CAPT. JAMES H. SALLEE. This gentleman is a Protestant Methodist minister and a farmer of Ozark County, Missouri, and as a citizen, neighbor and friend is highly spoken of by all who know him. He owes his nativity to Madison County, Arkansas, where he was born April 10, 1833, a son of Arany Shasteen and Martha (Greene) Sallce, who were born in Indiana in 1811 and in Illinois in 1821, respectively.
Their marriage was celebrated in Schuyler County, Illinois, soon after which they removed to Marion County, Arkansas, where they lived a few years, then returned to the Sucker State. After a short residence there they came to Greene County, Missouri, soon after to Taney County and about two years later to Ozark County, settling in the woods on North Fork, one mile below the present town of Thornfield. They improved a farm here, then moved to a farm on Pond Fork, which continued to be his home throughout the remainder of his life. He became a private in Company F, of Phelps’ regiment, and died at Cassville, Missouri, March 30, 1862. He had been an industrious farmer all his life, was for some years a justice of the peace, and was one of the pioneers of Ozark County. He was very fond of 11 athletic sports, especially hunting, and was known to kill twenty-four bears in one winter, besides elk, deer, panthers, wolves, etc. He was a soldier in the Black Hawk War and was well known for his patriotism, his strict adherence to all that was upright and honorable, and his love and faithfulness to home and friends. His father was Rev. Steplhen Sallee, who died in Tarey County about 1852, a Missionary Baptist minister, and also a tiller of the soil. He was of French extraction and a man whose character was above reproach. His wife’s death preceded his by several years and occurred in Arkansas. The maternal grand-father, Leven Greene, died in Texas County, Missouri, about 1864, of Irish parents, and for many years was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but later identified himself with the Protestant Methodist Church. His wife died in Texas County also. Capt. James H. Sallee was the eldest of a family of eleven children, the other members of the family being an infant that died unnamed; Stephen, who died in early boyhood in Ozark County, Missouri; Mary is the wife of Bennett Clark, of northern Kansas; Mariah R. is the widow of Thomas Jones, and resides in this county; Ollie Ann is the wife of George Hutchinson, of Los Angeles County, Cal.; Leven Thomas became a member of Company F, Phelps’ regiment, was wounded at the battle of Pea Ridge and died from the effects of that wound in Christian County; Henderson L. was killed while at home in 1863 by guerrillas; Richard L. and Levi reside in Ozark County, and Adaline is the wife of Raleigh Griffith, of Ozark County. Capt.
James H. Sallee was reared principally in Ozark County, and as the country was wild and unsettled for a long time after they located here his education was obtained principally under the instruction of his mother. In August, 1859, he was married to Emily, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Maritt, who came from Tennessee to Christian County, and later to Ozark County, where both died, the former from the effects of a wound received at the battle of Pea Ridge, while a member of Phelps’ regiment. Mrs. Sallee was born in Tennessee and died in 1867, having become the mother of two children: One that died unnamed and John W. August 11, 1867.
Mr. Sallee married Mrs. Emarine May, daughter of Perry and Martha Martin, who were Kentuckians, but were married in Indiana and from there came to Missouri in 1843, spending the rest of their lives in Ozark County, the father dying in 1884 and the mother in 1872, they being members of the Christian and General Baptist Churches, respectively. Mrs. Sallee was born in Bartholomew County, Indiana, in 1842, and she and Mr. Sallee are the parents of the following children: Martha, wife of David Wallace; Emily Ann, wife of Samuel E. Maritt; Mary A., wife of M. J. Maritt; Richard L., William P., James B. and Leven Thomas.
In 1861 Mr. Sallee joined the United States Home Guards and served until November of that year, enlisting as sergeant in Company F, Phelps’ regiment, with which he served six months, participating in the engagement at Pea Ridge. August 9, 1862, he joined Company G, Seventy-third East Missouri Militia, as captain, in which capacity he served until December 4, 1863, taking an active part in numerous skirmishes in Arkansas and Missouri. He then joined Company B, Sixteenth Missouri Cavalry, as captain, with which he served until July 1O, 1865, in Missouri and Arkansas, principally on scouting duty. After over four years of hard service he received his discharge at Springfield and returned to his home. At the early age of eighteen years he was ordained a minister of the Protestant Methodist Church and has labored in the service of his Master more or less ever since preaching at intervals throughout the war. Soon after his return from the army he was made supervisor of registration of Ozark County and is now one of the trustees of the Thornfield Normal Institute. He was at one time chaplain of Gainesville Post of the G. A. R. Politically he has always been a Republican and his first vote was cast for the “Pathfinder” Col. John C. Fremont in 1856. Capt. Sallee has never sought political honors, but has been content to live the quiet, uneventful life of the farmer, surrounded by all necessary comforts and secure in the friendship of all who know him.