Biography of Evan D. Roberts

EVAN D. ROBERTS, a prominent citizen of Jobe Township, Oregon County, Missouri, was born in Hamilton County, east Tennessee, June 19, 1847, and was third in order of birth of an old-fashioned family of twelve children born to Joseps M. and Mary (Davis) Roberts, natives, respectively, of east Tennessee and North Carolina. The parents made their home in east Tennessee until 1870, and then came to Missouri and located in Texas County, near Houston, where they reside at the present time. For the most part he has been engaged in the blacksmith’s trade, and many years ago he was postmaster … Read more

Biography of Wright Simpson

WRIGHT SIMPSON, a prominent citizen residing four miles northeast of Alton, is a native of DeKalb County, Tennessee, born in the year 1839, and is the son of Thomas Simpson and Nancy (Moreland) Simpson, the father a native of Rockingham County, N. C., and the mother of Carter County, East Tennessee The parents were married in Warren County, Tennessee, and resided in that and DeKalb Counties until 1853, when they came to Missouri, where they located in township 24, range 4 and section 13. This farm was in the dense woods and the nearest neighbor lived as far away as … Read more

Biography of George R. Norman, M. D.

GEORGE R. NORMAN, M. D. One of the noblest professions, one of the most beneficial to mankind, the profession of all professions, which, while it is prosecuted for gain is in its very nature nearest to beneficial charity, is that of medicine. At the same time it is one of the most exacting upon its devotees. Shannon County, Missouri, is very fortunate in the number and character of its physicians and surgeons, and among those who have already been prominent in that calling is Dr. George R. Norman, who is a native of this State, born in Oregon County February … Read more

Biography of D. F. Martin

D. F. MARTIN, circuit clerk of Howell County, Missouri, is closely identified with the welfare of West Plains, widely known as a politician, popular as a citizen and who hasbeena resident of south Missouri since 1851. Born in Lincoln County, Tennessee, December 9, 1833. He is a son of St. George and Emaline (Gaither) Martin, natives of Virginia, the former born in 1806, and the latter in 1807. The grandfather, George Martin, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and a friend of George Washington. He was born in the Old Dominion, but moved from there to Georgia, and thence … 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 John H. De Priest

JOHN H. DE PRIEST was born in Thomasville, Oregon County, Missouri, October 5, 1844, but grew to manhood in this county and is one of its representative citizens. His father, Isaac C. De Priest, was a native of Smith County, Tennessee, but when a small child was taken to the Hoosier State, where he grew to manhood. From there he went to southern Illinois, and thence to south Missouri about 1839 or 1840. He located near Thomasville, probably in the woods on upper Eleven Points, and made his home there until 1856, when he moved to Birch Valley, a short … Read more

Biography of Joseph B. Johnson

JOSEPH B. JOHNSON. With a record that is enviable, Joseph B. Johnson has been county clerk of Oregon County, Missouri, for the past eight years, and will no doubt succeed himself to that position at the next election. He has won for himself an honored position among the representative men of this section, and has been closely identified with many of its best interests. Like two-thirds of the best citizens of the county, Mr. Johnson is a native of Tennessee, born in Jackson in 1852, son of William R. and Martha Ann (Brown) Johnson. The father was also born in … Read more

Biography of Ad V. Coppedge

Ad V. Coppedge, the pioneer lawyer of Delaware county and the first county attorney, has also been connected with every important constructive measure that has led to the up building, development and progress of this section of the state. He became a resident of Grove in 1963 and throughout all the intervening period has taken active part in shaping the county’s up building. Mr. Coppedge was born on a farm in Missouri near the Arkansas line, January 26, 1870, the old homestead being situated at Thayer. His parents were Houston Harrison and Tennessee Martha (Bledsoe) Coppedge, and the mother, a … Read more

Biography of Joseph Jackson Pierce

JOSEPH JACKSON PIERCE, who is familiarly known as Joe Jack, is a prominent and influential citizen of Oregon County, Missouri In Benton County, West Tennessee, he was born in 1849, and is.a son of S. .D. and Kesiah (Forest) Pierce, the former a native of Wake County, N. C., and the latter of west Tennessee. The father was but a child when his parents took him to west Tennessee, and he there grew to manhood and married. In the year 1855 he came to Missouri and first settled in Ripley County where he remained two years, after which he moved … Read more

Biography of William H. Payne

WILLIAM H. PAYNE. One of the best known and generally admired Democrats of Alton, Missouri, is William H. Payne, who is now the most efficient and capable collector of Oregon County, that State. He has earned deserved prominence and an enviable reputation as one of the leading citizens of the county. Oregon County cannot claim him as an original son, but he was only ten years of age when he came here. Mr. Payne was born in Giles County, Tennessee, in 1847, and he is the son of John and Martha (Williamson) Payne, natives also of that county and State. … Read more

Biography of James M. McGhee

JAMES M. MCGHEE. This gentleman, well known in Carter County, is at present the most efficient county clerk of the same. He came originally from Georgia, his birth occurring December 17, 1854, and he no doubt inherits much of his vim and enterprise from his Scotch-Irish ancestors. His grandfather McGhee was an early pioneer in east Tennessee, and there John F. McGhee, father of subject, was born and reared. He was trained to the duties of the farm at an early age and received but a limited schooling, as his father died when he was young. When grown he moved … Read more

Biography of James K. P. Conner

JAMES K. P. CONNER. The subject of this sketch is a gentleman of ripe intelligence, and a man of large benevolence and broad sympathies. He is a citizen of Jobe, Missouri, and the most efficient postmaster at that place. Mr. Conner is a native Hoosier, born in Dubois County, December 23, 1844, and the son of Rial and Clara (Berry) Conner, natives, respectively, of Tennessee and Illinois. The parents were married in Indiana, and the father died in Dubois County, that State, in 1861. The mother is still living and finds a comfortable home with her children. All his life … Read more

Biography of A. K. Oliver

A. K. OLIVER. Eminently worthy of mention in this work is A. K. Oliver who has devoted his life to farming, and now has a comfortable home and a fine estate in Pike Creek Valley. He is a native of Smith County, Tennessee, and there first opened his eyes on the light of day in 1825. A son of Bluford and Polly (Link) Oliver, natives of Virginia, who were born in 1782 and 1784 respectively, and were reared and married in the State of their birth. They eventually removed to Smith County, Tennessee, and in that section they resided until … Read more