USA > Ohio > Memoirs of the lower Ohio valley, personal and genealogical : with portraits, Volume II > Part 17
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JEFFERSON D. PRIDE, a prominent and successful farmer of Union county, Ky., living near Bordley, is a native of that state, having been born in Logan county, April 7, 1861. He is a son of James S. and Piety (Porter) Pride, to whom six children were born, all living. The paternal grandparents were Francis and Elizabeth (Mear1) Pride, natives of North and South Carolina respectively. The maternal grandparents were David and Martha (Johnson) Porter. James S. Pride was a native of Tennessee. He was married three times. His first wife was a Miss Ann Eliza Crawford, by whom he had four children, three of whom are yet living. His second marriage was to Miss Porter, already mentioned. His third wife was a Miss Harriet Hardy, a native of Tennessee, and to this marriage were born five children, four of whom survive. Francis Pride was a wealthy land and slave holder and a very suc- cessful business man. The subject of this sketch has doubtless inherited some of his business ability, as he is the owner of 200 acres
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of the finest land in Union county, well stocked and improved. He was reared on a farm and has been brought up to the business, re- ceiving his education in the common schools. All his life has been passed in Union county, where he is well known and has a high standing in the community where he lives. Politically he is a Demo- crat, and while he takes a laudable interest in public affairs he is by no means an active politician. In fraternal matters he belongs to Bordley Lodge No. 390, Free and Accepted Masons. His parents were both devoted members of the Baptist church and contributed to its good works. In. 1892 Jefferson D. Pride and Miss Margaret Walker were united in marriage. She is a native of Kenton county, Ky.
J. W. WATSON, M.D., a prominent and highly successful physician of Bord- ley, Ky., was born in Union county, of that state, March II, 1863. He is the son of Thomas and Amelia (Youngs) Watson, both natives of Kentucky, he of Henderson and she of Union county. Thomas was the son of Jacob Watson, a native of Kentucky, who died in Hen- derson county at the age of eighty-eight years. The wife of Thomas Watson was a Miss Nancy Robina Handley before her marriage. She died near Corydon, Ky. The maternal grandfather of the subject, D. M. Youngs, was a native of Christian county and died in Union county about 1889. The maiden name of the grandmother was Louisa Jane Pritchett. Dr. Watson's father was a blacksmith, wagon-maker and a Demo- crat. He died June 7, 1893. His wife still lives at Bordley, Ky., aged sixty-four years. She is a devout member of the Christian church. Their marriage was blessed with seven children, five of whom are living. The subject of this sketch was reared in Hen- derson county and received his literary education in the schools of Corydon and Providence, and on June 21, 1894, graduated from the Kentucky School of Medicine of Louisville. In 1904 he took a post-graduate course in the Chicago Clinical School of Medicine. For three years he practiced medicine at Wanamaker, Webster county, Ky. For the past seven years he has enjoyed an extensive and lucrative practice at Bordley. His high standing as a physician
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is vouched for by the fact that he holds membership in the follow- ing medical societies: The Kentucky State and Ohio Valley Med- ical associations and the Union County Medical society. He is a member of Bordley Lodge No. 390, Free and Accepted Masons ; St. Luke's Lodge, No. 204, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Ideal Lodge of the Tribe of Ben Hur. On Dec. 15, 1895, he mar- ried Miss Frances Parker of Webster county, and had one child by her. It died in infancy. His wife died Feb. II, 1898, and he mar- ried, the next year, Miss Lucretia B. Fryer, the daughter of George W. Fryer of Bordley. Three children have blessed this union, viz .: Muriel Juanita, Lettie Echert, and Letcher. The ownership of 177 acres of fine land near Bordley makes Dr. Watson a comparatively rich man.
MONTGOMERY GRASSHAM, a blacksmith of Salem, Ky., was born in Roane county, Tenn., March 19, 1843. He is the son of Nehemiah Grassham and the grandson, of John and Sarah (Woolsey) Grassham, both natives of Roane county, where they lived and died. Montgomery Grassham came to Crittenden county, Ky., with his parents when eight years old, where he resided until Dec. 14, 1868. He then removed to Salem, Livingston county, and farmed for sev- eral years. Since then he has followed his trade uninterruptedly for thirty-three years. He is a Democrat in politics, an Odd Fellow and a member of Salem Lodge No. 81, Free and Accepted Masons. In 1861 he married Miss Lucy Caroline Grimmett of Monroe county, Tenn., daughter of Samuel and Fannie (Rankin) Grimmett, who came to Crittenden county, Ky., in 1851. One child was born to this marriage, Josephine, who died Sept. 3, 1864. His wife dying in March, 1864, Mr. Grassham, on Jan. 17, 1865, married Miss Mar- tha Elizabeth Mahan, daughter of William and Sarah (Potten) Mahan, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of Liv- ingston, county, where both died. By his second wife Mr. Grassham has had nine children. The first was born Oct. 17, 1865, and died in infancy. The second child, Martha Caroline Grassham, is now the wife of Dr. C. E. Percell, of Paducah, Ky. She has the double honor of having held the first state certificate and of having taught the first graded school in Livingston county. She graduated from the Lebanon, O., normal and for several years was a noted · teacher. This family has two children, named Ewart Edison Grass- ham and Sarah LaVerne. The third child is Charles Cario Grass- ham, born March 20, 1871, and now a successful lawyer at the
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Smithland bar. Emma, the fourth child, was born Dec. 8, 1872, and died December 19 of the same year. Anna Dean, the fifth child, was born Oct. 7, 1874, and died November 27 following. The sixth child was Lucy Elizabeth, who was born Oct. 13, 1875, and died Nov. 17, 1878. The seventh child, Sarah Doc., was born March 23, 1878. William Montgomery, the eighth child, was born at Salem, March I, 1882. Kit Oliver, the youngest, was born Feb. 12, 1884.
J. T. WOOLFE, a prominent miller of Salem, Ky., was born in Caldwell county, of that state, Aug. 11, 1849. His parents were W. H. and Matilda (Baker) Woolfe, both born in Caldwell county. W. H. Woolfe was the son of Alfred and Polly (Bond) Woolfe, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of Caldwell county. The maternal grandparents of J. T. Woolfe were Wiley and Nancy (Howard) Baker, natives of North Car- olina and Kentucky respectively. Both
died in Caldwell county. The grand- fathers on both sides of the house were farmers and Democrats. The Bakers and the Woolfes are earnest Baptists. W. H. Woolfe received a common school education and has followed farming for a living. He came to Crittenden county in 1851 and now resides about eight miles east of Marion, where his wife died in 1897. This family reared nine children, of whom seven are living. The father was a Democrat and during the war, a magistrate. J. T. Woolfe was reared on a farm in Crittenden county and had the benefit of a common school education. At the age of seventeen years he went into the sawmilling business, which he followed for five years. From that time up to 1891 he followed farming and stock raising. Selling his farm he next engaged for four years in the hardware business in Fredonia, Caldwell county, after which he came to Salem and purchased a small saw and grist mill. In 1892 he built a new flour mill, and since that time has built up an extensive busi- ness. On Dec. 5, 1872, he married Miss Sarah A. Drennan, the daughter of David Drennan, born and reared in Kentucky. Her mother was also a Kentuckian by birth. Their parents came either from Virginia or North Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Woolfe had six children, all living. They are Rosalie, Nettie, Elmer, Cleveland and Byron
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at Berea, Ky., and George in Mississippi. Mr. Woolfe, like his ancestors, is a Democrat and a Baptist. His wife, who was also a devout Baptist, died Nov. 29, 1903.
ROBERT H. GRASSHAM, an eminent physician of Livingston county, Ky., was born in that county, April 28, 1868. He is the son of Philip and Catherine (Grimmett) Grassham, both natives of Tennessee, the former born Dec. 27, 1827, and the latter June 6, 1828. Philip was the son of Nehemiah and Mary (Clark) Grass- ham, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Tennessee. They were married June 20, 1822, and settled in Crittenden county March 10, 1851, where his wife died Aug. 20, 1858, and he ten years later. Samuel Grimmett, the maternal grandfather of Doctor Grass- ham, was a native of Virginia. He married Miss Fannie Rankin, both of whom spent their last days in Tennessee. Philip Grassham was educated in the public schools of his home county. In 1851 he came to Crittenden county and engaged in merchandizing and dealing in tobacco. In 1869 he became a Republican, having been a Demo- crat up to that time. He was a Mason and attended the Christian church, of which he was an active member. They had eight chil- dren, of whom five are still living. Those living are: Phillip, Sallie, Nettie, for seven years postmistress at Salem; Lizzie and Robert H. Philip Grassham died Oct. 25, 1902, and is survived by his widow. Dr. Robert H. Grassham, after completing his common school edu- cation, entered the Madisonville, Ky., Normal School and Business college, from which he graduated in 1886. He graduated from Miami Medical college, Cincinnati, O., in 1890. Beginning the prac- tice of his profession immediately after graduating he has built up an extensive and lucrative business. The doctor is a member of the Southwestern Kentucky Medical association; also of the American Medical association. He is a Royal Arch Mason and a member of Salem Lodge No. 81, Free and Accepted Masons. On Oct. 8, 1902, he married Miss Margie Gore of Crittenden county.
J. A. PIERCE, farmer and stock raiser, near Salem, Ky., was born in. Jefferson county, Tenn., Dec. 16, 1842. He is the son of Stanton Pierce, a native of Russell county, Ky., whose wife was Miss Mary Bettis, a native of Jefferson county, Tenn. Stanton was the son of Jeremiah and Jane (Hall) Pierce, both natives of Russell county. He died in that county and she in Crittenden county. He was a farmer, a Whig, and a Baptist. His wife was a member of
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the Primitive Baptist church. The maternal grandfather of J. A. Pierce was Eli Bettis, a native of North Carolina, whose father came to America from Italy in an early day and died in Jefferson county, Tenn. Eli Bettis came to Kentucky, locating in Crittenden county about the year 1865, and died there in 1869. His wife, Dorthula (Lewis) Bettis, was born in Virginia and died in Crittenden county. The father of the subject of this sketch received a common school education and learned the trade of blacksmith. From blacksmithing he went to farming, but is now retired from active business and re- sides in Crittenden county. He and his wife had five children, four of whom are living. The mother died July 4, 1902, aged seventy- nine years. J. A. Pierce was reared and educated in Tennessee. At the age of seventeen years he came to Crittenden county, and from there in 1884 moved to Livingston county, where he has since resided. Mr. Pierce is interested in the Pierce-Elder Hardware Company of Salem; is the owner of 600 acres of fine land and fol- lows general farming and stock raising; is a Baptist and a Democrat. On Nov. 8, 1863, he married Miss Elvira Oliver, who was born in Trigg county, Ky., Dec. 28, 1845. She is the daughter of John W. and Mary Jane (Gee) Oliver, the former born Nov. 17, 1814, and the latter Oct. 7, 1826. John W. was the son of Walter and Mary (Winn) Oliver, both natives of Virginia, whence they came to Ken- tucky in an early day. The father of Mary Jane Gee was Anderson Gee, who came from Virginia to Crittenden county, where he and his wife both died. John W. Oliver was a farmer. Politically he was a Democrat, and both himself and wife were identified with the · Baptist church. They were the parents of thirteen children, of whom four are living. His first marriage to Miss Station was blessed with three children, one of whom is living. J. A. Pierce and wife have had the following children: Willis C., Walter, John, Wirt, Oscar, Richard, who died Nov. 21, 1878; Marion and James. Willis C. Pierce, the eldest son, is a prominent Baptist minister, a graduate of Logan college, of Russellville, Ky., and the Louisville Theological seminary. He began preaching at the age of nineteen years and is now located at Orlinda, Tenn. Prior to going to Orlinda he filled the pulpit of the Baptist church at Catlettsburg, Ky., for seven years, and was for several years at other places in Kentucky.
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BENJAMIN R. GARNETT, a prom- inent farmer residing near Salem, Ky., was born in Boone county of that state, Jan. 13, 1847. He is the son of Benjamin E. and Elizabeth (Ryle) Garnett. Ben- jamin was born in Barboursville, Knox county, Ky., and his wife in Boone county of the same state. The paternal grand- father, Wesley Minor Garnett, was born in Virginia and moved to Knox county, Ky., in an early day, where both he and his wife died. The maternal grandfather of the subject, William Ryle, died in Boone county, Ky. His wife was a Miss Frances Jack before her marriage. The father of Benjamin R. Garnett received a liberal education and became a very successful teacher. He also learned the carpenters' trade, thus doubly preparing himself for life's work. His education also fitted him for the duties of steamboat clerk, which calling he followed for a time. He and wife had a family of eight children, of whom two sons are yet living. He died July 7, 1861, and his wife in September, 1878. Benjamin R. Garnett was reared at Hamilton, Ky., where he received a common school education. He came to Crittenden county in 1873, and settled on a farm near Salem, in 1887. In the course of time, by dint of hard work and successful management, he became the owner of the farm on which he first settled. It consists of 100 acres of the very best of land and is located two miles north of Salem. On Aug. 18, 1863, he enlisted in company B, Thirtieth Kentucky mounted infantry, and served with it until April 19, 1865, when he was mustered out by virtue of the close of the war. In 1871 he married Miss Martha Patmor, a native of Boone county, by whom he had seven children, six still living. The names of the children are Jonathan W., de- ceased ; James B., John S., Walter H., Louella, Thomas D. and Ray. The family worships with the Christian church.
C. C. DORROH, a prominent and highly successful farmer near Pinckneyville, Livingston county, Ky., was born in that county Aug. 16, 1828. He is the son of William and Mary (Stone) Dorroh, the former a native of Alabama and the latter of Kentucky. They set- tled in Caldwell county in an early day and both died there. Wil- liam Dorroh was a farmer by occupation, a Democrat in politics, and
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in religion was a Baptist. He and his wife were members of the New Bethel Baptist church, where both are buried. The maternal grandfather of C. C. Dorroh was John Stone, who died in Caldwell county, and the grandmother was a Miss Baker. The subject of this sketch attended school in his native county, receiving a fair edu- cation. In December, 1845, he married Miss Nancy Dyson, a native of Caldwell county. They first located in Marshall county, but after eleven years came to Livingston, county, where he now resides. Here he purchased and cleared a farm of 206 acres, and so thoroughly has his work been done that he can justly boast of the ownership of one of the most productive farms in the county. His work shows what a man of enterprise and push can do in the line of farming. All that he has he has earned himself, never having received a dollar from his father with which to begin his life's work. In politics Mr. Dorroh is a Democrat, but in no sense a partisan. He and his wife have for years been active members of the Baptist church. They had nine children, only three of whom are living, viz .: William F., Edwin and Richard. The names of those deceased are Mary J., Frank F., Ellen, Charles, Willis and James.
M. R. NEAL, an ex-Confederate soldier of Pinckneyville, Liv- ingston county, Ky., was born at Shady Grove, Crittenden county, of that state, in 1842. He is the son of Thomas and Almina (Sims) Neal. Thomas Neal was born in, North Carolina and came to Crit- tenden county, where he died at the ripe age of eighty-four years. The mother was born in Caldwell county, Ky., and died at Shady Grove at the age of seventy-two. Their marriage was blessed with seven children, of whom three are still living. Thomas Neal was a Democrat in politics. His life's work was farming, to which he applied himself diligently and achieved success. The subject of this sketch was brought up on a farm and educated in the common schools of his native county. He chose farming as the most fitting occupation, and went to work with the view of owning a farm him- self. He has been successful enough to be able to boast of the ownership of seventy-five acres of the most valuable land in his section of Kentucky. In 1862, when his native state was divided on the question of secession, he enlisted in company C of the Tenth Kentucky Confederate cavalry and served under General John Mor- gan in his celebrated raid into Southern Indiana and Ohio. He, along with many others, was captured at Buffington's Island and held a prisoner for eighteen months. In 1865 he married Miss Elsie
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J. Parsons, of Jackson county, Ill., and this union has been blessed with six children, of whom three are dead. Those living are Alvin, John B. and Delevann. Frank, Mary and Buddy are the names of those deceased. In church matters Mr. and Mrs. Neal are actively identified with the various lines of work of the Baptist church.
L. P. MITCHELL, of the firm of P. H. Styers & Co., was born in Graves county, Ky., Aug. 24, 1861. He is a son of R. P. and Mary J. (Watson) Mitchell, both natives of Tennessee. In 1869 they came from Tennessee to Graves county, Ky., from which county they removed to Livingston county, same state, in 1876. Here he died in 1890, and his wife four years later. R. P. Mitchell was the son of Matthew and Martha (Taylor) Mitchell. Matthew Mitchell came to Tennessee from Virginia in an early day. He was a min- ister of the Methodist Episcopal church. Both he and his wife died in Tennessee. The maternal grandfather of the subject was William Watson, who was born in Tennessee and came to Ken- tucky about the year 1854, settling first in Webster and afterwards in Graves county, where he and his wife, also a native of Tennessee, both died. The father of L. P. Mitchell was trained in the com- mon schools of his native county. By self-study he fitted himself for teaching and preaching, in both of which he excelled. He was a Royal Arch Mason and an Odd Fellow. He and his wife reared a family of six children. The father died March 13, 1890, and the mother, Dec. 28, 1894. L. P. Mitchell was reared on a farm, educated in the common schools of his native county and Bethel col- lege, Tenn. After working on a farm for a time he gave his attention to saw-milling and threshing and, in 1891, embarked in the mercantile business at Lola, Ky. Selling out this business he, in 1903, became a member of the firm of P. H. Styers & Co., doing business in the same line. His father had also been in business for some years at Lola, a town which was named after a sister of Mr. Mitchell. In his business undertakings he has been very successful and has managed his earnings so well that he now owns a farm of 250 acres of fine land, upon which he does a general farming and stock raising busi- ness. He is a Democrat and a member of Carrsville lodge, No. 665,
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Free and Accepted Masons. On March 31, 1892, he married Miss Ida M. Adams, of Livingston county, Ky. She is the daughter of Richard Adams, an early settler of that county. Mr. Mitchell and his wife have had four children, whose names are Lois, Carmen E., Morris and Inez. All except Carmen E. are living. Lola's first post- master was the father of the subject of this sketch. All that Mr. Mitchell possesses he has made himself. Beginning in 1890 with a capital of $200, he is now rated as one of the wealthiest men in his county.
P. H. Styers, the senior member of the firm, was born in Marshall county, Ky., Sept. 17, 1868, his parents being Martin and Mary (Rose) Styers, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of Ten- nessee. They were married in Marshall county, where the mother died in 1899, and where the father is still living as a retired farmer. P. H. Styers was educated in the common schools of Marshall and Graves counties and at the age of twenty-three years became a teacher. In 1892 he was appointed to a position in the revenue serv- ice and served about a year. In 1894 he embarked in the mercantile line in which he has been ever since, the partnership with Mr. Mitchell being formed in 1903. He was married in 1893 to Mrs. Ida Kennedy, whose maiden name was Fowler, a granddaughter of James Fowler, of Crittenden county. Her father, John Fowler, was also a native of that county. Mr. and Mrs. Styers have two children, Gladys May and Hobart.
SILAS JACKSON MOSS, pilot and steamboat captain, of Finck- neyville, Ky., was born in Livingston county, of that state, Feb. 29, 1852. He is the son of Ralph and Fannie (Ramage) Moss, who came to Livingston county in an early day. The maternal grandfather was Jackson Ramage, who came to Livingston county with his parents and who is buried on the old homestead there. Ralph Moss was a pilot and steamboat captain by profession and served on boats plying the Ohio, Mississippi, Cumberland and Illinois rivers. He married in Livingston county, Ky., and had a family of five children : Silas Jack- son, the subject of this sketch; Alice, Thomas, Lizzie and Lee Milins, the last two named being dead. While working on the Mississippi he was in New Orleans soon after the battle there on Jan. 8, 1815. In politics he was a Democrat. His wife died April 18, 1885, and he on Dec. 14, 1895. Silas J. Moss received his early education in the pub- lic schools of his county. At the age of seventeen years he began to make his own living. Beginning at the bottom, he has worked himself
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up to the position of pilot and captain of boats running from Evans- ville, Ind., to Cairo, Ill., and from Cairo, Ill., to Nashville, Tenn. On Aug. 10, 1870, he married Miss Savilla Parker, born near Salem, Ky., Sept. 15,1849, and the daughter of Mack and Typhena (Lindley) Par- ker, both natives of Kentucky. Mack Parker was the son of Jonathan and Dorothy (Burgess) Parker, both of whom died in Livingston county. Typhena Lindley was the daughter of Joseph Lindley, a native of England, who came to America when twenty-two years old and settled in Pennsylvania, where he married Miss Savilla Ben- jamin. From Pennsylvanina they came to Fleming county, Ky., where the wife died. He died in Illinois. Silas J. Moss and his wife have had six children: George L., Mildred, Russell, Lyon C., Lizzie D. and Francis T. Of these Lyon C. is a steamboat pilot and George and Russell farmers. All are natural musicians. Captain Moss is independent in politics. He, his wife and youngest daughter are members of the Missionary Baptist church.
JOHN S. LOWERY, a successful farmer residing near Salem, Ky., was born in Caldwell county, Ky., March 9, 1836. He is the son of John and Grace (Ordway) Lowery, both natives of North Carolina, the father born Feb. 26, 1806, and the mother Aug. 5, 1807. The paternal grandfather was James Lowery, a native of North Carolina, who came to Kentucky in an early day, spending the remainder of his life in Crittenden, Hopkins and Caldwell counties. He died in the last named county at the extreme old age of one hundred years. John and Grace Lowery came to Crittenden county quite early, where they both died. Their marriage was blessed with eleven children, six of whom are living. John Lowery was a farmer, a Democrat and a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, of which his wife was also a devout member. John S. Lowery was reared on a farm, received a fair education in the common schools of his county, and has made farming his life's work. Finding 300 acres too large a body to cultivate profitably, he sold a portion of his farm. He is a Demo- crat and a Cumberland Presbyterian. On Nov. 10, 1859, he married Miss Polly Ann Butler, of Crittenden county, who was born Sept. 4, 1844. This union resulted in the birth of ten children, of whom four are living. They are: Daniel Allen, Charles Owen, Nora Ella and William Smith. Mrs. Lowery died Dec. 14, 1901, and on April 20, 1902, he married Mrs. Lura Pryor, nee Cossey, who has one daughter, Leota Agnes, by her former husband. Mr. and Mrs. Lowery have two children, named Odell and Wilma.
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