Douglas County MO

Biography of M. M. Pease

M. M. PEASE. This resident and prominent citizen of West Plains, Missouri, came originally from the Granite State, his birth occurring January 15, 1855. At an early date he came with his father to Missouri, and in this State he has since made his home. In the year 1877 he started out in business for himself and engaged in saw milling in Douglas County. This business he has followed for the most part ever since. He is also doing business at Dora, Ozark County, where he is a member of the Pease Milling Company. The members of this firm are: … Read more

Biography of Samuel Turner

SAMUEL TURNER, deceased, one of the leading merchants and most prominent citizens of Douglas County, Missouri, was born in Indiana, November 3, 1836, a son of William and Hannah (West) Turner, and grandson of James Turner, all of whom settled near Arno, Missouri, in 1839, or 1840, and there engaged in farming. The grandfather was a soldier in a number of the early Indian wars, and died in Missouri, in 1861, when quite advanced in years. His wife, Mary, died in Arno, a few years after his death, at the age of eighty-four. William Turner located in Lynn County, Missouri, … Read more

Biography of Isaac A. Tyndall

ISAAC A. TYNDALL. The gentleman who occupies the honorable position of assessor of Christian County, Missouri, was first elected to that office in 1890, and reelected two years later. He is one of the most prominent citizens, and has held many official positions of trust. Mr. Tyndall was born in Christian (then Greene) County, May 10, 1856. His parents, William V. and Hannah (Huff) Tyndall, were natives of Georgia and Arkansas, respectively, the father born April 19, 1818, and the mother in Fulton County. Our subject’s great-grandfather came from England to this country at an early date, and settled at … Read more

Biography of F. M. Richards

F. M. RICHARDS. The calling of the merchant is one of the utmost importance in any community, and one of its most successful followers at Rome, Douglas County, Missouri, is F. M. Richards, who has been a resident of the county since 1867. He was born in Monroe County, Tennessee, March 31, 1836, a son of Frederick and Elizebeth (Renfro) Richards. the former of whom was born in Kentucky, a son of John Richards. Mrs. Richards was also born on Blue Grass soil and was a daughter of William Renfro. The subject of this sketch was but two years old … Read more

Biography of Martin Singleton

MARTIN SINGLETON. A well-kept hostelry is a blessing to any community, and this has been found to be the case in the Singleton Hotel of Ava, which is a popular and well-patronized establishment, and is managed in an able manner by Mr. Singleton. He was born in Hamilton County, East Tennessee, April 27, 1847, a son of John and Susanna (Scott) Singleton, who were born in Georgia and Tennessee, respectively, the former being a son of Leonard Singleton, who was one of the early settlers of Tennessee. Upon the removal to Missouri of John Singleton and his wife they settled … Read more

Biography of William A. Merritt

WILLIAM A. MERRITT. One of the honorable old pioneers of southwest Missouri is William A. Merritt, who was born January 24, 1837, a son of Audrey and Jane (Porter) Merritt, who were among the first white people to marry in Christian County, Missouri The paternal grandfather died in Kentucky, after which his son, Audrey Merritt, went to Christian County, Missouri, which section he helped to survey. He was a hunter and farmer and died in 1839. The mother died about 1845, after having borne her husband three children: Joseph P., who is living in Marionville, Lawrence County, Missouri, was a … Read more

Biography of Marion Silvey

MARION SILVEY. A native of Douglas County, Missouri, it is but natural that this gentleman should be public spirited, law-abiding and progressive. He was born June 30, 1846, a son of Charles and Letitia (Howard) Silvey, who came to this section from Roane County, East Tennessee, about 1835, and settled on a tract of land in Webster County, where they resided until about 1850, then came to the western part of Douglas County, where the father’s death occurred in 1886, at the age of eighty-four years, the mother’s death having occurred in 1857. The father became one of the most … Read more

Biography of James E. Bunyard

JAMES E. BUNYARD. This gentleman has long been connected with the farming interests of Douglas County, Missouri, and has shown himself to be a thrifty, progressive and energetic agriculturist. He was born in Tennessee March 14, 1845, and in that State both his parents, James and Nancy (Poiner) Bunyard, were also born and reared. The father was a soldier of the Mexican War and died in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1851, having followed the occupation of farming. His wife was born December 8, 1815, a daughter of John Poiner, who died in Missouri. Mrs. Bunyard removed to Arkansas in 1851, and, … Read more

Biography of William J. Turner

WILLIAM J. TURNER. The life narrative of the head of a family is interesting not only to his posterity but also to the citizens of the section in which he has resided, and this truth is doubly true when such a man has established for himself and his children a reputation for integrity, character and ability, and has been of value in the development of that portion of the country which was his home. Such a narrative do we have in this sketch of Samuel Turner, who was born in Indiana in 1836, and in 1844 was brought to Douglas … Read more

Biography of Andrew R. Turner

ANDREW R. TURNER, who for twenty-three years has lived near Rome, Missouri, is a native of Polk County, Tennessee, but was reared in Georgia on the Chickamauga battle-ground. His father, Joseph Turner, was born in the Old North State in 1812, and after marrying Nancy Fouts, in Tennessee, and living there until the subject of this sketch was ten years old, he removed to Georgia. His father was William Turner. Andrew R. Turner attended the common schools of Walker County, Ga., and was twenty years of age at the time of the opening of the Civil War, but he continued … Read more

Biography of L. O. Hailey

L. O. HAILEY, attorney at law. This wide-awake man of affairs, in addition to practicing his profession, is also the able editor of the Farm Record of Douglas County, Missouri, and is a prosperous real estate and exchange broker of Ava. He has a large list of improved lands for sale, and makes a specialty of the purchase and sale of timber tracts. He has under his control thousands of acres of fine farming land in Douglas County alone, the most of which is well improved with good farm buildings and has more or less land under cultivation. For those … Read more

Biography of Andrew P. Miller

ANDREW P. MILLER, one of the early pioneers of Douglas County, and son of Dobson Miller (see sketch of Dr. H. M. Miller and J. W. Miller, of Ava), came originally from Tennessee, his birth occurring in Roane County, that State, May 26, 1833. He was about twenty-one years of age when he left the State where he had received his education, and made his way to Missouri, where he has since followed farming. In the year 1862 he enlisted in Company B, of the Home Guards, but about a year later he enlisted in the Missouri State Militia, and … Read more

Biography of William C. Darrow

WILLIAM C. DARROW. A noble class of men have built up the agricultural interests of Douglas County, and among those who have been active and efficient in the work is he whose name stands at the head of this sketch. Mr. Darrow now resides about three miles from Arno and five miles from Ava, and is classed among the successful and prominent farmers of the county. He came originally from Nashville, Tennessee, his birth occurring September 7, 1849. His parents, Joseph and Lavina (Morris) Darrow, were natives of Tennessee, as was also the grandfather, Christopher Darrow, who was a soldier … Read more

Biography of George W. Osburn, M. D.

GEORGE W. OSBURN, M. D. The life of the popular, successful physician is one of incessant toil, self-denial and care, yet all true followers of the “healing art” strive to attain prominence in their profession, regardless of added burdens which will rest upon their shoulders. Such a man is George W. Osburn, who was born in Gwinnett County, Ga., November 15, 1841, a son of Ectyl and Cynthia (Nelson) Osburn (see sketch of Dr. M. H. Osburn). George W. attended the common schools of Georgia, was brought up to the healthy and useful life of the farmer, and when the … Read more

Biography of William T. Tyndall

William T. Tyndall, a successful teacher in the High School of Sparta, was born on the old home place of the Tyndall family, three miles east of Sparta, January 16, 1862, and there grew to mature years. His parents, William V. and Hannah (Huff) Tyndall, were natives of Georgia and Arkansas, respectively, the father born April 19, 1818, and the mother in Fulton County. Our subject’s great-grandfather came from England to this country at an early date, and settled at Baltimore, Md. His son, the grandfather of our subject, was a soldier in the War of 1812. William V. Tyndall, … Read more

Biography of H. M. Watchorn

H. M. WATCHORN. Among the most noted and enterprising men of the flourishing city of Willow Springs, Missouri, stands the name of H. M. Watchorn, the most efficient and capable mayor of the same. He has made his home in this city since 1883, and during that time his name has been inseparably linked with its progress and development. He is a native of the Emerald Isle, born May 27, 1862, and there grew to mature years and received a part of his education. He came to America with his father, Thomas Watchorn, who is now living on a farm … Read more

Biography of George Washington Webster

GEORGE WASHINGTON WEBSTER. As a progressive tiller of the soil the subject of this sketch has no superior throughout Ozark County, Missouri, for he is industrious, decidedly progressive in his views, and has always taken advantage of all new methods for the improvement of his land. His fine and valuable estate is located ten miles west of Gainesville on Bratton Spring Creek, and comprises 480 acres, in two different tracts, all of which has been acquired through his own efforts. He is also quite extensively engaged in the raising of stock; in fact, is well up in all branches of … Read more

Biography of Albert Hodges

ALBERT HODGES. Albert Hodges is an attorney at law of wide reputation, a man of unquestioned integrity, a close reasoner and a profound thinker. He is a Missourian by birth, and has inculcated in him the sterling principles of the better class of citizens of the State. He was born in Taney County (afterward Douglas County), November 2, 1848, and is a son of Edmond and Sarah (Garrison) Hodges, the former a native of Kentucky, and the latter of Warren County, Indiana, born in 1827. The grandfather, John Hodges, was a native of Kentucky, and the family moved from that … Read more

Biography of Thomas Livingston

THOMAS LIVINGSTON, one of the prominent pioneers of southwest Missouri, is now a resident of Falling Spring, Douglas County, Missouri, where he has won the respect and esteem of all by his upright, honorable career. He is a son of the Hoosier State, but his parents, Peter and Martha (Cravens) Livingston, are natives of Virginia and North Carolina, respectively. His paternal grand-parents, Henry and Susan (Carmack) Livingston, were natives of Virginia, and she was taken prisoner by the Indians, although soon afterward recaptured. Henry Livingston was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. The Livingston family moved to Overton County, Tennessee, … Read more

Biography of Hon. William H. Thomas

HON. WILLIAM H. THOMAS. Few families of Douglas County, Missouri, have a higher reputation in all matters of character, intelligence and liberality than the one represented by the name we have just given. For ten years Mr. Thomas has made his home in this county and he now has a fine tract of 160 acres located about eight miles from Willow Springs, and it is highly productive and valuable. He was born in Fayette County, Indiana, June 15, 1840, to the union of Howell and Mary A. (Adams) Thomas, natives of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, respectively. The father left his native … Read more