Douglas County MO

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 Prof. Thomas A. Kay

PROF. THOMAS A. KAY. This gentleman is one of the oldest and most successful educators of Douglas County, and is well known over a large territory. He is a Georgian by birth, his natal county being De Kalb, where he first saw the light December 12, 1853. The son of William T. and Lucretia (Cardar) Kay, the former of whom was a native of South Carolina and a son of Alexander Kay, who was a Virginian by birth and a farmer by occupation. William T. Kay was married in South Carolina and in 1850 took up his residence in Georgia, … Read more

Biography of Capt. Edmond D. Pennington

CAPT. EDMOND D. PENNINGTON. This gentleman has resided in the community in which he now lives for the past ten years. He was born in White County, Tennessee, January 26, 1825, a son of John and Nancy (Harris) Pennington the former of whom was born in Virginia, a son of Charles Pennington, a native of England, who married after reaching America, a German lady. He was a soldier of the Revolution, and at an early day became a resident of Tennessee, and later of Illinois, in which State he passed from life, having followed the calling of a Baptist minister … Read more

Gorrell, Uva L. Dodson Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Uva L. Gorrell, 89, a longtime Baker City resident, died March 29, 2003, at her home. Her funeral will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Dean Baxter will officiate. Vault interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Visitations will be from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday at the funeral home. Mrs. Gorrell was born at Sneedville, Tenn., on Sept. 4, 1913, to Aberham John and Bertha Hewitt Dodson. She was raised and educated at Ava, Mo. She came to Baker City in 1939. Mrs. Gorrell was an accomplished gardener, an avid … 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 Jesse Andrews

JESSE ANDREWS, one of the most prominent farmers of Douglas County, Missouri, first saw the light of day in Maury County, Tennessee, his birth occurring February I101836. His parents, D. F. and Sally (Morton) Andrews, were natives of Tennessee, but the grandfather, John Andrews, was born in the grand old State of Virginia. He was of German origin and served as a soldier in the Indian wars. About the year 1868 the parents of our subject moved to Missouri and settled near Ava, this county, on a farm where both passed the remainder of their days, the mother dying in … Read more

Biography of Calvin Wilson

CALVIN WILSON. Douglas County is conspicuous for its magnificent farms that are faultless in way of management and the order in which they are kept. No one is to be more complimented on the perfect method and order with which their agricultural affairs are conducted than Calvin Wilson, who has made his home in this county for the past twenty-four years. Like other representative citizens of this section he is a native Tennessean, his birth occurring in Campbell County, January 27, 1843. His parents, Benjamin and Oma (Ridenhauer) Wilson, were natives of Tennessee. They emigrated to Missouri in 1844 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 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 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 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 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 John R. Gaulding

JOHN R. GAULDING. As a dealer in stock and a successful tiller of the soil, Ozark County, Missouri, is well represented by John R. Gaulding, who is the owner of an exceptionally fine farm of 300 acres situated on Barren Fork, it constituting one of the best-improved and most valuable farms in the county. He is a native of Davidson County, Tennessee, where he was born in 1834, a son of John and Polly Gaulding, Virginians, who were reared in the State of their birth, and there also married. They eventually removed to Davidson County, Tennessee, where the mother died … Read more

Biography of Prof. G. M. Siler

PROF. G. M. SILER. This able, experienced and successful educator of Douglas County, Missouri, is a native of Holt County, this State, where he was born July 28, 1864, a son of Granville L. and Nancy J. (Bohart) Siler, for a history of whom see the sketch of J. G. Siler, of Taney County. Prof. George M. Siler received his education in the schools of Arno, Ava and Silver Shade, and eventually graduated in the teacher’s course from the well-known Bradleyville School. He was brought up on a farm, and while following the plow or wielding the hoe he learned … Read more