Biography of Joseph S. Homan, M.D.

Dr. Joseph S. Homan, an alumnus of the St. Louis University in which he won his professional degree, has throughout the intervening period successfully engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery in St. Louis. He was born in Buchanan county, Missouri, January -, 1882, and is a son of Henry Homan, a native of Maryland, who represented one of the old families of that state of German lineage, founded in America prior to the Revolutionary war. On leaving Maryland Henry Homan came to Missouri in 1870. He was a Civil war veteran, acting as a bridge builder with the … Read more

Biography of William L. Robertson

WILLIAM L. ROBERTSON. Among the worthiest of the representative business men of Christian County, Missouri, stands the name of William L. Robertson, whose standing is high for character, ability and enterprise. He is the eldest but one of the children born to James W. and Martha J. (Payne) Robertson, his birth occurring in Stone County, Missouri, February 23, 1858, at the mouth of Finley Creek. There our subject resided with his parents until three years of age, when they removed to Greene County on Grand Prairie, a mile and a half south of Republic and made their home there for … Read more

Biography of Charles R. Fulbright

CHARLES R. FULBRIGHT. In tracing back the genealogy of the Fulbright family we find that it sprang from good old German stock. William Fulbright, the great-grandfather of our subject, was a native of the Old North State, and spoke the German language fluently. He married Miss Ruth Hollingsworth and went to Tennessee where he became the owner of a large farm and many Negroes. In the spring of 1830 he came to Greene County, Missouri, with his family, making the trip in wagons; he also brought thirty slaves. He had four brothers who came to Missouri with families: David, John, … Read more

Biography of Hon. J. J. Bruton

There are men, and the number is by no means small, who drift into what we are accustomed to look upon as the learned profession in the same way that thousands of men in the lower walks of life drift into the ordinary bread-winning occupations. Having no special preference for any calling, and without feeling that they have any particular fitness for a certain profession, they find themselves drifting in that direction as a result of associations or environment, and in the course of time they find themselves shouldering responsibilities for which they have scant liking, carrying burdens which rest … Read more

Biography of Tyree Glenn Newbill

Father of the John Glenn Newbill, was born in Franklin county, Virginia, May 17th, 1882. He was married December 1st, 1846, to Nancy A. Johnson, only daughter of James M. and Elizabeth Johnson, and in the following year removed to Southwest Missouri, locating on the farm now owned by Dr. H. H. Lea, in the northeast corner of the territory now known as Webster county. Three years afterward he removed to Greene county, where he purchased the fine farm of Samuel McClelland, two and one-half miles west of Springfield. Here he engaged largely in agriculture and stock-raising, and was one … Read more

Biography of Oscar L. Duemler

Oscar L. Duemler, member of the St. Louis bar, who is noted for his ability as a lawyer, particularly in his eloquence before a jury, was born at Springfield, Missouri, February b, 1891. His father, Louis P. Duemler, is a native of Franklin county, this state, and a son of John Henry Duemler, a pioneer settler of that locality and of French Huguenot descent. The grandfather was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, in 1834 and was brought to Missouri in 1836 by his father, who settled in Franklin county, this state. The journey westward was made by boat to Washington, … Read more

Biography of George F. Elam, M. D.

The physician is a man who inspires confidence because he is worthy of it. His humanity is expressed and his interest in his patients is intensified by reason of the concern he has for them, as well as for the experience he may gain that may be for the benefit of future sufferers. A student who loves knowledge and a physician devoted to his profession, he is a careful investigator, and gives all the time he can find in his busy life to books and periodicals devoted to medicine and surgery. Such a man cannot fail to grow steadily in … Read more

Biography of John Short

JOHN SHORT. John Short, who is a native of east Tennessee, born in Roane County in 1826, but who has long been a resident of Stone County, is a son of Willis and Nancy (Kindrick) Short, who were also natives of east Tennessee, where they owned the farm upon which our subject was reared. The parents were hard-working, industrious people, and by their thrift and enterprise accumulated a fair competence. They passed their entire lives in their native State, the mother dying in 1873. Aaron Short, grandfather of our subject, was a native of Kentucky, but early moved to Tennessee, … Read more

Biography of Rev. Augustus H. Tevis

The scholarly subject of this sketch is a native of Rush County, Indiana, born on his father’s farm, May 13, 1841, and was the ninth child of a family of three sons and seven daughters. His parents were Dr. Daniel H. and Phoebe (Scott) Tevis, the former having been a physician by profession,—a self-made man, who enjoyed a large and lucrative practice. He (Dr. Daniel H.) was born in Bracken county, Kentucky, and was quite a scholar as a linguist, being a proficient in both Latin and Greek. The elder Dr. Tevis died in 1858, and his wife in 1862, … Read more

Biography of Henry Sheppard

Henry Sheppard, among the early people of Greene county, was the man who made and left the best impression. He was born in Cumberland county, New Jersey, on November 8th, 1821, of the seventh generation from the original settler of his name. His father was a quiet man of moderate means who gave to his sons what education he could in schools and at home taught them, by precept and by example, industry, self-reliance and truth. The mother was a deeply religious woman. Henry, the oldest son, an ambitious and independent boy supported himself from the age of fifteen. He … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Alfred A. Lowdermilk, M. D.

Dr. Lowdermilk is the son of William and Martha (Rhodes) Lowdermilk, and was born in Greene county, Tennessee, June 24, 1848. In 1856, his parents moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, taking young Alfred with them. At fourteen years old, he started out to make his own living and learned the trade of tinsmith, which he followed till he was twenty-one years old. He then, in 1869, entered and took a course of lectures in the Louisville Medical College. The next year he began the practice in Vernon and Barton counties, this State, thus acquiring the means to complete his professional … Read more

Biography of Capt. Jared E. Smith

CAPT. JARED E. SMITH. This prosperous merchant of Roy, Missouri, was born in Tennessee, October 8, 1826, a son of William P. and C. (Patterson) Smith, who were born in North and South Carolina, respectively, were pioneers of Tennessee and moved from that State to Texas in 1851, settling in Ellis County, where both were called from life. They reared eight children; Jared E.; Benjamin Franklin (deceased); Henry W. (deceased); William H., who is a resident of Texas; Melissa, and the following daughters, who are dead: Mary J.; Eliza A. and Ona. The subject of this sketch is the only … Read more

Biography of John W. Garrett

JOHN W. GARRETT. Howell County, Missouri, is fortunate in her farmers and stockmen, who are, almost without exception, men of energy, thrift and enterprise, and prominent among these is John W. Garrett, who is a native of Overton County, Tennessee, where he first saw the light in 1845. His parents, Jacob and Mary (Chapin) Garrett, were also born in that county, the former in 1819 and the latter in 1821, and were married in the State of their birth. In 1852 the family came by wagon to what is now Howell County and entered a tract of land, which now … Read more

Biography of William L. Clark

Among the successful business men of Harney county is to be mentioned the gentleman named above, whose well known establishment of general merchandise at Lawen, where he has done business for some time, is one of the prosperous business houses of the county; and in addition to handling this, Mr. Clark has a hay farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which he attends to and also raises cattle, and also he has been a mail contractor of the interior of Oregon. William L. was born in Carroll county, Indiana, on April 3, 1845, being the son of Thomas and … Read more

Biography of Henry Jackson Waters

There is perhaps no man in Missouri more competent to speak with authority upon the question of scientific production in connection with the farm and the dairy than is Professor Henry Jackson Waters, who for a long period has made a very close study of the many topics relative to this broad field of labor. He was born in Center, Missouri, November 23, 1865, and in the acquirement of his education won the degree of Bachelor of Agriculture from the Missouri State University in 1886. In the same year he was appointed assistant secretary of the Missouri State Board of … Read more

Biography of David H. Coffman

David H. Coffman is one of the older residents of Champaign County, went from this district to serve in the Union Army during the Civil War, and has turned his hand with credit and success to many undertakings, from farming to commercial lines. Mr. Coffman is now an honored retired resident of the city of Champaign, where in 1909 he built a substantial two-story home at 606 West Hill Street. He was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, October 1, 1840, a son of Noah B. and Elizabeth (Lamb) Coffman. His parents were also natives of Fairfield County and in 1859 … Read more

Biography of Rev. William J. Fulton

REV. WILLIAM J. FULTON. The career of this gentleman is one well worthy the respect of all, for he has for many years labored faithfully for the good of others, and on many occasions has cast aside personal considerations in order to do this. He was born in Robertson County, Tennessee,, November 26, 1840, and was there reared and educated. His parents, William and Elizabeth (Chapman) Fulton, were also born in that State, the birth of the former occurring in 1809. He was a son of Ira Fulton, who was one of the very early pioneers of the State. William … Read more

Biography of Willis F. Miles

WILLIS F. MILES. Petty difficulties of Young Township, Boone County, Arkansas, wend their way to the office of our subject and find in him an arbiter that as a rule sends the respective parties away in better humor with themselves and with the world in general than on coming to him, for he is a gentleman who, although having an extended knowledge of the prosaic aspects of life, is prone to see the humorous side, and gild the baser metal with the brightness of wit. Willis F. Miles was born in Lincoln County, Tennessee, in 1831, and is a son … Read more

Biography of E. O. Sloan, M. D.

E. O. Sloan, M. D. The attainment of success in life along any path of endeavor demands energy, honesty, conscientiousness, self-reliance and proper preparation. The presence of genius is also desirable, but for permanency the homely virtues and practical qualities are absolutely necessary. To the undoubted possession of these may be, in large part, attributed the success that had attended the efforts of Dr. E. O. Sloan, who had figured prominently in the medical profession of Crawford County for more than a quarter of a century, as a practitioner at Pittsburg and had maintained throughout his entire career a high … Read more

Biography of Anton Andrew Ackerman

Anton Andrew Ackerman. The business opportunities that some men never see, attract others to whom they seem open pathways to success. Not every farmer boy, however, of seventeen years had the common sense attitude combined with the industrious habits that have made Anton Andrew Ackerman, now a substantial business man of Neosho County, a reliable, satisfactory, efficient worker in other industrial lines before he had more than reached manhood. Mr. Ackerman had worked hard and to some purpose, otherwise he would not have his present high business standing as one of the leading contractors and drillers in the Mid-continent oil … Read more