Biography of Marcus E. Benson

MARCUS E. BENSON, manufacturer and lumber dealer of West Plains, Missouri, like many of the prominent and successful business men of the town, was reared to farm life and there learned habits of industry and energy that have remained with him thus far through life. He was born September 15, 1856, and his parents,J. R. and Julia (Jones) Benson, were natives, respectively, of Vermont and New York. Grandfather Benson was in the battle of Lundy’s Lane. The father of our subject moved to Michigan at an early date, but in 1865 came to this State, and settled in Monroe County, … Read more

Biography of S. H. Henry

S. H. HENRY, a pioneer of this section and the man who established the first planing mill business in West Plains, came originally from Coffee County, Tennessee, his birth occurring there December 9, 1836. His father, John Henry, who was also born and reared in Coffee County, Tennessee, came to Howell County, Missouri, in the year 1857. He was a son of Samuel Henry, who was a native of South Carolina and an early pioneer in Tennessee. The Henry family is of Irish origin. The grandfather was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was with Gen. Jackson at … Read more

Biography of W. F. Cook

W. F. COOK. In looking over a comparative statement of the institutions of a financial character doing business in Willow Springs, we find them, in comparison with the same class of organizations elsewhere, solvent, prosperous and useful in the highest degree. The Willow Springs Bank adds no little to this, and is one of the best and most substantial of its kind in the county. Mr. W. F. Cook, its well-known cashier, was born in Lewis County, Missouri, February 2, 1868. Son of Dr. J. F. Cook, who is president of La Grange College, at La Grange, a position he … Read more

Missouri Cemetery Records Grundy to Jackson Counties

Missouri Cemetery records are listed by county then name of cemetery within the Missouri county. Most of these are complete indices at the time of transcription, however, in some cases we list the listing when it is only a partial listing. Grundy County Directions to cemeteries within Grundy County Cemetery Directions Following cemeteries hosted at Grundy County MOGenWeb Alpha Cemetery Anderson Family Cemetery Antioch Cemetery Atteberry Cemetery Austin Farm Cemetery Barnes Cemetery Barr Cemetery Berry Cemetery Bethel Cemetery Black Oak Cemetery Bolser Cemetery Boswell Cemetery Boyers Cemetery Brainard Cemetery Brassfield Cemetery Bratton Cemetery Brooks Cemetery Brummit (Coy-Brummit) Cemetery Embry (Gee) … Read more

Biography of Rev. Thomas Wright Carpenter

REV. THOMAS WRIGHT CARPENTER. This earnest and effective worker in the cause of Christianity is a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, but is none the less a successful and enterprising farmer of Howell Valley, Howell County, Missouri He was born in Scott County, Missouri, in 1824. A son of Cyrus and Nancy (Davis) Carpenter, natives of Virginia and Tennessee, respectively, but who came to southeast Missouri in 1811, when young, and there experienced the earthquake shock of that period. They married in what is now Scott County, where they spent the rest of their lives, the father dying … Read more

Biography of Henry Dixon Green

HENRY DIXON GREEN. The American bar offers the finest opportunities for preferment of any country upon the face of the earth, its members being privileged, if the talent is not wanting, to attain not only the grandest distinction in the profession, but it is the easiest way of approach to the highest official places in the land. What is more, the American bar can show an array of eminent talent, of profound erudition and of judicial ability equal to that of England, France or Germany. The Howell County bar has, during the past half century, been greatly distinguished for the … Read more

Biography of Thomas Moore

THOMAS MOORE. A well known farmer and stock man of Howell Township, Howell County, Missouri, is Thomas Moore, whose progressive ideas, energy and enterprise have done much to make this section the fine agricultural region that it is. He hails from the Buckeye State and owes his nativity to Coshocton County, where he first saw the light of day in 1840. His parents, Thomas and Catherine (Bess) Moore, were born in the Green Isle of Erin and in Pennsylvania, respectively, both their births occurring in the year 1800. Mr. Thomas Moore, Sr., came from the land of his birth to … Read more

Biography of J. H. Hogan

J. H. HOGAN. Among the many successful men of Howell County, Missouri, none have made a more desirable reputation than J. H. Hogan, of Willow Springs. Born and reared on a farm in Greene County, Tennessee, from 1826 until his marriage he remained with his parents, receiving his education in the common schools. His father, Hiram Hogan, was a native of the Keystone State, but at an early age he moved to Tennessee, where he met and married Miss Sarah Bales. Their children, four in number, were named as follows: Mary (deceased) was the wife of Robert Caughran; Elizabeth (deceased) … Read more

Biography of John Goldsberry

JOHN GOLDSBERRY. The parents of this much esteemed citizen, William H. and Elizabeth (Fouts) Goldsberry, were natives of the Old North State, born in either Davidson or Randolph Counties. In 1836 or 1837 they left their native State and came to Missouri, locating on Gasconade River, in Pulaski County, where they made their home until 1846. From there they moved to Polk County and after living there a short time moved to Hutton Valley, Oregon County, before Howell had become a county. From Hutton Valley they moved to the place where Mountain View now stands, and there the mother died … Read more

Biography of R. S. Hogan

R. S. HOGAN. No man in West Plains is more respected and liked than R. S. Hogan, who has achieved distinction in politics, and who has made a name for himself as a public-spirited citizen and a promoter of new enterprises. Greene County, Tennessee, was the birthplace of Mr. Hogan, as it was also of his parents, James H. and Amanda F . (Loutrell) Hogan. James H. Hogan was the son of Hiram Hogan, who came from Ireland to this country at an early day, and died when his son James was but four years old. The latter grew up … Read more

Biography of George M. Follett

GEORGE M. FOLLETT. The creditable condition of business life in West Plains, Missouri, is due in a great extent to the enterprise, energy and intelligence of her prominent merchants and manufacturers. Among these may be mentioned the firm of Holt & Follett, manufacturers. George M. Follett was born and reared just outside of the city of New York, his birth occurring February 25, 1852, son of D. B. and Eliza (Mason) Follett. The father was a farmer and resided on the Delaware River. Our subject passed his boyhood and youth on the old home farm and received but limited educational … Read more

Biography of Judge James Orchard

The judges of the various courts established in Howell County have always been noted for their character and ability, and one of the most popular of the many worthy men elevated to the bench in the history of the county’s jurisprudence is Judge James Orchard, attorney at law at West Plains, where he has made his home for the past few years. Judge Orchard was born in Shannon County, Missouri, October 24, 1850, to the union of Jesse and Alcey (McCormack) Orchard. Jesse Orchard was a native Kentuckian, and the son of a Scotchman, who came to this country many … Read more

Biography of James W. Riley

JAMES W. RILEY. He whose name heads this sketch is one of the leading farmers of Spring Creek Township, Howell County, Missouri, and was born in Franklin County, Missouri, in 1847. His parents, Lewis and Ann (Little) Riley, were born in Crawford County, Il., in 1824 and 1829, respectively. They fell in love and eloped to Anna, Illinois, where they were married, after which they settled in Johnson County, Illinois, and never afterward saw any of their people. In 1845 they came to Franklin County, Missouri, later to Maries County, thence to Miller and Johnson Counties, then back to Miller … Read more

Biography of J. A. Truex

J. A. TRUEX, editor of the Journal and postmaster of West Plains, was a native of the Buckeye State,and was born in Marion County, November,6, 1843. The Truex family is of Dutch origin and an old Colonial one. The father of our subject, Benjamin Truex, was a native of Pennsylvania, and a farmer and carpenter. He raised a family of eight children, of whom our subject was third in order of birth. The latter grew to mature years in his native country, received his primary education in the schools of the same, and subsequently entered the High School at Goshen, … Read more

Phillips, Ila Marie Stephenson Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Ila Marie Phillips, 71, of Prineville, a former Baker City resident, died Nov. 19, 2004, at her home. Her memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the upstairs room at the Veterans Club in Prineville. Mrs. Phillips was born on Jan. 8, 1933, at West Plains, Mo., to Claude and Ila Stephenson. Soon after her birth, the family moved to Prineville where she spent most of her life. Along the way she met the love of her life, Allen Phillips. They were married at Reno, Nev., and together they raised a family. They lived in … Read more

Missouri Atlases and Plat Books

Sample Missouri Plat Book closeup

198 online plat books and atlases organized by county and ordered by date for the State of Missouri. At the bottom of the page are two items that can help you use these documents in your genealogy research. The first is a blog post Plat Books Revealed: Mapping Generations of History and the second a video where Ben Clark explains what plat maps are used for, how to navigate them, and pulls out a few interesting stories from them.

Biography of Clinton M. Pease

C. M. PEASE and GEORGE A. PEASE, owners of the Enterprise Roller Mills, of West Plains, Howell County, Missouri, are conducting one of the largest concerns of the kind in south Missouri. The mill was built in 1889, at a cost of $10,000, by Dr. Pitts and George H. Carter (who is now of the Howell County Bank), and was operated by the above-mentioned gentlemen from July until October, 1889. G. A. and C. M. Pease then bought the mill and since that time have successfully operated it. In 1893 the present owners increased the capacity from 75 to 125 … Read more

Biography of D. S. Ferguson

D. S. FERGUSON. Nowhere within the limits of Howell County, Missouri, can there be found a man who takes greater interest in its agricultural affairs than does D. S. Ferguson, who is also a prominent fruit-grower of this section. Every life has a history of its own, and although in appearance it may possess little to distinguish it from others, yet the connection of Mr. Ferguson with the agricultural and fruit interests of this region has contributed to give him a wide and popular acquaintance with nearly every citizen of the county, if not personally, then by name. His farm, … Read more

Biography of S. W. Wilkinson

S. W. WILKINSON. This prominent general merchant of Willow Springs, Missouri, was born in Alton, Illinois, January 6, 1856, son of Simon and Anna (Lea) Wilkinson, both natives of England. The parents came to the United States about 1850 and settled in the Prairie State, where the father followed farming until his death in 1859. The mother is now living in Missouri. Their family consisted of five children, and our subject is the only one now living. S. W. Wilkinson passed his early life in Missouri, whither his mother had moved before the war, and when he was about thirteen … Read more

Biography of Webb Summers

WEBB SUMMERS, one of the prominent stockmen of Howell County, is a native of Georgia, born in Fannin County, March 3, 1854, to the marriage of Thomas and Mary (Ensley) Summers. The father was a native of North Carolina, but moved to a farm in Georgia and there died before the war. After his death his widow came to Missouri, located in Dent County and from there moved to Howell County in 1874, making her home near West Plains for some time. She now makes her home with her son, Webb, and is comfortable and contented. She was the mother … Read more