USA > Missouri > Nodaway County > The history of Nodaway county, Missouri, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens > Part 83
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THEODORE L. ROBINSON,
cashier of the Nodaway County Bank, and one of the leading business men of Nodaway County, is a native of Callaway County, Missouri, where he was born on the 8th of February, 1833. His father was a mer- chant, and the son may be said to have been bred to this business. In 1844 the family removed to Buchanan County, and the subject of this sketch was for a time employed in the old Mansion House, a leading hotel in St. Joseph at that period, and then accepted a position with John Curd, a pioneer and prominent merchant. In 1849, in common with many others, he crossed the plains to California, with an ox team, and remained there until 1855, engaged in mining, then returned to St. Joseph and once more became associated with his old employer. In 1857, in company with Mr. Curd, he engaged in business in Maryville, since which time he has been a permanent resident and continuously in active business, and in which he can well claim to have been engaged for more consecutive years than any other man in the county. In 1873 he became connected with the bank, and in the capacity of cashier and general manager, he has proved himself a safe, conservative and suc- cessful financier, and has secured the confidence of the community in which he resides. He is a plain, candid, wide-awake man, assumes nothing, and attends to his duties assiduously. He commenced life without means, and may well be termed the architect of his own fortune, and thoroughly merits the esteem in which he is held. As a citizen, he has always manifested an active interest in all that has had a tendency to promote the interest of the county and prominent in all educational matters. Mr. Robinson was married October 9, 1859, to Miss Rebecca J. Ray, a daughter of James Ray, a prominent citizen of this county, who
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removed from Nelson County, Kentucky. Their family consists of five children : James B., Martha E., Theodore L., Fred. P. and Jennie I.
JOHN K. RUTH,
farmer and stock raiser, section 5, was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, December 7, 1835. His parents, Jacob and Matilda, nee Kimmons, were both natives of Washington County, Pennsylvania, and the former was an agriculturist by calling. When he was four years of age, John was taken to Washington County, Pennsylvania, and then to Marshall County, West Virginia, where he resided until he was fourteen. At that time he moved to Adams County, Illinois, in the fall of 1850, and after three years located in Hancock County. He spent the most of his time on a farm, and also attended the common schools. In 1878, he came to Missouri, and in March of that year settled in this county, where he now owns 247 acres of land, stocked with graded cattle, and upon it is an orchard and an abundance of small fruit. His dwelling is so situated as to give an attractive view of the country round about. He is a member of Nodaway Lodge, No. 470, A. F. and A. M., of Mary- ville, and has been school director of his district, etc. Mr. Ruth was married December 27, 1861, to Elizabeth R. Kimmons, daughter of Ira Kimmons, a native of Washington County, Pennsylvania, but now a resi- dent of Adams County, Illinois. They have five children : M. C., born November 4, 1861 ; Minnie L., born July 21, 1864 ; Edgar L., born May 26, 1866; Thomas B., born March 28, 1874, and Blanche, born December 23, 1875. Mr. R. is independent in his political preferences, and belongs to the Christian Church of Maryville.
J. H. SAUNDERS,
merchant, one of Maryville's most valuable and respected citizens, is a native of Madison County, Kentucky, and was born May 6, 1824. He was there partially educated and resided until 1843, when he immigrated to Missouri with his parents, his father, John, being one of the pioneers of Buchanan County. For two years he lived twelve miles south of St. Joseph. In 1845, with his family, he moved to Nodaway County, and engaged in mercantile pursuits in Maryville, being among the first inter- ested in this branch. Previous to the war he went to St. Joseph, and for many years was well known as proprietor of the Saunders. House. Few men in Northwest Missouri were more highly esteemed or had a more enviable reputation than John Saunders. His death occurred in 1869. James H. Saunders has been a resident of Nodaway County the greater portion of the time since 1845. He spent a few years in the western country and four years in St. Joseph. For a long time he has been one
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of the leading merchants of Maryville. Although before the people of Nodaway County from the time it was in a comparatively crude state, Mr. S. has never been known officially. He is no political aspirant, pre- ferring the commercial arena of life. He has been closely associated with the progress of Maryville, and is ever ready to endorse all com- mendable enterprises beneficial both to town and county. Possessing as he does, a genial and kindly disposition, in both the public and pri- vate walks of life, he is one of the most companionable of gentlemen. In 1851 he married Miss Emma Ray, of Kentucky. They have four chil- dren : Lawrence A., now a practicing physician in Kansas ; Ida, wife of Prof. B. A. Dunn, editor of the Republican; Ernest R. and Jennie. Ernest R. is the junior member of the firm of Saunders & Son, and is one of the rising young merchants of Nodaway County.
RICHARD SAUNDERS
was born in Madison County, Kentucky, on the 21st of March, 1835, and is the son of John and Nancy Saunders. The family moved from Ken- tucky to Missouri in the fall of 1843, and settled on a farm twelve miles south of St. Joseph, on the main road to Weston. Travelers going north would inquire the distance to the Blacksnake Hills, afterwards known as Robidoux, now the city of St. Joseph. Mr. Saunders remained on the farm for two years, working during the summer and attending school in winter. His first teacher was a Mr. Collins; the second a Mr. Prescott, both good, practical, common sense men, who taught reading, writing, arithmetic and grammar; could make a good quill pen, and did not hes- itate to use the birch when necessary. During the fall of 1845 Mr. Saun- ders' father located in Maryville, Missouri, and built a double log house on Main Street, where the Methodist parsonage now stands. In 1850 he moved to St. Joseph, where he embarked in the mercantile business, tak- ing Richard, then a boy fifteen years of age, in as a clerk, where he con- tinued to assist his father when not attending school. In 1856 he entered the store of Walker, Jenkins & Holly, as clerk, in the town of Maryville. Here he remained until the spring of 1857, when he went to Nebraska City, Nebraska, and took charge of the store of Holly & Brown. In the summer of 1858 he went to Pittsburg, Pennsyl- vania, and there attended Duft's Commercial College. Return- ing to Maryville in the following year he and his brother James H. Saunders formed a partnership in the mercantile business, continuing to sell goods until 1861, when Mr. Saunders again became a resident of St. Joseph and took charge of the Saunders House, which was at the time·conducted by his father. He, with his brother John, operated the Saunders House until the spring of 1877, when they sold to other part- ies. Soon after Mr. Saunders went to Europe where he remained until
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January, 1878, visiting England, Ireland, Scotland, Holland, Prussia, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, France and Italy. In February, 1878 he returned to Maryville and assisted in the banking house of Baker, Saun- ders & Co. until 1881, when he sold his interest. He was married to Miss Lida C. West, in September 1878, and by this union they had one Child, Ed., who died. Mr. Saunders possesses excellent business quali- fications, and being a man of good judgment, his efforts in business enterprises have always been crowned with success. Having traveled extensively he has seen much of the world and remembers with great tenacity what he has seen. He is kind and obliging, a good citizen, a genial and companionable gentleman.
S. W. SCOTT,
farmer and stock raiser, section 35, was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, on the 28th of January, 1851. His father. A. P. Scott, a farmer by call- ing, was a native of Jefferson County, Ohio, and his mother, Mary Scott, of the same place. S. W. was brought up at his birthplace, on a farm, receiving an education in the common schools. In 1877, he came to Missouri, and on the 23d of September, located in Nodaway County. In politics he is Republican. He is a member of the firm of Scott Brothers & Braninger, which is composed of S. W. Scott, J. M. Scott and F. L. Braninger. They have leased 320 acres of land, and have the same well stocked with high grades of sheep, hogs, etc., having brought one car load from Ohio. Their attention is given principally to raising these animals. J. M. Scott is now about thirty-seven years of age, and was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, but was principally reared in Guernsey County. He was married in the spring of 1868, to Miss Anna E. Wal- lace, who died in the spring of 1872, leaving one child, Anna W.
J. L. SCOTT,
farmer and stock raiser, section 15, was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, October 17, 1854, and is the son of Alexander F. and Eleanor (Barnes) Scott, the former of Jefferson County, Ohio, and the latter of Westmore- land County, Pennsylvania. J. L. passed his youth in Harrison County, Ohio, on a farm, receiving a good business education. In ISSo he came to Missouri, settling in Nodaway County, on the 14th of May. He now has 320 acres of land, fairly stocked. Mr. S. was married March 24, 1880, to Rachel A. Dunlap, daughter of Joshua Dunlap, formerly of Har- rison County, Ohio. They have one child, Jessie B., born January 9, 1881. He is a Republican in politics, and a member of the Presbyterian Church.
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
JAMES F. SHELL,
farmer and stock raiser, section 16, was born on January 30, 1840, in Columbus, Bartholomew County, Indiana, and is the son of Solomon and Sarah N. (Lemon) Shell. The former was a farmer and carpenter, and a native of North Carolina. In the fall of 1841 he was taken to Platte County, Missouri, then almost unsettled, and made his home there until the spring of 1856, when he came to this county with his parents, they locating about seven miles northwest of Maryville. He settled on his present place, commencing the improvement of a farm, and now owns eighty-five acres of stocked land, upon which is a good orchard. He is a member of Florida Grange, No. 32, and fills the office of secre- tary. He has been road overseer. In August, 1861, he enlisted in Company H, Twenty-fifth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, and was taken prisoner at Lexington, Missouri, by General Price. He was afterwards paroled. Mr. Shell was married September 22, 1864, to Miss Mary A. Cain, daughter of Charles Cain, of this county. They have six chil- dren : Sarah, born August 22, 1865 ; Solomon, born September 3, 1869; Elma V., born December 23, 1873 ; Jessie, born August 27, 1875 ; Clara, born July 17, 1878, and Earl, born March 23, 1881 ; one is deceased. Mr. Shell is Republican in his political views.
THOMAS SHOEMAKER,
proprietor of the the Valley House, and of the firm of Shoemaker & Sons, proprietors of transfer line and livery, was born in Cayuga County, New York, March 2, 1829. He was reared in his native state, and spent his boyhood days on a farm. In 1866, he engaged in the grain trade at Union Springs, New York. In 1870, he decided to emigrate west, and came to Nodaway County, and built the Valley House, which under his supervision has gained a wide reputation, and is in all respects a model of cleanliness, with a table to tempt the most fastidious. His grounds are large, and laid out with artistic taste, and no pains or expense have been spared in making it beautiful and attractive. He contemplates. further improvements, which will add still more to its beauty. Mr. Shoe- maker was married November 15, 1854, to Miss Esther O'Hara, a native of the same county as her husband. They have one son, Frank G., born in Cayuga County, New York, August 21, 1858, and principally raised in Nodaway County. He married Miss Mary Hagen April 22, 1880. They have one son, Frank G., Jr.
MICHAEL SHORTELL,
of the firm of Shortell & Albaugh, proprietors of billiard hall and saloon, is a native of Ireland, and was born April 20, 1844. He was there reared
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to manhood, and received his education, following the plow for a liveli- hood in his youthful days. He is the son of Edward and Bridget (Mur- phy) Shortell, who are living in the land of their forefathers, their ances- tors for many generations having tilled the soil. Mr. S. traces his origin to the old chieftain of the name of Shortell. His mother's death occurred in 1851. In 1859, the subject of this sketch immigrated to America, and settled in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he resided one year. From thence he removed to Kewanee, Illinois, and engaged in farming till 1869, when he came to this city, and engaged in contracting and building till 1875. Then he embarked in the saloon business with P. Hamill, they remain- ing together one year, when he returned to his trade, and in 1880, he engaged in his present business with Mr. Doren. In 1881, Mr. Albaugh became his partner. Mr. S. was united in marriage July 3, 1877, to Miss Maggie Murphy, a native of Ireland. They have two children : Mary and Daniel. He is a member of the Catholic Church. He is well known in Maryville, and the number of substantial buildings erected by him is a sufficient guarantee of his skill as a contractor. He is doing a good business in his present line, as he deserves.
G. W. SIGNS,
of the firm of G. W. Signs & Sons, dealers in clothing and gents' furn- ishing goods, is a native of Ohio and was born in Wayne County, August 29, 1834. He is a son of John and Anna (Hayes) Signs, the former a native of New Jersey, and the latter of Ohio. In 1850, with his father, he moved to North Manchester, Wabash County, Indiana, and in 1854 went to Lisbon, Ohio. He was educated in Indiana and Ohio, spending his time on a farm in his native state, and while in Indi- ana he learned the trade of cabinetmaking, which he followed till 1862. He then engaged in the mercantile trade, which he continued in Lisbon till 1871, and in May, 1872, he came to Maryville. Since that time he has principally been occupied in the mercantile trade, and since March, 1878, has been in his present business. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity. Mr. S. was married May 4, 1856, to Miss Sarah E. Ringer, a daughter of John and Mary (Faust) Ringer, who were both natives of Pennsylvania. She was born in Montgomery County, Indi- ana, in February 1836, and died in October, 1869. They had two chil- dren : John M. and Charles E. Mr. Signs was again married August II, 1870, to Miss Ella J. Church, a daughter of Seth J. and Sophronia Church, both natives of Utica, New York, where Mrs. S. was also born in 1846. Previous to her marriage she had been engaged in teaching.
NATHANIEL SISSON,
of the firm of Morehouse & Sisson, one of Nodaway County's most enterprising citizens, is a son of N. P. and Sarah (Green) Sisson, natives
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
of Ohio. Their son, Nathaniel, was born in Meigs County, Ohio, May 25, 1845, and was reared at his birthplace, on a farm, receiving the advantages of a good English education. In 1862, in response to Presi- dent Lincoln's call for troops, he enlisted in the Ninety-second Ohio Infantry, but was discharged on account of his youth. He again enlisted in the Second Virginia Cavalry, and served until the close of the war, and witnessed the surrender of Lee. After he was mustered out he returned home and attended school, and, for a time, was engaged in teaching. He came to Nodaway County, Missouri, in 1866. Having formed a taste for the profession of surveyor and civil engineer, he dovoted his leisure hours to perfecting himself in this branch. He was for a short time engaged in the furniture business, and for three years held the office of road commissioner, and then resigned the position, and the following two years was engaged in bridge building. During this time he superintended the construction of the bridge over the Brazos River, Texas, being the largest wooden span bridge in the state. In 1875, he engaged in his present business in connection with A. P. Morehouse, and the firm are doing the leading real estate business in Northwestern Missouri. Their abstract books are complete and reliable. Mr. Sisson is the inventor of the system of abstracts known as the American System, and it has been widely adopted and universally approved. In 1876, he published a correct and reliable map of the county, which has proved a great convenience and of lasting benefit to the county. A marked characteristic of Mr. Sisson's career, which has been both honorable and successful in his straight forward course, and he has secured in a high degree the confidence of all with whom he has business intercouse. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and belongs to Maryville Lodge, No. 165, and Nodaway Chapter. He mar- ried Miss Mary Hughes, October 14, 1874. She was born in Lexington, Missouri. Their family consists of one son, N. Paul.
ELDER RUFUS SMITH
was born September 21, 1821, in Deerfield, Oneida County, New York. His father, Rufus Smith, married Lucinda De Groat. His parents moved to Erie County, New York, when Rufus was five years of age. They then located in Jefferson County, New York, where they lived and died, leaving a family of six sons, Samuel, William, Rufus, Eladsit, Wayne and Warren, and two daughters, Helen and Harriet. Of these Samuel, Eladsit and Helen are now deceased. When in his seventeenth year Rufus was converted and called by God to preach the gospel at once. His mother being a Methodist, he joining the New School Lutherans, saw and felt deeply the effect of divisions in the church. He resolved, with the light which God gave him, to preach the pure gospel and let
Bugug Smith
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Lutherism and all other isms take care of themselves. Being requested to hold meetings at Beech Ridge and Clayton, in Jefferson County, he earnestly commenced work for the Master, and was rewarded by having two revivals, one of which was the most wonderful of his life. During all this time he worked for his father on the farm and walked fifteen miles every Sabbath to his appointments. The Lutheran ministers hear- ing of his success selected a conference and gave him license, October 5, 1842. His mother having died soon after his conversion, his father, who was not a Christian, desired him to remain at home and work on the farm and have the homestead of 200 acres, or, if he left home, to have his time but never a dollar. Thanking his father for his time, Rufus, believing all God's promises, including Mark x. chapter, 29-30 verses, resolved to follow the Lord fully, hence he worked by the month, day and hour, and paid his way to secure a limited education. Many years after this, Elder Smith's father sent for him, though a thousand miles away, to confess to him that he had done wrong in trying to hinder him in his work, and said : "Rufus, I am glad you obeyed God, and did not listen to me. Be faithful. I will try and meet you in Heaven." Young Smith's first charge as a pastor of a congregation was at Morristown, St. Lawrence County, New York. Here he was united in holy wedlock with Eliza C. Reese, on the 5th day of July, 1843. He remained there for two years, and was licensed in full by the Franckean Synod, June 8, 1844. In these two years there were over two hundred who professed religion. Mr. Smith's next field was at Starkville, Herkimer County, New York, where he remained for six years, having abundant success in that locality. In January, 1851, he left there for Raymertown, Rensselaer County, New York, there continuing for five years, preaching regularly every Sab- bath, and at other places in the county had many revivals ; Bryan's Corners had an extended revival, organized a Lutheran Society and erected a meeting house, etc. During this time he buried his only daughter, Eveline Lucinda, who died September 23, 1853. In October, 1856, he moved from Raymertown to Sharon, Wisconsin. On moving west he became acquainted with Julius Movius, General Agent of the Great Western Railroad. Learning his mission west, Mr. Movius always passed Mr. Smith and his family, free, from Buffalo to Chicago and return. Feeling that he could not do more for him, Mr. Smith named his young- est son after him. Upon learning the fact, Mr. Movius replied with the following letter :
BUFFALO, N. Y., March 17, 1865.
REV. R. SMITH, JR.,-My Dear Sir : Absence from home has pre- vented earlier acknowledgement of your kind favor of the third instant, but contents are noted with much satisfaction. Let me congratulate you upon the accession to your family circle, and I pray that Julius Movius Smith may live and grow up a good man-a Christian-and be
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
the comfort and support of his worthy parents in their declining years, and a pride to him whose name he bears. I shall always feel a deep. interest in him, and hope to have it in my power to aid and encourage him in the journey of life, and to secure him such a position as the development of his moral, religious, commercial and scholastic attain- ments may indicate. This is a period somewhat remote, and if in the- meantime I can serve you, it will give me pleasure so to do.
I am, very truly yours, JULIUS MOVIUS.
Julius Movius Smith died March 14, 1865, at Mt. Morris, Illinois. Mr. Smith was in Sharon and Janesville, Wisconsin, preaching in the States of Illinois and Wisconsin for five years, having an outpouring of God's spirit in many places in both states. From the beginning of the war he- was for a number of years engaged in preaching as an evangelist, both north and south, showing that if the church of America had been one,. and the pure gospel had been expounded, there could have been no war. During this time he held a meeting at Jackson, Will County, Illinois,. where he had another revival, and built a meeting house, but lacked a few hundred dollars of paying for it. To raise this amount, Mr. S. char- tered a train, and took his friends from Jackson and Will County, to visit the southern prisoners confined at Camp Douglas, in Chicago, for the. purpose of preaching the gospel to them. The proceeds obtained were. sufficient to pay for the train and the meeting house. In 1865, he located in Mt. Morris, Illinois, and at that time it was publicly announced that. he would not receive one dime from any one only as a free will offering,. consequently the word money was not mentioned during his stay there. of two years. His wants were not only fully supplied, but he had hun- dreds of dollars to give away for benevolent purposes. Mr. Smith would as soon baptize for any other denomination as for the Lutheran, always teaching the people that by the Holy Ghost they were baptized into Christ's Church. That the denominations were only societies, all of which were out of God's order. While teaching this bible truth, he received members into the Lutheran Society only when requested, never asking any one to join, he feeling that all isms were a " stumbling block. which should be removed out of the way of God's people."-Isaiah 57, 14. From some cause, he hardly knew why, he felt impressed to ask for a. letter from the Lutheran denomination, which was granted July 7, 1866. We herewith print the letter :
This is to certify that by a vote of Synod, an honorable letter of dis- mission from our ecclesiastic body was granted to Rev. Rufus Smith on. the 7th instant, at our late session, held at Albion, Marshall County, Iowa. Brother Smith has belonged to the Franckean Evangelic Lutheran Synod of New York, for the last twenty-five years, and for the last six. years to our Western Conference. He is an eminent, zealous and very active embassador of Jesus. He has for the last six years acted as an.
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efficient and successful Evangelist in various portions of this western country and elsewhere.
We, therefore, recommend him without the least hesitation, with love and confidence, to any ecclesiastic body of the Evangelic Lutheran Church of North America, wherever he may see fit by the direction of Providence to join. May the divine blessings of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ richly rest upon him, on his beloved family and upon all true Israel of God, near and far. Amen.
CHRISTIAN SANS,
Ex-President of Western Lutheran Conference of New York, and Secre- tary of Western Evangelic Lutheran Missionary Synod:
.
About the middle of September following, Dr. Sternbergh, President of the Lutheran College, at Albion, Marshall County, Iowa, invited him to hold a meeting in the college hall. On the third day of that meeting an infidel of the town asked him two questions. The first one was : " How many churches has your God got?" His reply was: "One, sir." The second question was : "Which one of the churches is your God's church ?" Mr. Smith's answer was: "Not any one of the denominations, but all Christians in and out of them-all constitute Christ's Church." The infidel then said : "Your head is level, sir. Why don't you preach and practice it ?" Mr. S. saw at once the practicability of what he had always preached, and thanked God that he could use an infidel in the opening of his eyes to see how plain it is to practice as well as preach the gospel, as well as to open Peter's eyes with the four-footed beasts and creeping things .- Acts, x-15. The same night in the hall he dropped the Lutheran name, declaring that his name was Rufus Smith, minister of the gospel, nothing more nor less. He then presented the oneness of the Church of Christ, as taught in the Scripture. Dr. Sternbergh, adding his testi- mony to the truth, declared he, too, dropped that name, saying he had been troubled on the same subject for twenty years. After this a num- ber of infidels cried for mercy, and renounced their infidelity. When the doctor sent east for his letter, then came to pass the saying :
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