men of the present day whom the world acknowledges as successful, more worthy of honorable mention, or whose life history affords a better example of what may be accomplished by steady per- severance, energy and industry, than the subject of this sketch. His great grandparents emigrated to Kentucky, from Virginia, at an early day, and were among the hardy pioneers when Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton were the people's idols. They came to Missouri in 1816, or 1817, his parents both being children at that time. The families-both named King-came together and settled in Howard County, near where the town of Old Franklin once stood. When the country became more thickly settled and the Indians were driven out, they removed to a farm between Roanoke and Glasgow. Here his parents grew up, and were married in 1835. They afterwards moved to Macon County, and located about twelve miles west of Macon City, near the Chariton River, where the subject of this sketch was born, the third in a family of ten children. Dr. King's parents were poor; in fact, almost everybody was poor in that county in those days. There were no school houses, no churches, nothing whatever to educate the mind or elevate the morals of the youth of the country. His first recollections are of the early works and sports partici- pated in at that time. The first schooling received was in a scalped log school house, with a wooden chimney, the roof made of clap-boards and held on with poles, and a portion of one log sawed and blocked out to admit light to the writing bench. At the first session only half the floor was laid. The girls occupied some benches made of "slabs" on the part where the floor was laid, and the boys sat on the sleepers or sills in the part where the floor was not laid. School books were not so plentiful then as now. Each pupil brought such books as he or she had. The Testament was frequently used for a reader, alternated with Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. He attended four or five sessions of this school. After attaining the age of twelve or thirteen years he worked about the neighborhood, often at ten cents a days, and bought such books as were needed at school and others that suited his taste to read at home. Thirsting for a better opportunity for an education, at the age of fourteen, young Willis ran away from home, and cast his little boat upon the stormy sea of life with none but himself to guide. He worked and went to school alternately, until the line of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad was begun, when he went to work on that and helped to cut away the timber
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and brush for the track. When work commenced on the road bed he drove the horses to carts in the "pit" for one year. During all this time the one thought that was ever uppermost in his mind was that he would, at all hazards, obtain an education, and be something, and somebody in the world. During the darkest hours of his life, when on a bed of sickness with death staring him in the face and waiting to gather him in the early harvest, he never for a single moment dropped that one grand idea, and time has shown how grandly it has been fulfilled. Having saved some money he went to Howard County and attended an academy for two sessions, of ten months each, and this was the extent of his regular school education. In glowing terms, Dr. King speaks of his benefactors, those who encouraged and cheered him on, in the end making him what he is. He kept up his studies for several years, teaching in Howard, Macon, Saline, and Pettis Counties. He was married to Miss Albina Hoss, June 13, 1861. Four sons and two daughters have been born to them. Soon after marrying he began the study of medicine, without any preceptor, and afterwards attended the St. Louis Medical College, where he gradu- ated in the spring of 1866, and immediately commenced practicing in the western part of Vernon County, and remained there until the fall of 1868, when he removed to Nevada, the county seat, and continued the practice of his profession until the fall of 1870. He then went to New York and attended Bellevue Medical College, and received the degree ad eundum in the spring of 1571, then returned and resumed his professional practice at Nevada. In the autumn of 1874, desiring a broader field for his work, he removed to Sedalia, where he now has a large and lucrative practice. In order to show the great regard the people of Vernon County had for him, it is only necessary to state that he was a member of the School Board of Nevada, for six years, and Public Administrator for four years. Dr. King says of himself: "I have not succeeded in accumulating much property. Indeed, such a thing would not be expected of me by those who know me. I have but two mottoes, with regard to money making and saving, and they are: What a man gets out of this world he gets as he goes along, and 'shrouds have no pockets.' I do a great deal of work and make plenty of money, and spend it or give it away to those who need it more than I do." Any words concerning himself would be incom- plete without a proper tribute to the two persons who have influenced his life more than all others, and always for good, his mother and his wife. Of his mother he says: "She was a woman of rare intelligence, for her chances and her time. She read and retained everything that came in her way, and she had a wonderful gift of imparting her knowledge to others. She loved her children and greatly desired to see me attain the object of my ambition. She lived to see me a man, grown and respected, and I had ample opportunity to atone in some degree for the sorrow I gave
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her in leaving home so young." Of Mrs. King, we may justly say that whatever success the doctor has achieved, to her belongs to a large portion of the credit. Married when only sixteen years of age, she was utterly inexperienced in domestic duties. She has nobly stood by her husband in fortune and misfortune, and ever held up before him that bright star of hope, by which he was enabled to toil on, work on, at those inspiring toils by which man masters men. He has spent three winters away from her since their marriage, when she has taken upon herself the direc- tion of all his affairs in addition to her own. She has done this without a murmur, always acquiescing in whatever was necessary to promote the well-being of themselves and those dependent on them, no matter what the sacrifice might be. In 1880 he was elected Coroner of Pettis County, and at the meeting of the Missouri State Medical Association in 1881, he was elected President of that body without opposition. He also occupies the chair of "Diseases of Women," in the Medical Department of the State University, at Columbia, where he delivers a full course of lectures on that subject, each year. He does a general practice and is considered one of the most successful surgeons in the State.
HENRY A. KNAPP.
Insurance, of the firm of Knapp & Espenchied. Mr. Knapp was born in Crawford County, Pa., in 1836. His father, Timothy Knapp, was a native of New Hampshire. His mother, Clara C. Towry, was a native of Massachusetts. Henry A. Knapp came to Pettis County, Mo., in 1858, where he taught school for several years. In 1862 he enlisted in Company B., 7th M. S. M. Cavalry, and served three years. After the war, he engaged in school teaching for one year, after which, on account of ill health, he again left the school room. In 1874 he opened an insur - ance office in Sedalia, and has ever since continued in the business, repre- senting the best companies in both this and foreign countries. Mr. Knapp is a member of the I. O. O. F. He was married in 1860 to Miss Carrie W. Ward, a daughter of Wm. R. Ward, one of the early settlers of this county, now a resident of Sedalia. They have four children living.
CHARLES KOOCK.
Of D. T. Chaney & Co., merchant tailoring and clothing. Was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1842. His father, Charles, died in Germany, in 1844, and in 1849 his mother moved with the family to America, and located in New Orleans, where she remained until 1852, when she moved to St. Louis, Mo. She died in 1853. When Charles, was eleven years of age, he was taken as an apprentice in a tailoring establishment, where he learned his trade, working until 1861, at which time he entered the Federal army, under Gratz Brown. In September, 1862, he enlisted
Millis P. Ming
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again in the Thirtieth Missouri Volunteer Infantry. For three years he was in the Department of the Mississippi, and took an active part in all her battles and campaigns, serving until the close of the war. He entered as a private, but was promoted from time to time, until the close of the war, when he was serving as First Lieutenant, Company D, Thirtieth Missouri Battalion. After the close of the war he returned to St. Louis, and engaged in the merchant tailoring business, which he continued until 1859, when he came to Sedalia, and for some time was in the tailoring business with C. E. Smith. In 1877, he began work as cutter for J. W. Burress, where he remained until March, 1881, when he and his present partner, D. T. Chaney, bought out the business, and are still engaged in it and having a prosperous trade. Being industrious and energetic busi- ness men, we bespeak for them a bright future. He was married in May, 1870, to Amanda Berryman, of St. Louis, daughter of Arthur Berry- man, of that city. They have three children, Charles J., Arthur and Wilhelmina. They also had two others, deceased: Lillie May, died March, 1875, aged three years; Mortimer, died November, 1881, aged three years and ten months. Mr. Koock belongs to the I. O. O. F., and A. O. U. W. fraternities.
CORD KRUSE.
. The subject of this sketch is a native Missourian, born in Morgan County, Feb. 4, 1846; son of John D. and Annie Kruse. At the age of sixteen he went to St. Louis and engaged in the butcher business two years; then worked in a rolling mill three years; and finally moved to Smithton, and lived there and in the vicinity until 1870, when he came to Sedalia, and has been engaged in the butcher business ever since. In the fall of 1877, he entered into a co-partnership with Frank K. Fredrick. In 1881, he and his partner built the large brick building on Seventh and Ohio streets, of which an eclectrotype view appears elsewhere in this volume. They have their meat market in the lower rooms. The hall, on the second floor, is used by the Amity Lodge, A. O. U. W., of which the subject of this sketch is a member. On July 2, 1868, Mr. Kruse married Miss Margaret Kahrs, of Pettis County, and by this union they have four children.
LOUIS KUMM.
Watchmaker and jeweler. Mr. Kumm was born in 1841 in St. Louis, Mo. His father, Jacob Kumm, was a native of Germany, who came to St. Louis in 1840. Mr. Kumm was reared in St. Louis, where he learned the watch-making business in his youth. In 1861 he came to Sedalia, where he was the first jeweler in the city. He continued in the jewelry business until 1871, when he began the manufacture of soap, in which he 31
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was engaged until 1879, when he again engaged in the jewelry business, which he still continues. Mr. Kumm is a Knight Templar, and was among the first Masons in the city. He and his wife are members of the O. S. Presbyterian Church. He was married in 1865 to Miss Rose Brent. They have six children, Clara, Louis, Charlie, Rosa, Philip, Henry; one dead.
JOHN A. LACY.
Judge of the Probate Court of Pettis County. Was born in the year 1849 in Frederick County, Va. His mother's death occurred while he was yet an infant, and he was reared by his grand-mother, Mrs. John Alexander, of Lexington, Va. John A. Lacy received a thorough course at the Washington and Lee University of Lexington, graduating in the year 1869. Afterward he was sent to the University of Virginia, where he graduated in the Law Department of that institution, 1871. In the same year (1871) he came to Missouri, locating in Sedalia, Pettis County, where he commenced the practice of law in the office of Philips & Vest. Although comparatively a young man, his career as an eloquent and able lawyer is well known throughout Central Missouri. His father, Rev. B. F. Lacy, D. D., about this time also removed from Virginia to Pettis County, and for some time was identified with the Presbyterian Church of Seda- lia, Mo., and is well and favorably known in Central Missouri as an able and devout expounder of the Gospel. John A. Lacy, as a lawyer, fought his battles single handed, until the second year of his removal from his native State, Virginia. He married Miss Elizabeth P. Myers, also of Lexington, March 12, 1873, daughter of John H. Myers, a broker of that city, and by her has three children, Susan M., John McD. A. and Henry Blain. After his marriage he continued the practice of his profession, making many friends by his genial disposition and rare social qualities. Never swerving from the path into which his moral instincts led him, he became popular as a member of the bar, and in 1876 was elected Judge of the Probate Court of Pettis County, which office he still holds, being re-elected in 1880. Judge Lacy's success has been marked from the beginning, and that his administration as Probate Judge has been charac- terized by much forethought and discretion is accorded by the fact of his 're-election in 1880. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and also Past Grand Chancellor, and at present one of the representatives from Missouri to the Supreme Lodge of the world. Altogether he has, in every capacity in which he has been called upon to officiate, proved himself equal to the emergency, winning a host of worthy friends, and well may the people of Pettis County be proud of a man who has served them so well.
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ERNEST LAMY.
Was born in the city of Nancy, France, March 10, 1816. His father, Cæsar Augustus Lamy, has been dead a number of years. When, in 1828, Ernest Lamy emigrated to America, he located at Gallipolis, O., and served as apprentice in the tailoring business. Ten years later he went to West Virginia, where he remained about three years, then came to Missouri, first locating in Osceola, St. Clair County, where he followed tailoring about six years. In 1846 he removed his business to Boonville, . and for twenty years carried on merchant tailoring there. After the war, when Sedalia was beginning to assume the character of a business center, Mr. Lamy removed to this city, and since that time, 1867, has made it his home and headquarters in business. The firm, J. A. Lamy & Co., with which he is connected, is doing a large business. Their place of business, located on Main street, is large and convenient, constantly filled with one of the largest stocks of merchant tailoring and gents' furnishing goods and ready-made clothing in this portion of the State. They find employment for eight men in the cutting and manufacturing department, besides clerks and employes in other lines. He was married in 1854, to Miss Lucy C. Parsons, one of the early settlers of Cooper County, Mo. They have had seven children, five of whom are still living, James A., now in busi- ness with his father, whose name appears in the firm, Medora, now wife of Captain Harry C. Demuth, of this city, Ella L., now wife of C. P. Brown, of St. Louis, Ernest W. and Florence. Mr. Lamy and family are among the enterprising and highly respected constituents of Sedalia busi- ness and social circles. He has served the people in the capacity of City Alderman, City Treasurer, and member of the Board of Education. He is a representative man 'in his line of business, and his life, fortune and present position are striking illustrations of what great results may be accomplished by intelligence, industry and business application.
MITCHELL M. LAMPTON.
Was born Nov. 24, 1819, in Columbia, Ky. His father and mother were both born in that State. His father, Louis Lampton, died in 1823, after which his mother moved to Richmond, Ky., and afterward to Hop- kinsville, where the subject of our sketch was reared. After Mr. Lamp- ton attained manhood, he was married to Miss Elizabeth S. Rolland, daughter of Reuben Rolland, cashier of Hopkinsville Bank. In the year of 1856 he moved to Pettis County, and engaged in farming, and in 1859 he sold out and moved to Windsor, in Henry County. Here he sold goods until early in the spring of 1861, when he went into the Con- federate army, and served until the close of the war. Lampton's life as a soldier commenced as First Lieutenant, but he was promoted to Major.
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