Ripley County MO Genealogy – Access Genealogy

Biography of John F. Patterson

JOHN F. PATTERSON. Among the prominent county officials of Ripley County no man is more popular or better fitted for his position than John F. Patterson, the efficient sheriff. He is a native of this county, born October 9, 1848, and has here spent the most of his life, and the people have had every opportunity to judge of his character aud qualifications. They have found him prompt and fearless in the discharge of his duties, trusty and honorable, and fully alive to the duties of his office. His father, George Patterson, was born in Malcomb County, Tennessee, and his … Read more

Biography of William Proctor, M. D.

WILLIAM PROCTOR, M. D. (deceased), was a physician who always loved knowledge and as a physician was devoted to his profession, careful in his investigations and gave all the time he could find in his busy life to books and periodicals devoted to medicine and surgery. His range of information was broad, and during the many years he pursued the calling of AEsculapius he won a wide reputation and a large practice. He was born in Petersburg, Virginia, in 1826, and died January 10, 1890, when sixty-four years of age. He was a graduate of William and Mary College, of … Read more

Biography of Dr. John H. Moore

DR. JOHN H. MOORE, who has made his home in this county for a number of years, came originally from St. Francois County, Missouri, where his birth occurred on the 27th of January, 1838. His father, Dr. Robert Moore, who was a practicing physician in Iron and St. Francois Counties, Missouri, for years, died in the former county in 1854. He was born in Smith County, Tennessee, in 1807, and was a son of Armstead Moore, who was of Irish parentage. The father of our subject began the practice of medicine when twenty-one years of age, and about the year … Read more

Biography of Judge Joel G. McClaren

JUDGE JOEL G. MCCLAREN, presiding judge of Ripley County, Missouri, is a man of superior mental endowments, whose reputation is not merely local but extends over a wide stretch of country. Like other citizens of the county he came originally from Tennessee, a State that has contributed so much of population and intelligence to his adopted State, and for the most part since about 1869 has been a resident of this county. His birth occurred in Hickman County May 14, 1847, and there he received his scholastic training. In the month of November, 1863, he enlisted in Company G, Tenth … Read more

Biography of James E. Adams

JAMES E. ADAMS. The calling to which Mr. Adams’ attention is devoted is one of the utmost importance to any community and is deserving of liberal patronage from the inhabitants. His well appointed mercantile establishment is located at Varner, and there he also has charge of the interests of “Uncle Sam,” and presides over the post office. He was born in Graves County, Kentucky, October 3, 1838, a son of Jeremiah M. and Hannah (Edens) Adams, who were born in South Carolina and North Carolina October 16, 1798 and June 3, 1802, respectively. In 1819. Mr. Adams went to Graves … Read more

Biography of Joseph Addison Pope

Joseph Addison Pope. He whose name heads this sketch has been familiar with farm life from his earliest boyhood, and as a follower of this the most useful of callings, he has at all times shown good judgment, and has been successful. He was born in Wake County, N. C., in 1820, in which State his parents, Simon and Martha (Cole) Pope, were also born, the birth of the father occurring in 1793. They made their home in the Old North State until about 1824, then removed to west Tennessee, and both parents died in Benton County in 1840. They … Read more

Biography of Judge Morgan White Cotton

JUDGE MORGAN WHITE COTTON. Judge Morgan White Cotton, probate judge of Ripley County, Missouri, and a man well and favorably known in this part of the State, was born in Reynolds County, Missouri, May 10, 1847, to the marriage of Isaac White Cotton and Christine (Jeffrey) Cotton. Like many of the prominent citizens of this county, Isaac White Cotton was a native of Tennessee, and there made his home until about 1840 when he came to Missouri. Here he settled in the woods of Reynolds County, on Webb’s Creek, and began improving and clearing. Few settled here before he did, … Read more

Biography of Judge Daniel K. Ponder

JUDGE DANIEL K. PONDER. In recounting the forces that have combined to make Ripley County, Missouri, what it is, more than a passing reference must be paid to the life and labors of Judge Daniel K. Ponder, of whom it may be truthfully said that no one has done more to lay the foundations of the country’s prosperity deep, and to build upon them surely and well. His ability has been backed by enterprising business measures and progressive ideas, and since 1890 he has ably filled the responsible position of county judge, and has discharged his duties with impartial fairness. … Read more

Biography of John Morgan Atkinson

JOHN MORGAN ATKINSON. This promising and popular young man, who has just been nominated by the Democrats of Ripley County in the primary election as the party candidate for clerk of the County Court, was born in Hickman County, Tennessee, on September 14, 1870. In the spring of 1873 he removed with his parents to Ripley County and was reared on a farm. He attended the common schools of his district, the Doniphan High School and the Southeast Normal School at Cape Girardeau, Missouri His advancement in his studies was rapid and his grades were always among the highest. He … Read more

Biography of Hon. Andrew J. McCollum

HON. ANDREW J. MCCOLLUM. The State of Missouri is well represented by the native Tennesseean, among whom are found many prominent and influential citizens, our subject not being classed among the least. He is now the most efficient circuit clerk of Ripley County and a man thoroughly posted and informed in the duties of his office as well as all other matters of moment. He was born in Hickman County, Tennessee, September 23, 1842, and the son of John and Susan (Caruthers) McCollum, natives of middle Tennessee. The father resided in Tennessee all his life and spent his days engaged … Read more

Biography of Thomas S. Barnes

THOMAS S. BARNES, merchant and farmer of Barnesville, Reynolds County, Missouri, and one of the representative men of the county, was born January 11, 1835, in Wilkes County, N. C. His father, Thomas Barnes, was born in North Carolina, but his grandfather, Edward Barnes, although born in the United States, was of Irish parentage, his father and mother coming to America prior to the Revolutionary War. Thomas Barnes, father of subject, was reared and married in his native State and there remained until about 1835, when he started for the West, coming through by wagon. He brought his family and … Read more

Biography of Abner Jefferson Ponder

ABNER JEFFERSON PONDER. It is an indisputable fact that the United States stands alone in the preeminence of having an array of citizens, who, without adventitious aid or accident of birth, have attained to wealth and distinction in public affairs. This is the glory of the country, and every man who has it in him can prove himself a man. This thought naturally suggests itself in looking over the career of A. J. Ponder, for he began the hard battle of life in early boyhood, and has climbed step by step the ladder of success until he now not only … Read more

Jones, Roy Vernon

Roy Vernon Jones, 79, of Haines, died Feb. 21, 2005, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. At his request there will be no service. Disposition was by cremation. Mr. Jones was born on March 5, 1925, at Doniphan, Mo., to Eddy and Lina Eagan Jones. He was the youngest of 11 children. He started his education in Missouri and completed it at Rockbridge, Ill. At age 18 he was inducted into the U.S. Army at Peoria, Ill. He suffered injuries in a training plane crash and was given a medical discharge after three months. He had a beautiful voice and played … Read more

Biography of David B. Young

DAVID B. YOUNG. Ripley County, Missouri, boasts of many prominent citizens who came originally from Tennessee, and among the number is David B. Young, born in Gibson County, near Trenton, June 1, 1850. He was about eight years of age when he came with his father, Benjamin Young, to this county. Subject’s mother died when he was an infant. She was a native of Tennessee, as was also the father. After the death of his first wife Mr. Young married Mrs. Margaret 0. Cole, whose maiden name was Slayton. He died during the war, January 8, 1863, and was in … Read more

Biography of Hon. William A. Pearce

HON. WILLIAM A. PEARCE. The practical value of shrewdness and discrimination combined with strict probity is exemplified in the prosperous condition of those who transact business on these principles. Mr. Pearce is a man who has kept fully abreast of the times in the matter of enterprise, and is considered one of the most substantial and useful citizens of the town of Doniphan, Missouri He is a native of the Prairie State, born in Vienna in 1861, and is the son of I. N. Pearce, formerly a prominent merchant of Vienna. The father came to Missouri in 1878, settled in … Read more

Missouri Atlases and Plat Books

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 P. J. Ponder

P. J. PONDER. This successful and worthy citizen, residing ten miles west of Doniphan, at the town of Ponder, is a native Tennesseean, born in Hickman County in 1838. His parents, Amos and Nancy (Dudley) Ponder, were married in the State of Tennessee, but moved from there to Ripley County, Missouri, in 1843. Mr. Ponder bought land on Fourche, a mile and a half below where the town of Ponder now stands, principally in the woods, and began immediately to improve and clear the land. There he worked and delved and gathered around him many of the comforts of life, … Read more

Biography of Zarah A. Eaton

ZARAH A. EATON. This enterprising business man is successfully engaged in dealing in timber, and is also the proprietor of a well-appointed mercantile establishment at Varner, Missouri He is a native of Licking County, Ohio, where he first saw the light of day in 1829. His parents, Joseph and Euincy (Curtis) Eaton, were born in the State of New York, the birth of the former occurring in 1796. They removed to Ohio in 1811, and in 1838 to Peoria County, Illinois, where Mr. Eaton died in 1857, and his widow in Woodford County, Illinois, in 1890. He was a Congregationalist … Read more

Biography of John H. Nunnelee

JOHN H. NUNNELEE. The sons of Tennessee are well represented in Ripley County, Missouri, and they hold conspicuous places in many pursuits which make that county a substantial star in the galaxy of Missouri’s many interesting counties. John H. Nunnelee is one of the prominent residents of the same and was recently solicited by the Democratic party to accept the nomination for collector. He was born in Columbia, Tennessee, July 22, 1858, to the marriage of James M. D. L. and Lucy Jane (Fowlkes) Nunnelee. The father was a native of Hickman County, Tennessee, and the son of Edward Nunnelee, … Read more

Robb, Earl Robert – Obituary

Earl Robert Robb, 81, a former Baker City resident, died April 18, 2003. A celebration of his life will be at 1 p.m. Friday at the First United Methodist Church, Cathedral of the Rockies, in Boise. Earl was born Jan. 20, 1922, the first child of Albert and Lola Robb at Oxly, Mo. He married Shirley Mahan on March 14, 1948, and lived at Moorpark, Calif., and Baker City before moving to Boise in 1974. He was involved with various agricultural ventures during his working years. Earl served his country during World War II as a pilot flying the Burma … Read more