Daviess County MO

Biographical Sketch of William E. Brennon

This gentleman was born in Virginia, July 24, 1827. When he was ten years old his parents moved to Ohio and lived three years, and then came to Caldwell County, Missouri. There William grew up and resided till the fall of 1847, when he came to this County and has lived here ever since engaged in farming. He owns a fine farm of 280 acres in Liberty Township, 240 of which are under fence. His farm is well watered with four living wells, and is suitably improved in every way. Mr. Brennon was married, in Caldwell County, June 10, 1847, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dr. W M. P. Johnson

William P. Johnson was born in Mount Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa, April 25, 1855, in which State he was reared and educated. He left college in 1873 and immediately began the study of medicine under Dr. H. B. Miller, and read with him as preceptor until the spring of 1881 when he went to Orlinda, Linn County, Missouri, and there began the practice. In October, 1881, he came to Daviess County and located at Jackson Station, where for a young gentleman, lie is getting a good practice. Dr. Johnson is a man of high ambition, which he has the force … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Rorabaugh

John Rorabaugh was born in Stark County, Ohio, August 19, 1835. He is the son of Henry and Elizabeth Shaffer Rorabaugh, both natives of Pennsylvania. His father’s occupation was that of a farmer, during a long and useful life, and both parents attained the full time allotted to man-the father reaching the age of four score years, and the mother four score and one. The subject of this sketch remained with his parents until he was twenty-one years of age, and then engaged in farming in his native County until he came to Daviess County and purchased the farm in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William H. Crews

William H. Crews was born in Livingston county, this State, October 28, 1819, and there grew up and was educated. On attaining the proper age to begin life for himself, he began farming in his native county, and continued there until the spring of 1872, when he came to Daviess county, and has ever since resided here, engaged in farming. Mr. Crews owns a farm of eighty acres in Lincoln township, which he has well improved with a good house and barn, and all modern improvements to correspond. He is a careful farmer and cultivates his place to the best … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Isaac J. Henderson

Was born in Marion Township, Daviess County, Missouri, May 12, 1851. His parents, David and Margaret Henderson, were natives of Kentucky. ‘They came to Missouri at an early day and after living a while in Clay and Gentry counties, in 1837 settled in Marion Township, Daviess County. The father, David Henderson, had served as County judge twelve years and was .a man held in high esteem by all who knew him; he died in September, 1865, and his loss was much mourned by the community and the family. Mrs. Henderson is. still living with her son, Isaac. Isaac attended school … Read more

Biography of Benton Miller

The subject of this sketch was born in Sardis, Monroe county, Ohio, December 26, 1838. He lived in his birthplace until he was sixteen years of age, when his parents moved to Missouri and settled in what is now Colfax township, Daviess county, in 1855. In 1861 he enlisted and served six months in the home guards, and in February, 1862, enlisted in Company A, First Missouri Cavalry Militia, in which he served during the war. In April, 1863, he was promoted from orderly sergeant to first lieutenaut, and for the last eighteen months he was in the service, had … Read more

Biography of Isaac McCulley

The subject of this sketch has the honor of being the first white child born in Marion Township. He was born January 28, 1834. His parents, Taylor McCulley and Mary Groomer McCulley, were natives of Garrard County, Kentucky, but were about the first settlers of Marion Township, Daviess County, Missouri. The father is dead but the mother is still living in the township. Our subject was brought up on a farm and for a few months attended the subscription schools and then had to walk about four miles, and his only text book was a Webster’s Elementary Speller. At twenty … Read more

Biographical Sketch of D. W. Handy

D. W. Handy was born in Barren county, Kentucky, in 1826, and is a son of Robert A. and Rosana Handy. Mr. Handy lived in Kentucky until the year of 1865 when he moved to Daviess county, Missouri, settling on a farm three miles south of Salem. He remained on the farm three years, when he sold his farm and went into the mercantile business at Bancroft in this county. Here he remained about a year when he sold out and moved to Salem, buying out the store of his brother, R. W. Handy. He remained in business at. Salem … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George W. Litton

This gentleman was born in Livingston County, this State, on the 16th .day of May, 1842, and was reared and educated in the County of his birth. He commenced life as a farmer in his native County, and continued there until the fall of 1880, when he came to Daviess County locating at Lock .Springs, where he engaged in the dry goods and grocery business. In the following August he took in as partner, Mr. Minnick, the firm now being styled Litton & Minnick. Mr. Litton was married, in Livingston County, May 21, 1865, to Miss Nancy E. Minnick, a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James B. Trosper

James B. Trosper is the son of John H. and Elizabeth E. Trosper, the latter being a daughter of Benedict and Charity Weldon, and born in Missouri, March 10, 1826, where she grew up and was educated, and married Mr. Trosper, July 9, 1846. They were the parents of five children, named James B., Mary C., Charity E., Elijah T., and an unnamed infant, all of whom are dead except the first two mentioned. James B. Trosper was born in this county, January 25, 1855, and here received his education. He began life as a farmer, and is still engaged … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George R. Forth

George Ransom Forth was born in White County, Virginia, October 14, 1847, and is a son of William and Melinda Forth, nee Mays, both natives of Virginia. When George was about four years of age his parents moved to Grundy County, Missouri, and remained one year, and then started to Arkansas. His father died on the journey there. His mother and family lived in Arkansas about two years and then moved back to Grundy County and lived there until 1862, when they located in Daviess County, and his mother is still a resident of this county. George was educated at … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Greenville Blankenship

Greenville, son of John and Agnes Blankenship, was born in Greenupsburgh, Greenup County, Kentucky, June 2, 1817. His mother died when he was about four years old, and his father removed to Lawrence County, Ohio, where he lived until reaching his sixteenth year, when, in company with his father, he returned to his native county in Kentucky and there remained until 1849. In that year he came to Missouri, stopped one winter in Ray County, then came to Daviess County and settled in Benton Township, near old Pattonsburg, in the spring of 1850. He purchased a tract of wild land, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dudley Malcolm Clagett, M. D.

Dudley Malcolm Clagett was born in Natchez, Mississippi, March 24, 1846, and is the son of Hezekiah and Elizabeth Clagett. He lived with his parents at his birth-place until he was ten years old, when they removed to St. Louis, where he lived with them until 1870, excepting four years that he worked on a farm for his father in Franklin county, Missouri. He obtained his education by attending the public schools and the St. Louis High School, from which he graduated in 1865. In 1868, while on his father’s farm, he began the study of medicine under the instruction … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William E. Smith

Was born in Marion township, Daviess County, Missouri, November 7, 1858. His father, Samuel Smith, was a native of Switzerland County, Indiana, born June 30, 1835; he came to Missouri in 1857 and located in Daviess County, where he was extensively engaged in farming and shipping stock. While engaged in this business, May 28, 1880, he met his death in a sad manner. While on his way to Chicago with cattle, and just as he had left Bureau Junction, Illinois, he was walking on top of the cars to the caboose, and by some means fell off and was instantly … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Robert Y. Miller

Robert Y. Miller, senior member of the above firm, was born in Greenbrier county, Virginia, June 27, 1838. He is the son of Robert and Rachel Miller, natives of the State of Virginia. He came, with his parents, at the age of two years, to Daviess county, and was reared and educated here. He began life on his own account as a farmer and subsequently kept hotel in Jamesport for a period of three years. Mr. Miller was married in this county, December 31, 1863, to Miss Elizabeth E., daughter of Richard and Ann Hill, natives of Pocahontas county, Virginia. … 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 James Waugh

Was born in Adams county, Pennsylvania, May 11, 1826. His father died when he was an infant, and his mother when he was three years old; he was then bound to Mr. John Bower who reared him. He learned the blacksmith trade when young, and followed that business for twenty years. In August, 1855, he left Pennsylvania and settled in Jones, county, Iowa, and in 1857 came to this county where he has lived since and for a while worked at his trade, together with farming, but of late years has given his entire attention to farming with excellent success. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Stephen Henry

Stephen Henry was born near the town of Carleton, Carroll county, Missouri, February 1, 1824. His father, George Henry, was a native of Virginia, and a farmer by occupation. His mother was a native of Ohio. Mr. Henry received his early education and training in his native State, and at the age of eighteen went with his father to Platte county, Missouri, where he was engaged in farming for one season, then came to Daviess county and located in Monroe township where he now resides. During the war Mr. Hemry was enrolled in the home guards, and was in action … Read more

Biography of Joab Woodruff

Joab Woodruff was born in Johnson county, Indiana, near Nineveh, October 25, 1825. His parents Joab and Sophia Woodruff lived upon a farm, and there the subject of our sketch grew to manhood, giving most of his time and attention to work upon the farm, and having little opportunity to enjoy the advantages of education, receiving only three months schooling, during the winters, from the time he was of school age until he was sixteen years old. The school houses were of the most primitive pattern of the old log variety, sad the three months sessions during the winters were … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Fisher Rice Bennett

Fisher Rice Bennett was born in Green county, Kentucky, April 30, 1813, and received his education in the county of his birth. He was reared a farmer, but for some time after starting out for himself followed flat-boating on the Mississippi. He came to Daviess county in 1842, where he has ever since been engaged in farming and stock dealing. He owns a fine farm of 160 acres in Harrison township, on which he has good improvements. Mr. Bennett was married, in this county, in April, 1844, to Miss Sophia A. Trosper, and they had two children, both of whom … Read more