Matthew L. White was born and raised in Virginia, but removed to East Tennessee, from there to Alabama, and in 1829 he settled in Montgomery Co., Mo., and entered the land upon which the celebrated Pinnacle Rock stands. He married Rhoda Stagdon, and they had Nancy, William, Thomas S., James H., Isaac M., John R., Mary J., Rebecca, Samuel M., Margaret A., and Martha L.
Dr. William L. Nelson, a physician with office and residence at No. 1483 Union boulevard in St. Louis, was born in Montgomery county, Missouri, July 12, 1879. His father, William Nelson, was of American birth, but his father came from Ireland to the new world. The former took up the occupation of farming in southeastern Missouri, where he owned three hundred acres, constituting a valuable farm to which he added many modern improvements. He married Ursula Gibbens, who was also born in the new world and was a niece of Brigadier General Gibbens of Civil war fame, serving with the … Read more
Benjamin Gammon, of Madison County, Va., married Sarah Maddox, and settled in (now) Montgomery County, Mo., in 1812. They had John, Henry, Anderson, Stephen, Jonathan, Benjamin, Jr., Harris, Elizabeth, Julia, and Sarah. John, Anderson, and Benjamin all died unmarried. Jonathan married Martha Dickerson, and lives on Hancock’s Prairie, in Montgomery County. Sarah married Alfonzo Price. The other children married and settled in different States. Mr. Gammon, Sr., built a hand-mill on his farm, which was the first in that part of the country, and it supplied his own family and his neighbors with meal for some time. The meal for … Read more
George, William, and James Peery emigrated from Scotland and settled in Tazewell Co., Va. George married Martha Davidson, of Ireland, and they had three sons and nine daughters. Joseph, the youngest son, married Elizabeth Hall, of Virginia, and settled in Montgomery Co., Mo., in 1836. Their children were Charles, Albert G., Gordon C., Thomas, Andrew, William IL, Joseph A., and George. The members of the Peery family are a genial, hospitable people, and highly esteemed by their neighbors and acquaintances. Dr. Thomas Peery, who died in 1875, was especially distinguished for his many excellent qualities, and his loss is deeply … Read more
Emanuel Saylor and his wife, Ann Hulett, were early settlers of Montgomery County. They had James, John H., and Thomas. James married Libbey Cobb, and they had eleven children. John H. married Virginia M. Perkins, of Kentucky. Thomas married Maria Rice, and after his death his widow married John Hays.
Peyton Graves, of Pittsylvania County, Virginia, married Charlotte Pinkard, and they had nine children Jane, the eldest, married Thomas Jefferson, a nephew of President Jefferson. William, John, and Washington, sons of Peyton Graves, came to Missouri and settled in Montgomery County. William married Lucy Berger. John married Mildred, George. Washington married Melcina Berger. The rest of Peyton Graves’ children, with the exception of one, lived and died in Virginia.
Alexander Davidson, of South Carolina, married Sarah Ellis, and settled in Kentucky, from whence, in 1821, he removed to Missouri and settled in Montgomery County. They had three children John, Abraham and Rachel. Abraham was married first to Mary Branson, by whom he had twelve children Alexander, Alfred, Abraham, Stout B., Franklin, Hezekiah, Elizabeth, Sarah, Rachel, Mary, Louisa, and Martha. His first wife died and he was married the second time to the widow Hub-bard, by whom he had William and John A. Mr. Davidson was not out of the County during the last forty-five years of his life.
Nelson Freeland, of Virginia, married Myra Woodruff, settled in Montgomery County in 1828, and died the same year. Their children were Sultana, John W., William M., Mace D., Ann, Amanda, and Hiram. William F., a brother of Nelson Freeland, married Susan Woodruff, and settled in Montgomery County in 1828. They had Robert, Charles, Amanda, and Eveline.
Stephen Best, of Ireland, emigrated to America many years before the revolution, and settled in Pennsylvania. His children were Isaac, Humphrey, Stephen, Jr., and Ebenezer. He also had several daughters, but their names are lost. Ebenezer never married, but he educated sixty children that claimed him for their father. He was one of the celebrated horse racers of Madison Co., Ky., and also indulged in chicken fighting. He once fought ten times with his chickens in one day, and gained seven of the fights, winning $1,000 each. Isaac Best and his wife came to Missouri in 1808, from Garrard Co., … Read more
Orphred H. Brooks, Jr., the president of the O. H. Brooks Realty Company, was born in Montgomery City, Missouri, March 7, 1875. His father, Orphred H. Brooks, Sr., who is engaged in the contracting and building business in St. Louis, is a native of the state of New York and in 1867 came from Niagara Falls to Missouri, settling in Montgomery City. There he conducted a farm machinery agency and also handled real estate. He likewise engaged in vehicle manufacturing and maintained a retail business at Montgomery City for thirty years before removing to St. Louis in 1901. Since taking … Read more
Hezekiah Henley, of Virginia, had a son named Thomas O., who was married first to Martha Bugg, by whom he had William, Samuel, Thompson, John, Nancy, Martha, and Polly. After the death of his first wife he married Mary Herndon, by whom he had Allen, Wilson, Thomas, Archibald, Schuyler, Sarah, Lucinda, Amanda, and Catharine. Samuel was married twice, and settled in St. Charles County. Allen settled in Montgomery County in 1838. He married Lucy Thomas, and they had ten children.
James Rodgers of Pennsylvania, settled in Nelson Co. Ky., where he raised a large family of children, and gave each of them a Bible. Presley Rodgers, his son, married Elizabeth Folay, of Kentucky, by whom he had Matha A., Mary E., James. John. Plicehe, Felix G , Elizabeth E., Nancy, Jitlia A.. Fernesia, and America. Mr. Rodgers came to Missouri in 1831, and settled in Howard County, afterward in Boone, then in Saline and finally in Montgomery. He was a blacksmith, and worked at his trade until his death, which occurred in December, 1863. He built the first blacksmith shop … Read more
Cornelius Mabrey, of Pittsylvania Co., Va., was a. mill-wright by trade. He was married twice, but of his first wife and her children we have no account. His second wife was Polly Chaney, by whom he had Patsey, Pleasant, Letitia, Elizabeth, Polly, and Philip. Mr. Mabrey moved to middle Tennessee and lived there several years. He afterward settled in Logan County, Ky., where, after a residence of several years, he was drowned. In 1828 his widow and her children came to Missouri, and settled in Lincoln County, where she died two years after-ward. The eldest daughter, Patsey, married George Huss, … Read more
Simon Diggs, of Lancaster County, Virginia, had a son named William, who married a Miss Goe, of Middlesex County, Virginia, by whom he had one son, named Christopher. His first wife died, and he was married the second time to Mary Seeton, by whom he had William, Isaac, Simon, John H., Dudley, Rowland, Barbee., Cole, Nancy, Polly, and Elizabeth. John H. married Sarah Hathaway, who lived to the age of 103 years. Their children were Lawson, Christopher Y., John H., Jr., Cynthia, Malinda, Nancy, Elizabeth, and William C. Lawson and John H., Jr., were ship carpenters. The former married Sarah … Read more
Peter Rockafellow, and old revolutionary soldier, was of German descent. He married the widow McGlathan, and settled in Montgomery County, Missouri, in 1822. (He lived a short time in St. Louis County, when he first came to Missouri.) He had but one child, Anna, who married Andrew Hunter.
James Glenn and his wife, Sarah Grigg, with their two children, James and Nellie, came from Ireland to America, and settled in Virginia. After their settlement there the following children were born Polly, William, Thomas, and Whitehill. Mr. Glenn and his three sons, William, Thomas, and Whitehill, moved to Ohio; the rest of the children married and settled in Kentucky. James, William, and Thomas were in the war of 1812, and the former was killed at the battle of New Orleans. The other two were with the armies that operated in Canada and the northern part of the United States. … Read more
Benjamin Estell, of Kentucky, married Anna Claughnaugh, and settled in Boone Co., Mo. They had ten children, and one of their sons, named James, married Matilda VanBibber, daughter of Major Isaac VanBibber, and settled in Montgomery County. Their children were Horatio, Elizabeth A., William K., Isaac V., Pantha, Colelia C., Robert G., Jonathan, Arrata, James W., Benjamin, and Sarah N., Philemon Estell, a brother of James, settled in Montgomery County, and was married three times.
Joseph England married Mary Reed, of Virginia, and settled in Montgomery Co., Mo., in 1833. Their children were David, William, Joseph, Jr., James, John, Riley, Elizabeth, and Nancy. James married Elizabeth Russel, who died in 1874. John died in California, unmarried. The rest of the children married and settled in different States.
Jesse Wright and his wife, Dicey Galarby, of Amherst Co., Va., had George G., Ellis, Shelton, William, Daniel, and Nancy. George G. married Sally Jacobs, of Nelson Co., Va., and settled in Montgomery Co., Mo., in 1837. Their children were-Margaret, Anna V., Catharine and George G., Jr. Margaret married John R. Arnor. Anna V. married Isaac H. Talbott, of Montgomery County. Catharine married Hon. Norman J. Colman, editor of Caiman’s Rural World and Lieut.-Gov. of Missouri. George G., Jr., lives in Montgomery County, is an influential citizen and a leader of the Democratic party of his locality.
John Anderson, of England, had a son John, who married Letitia Stewart. They also had a son John, who married Jane Clark, and they had-Gustavus A., William E., Theresa J., Robert S., Eliza C., and John W. Gustavus A. graduated in medicine, and settled in Missouri in 1836. He was married first to Jemima E. Fisher, and after her death to Mary A. Talbott, daughter of Major Kit Talbott, of Loutre Island.