History of Daviess County Missouri Collections – Page 9 of 19

Biographical Sketch of R. S. E. Lewis

The subject of this sketch was barn in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, May 29, 1836, and was reared and educated in his native County. On starting in life for himself, Mr. Lewis commenced fanning and continued that and lumbering, till October, 1851. He then went to Champaign County, Illinois, where he continued the lumber business till 1855. From there he went to Mahaska County, Iowa, but only made a short stay, when he went to Poweshiek County, and engaged in shingle-making at Montezuma. In 1857, he came to Daviess County, where he still continues to reside, engaged in farming. He owns … Read more

Biographical Sketch of R. L. Vallandigham

The gentleman whose name heads this sketch is a native of Ray County, this State, and was born on the 1st day of January, 1837. His parents moved to Daviess County when he was three years old and here he was reared and educated. He began life as a farmer and continued until 1868, when he engaged in the mill business, running a grist and saw-mill, with a carding machine attachment. In 1874 he resumed farming and is still so engaged. When the Civil War came on Mr. Vallandigham espoused the cause of the Confederacy, and enlisted in July, 1861, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Philip Shaw

Was born in Clay County, Missouri, March 10, 1848. His parents, A. L. and Hannah Shaw, nee Kearns, were both natives of Kentucky, and early settlers in Missouri. When Philip was five years of age his parents moved to DeKalb County, and he was there reared and educated. In 1864 he enlisted as a member of Company C, Forty-third Missouri Volunteer Infantry and served until the close of the war. After his return home he began farming on his own account, and on November 19th, 1868, was married to Miss Orilla A. England, who was born in Jackson County, Indiana, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Peter Nighswonger

Peter Nighswonger. The subject of this sketch was born in Virginia, March 22, 1817. At three years of age he went with his parents to Illinois, where he grew up and received his education. On arriving at an age to begin life for himself he commenced farming and has been chiefly engaged in that calling ever since. He came to this State and county in 1876,. and has resided here constantly since that period engaged in farming and stock-raising. He owns a well-improved farm of 239 acres in Lincoln township, being well watered and timbered, and has three miles of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Orville M. Shanklin

Was burn in Trenton, Missouri, September 16, 1854. He is the son of Colonel John H. and Kitty Shanklin; was educated in the Trenton high school, and in 1873 began the study of law in his father’s office. Was admitted to the bar in 1877 and immediately began the practice of law at Jamesport, Missouri, where he remained until July, 1879, and then returned to Trenton and engaged in teaching in Grundy county. In 1881 he engaged in the life insurance business, and became district manager of the Centennial Mutual Life Association, of Burlington, Iowa. September 19, 1877, he married … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Oliver P. Green

Oliver P. Green, the subject of this sketch, was born in Daviess county, Missouri, December 22, 1846. His father, M. F. Green, was a native of Virginia. When Oliver was ten years of age his father purchased a farm in Monroe township, Daviess county, and was a resident of the county at the time of his death. From 1861 until the close of the war Oliver was engaged in driving the United States mail coach on the Hamilton and Gallatin route, and afterward worked on the farm a number of years. He left the farm and went to Texas and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Oliver A. Smalley

Oliver A. Smalley was born on a farm near Wayne Center, Wayne county, New York, June 16,1848. When he was eight years of age his parents, Silas H. and Almira Smalley, removed to Manchester, Delaware county, Iowa, and there he lived until he was seventeen, receiving his education in the common schools of that place, supplemented with a course in the Commercial College of Dubuque, Iowa. Leaving home in 1865 he entered the office of the Dubuque & Sioux City Railroad Company, at Manchester, as assistant freight agent and baggage master, and remained in the employ of that company until … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Obadiah Persinger

Obadiah Persinger was born in Botetourt county, Virginia, January 3, 1815. His parents, John and Rachel Persinger, were both natives of Virginia, of German de-scent. They came to Howard county, Missouri, in the year 1821, and settled at Old Franklin. After residing there two years they moved to Clay county, where they lived ten years, then moved to Clinton county and remained for four years. On February 23d, 1837, Mr. Obadiah Persinger married Miss Rebecca Elliott, a native of Anderson county, Kentucky, born May 14, 1816. Her parents, John and Ruth Elliott, were born in Kentucky and came to Missouri … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Noah Hershberger

Noah Hershberger was born in Virginia, December 4, 1817. His parents moved to Ohio when he was fifteen years old and there the family lived until the summer of 1839. They then moved to this State, settling in Daviess county, where the subject of this sketch has ever since resided. On starting in life for himself, Mr. Hershberger began farming, and has become a large farmer and stock-raiser. He owns a farm of 400 acres in Harrison township, which is as desirably located as any in that section. He was married, in Daviess county, in October, 1847, to Miss Eliza … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Nancy Meadows

Nancy Gwinn is a native of Monroe county, Virginia, born October 17, 1809. Her parents, Joseph and Mary Gwinn, were both natives of Virginia. Her father died April 3, 1862, and her mother, June 23, 1872. November 27, 1832, she was married to John Meadows, a native of Monroe county, Virginia, born May 24, 1809. Soon after marriage, this couple started out empty handed, but determined to win for themselves a home, and after working nine years in Virginia, they secured a team and started for Missouri, and on November 12th, 1841, after a long and tedious travel, they landed … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Mary A. Newcomb

Mary Ann Ross was born in Bedford county, Virginia, January 13, 1812. She deserves a prominent place among the pioneer women of Daviess county, for early in November, 1839, she and her husband landed and located upon the farm now occupied by them in Benton township. February 1, 1837, she was married to Philip R. Ellis, a native of Monroe county, Virginia, born August 23, 1815. After marriage they lived in Monroe county, Virginia, until 1839, then with one team and just enough to bring them through, they came to Missouri and settled as above mentioned, when this was but … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Jane Lockwood

Jane Wilson was born in Cabell county, Virginia, October 29, 1807. Her father, Robert Wilson, was a native of Virginia and a grandson of Robert Dinwiddie, one of the provincial governors of that State, and was reared and educated by the governor and became quite a prominent man; he died in Lee county, Iowa, in 1842. Her mother’s maiden name was Mary Russell, and she was a native of North Carolina and a descendant of a very noted family; she died in Vermillion county, Illinois, in 1862. This subject of our sketch was married November 17, 1825, to David Lockwood, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Moses Brown, Jr.

Moses Brown, Jr., was born near New Castle, Henry County, Indiana, June 22, 1831, where he lived eight years, when his parents, Joshua and Sarah S. Brown, removed to Missouri and settled on a farm about six miles northeast of Gallatin. Upon this farm both his parents died, his mother in 1856, and his father in 1871. When sixteen years of age, in 1847, he purchased a tract of land and began farming for himself; improving the wild land and erecting a house in which he lived until 1852. In that year he removed to Harrison County, where he entered … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Milton F. Woodward

Milton F. Woodward. This subject was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, May 1, 1832, and there grew up and received his education. He learned the wood-carver’s and cabinet-maker’s trades in his youth and worked at them till August, 1861. Then the war came like a hurricane on the land, and Mr. Woodward enlisted in Company H, of a Pennsylvania regiment known as the “Bucktails,” serving till December, 1863, when he was discharged. In. November, 1864, he again entered the service, this time in the Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, and served in his company as sergeant. In February, 1865, he was detailed … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Milton Ewing

Milton, son of Frank and Rebecca Ewing, was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, October 30, 1848. He was reared in his native county, and received his education in the schools of Zanesville, Ohio. When nineteen years of age he accompanied his parents in their removal to Missouri, settling at Gallatin in 1867. He early evinced a decided interest in and preference for the law, and in 1868 began legal studies in the office of Judge R. L. Dodge, of Gallatin, continuing with Judge Dodge one year, then entered the office of Judge Samuel A. Richardson, with whom he studied until … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Miles Bristow

Miles Bristow was born in Jackson County, Indiana, June 2, 1836. His father was a native of Kentucky. His parents moved to Gallatin, Daviess County, Missouri, when he was about three years of age, where he remained until the death of his father in 1851. During the next three years he spent the greater part of his time with his brother on a farm, and in a tannery at Gallatin; then purchased land in Sheridan township, and for over four years was engaged in farming and teaching. In 1862 he was enrolled in Company E, Fifty-first Regiment Missouri Infantry, and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mason M. Palmer

The subject of this sketch was born in Greenbrier County, Virginia, December 1, 1835, and is a son of George and Elizabeth Palmer, both natives of Virginia. In 1838 they with their family moved to Montgomery County, Missouri, and lived there till 1854, then settled in Daviess County. His mother died February 14, 1S62, and his father died August 23, 1865. Our subject was brought up on a farm and lived with his parents till twenty-five years of age; then, on September 25th, 1862, was married to Miss Polly E. Duncan, who was born in Johnson County, Illinois, February 7, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Martin G. Scott

Martin G. Scott was born in DeWitt county, Missouri, August 6, 1842. His parents were both natives of Tennessee, and he accompanied them to this county in 1855, and has since made this his home and farming his principal occupation, in which he has achieved fair success. He received only a common school education, but has added to his knowledge by profiting by his experience. In 1876 he was engaged in the mercantile business, as a partner with John H. Stucker, of Jameson, and continued about eighteen months. He enlisted in Company H, Twenty-third Regiment Missouri Volunteer Infantry, August 5, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of M. W. Gamble

M. W. Gamble is a native of Indiana and one of eight children, four sons and four daughters. His father was a native of Pennsylvania and his mother was born in Virginia. They removed from Kentucky to Indiana in 1857 and lived there about twenty years going from there to Illinois and settling in Logan county, twenty-five miles northeast of Springfield. From there they went to Keokuk county, Iowa, where the mother died, and the father returned to Illinois where he died. M. W. Gamble was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth L. Randolph, of Logan county, Illinois, August 30, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of M. B. McClung, M. D.

M. B. McClung was born in Greenbrier county, Virginia, in 1839, and is a son of Dixon and Ellen McClung. He received his early education in the common schools of his native county, in Virginia. At the beginning of the war he entered the Confederate army, joining an infantry company known as the “Nicholas Blues,” of which he was elected second lieutenant. This company belonged to the brigade of which General John B. Floyd was commander. In the fall of 1861, he resigned his position in the infantry and joined the Fourteenth Virginia Cavalry in which he served until the … Read more