HON. WILLIAM A. PEARCE. The practical value of shrewdness and discrimination combined with strict probity is exemplified in the prosperous condition of those who transact business on these principles. Mr. Pearce is a man who has kept fully abreast of the times in the matter of enterprise, and is considered one of the most substantial and useful citizens of the town of Doniphan, Missouri He is a native of the Prairie State, born in Vienna in 1861, and is the son of I. N. Pearce, formerly a prominent merchant of Vienna. The father came to Missouri in 1878, settled in Butler County, and has held the office of probate judge almost ever since going there. He is now about seventy-nine years of age.
William A. Pearce grew up in Vienna, Illinois, received his education in the public schools, and then branched out as a printer, working on the Old Yeoman. He left there in 1878 and came to this county, where he became a printer for the Prospect. Mr. Pearce was but seventeen years of age when he came here and he had but 35 cents to his name. He worked for Pinckney Mabrey, was in his office two years, and then went with T. W. Mabrey, who established the Prospect and the News and consolidated them as the Prospect News. In 1887. Mr. Pearce sold his interest and formed a partnership with T. M. Thannisch and opened a general store. Two years later he engaged in business with R. E. Lee under the firm name of Pearce & Lee, and they have since built up an extensive trade. They are both live, enterprising business men and well deserve the success that has attended their efforts. In 1886 Mr. Pearce was elected to represent the county in the Legislature and was chairman of the Committee on Printing and Library and a member of the Committee on Accounts. In 1892 he was elected county treasurer and in 1894 will be reelected. He is keenly alive to his responsibilities, fulfills them in the most prompt and thorough manner, and even his political enemies have come to understand that he is “the right man for the right place.” Politically he has always been in strong sympathy with the Democratic party. In the year 1884 he was married to Miss Kate S. Holbrook,a native of Hartford, Conn., and two sons and a daughter have been born to this union. He is a member of the K. of P. and the A. O. U. W. Mr. Pearce by his energy, industry and honorable dealing has been unusually successful. He has many friends and the respect generally of the best class of Ripley County citizens.