A History of the Pioneer Families of Missouri Collections

Biography of William Pearle

William Pearle, of Virginia, settled in Lincoln County, Kentucky, among the first settlers of that State. During a portion of the Indian troubles he took refuge with his family in the fort at Crab Orchard. His son, Henry, married Polly Owsley, sister of Governor Owsley, of Kentucky, by whom he had twelve children, seven of whom lived to be grown. The names of the latter were Samuel, William S. F., Patience, Joel, Henry, Nudigit O., and Catharine. Samuel married Sally Dugan, and settled in Warren County, Missouri, in 1830. Joel married Rebecca Wyatt, and settled in Montgomery County. Henry married … Read more

Biography of William Groom

William Groom, of England, emigrated to America, and settled in Kentucky, where he married Sally Parker. They had Abraham, Isaac, Moses, Jacob, Aaron, Susan, Elizabeth, and Sally. All except Susan came to Missouri. Abraham and Isaac settled in Clay County. Jacob and Aaron settled in Montgomery County in 1810. Jacob was a ranger under Captain Callaway, and, in company with Jackey Stewart, was scouting in the woods the day Callaway was killed. A man named Dougherty was killed the same day, at Salt Peter Cave, not far from Groom’s farm. After they had killed him the Indians cut his body … Read more

Biography of William B. Rice

William B. Rice was a revolutionary soldier. Previous to his enlistment in the army he accompanied Daniel Boone on one of his expeditions to Kentucky. He married Rebecca Arlington, by whom he had David, William G., Benjamin, Samuel, Callier, and Sophia. Mr. Rice settled in Montgomery County in 1825, and died in his 95th year. His eldest son, David, married Elizabeth Henderson, by whom he had a daughter named Louisa, who married Judge William G. Shackelford, son of John Shackelford, of Virginia. The Judge was left an orphan at four years of age, and was raised by his uncle, Samuel … Read more

Biography of Vincent Fines

Vincent Fines, of Germany, settled first in Pennsylvania, from whence he removed to Tennessee, where he was killed by the Indians. His children were Thomas, William, Abraham, Isaac, Phoebe, and Sally. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Fines married Rueben Bedford, by whom she had three children. Thomas married Mary Nave, of Tennessee, by whom he had Levi, Abraham, Sally, Delila and Amy. Mr. Fines was killed by an accidental discharge of his gun, and in 1817 his widow and “children came to Missouri. Abraham married Cynthia Harper, in 1819. The nearest Justice of the Peace was James Duncan, … Read more

Biography of Victor Craig

Victor Craig, of England, came to America in 1760, and settled in Maryland. He had four sons, William, James, Robert, and Samuel. William and James lived in Albemarle County Va. Samuel was drowned in the Susquehanna River. Robert was a soldier of the revolutionary war. He was married first to Susan Carter, of Virginia, who was afterward killed by the Indians. She lived nine days after having been scalped. Mr. Craig was married the second time to Sarah Ellington, of New Jersey, by whom he had-John, David, Victor, Jonathan, Jacob, Cynthia, Nancy, and Sally. Mr. Craig settled in Montgomery County … Read more

Biography of Thomas Sharp

Thomas Sharp was a native of Ireland, but emigrated to America, and settled first in Pennsylvania, from whence he removed to Washington Co., Va. He was married twice, and by his first wife he had John, Thomas, Jr., and Benjamin. By his second wife he had but one child, David, who became a Methodist minister, and lived and died in Virginia. Thomas, Jr., settled in Kentucky. Benjamin was a soldier in the revolutionary war, and was in Colonel Campbell’s command at the battle of King’s Mountain. He married Hannah Fulkerson, of Virginia, and their children were James F.. John D., … Read more

Biography of the See Family

The See family is of German origin. Three brothers, Adam, George, and Michael, with seven sisters, were raised in Hardy Co., Va. Their father, George, and a Negro man were all killed by lightning while stacking hay. The girls married and settled in Kentucky and Ohio. Adam was a prominent lawyer, and lived and died in Virginia. Michael married Catharine Baker, of Hardy Co., Va., by whom he had Mary, Elizabeth, Adam C , Barbara, Anthony, Jacob, John, Solomon, and Noah. Mr. See was a soldier of the war of 1812. He settled in Montgomery Co., Mo., in 1837. His … Read more

Biography of the Hensley Brothers

Samuel and Benjamin Hensley were sons of an English family that settled on the Potomac River in Virginia, at an early date. Samuel married a Miss Landers, and they had Samuel, Jr., and William. His first wife died, and he was married again to Susan Taplett, by whom he had several children. William, son of Samuel, Jr., by his first wife, married Elizabeth Appleberry, of Virginia, and they had James, Benjamin, William, Jr., Thomas, Fleming, Judith, and Elizabeth. James, William, Jr., Thomas, and Fleming came to Montgomery County in 1826, and all except Thomas afterward married and settled in Jefferson … Read more

Biography of Stephen Ham

Stephen Ham lived and died in Madison Co., Ky. He was the father of John, Jabez, and Stephen Ham, Jr. John was born in Kentucky in 1786, and came to Missouri in 1809, and settled in St. Charles County. He joined Nathan Boone’s company of rangers, and served during the Indian war. In 1816 he and Jonathan Crow built a bark tent on Auxvasse creek, now in Callaway County, and lived in it for some time, while they were engaged in hunting. They were, therefore, probably the first American settlers within the limits of Callaway County. Ham cut his name … Read more

Biography of Stephen Chapman

Stephen Chapman, of England, came to America when he was only fifteen years of age. When the revolution began he joined the American army under Washington, and fought throughout the whole war. After the close of the war, he married Eliza Floyd, of Virginia, by whom he had Frank, George, William, James, John, Andrew, Isaiah, Benjamin, Rachel, and Peggy. Frank was a soldier in the war of 1812. He married Nancy Chester, of Virginia, whose father, Dr. Stephen Chester, was a surgeon in the American army during the revolution. Their children were Sally, Polly A., John W., James B., and … Read more

Biography of Stephen Best

Stephen Best, of Ireland, emigrated to America many years before the revolution, and settled in Pennsylvania. His children were Isaac, Humphrey, Stephen, Jr., and Ebenezer. He also had several daughters, but their names are lost. Ebenezer never married, but he educated sixty children that claimed him for their father. He was one of the celebrated horse racers of Madison Co., Ky., and also indulged in chicken fighting. He once fought ten times with his chickens in one day, and gained seven of the fights, winning $1,000 each. Isaac Best and his wife came to Missouri in 1808, from Garrard Co., … Read more

Biography of Reuben C. Pew

Reuben C. Pew was left an orphan at a very early age. According to the custom of those days he was “bound out” for his living, and got a very poor one. His master treated him badly, worked him hard, and gave him no education. When he was sixteen years of age he could not read or write, and his master, desiring to get rid of him, induced him to sign the muster roll of a company that was recruiting for service in the revolutionary war, telling him it was only a common piece of writing, and could do him … Read more

Biography of Price Hopkins

The parents of Price, William, John and Patsey Hopkins, were natives of Queen Anne County, Va., but settled and lived in Bedford County. Their children married and lived near the old home place, in the same County. Price was married twice; first to a daughter of Rev; James Price, a pioneer preacher of Virginia, and second to a Miss Slater. By his first wife he had William M., John, Ann, and Sally; we have no record of the names of his children by his second wife. William M. was born July 14, 1802, and was married to Nancy Hudnall, of … Read more

Biography of Peter VanBibber

Peter and Isaac VanBibber, of Holland, came to America and settled in Botetourt Co., Va., previous to the revolution. Peter married Marguety Bounds, and they had Peter, Jr., Jesse, Jacob, James, Joseph, Matthias, Nancy, Sophronia, Ellen, and Olive. James married Jane Irvine, and settled in St. Charles County in 1803. He was Coroner at the time William Hays was killed by his son-in-law, James Davis. In 1817 he removed to Callaway County, and settled on the Auxvasse. His children were Joseph, Irvine, Frances. Lucinda, Melissa, Daniel and Minerva. Joseph was a surveyor and made the government surveys in range eight, … Read more

Biography of Natley Dutton

Natley Dutton and wife, of England, settled in Maryland some time after Lord Baltimore began to colonize that State. Their son, Natley, Jr., was born and raised in Maryland. He had a son, named John H., who was born in 1790. Mr. Dutton died when his son was eleven years of age, and two years afterward his mother had him bound out to learn the ship carpenter’s trade. He worked at that business fourteen years. In the meantime his mother had married a Mr. Elton, whose father was a Quaker and came to America with William Penn. They had a … Read more

Biography of Matthew Talbott

Matthew Talbott, of England, had a son named Hale, who was born in December, 1754. He married Elizabeth Irvine, who was born in September, 1778. Their children were Christopher, Thomas, William, David, Elizabeth, Polly, Nancy, Sophia and Jane. Mr. Talbott emigrated to the Territory of Missouri in 1809, with his eldest son, Christopher, and two Negro slaves. They cleared a small farm on Loutre Island, and raised a crop of corn and vegetables. The following year (1810) the rest of the family came out and settled at their new home. Mr. Talbott brought to Missouri seventy-six fine mares, from which he … Read more

Biography of John Kennedy

John Kennedy and his wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Rowan, of Ireland, came to America and settled in Virginia many years before the revolution. They had eight children John, James, William, Thomas, George, Abraham, Margaret, and Jane. John was killed by the Indians while assisting to cut a road from Knoxville to Nashville, Tennessee. James settled in South Carolina, where he died. William was captured by the British, while serving in the continental army, and died on board one of their prison ships. George and Margaret were killed by the Indians, where Nashville, Tenn., now stands. Their mother died … Read more

Biography of John Jones

Giles Jones was an Englishman, but came to America and served as a soldier in the revolutionary war. His son John came to Missouri in 1817, and studied medicine under Dr. Young. Dr. Jones married Minerva Callaway, daughter of Flanders Callaway, and granddaughter of Daniel Boone, and settled near Marthasville. They had the following children James, Caroline, Emily, Daniel, John S., Ellen, Paul, Samuel, George, and Anna. The Doctor became celebrated as a physician, and had an extensive practice. He was also very fond of hunting, and had a horse named Nick, that he generally rode on his hunting expeditions. … Read more

Biography of John Graham

John Graham, of Kentucky, married a Miss Dugan, and they had Robert, John, Alexander, Catharine, and Isabella. Alexander died in Kentucky, and John died in Mississippi. Catharine married Tocal Galbreth. Isabella married Alexander Collier. Robert, who was a physician, married Isabella Galbreth, a daughter of Tocal Galbreth by his first wife, and settled in Montgomery County in 1816. He bought a Spanish grant of land, situated on Loutre creek, from Daniel M. Boone, and built an elm bark tent upon it, in which he lived four years. The Doctor was a very small man, but of determined will and a … Read more

Biography of John Davis

John Davis, of Jonesburg, familiarly known as “Uncle John,” is the oldest son of the late Thomas Davis, of Shenandoah Co., Va. John was born October 30, 1791, in Shenandoah County, and is now nearly 85 years of age. When he was about sixteen his parents removed to Bourbon Co., Ky., and when the war of 1812 began, he enlisted in the army and served under Generals Winchester and Payne. He was stationed at Forts Wayne and Laramie, in Ohio, for some time. In 1820 he came to Missouri, and stopped a short time in St. Louis, which then had … Read more