Benton Missouri

Biographical Sketch of H. B. Best

H. B. Best was born in Howard county, Missouri, July 7, 1818; son of Humphrey and Catherine Best, nee Enyart. His father was a native of Maryland, and his mother of North Carolina. In 1816 his parents located in Howard county, Missouri, and afterwards lived in Carroll, Clay and Daviess counties. His father died in Grundy county, January 1, 1849. The subject of our sketch was reared on a farm and received most of his education in Clay county. At the age of eighteen he began working for himself, and March 26, 1845, permanently located in Benton township, and has … Read more

Biography of John H. Moores

J.H. MOORES. – Among the immigrants who came to the Sate of Oregon in 1852 was Honorable John H. Moores, the subject of this sketch, who deserves more than passing mention for the service rendered by him to the commonwealth during an active business career in the state extending over a period of twenty-eight years. Among the older residents who played a prominent part in the earlier development of the state was his father, the late Colonel I.B. Moores, Sr., whose love of novelty and adventure brought him as one of the first pioneers to Oregon, where he located in … 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

Biography of N. G. Dillon

N. G. Dillon was born in Benton township, Daviess county, Missouri, January 27, 1845. His father, William Dillon, was born in Ohio, but removed to Illinois when quite young and in the year 1838 came to Missouri, and located about six -miles north of Pattonsburg: thus he stands entitled to the honor of being one of the first pioneers of Daviess county. His mother, Lydia Dillon, nee Poe, was born in Tennessee, but married William Dillon in Illinois, and shortly afterwards the young couple came to Missouri and located in this county and selected for themselves out of the then … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William P. Erwin

Was born in Wayne county, Indiana, October 30, 1829. His parents, John and Elizabeth Platt Erwin, were natives of Delaware and of Scotch-English descent. They moved to Indiana in 1828. Young Erwin was brought up on a farm and received his education at the excellent schools in the neighborhood where he lived and received a good English education. In August, 1851, he married Miss Eliza Cabberly, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, born in 1827. After marriage he was engaged in farming in Indiana till 1879, then moved to Missouri and located in Daviess county. Here he owns a fine farm … Read more

Biography of William Earl

William Earl was born in Monroe county, New York, April 13, 1816. His parents, John and Frances Earl, were natives of New Jersey. They located near Rochester, New York, and Mr. Earl engaged in the mercantile business. When young Earl was five years of age his father died and four years later his mother also died. At this early age he started to earn his own living. He first worked near Buffalo, New York, next in different parts of Ohio; and after making a little money attended school at Carthage and by hard study acquired a fair education in the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Henry Ward

Henry Ward was born in McLean county, Illinois, October 15, 1834. His parents, Stew-art and Annie Ward, came from Pennsylvania to Illinois in 1832, and during those early days had many narrow escapes from the Indians. His father came to Missouri, to look at the country, in 1841, and was taken sick and died, July 9, of that year. His mother died March 31, 1844. Young Ward was reared and educated in Illinois and lived there till 1865, then came to Missouri and located in Daviess county. He was married February 18, 1857, to Miss Eleanor J. Wilkins, a native … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas J. Mattingly, M. D.

Thomas J. Mattingly is a native of Richmond, Madison county, Kentucky, born September 30, 1828; son of Ignatius and Mary Daft Mattingly, both natives of St. Marys county, Maryland, and early settlers of Kentucky. His father died in 1832 and his mother in 1867. At the age of eighteen years he went to Lawrence county, Indiana, and there began the study of medicine and lived in various parts of the State till 1852, when he came to Missouri and located at Plattsburg. He was engaged in the land office department till 1861, and then began the practice of medicine at … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. T. Miller

W. T. Miller was born in Hawkins county, Tennessee, December 4, 1828. His parents Obadiah and Susan A. Miller, were early settlers of Missouri; his mother died May 5, 1876, and his father, May 25, 1878. When twenty-one years of age he began by renting a small piece of land, was industrious and saving, and in 1853 was able to buy forty acres of raw land. He has kept steadily increasing his possessions until he now owns over four hundred acres of highly improved land. On June 23d, 1853, he was married to Miss Charity W. Nance, a native of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of E. A. Yost

E. A. Yost was born in Bethany, Franklin county, Illinois, on June 23d, 1852. His parents, W. J. and Maria L. Yost, nee Goodner. His father was of German descent, and died in January, 1879. His mother of Scotch descent, and died in September, 1866. At the age of twelve years young Yost commenced to earn his own living, first being employed as notice boy for a railroad company at Cairo, Illinois, and little by little has worked himself up to his present responsible position, as agent of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railroad at Pattonsburg. He was married, … Read more

Biography of William C. Atkinson

William C. Atkinson is a native of Rockingham county North Carolina, born April 25, 1809. His parents, William and Mary Atkinson, nee Clark, were both born in Maryland; his father forty miles east of Baltimore and his mother in Annapolis. His grandfather, Royal Clark, was the founder of Clarksville, Maryland. The parents of our subject moved to North Carolina and both died in Rockingham county, his mother in 1835 and his father in 1843. His half brother, Thomas Atkinson, was one of the first settlers in Daviess county and died near Gallatin in 1837. At the age of twenty-two years … 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 E. B. Christie

E. B. Christie was born in Shelby county, Kentucky, March 10, 1851; son of J. B. and Letha Christie, nee Bohannon, both natives of Kentucky. His parents came to Missouri in 1853 and lived in Daviess county till 1862, then removed to Harrison county, where they still reside. Young Christie was a diligent student and at the age of eighteen qualified himself for teaching which calling he followed very successfully in Daviess and Harrison counties. He was the first teacher in Pattonsburg of which he is now mayor. On August 20th, 1876, he married Miss Marv E. Best, a native … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Ward

William Ward was born in Clinton county, Missouri, December 8, 1844. He is a son of Rev. A. J. Ward, a minister in the Baptist Church and now laboring in this and adjoining counties. His father was a native of Kentucky, and his mother whose maiden name was Nancy. Sharp, was a native of Tennessee; she died when he was about ten years of age. At about the age of seventeen years he enlisted as a member of Company C, Eleventh Missouri Cavalry, and served about three years and was with the regiment in its many scouts and marches and … Read more