Biography of Homer C. Bidwell

HOMER C. BIDWELL. – The well known and enterprising businessman, of whom we now have the pleasure of speaking is one of the substantial citizens of Union, & has by dint of hard effort, wise management and considerate treatment of patrons built up a fine business in the livery and transportation line. Having as fine stables and his rigs are among the most comfortable and well kept to be secured anywhere. Homer C. was born in Galesburg, Wisconsin on January 25, 1871, being the son of Charles C. & Mary A. (Gilbert) Bidwell. The father was one of those brave … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Romulus E. Culver

Romulus E. Culver, attorney at law of St. Joseph, Missouri, was born in Plattsburg, this state, on the 12th of January, 1865, his parents being William L. and Augusta V. (McMichael) Culver. He acquired his education, after completing his public school course, in Central College at Fayette, Missouri, where he won his Bachelor of Philosophy degree in 1885, and in Vanderbilt University at Nashville, Tennessee, where the LL. B. degree was conferred upon him in 1887. Through the intervening period, covering more than a third of a century, he has continuously engaged in the practice of law and has won … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George Washington Schaffer

The subject of this sketch, George Washington Schaffer, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, July 4, 1847. His parents removed, during his boyhood, to Galesburg, Illinois, where they resided several years. Returning to St. Louis, Mr. Schaffer engaged in the butcher business, and continued there until the fall of 1868. His next field of operation was Kansas City, where he followed his trade for some time. From Kansas City he went to St. Joseph, where he remained until 1874, and then returned to St. Louis. He lived in St. Louis one year, during which time he had a rib broken while … Read more

The John N. Henry Family

The John N. Henry family

This small The John N. Henry Family genealogy book was written in 2019 by Wilda White and donated to the Allen County Public Library. Wilda utilized available resources to provide a brief genealogical snapshot of each generation in descent from John and Lida (Chany) Henry to the author. Using an old bible of the Henry family and various contemporary records Wilda showcases each Henry family providing numerous photographs of the family members.

Biography of Orphred H. Brooks, Jr.

Orphred H. Brooks, Jr., the president of the O. H. Brooks Realty Company, was born in Montgomery City, Missouri, March 7, 1875. His father, Orphred H. Brooks, Sr., who is engaged in the contracting and building business in St. Louis, is a native of the state of New York and in 1867 came from Niagara Falls to Missouri, settling in Montgomery City. There he conducted a farm machinery agency and also handled real estate. He likewise engaged in vehicle manufacturing and maintained a retail business at Montgomery City for thirty years before removing to St. Louis in 1901. Since taking … Read more

Biography of James M. Parker

JAMES M. PARKER. – There is no more worthy subject for the pen of the writer than the sturdy, faithful pioneer. Little will ever be said concerning that life compared with the amount that might really be mentioned in praise of this noble class of individuals. We are pleased to announce that the man whose name appears at the head of this article belonged to that number of praiseworthy men who opened this country, doing work here before the middle of the last century, and from that time until the present maintaining an upright demeanor, displaying good ability to properly … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Benjamin Harding

For many years Benjamin Harding was a leading free-soil man and a resident of Doniphan County, Kansas. A native of Otsego County, New York, born in November, 1815, at the age of twenty-five he became a resident of Livingston County, Missouri, and in 1842 entered the Indian trade at the Great Nemaha Agency. He moved to St. Joseph in 1849, but re-entered the Indian trade at Wathena, Kansas, in 1852. In 1854, while serving there as a judge of election he incurred the enmity of the pro-slavery people, and twice reported at Leavenworth to answer charges brought against him, which … Read more

Biography of Joseph H. McGauhey, M. D.

Joseph H. McGauhey, M. D.,had been in the general practice of medicine at White Cloud, twenty-eight years, and is also identified with the banking business of his town, and had farming interests in Brown County. The McGauhey ancestors were Scolch-Irish, and Doctor McGauhey’s great-grandfather was the immigrant to this country. His grandfather was Archibald McGauhey, who spent most of his life as a farmer in Indiana, where he died. John McGauhey, father of Doctor McGauhey, was born in Pennsylvania in 1809. For a time during his childhood his parents lived in North Carolina and afterward moved to Indiana, where he … Read more

Biography of Moses Alexander

The sturdy German element in our national commonwealth has been one of the most important in furthering the substantial and normal advancement of the country, for this is. an element signally appreciative of practical values and also of the higher intellectuality which transcends all provincial confines. Well may any person take pride in tracing his lineage to such a source Moses Alexander is one of the worthy sons that the Fatherland has furnished to America, and Boise now numbers him among her leading merchants, while in the office of mayor he is capably handling the reins of city government. He … Read more

Biography of Mansfield M. Sturgeon

One of the most brilliant and astute attorneys practising at the Rock Island County Bar is Mansfield M. Sturgeon, senior member of the legal firm of Sturgeon. Stelck & Sturgeon, a man whose great ability and profound learning as an attorney has been demonstrated in the trial of many important suits, as well as in sound counsel and legal advice. He was born September 10, 1843, at Letart Falls, Ohio, his parents, being Oliver Hazard Perry Sturgeon and Mary Ellenor (Summers) Sturgeon. The father was born March 14, 1818, at Sistersville, Virginia, the date of the marriage of the senior … Read more

Biography of John Caleb Storr

John Caleb Storr, a native son of Oklahoma and a member of one of the oldest families of the state, has resided in Vinita for the past twenty-three years and has become well known as an attorney, farmer, stock raiser and oil operator, being a man of versatile talents whose efforts are resultant factors in whatever he undertakes. He was born in the Flint district of the Cherokee Nation, near Stilwell, Indian Territory, October 15, 1870, and his parents were James and Emma Jane (Rider) Storr, the former born in Tennessee in 1832, while the latter was a native of … Read more

Biography of Solomon Emerick

SOLOMON EMERICK, – Some time before Horace Greeley gave his advice, “Go West, young man, go West,” there were hardy young Americans making tracks across the Rocky Mountains, and pushing into the fastnesses towards the pacific Ocean. “Ribs of brass and hearts of steel” had these young fellows; and they were without fear or even caution. One of these was Solomon Emerick, who was born in Ohio in 1820. He moved to Buchanan county, Missouri, in 1830, and in 1843 was on the way to the rendezvous on the border. Falling in with the pioneer Gilmore, he accepted of him … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Pentland

WILLIAM PENTLAND. – This town-builder and founder of Lexington was born December 26, 1825, in Fleming county, Kentucky, and removed with his parents in 1831 to Platt county, Missouri, and three years later made a new location in Buchanan county. He was there engaged in agriculture. In 1847 he made the great journey with ox-teams across the plains to Oregon, and located near the present site of Corvallis. He remained with his people in that neighborhood until 1867, receiving a good, practical education during his early days at the common schools of Corvallis. he was married in 1860 to Miss … Read more

Biography of David Bailey

David Bailey. In the latter part of 1854 or the early part of 1855 Mr. Bailey moved to Monticello, Illinois. After a short sojourn there he came to Urbana, and in March or April, 1856, moved to Champaign, where for a number of years, in connection with W. B. Bailey, he conducted a small country store in a frame building that he erected on the site now occupied by the Robeson Department Store. David Bailey was one of the thirteen men who founded the First National Bank of Champaign, in 1865. Application for organization was made to the government in … Read more

Biography of J. S. Summers, M.D.

Dr. J. S. Summers, specializing in the treatment of diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat at Jefferson City, his thorough preliminary study and his later postgraduate courses keeping him in close touch with professional thought, progress and scientific investigation and research, comes to this state from Indiana, his birth having occurred in the city of Wallace, June 27, 1870. His parents, A. J. and Annie (Cunningham) Summers, were also natives of Indiana, where the father followed the occupation of farming, and in addition to his care of the fields he took an active interest in public welfare, particularly … Read more

Missouri Atlases and Plat Books

Sample Missouri Plat Book closeup

198 online plat books and atlases organized by county and ordered by date for the State of Missouri. At the bottom of the page are two items that can help you use these documents in your genealogy research. The first is a blog post Plat Books Revealed: Mapping Generations of History and the second a video where Ben Clark explains what plat maps are used for, how to navigate them, and pulls out a few interesting stories from them.

Biography of Wilfrid Cavaness

Wilfrid Cavaness, who had been a Kansas newspaper man for over twenty years, was born at Chetopa November 24, 1875. He attended the public schools there, graduating from high school in 1892, and for two years was a student in Baker University. In 1895 he became connected with the Chetopa Advance under his father, and remained there until 1899. For the following two years he was with the Columbus Courier, and in 1901 came to Chanute and is now treasurer and manager of the Chanute Tribune. The Chanute Tribune was established April 8, 1892, by George M. Dewey. It had … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William H. Ridenbough

A business man of Boise engaged in the manufacture of lumber and flour, Mr. Ridenbough, is a native of St. Joseph, Missouri, where he was born April 17, 1853. He has built a most palatial residence in Boise, and his home, with its beautifully arranged grounds, fittingly represents the good taste of its builder. In Boise Mr. and Mrs. Ridenbough possess a large number of friends, who are often the recipients of their cordial hospitality.

Biography of Fred C. Hall

One of the alert and enterprising business men of Nowata is Fred C. Hall, secretary and manager of the Henderson Gasoline Company, with offices in the First National Bank building. He was born in Galt, Illinois, on the 15th of October, 1883. His father, William Boyd Hall, was a native of New York and removed to Illinois at an early day, where he followed farming. His death occurred in 1885. William B. Hall married Miss Alice Buck, a native of Illinois. Her death occurred in Nowata in 1919. In the acquirement of an education Fred C. Hall attended the schools … Read more

Biography of Hon. Charles Miner Bradshaw

HON. CHARLES MINER BRADSHAW. – The present efficient collector of customs of the Puget Sound district, a portrait of whom appears in this work, is a gentleman who has worked his way from the lowest rung of the ladder until he now stands at the front rank in his chosen profession, as well as having acquired a recognized position among the men who lead public opinion and form institutions and states. Mr. Bradshaw was born in Bridgewater, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, August 9, 1831, – the son of Salmon and Sarah F. Schurz Bradshaw, and is a lineal descendant of John … Read more