Gallatin Missouri

Biography of John J. Enyaet

John J., son of Abram and Jane Enyart, was born near Plattsburg, Clinton county, Missouri, May 15, 1838, and lived there until 1848, when his parents moved to Gentry county, and settled upon a farm in Boyle township. Four years after taking up their residence in Gentry county his father died, and one year later, in 1853, his mother also journeyed to ” that bourne from whence no traveler ere returns.” Thus left alone, he made his home with his half-brother, William Mulligan, until 1857, when he came to Daviess County and lived with his uncle, H. W. Enyart, near … Read more

Biography of William C. Gillihan

William C. Gillihan was born near McComb, McDonough county, Illinois, April 1, 1841. When he had reached the age of four years his parents removed to Arkansas, and settled near Crawfordsville, Crawford county, and there his father died after a two years residence. In 1847 his mother removed to Iowa, and after several changes, finally settled in Warren county, near Indianola, where they lived until 1855, when (his mother having become Mrs. M. R. Richardson) they removed to Daviess county, seven miles south of Gallatin, and here he lived until 1858. He then left home and began the struggle of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James L. Chapman

James L. Chapman is a native of West Virginia, born near Manchester, Hancock County, in the widely quoted “Pan-handle district,” March 23, 1818, and there he was reared, educated, and lived until the 5th of April, 1854. In that year he migrated to the “land of the Hawkeye,” settling in Jefferson county, but remained in that county only till the following fall, then removed to Wayne county, Iowa, and there continued to live and engage in farming until 1864, when he made his home in Missouri, locating in Harrison county. Six years he pursued farming avocations in that county, then … Read more

Biography of Colonel James H. B. McFerran

James H. B. McFerran was born in Washington county, Maryland, September 17, 1819. At the age of six years his father died, and he remained with his mother until his seventeenth year, attending school part of the time. On reaching the above age he engaged in the stone cutting business under a contractor by the name of Andrew Small, receiving seventy-five cents, per day for the first year. Owing to an aptitude for the work, the second year he was given the position of superintendent, at a salary of one dollar and eighty-seven and one-half cents per day, and continued … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James T. Allen, M. D.

James T. Allen was born in Botetourt, Botetourt county, Virginia, July 16, 1833. He lived with his parents until he was sixteen years old, then attended the Presbyterian High School for one year, and was a student one year at Princeton College, New Jersey. In 1851 he began reading medicine under Dr. Matthew Wallace, of Pocahontas County, Virginia, and continued under his preceptorship until 1853. During the winter of 1854 and 1855 he attended medical lectures at the Virginia Medical College, at Richmond. He came to Missouri in the spring of 1855 and settled at Auberry Grove, now Jamesport, and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Milton Ewing

Milton, son of Frank and Rebecca Ewing, was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, October 30, 1848. He was reared in his native county, and received his education in the schools of Zanesville, Ohio. When nineteen years of age he accompanied his parents in their removal to Missouri, settling at Gallatin in 1867. He early evinced a decided interest in and preference for the law, and in 1868 began legal studies in the office of Judge R. L. Dodge, of Gallatin, continuing with Judge Dodge one year, then entered the office of Judge Samuel A. Richardson, with whom he studied until … Read more

Biography of Major Joseph H. McGee

Joseph H. McGee was born in Clermont county, Ohio, July 6, 1821. His grandfather, Peter McGee, in company with seven brothers, emigrated from Ireland to the United States prior to the Revolutionary War, and settled in New Jersey. Peter McGee was a major under Washington and participated in the celebrated battle of Monmouth, New Jersey, at which place he now lies buried. Charles McGee, the father of our subject, was born near Monmouth, where he lived until 1815, when he removed to Ohio and settled in, Clermont county. The family lived in the Buckeye State until 1837, Joseph then being … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William G. Callison

Was born in Daviess county, Missouri, August 8, 1846, and is the son of Franklin Callison, whose biography appears elsewhere. Our subject was educated chiefly in his native county, finishing his scholastic training with a two years’ course at the excellent academy at Gallatin. After leaving school he engaged, with his father, in merchandising at Jamesport until 1878, when he was admitted to the bar and began the practice of the legal profession in the courts of this and adjoining counties. This business he has since con-tinned with good success. In addition to his professional business Mr. Callison gives personal … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joseph A. Wickham

Joseph A. Wickham was born in Monroe, Michigan, November 14, 1844. When he arrived at the age of ten years his father died, and he left his native place and went to Brunswick, Chariton county, Missouri, to live with an uncle. There he lived for five years and attended the common schools of that place. In 1861 he served in the Missouri State Guards under General John B. Clark, and in 1862 went to Norwalk, Huron county, Ohio, to finish the jeweler’s trade under James A. Wilkinson, with whom he worked a year before leaving Brunswick. In 1863 he enlisted … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jacob Mettel

Jacob Mettel was born in Hesse, Hamburg, Germany, August 12, 1845. His parents removed from the “Faderland” while he was an infant, and crossed the broad ocean to the “Land of the free,” settling in Franklin county, Indiana, where he was reared and attended school. When eighteen years of age he left home and went to Harrison, Ohio, where he learned the shoemaking trade with Frederick Fisher, remaining with him two years and nine months. In 1866 he went to Cincinnati, worked for Paul Shauner for two years and a half, and, at the expiration of that time, was employed … Read more

Biography of John H. Townsend

John H. Townsend was born at Smyrna, Costa (now Kent) county, Delaware, March 16, 1843. When seven years of age his parents removed to Madison county, Indiana, and settled at Collinsville, where he lived with them until he reached the age of eighteen years, and was there educated. On leaving home in 1861 he went to Placerville, California. On his arrival there he had but six dollars. On the first day after his arrival he was employed as a clerk by B. Meacham, a dry goods merchant, at a salary of six hundred dollars per year and board, and remained … Read more

Biography of Enos Fitterer

Enos Fitterer was born in Baden, Germany, July 28, 1835, and lived in his native land until 1846, when his parents emigrated to America. They settled on a farm in Butler county, Ohio, and there the subject of this sketch lived and grew to manhood. In 1856 he went to Hamilton, Ohio, to learn the baker’s trade with Messrs. Nutts & Sivers, remained with them some fifteen months, and then located in Carthage, Hancock county, Illinois, where he established himself in the bakery business and carried it on until 1861. In that year he joined the Union army, enlisting in. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Elwood M. Mann

Elwood M. Mann is a native of Hancock, Washington county, Maryland, born December 14, 1836. His parents, Jonathan and Mary A. Mann, removed to Missouri in 1844, and after stopping at Wellington one winter, came to Daviess county and settled in what is now Sheridan township. They lived there until 1846, then removed to Gallatin, where his mother died in 1848, and his father in 1859, he having lived with his parents and clerked in his father’s store until that time. In 1860 he engaged in the mercantile business with Jonathan Brosins and his brother William Mann,, under the firm … 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 Thomas R. Shaw

Was born near Decatur, Macon county, Illinois, June 19, 1845. In 1846. his parents removed to Iowa and settled near Mount Pleasant. He completed his education in the Mount Pleasant high school under Prof. John. A. Smith, in 1861. From that time until 1864, he was employed as a clerk, excepting one year spent in visiting relatives at Lexington, Kentucky. In 1864 he enlisted in Company A, Forty-fifth Iowa Volunteer Infantry for a term of 100 days. At the expiration of his enlistment he returned home and soon after made a prospecting tour to the Missouri River, visiting Omaha, Plattsmouth, … Read more

Biography of George C. Diestilhorst

George C. Diestilhorst was born in Poile, Hanover, Germany, April 18, 1813, and was there reared to manhood. He received his education in the Lutheran school, of his native place, and his father being a harness-maker by trade, on leaving school he also learned that trade and worked with his father up to the time he was twenty-three years of age, when he emigrated to America, arriving in New York City, May 1, 1836. He was successful in securing a situation in the government harness manufactory in that city, and remained six months, then went on a prospecting tour, seeking … Read more

Biography of James W. Miller

Was born near Staunton, Augusta county, Virginia, May 14, 1823, where he lived with his parents, George M. and Margaret A. Miller, until his fourteenth year. He received a common school education, having attended the early subscription schools of his native county. Leaving home in 1836, he went to Lexington, Rockbridge county, Virginia, where he was employed as a clerk in the store of Moore & McCue, remaining with them until 1840, when he was employed in the same capacity by Samuel B. Finley, of the same place. From Lexington he went to Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1842, and accepted a … Read more

Biography of Ebenezer West

Ebenezer West was born near Parkersburg, in Montgomery county, Indiana, February 9, 1829. He lived in his native county until he reached the age of eight years, when his parents removed to Boone county, same State, and settled near Lebanon, where he lived with them until attaining his majority. On the 28th of November, 1850, he was united in marriage to Miss Julia Ann Robinson, and began farming upon a farm he had previously purchased, in Boone county, and there continued to live until 1853, when he sold his farm and removed to Lebanon. There he was employed for two … Read more

Biography of Jehiel T. Day

Jehiel T. Day was born near Mt. Vernon, Knox county, Ohio, November 12, 1833. He was reared and grew to manhood in his native place, receiving his primary education in Sloan’s Academy, of Mt. Vernon, which he completed with. a two years’ course in Oberlin College. In his twenty-first year he became a teacher in the district schools, which occupation he alternated with farming, continuing to teach in winter and farm in summer until the dark cloud of civil war hovered over the land in the spring of 1861. In April of that year he laid aside his peaceful pursuits … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Miles Bristow

Miles Bristow was born in Jackson County, Indiana, June 2, 1836. His father was a native of Kentucky. His parents moved to Gallatin, Daviess County, Missouri, when he was about three years of age, where he remained until the death of his father in 1851. During the next three years he spent the greater part of his time with his brother on a farm, and in a tannery at Gallatin; then purchased land in Sheridan township, and for over four years was engaged in farming and teaching. In 1862 he was enrolled in Company E, Fifty-first Regiment Missouri Infantry, and … Read more