F. E. Venable is a native of Prince Edward county, Virginia, born May 12, 1829; son of Samuel and Elizabeth Venable, nee Wright, both; natives of Virginia. When our subject was three years of age his parents moved to Missouri and located in Chariton county, where they lived for three years, and from there went to Livingston county, which was their home for six years, when they removed to Gallatin, this county. At an early age in life his father studied medicine but never practiced till he located in Livingston county; prior to that time he labored as a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church. The father died in Callaway county, May 11, 1857, and the mother died in Daviess county, May 1, 1870.
On September 2d, 1851, Dr. Venable married Miss Elizabeth J. Willson, of Ray county, born September 27; 1829. She was a daughter of Hon. James H. Willson, of Louisiana; her mother’s ancestors were from Kentucky. Eight children were the fruits of this union; namely, Henry, born August 7, 1852; Horace, born March 5 1854; Nancy Helen, born February 5,1856; Sallie May, born July 29, 1857; Sophronia Amy, born July 18,1860; Charles E., born April 5, 1862 Lizzie W., born September 15, 1866; and Hugh W., born May 9, 1870. Mrs. Venable died March 18, 1872. Dr. Venable married Mrs. Sarah A. Frisby, his present wife, on April 17th, 1878. Dr. Venable has been a successful practitioner for many years. He at one time was in business in Iowa, and there accumulated a vast amount of property but adverse circumstances in the milling business caused him to lose heavily, but now he is again on solid footing.