Shannon County MO

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

Biography of Hon. William Alexander Ramsey

HON. WILLIAM ALEXANDER RAMSEY. This able associate  the Shannon County Court, from the Western District, is a native of Stanley County, N. C., born in 1845, and a son of Sanders Taylor and Leah (Light) Ramsey, who were also born in the Old North State, where they lived until 1846, when they removed to Tennessee, and four years later to Alabama, and two years from that time to Iron County, Missouri, where Mr. Ramsey died in January, 1894, aged about seventy-five years, and his wife in 1866, both having been members of the Southern Methodist Church. Mr. Ramsey was a … Read more

Biography of George Washington McCaskill

GEORGE WASHINGTON MCCASKILL. This gentleman is one of the leading farmers and stockmen of Shannon County, Missouri, and in the development of this section he has done heroic work, for here he was born in 1856, and has all his life devoted his attention to agriculture. His parents, William and Mary (Blassingame) McCaskill, were born in Giles County, Tennessee, in 1827 and 1833, respectively, and were reared and married there. In 1855 they came to Shannon County, Missouri, and located in the woods several miles from any other settlement. Here he improved a good farm and lived until about 1879, … Read more

Biography of Judge Hezekiah Weaver

JUDGE HEZEKIAH WEAVER was unquestionably one of the ablest and most popular of Shannon County’s judges, and aside from this is a polished gentleman and a worthy neighbor. He is a Blue Grass Kentuckian, born in Laurel County in 1832, and in that county he received his scholastic training. When twenty-two years of age he married Miss Catherine Brock, also a native of Laurel County, Kentucky, and of the eleven children born to this union ten are now living. Mrs. Weaver died in 1890 and the Judge took for his second wife, in August, 1891, Mrs. Mary J. Willbank, and … Read more

Biography of Stephen Birlew

STEPHEN BIRLEW is a native Tennessean, born in Smith County, January 1, 1842, the son of John and Wilbrey (Robinson) Birlew, the father a native of North Carolina and the mother of Tennessee. John Birlew was a young man when he went to Tennessee, and he there met and married Miss Robinson, who later moved with him to Christian County, Kentucky There they resided until 1853, when they came to Missouri and located three miles east of the present town of Winona, in the woods, then Pike Creek Valley, and here Mr. Birlew died in the valley in 1872, when … Read more

Biography of Hon. Joshua Sholar

HON. JOSHUA SHOLAR. The free country of America affords numberless instances of men who have made their way alone in life, having nothing on which to depend but their own strong arms and a determination to do and to succeed. Such men are always self-reliant, their necessities having taught them that what is done must be done through themselves alone. They are worthy and well qualified to perform what duties they are called upon to discharge and are almost without exception leaders of thought in their community, and lead lives of great usefulness. In considering the gentlemen of this class … Read more

Biography of John C. McCaskill

JOHN C. MCCASKILL. This prominent citizen is one who has built byyears of industry and good management a business that is recognized as being one of the best in the vicinity. In the life of Mr. McCaskill we have a character representing integrity, industry and unconquerable will that overcomes all obstructions, which brings success under all circumstances; at least so it has been with him. Mr. McCaskill was born in Winona in 1860, and is a son of William and Mary (Blossingame) McCaskill, natives of Giles County, Tennessee, the father born in 1827 and the mother in 1833. There they … Read more

Biography of Hon. Commodore Perry Chilton

HON. COMMODORE PERRY CHILTON. Few names are more familiarly known in Shannon County, Missouri, than that of Chilton, and it is so thoroughly interwoven with its history that a work of this character would be incomplete without frequent reference to some member of the family. Commodore Perry Chilton was born on the old homestead, one mile from Eminence, Shannon County, Missouri, December 6, 1844, and is a son of Joshua Chilton, who was one of the leading and influential men of the county. Our subject acquired a good education in the schools of this county, and by observation and contact … Read more

Biography of Capt. George Fry

CAPT. GEORGE FRY, an old and honored citizen of Shannon County, Missouri, is a native of the Buckeye State, born in Franklin County in 1817. His father, George Fry, was a native of Pennsylvania, who went to Ohio in 1812 or 1813, floating down the Ohio River to the Sciota in flatboats with his family and household effects. He then went up the Sciota where he afterwards located, and there passed the balance of his days, dying when seventy-seven years of age. He was in the Indian War, and was in the battle of Tippecanoe. When he first went to … Read more

Biography of James McCaskill

JAMES MCCASKILL. This resident of Texas County, Missouri, owes his nativity to Maury County, Tennessee, where he was born February 13, 1854. His parents, William and Mary (Blassingame) McCaskill, were born, reared and married in Giles County, Tennessee They immigrated to Shannon County, Missouri, in 1855, where they entered land and began making a home for themselves and family. Mr. McCaskill served in the Confederacy under “Old Pap” Price during most of the war and was with him in his famous raids through Arkansas and Missouri. He was captured on Pike Creek, Shannon County, but effected his escape and returned … Read more

Biography of Levi L. Munsell

LEVI L. MUNSELL. Among Shannon County’s younger business men are many whose interests in this section of the Ozark Region are going to make it a few years hence what it is today as compared with a generation ago. Many of these have already made their mark, but few have attained the distinction that Levi L. Munsell can justly claim and is proud of. He is a live and enterprising citizen, and is considered to be one of the best, if not the best, posted real estate dealers in the county. Mr. Munsell was born at Centerville, Gallia County, Ohio, … Read more

Biography of Robert S. Sutton

ROBERT S. SUTTON. This substantial and extremely well-known citizen of Eminence Township, Shannon County, Missouri, has devoted his life to farming and stockraising, and what he does not know about these two branches of human endeavor is hardly worthy of consideration. He owes his nativity to Washington County, Missouri, where he was born in 1858, a son of William J. and Ellen (McClowney) Sutton, natives of Kentucky and Washington County, Missouri, the birth of the former occurring in 1831. When a boy William J. Sutton came with his parents to Washington County, Missouri, where he married and lived until after … Read more

Biography of Franklin Marion Chapin

FRANKLIN MARION CHAPIN. This prominent citizen of Winona, Missouri, owes his nativity to Overton County, Tennessee, where he first saw the light in 1837, his parents being Paul Stillman and Sarah (Harrison) Chapin (for parents’ history see sketch of John A. Chapin and John W. Garrett). He was the tenth of twelve children born to them, the other members of the family being: Mary (Garrett), of Howell County; Hiram, who died in Los Angeles, Cal.; Paul Stillman, who died in Hopkins County, Tex.; Elias H., who died in Howell County; Martha, who died in Overton County, Tennessee; John A., of … Read more

Biography of Hon. Joshua Chilton

The gentleman whose name we now give was for many years identified with the best interests of Shannon County, Missouri, and although he has now passed from earth’s activities it is but just and satisfactory that his life’s narrative be recounted among those who have done excellent service in subduing the wilderness and bringing it into its present fine condition physically, mentally and morally. Mr. Chilton was born in Wayne County, Tennessee, September 28, 1818, and was a son of Thomas Chilton, who was a native of Maryland. Thomas Chilton was partly reared in his native State and then moved … Read more

Biography of Hon. George Washington Shedd

HON. GEORGE WASHINGTON SHEDD. He whose name heads this sketch has been successful in the various occupations to which his attention has been directed throughout life, and at the present time he is not only successfully engaged in tilling the soil and raising stock, but he also practices law, in which profession he has attained prominence. He was born in the county in which he now lives April 17, 1847, a son of William C. and Mary A. (Sinclair) Shedd, who were born in Reading, Vt., in 1800 and Washington County, Missouri, respectively. The father spent the early part of … Read more

Biography of John F. Church

JOHN F. CHURCH, senior member of the well-known firm of Church & Kissel, Winona, Missouri, is one who has built by years of industry and good management a business that is recognized as being one of the best of its kind in the country, a credit to Winona and Shannon County. Mr. Church is a man who possesses the inherent qualities requisite to commercial success, in a very high degree, and in his chosen calling has attained an eminent position among his compeers, and the high regard of his fellow-citizens, entirely through his own efforts and sterling personal qualities. Mr. … Read more

Biography of Hon. Thomas G. Mills

HON. THOMAS G. MILLS. This very successful farmer and stockraiser of Shannon County, Missouri, is a native of Rutherford County, N. C., where he was born in 1833 to Calvin and Margaret (Jackson) Mills, who were also born in that State and county. When the subject of this sketch was two or three years old they removed to Lumpkin County, Ga., where the father died in 1866, and the mother in 1867, the latter having long been a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. The paternal grandfather, John Mills, had been a soldier of the Revolutionary War, was of Irish … Read more

Biography of George Haden Thompson

GEORGE HADEN THOMPSON is a thoroughgoing, wide-awake citizen of Shannon County, Missouri, and no doubt inherits much of his industry and perseverance from his Scotch ancestors. His parents were Robert and Susan (Carson) Thompson. Before reaching his twenty-first year Robert Thompson came to America and located in Canada. Previous to leaving Scotland he had married Miss Carson, and after residing in Canada for a time he moved to the Empire State where he and his worthy companion passed the remainder of their days. Mr. Thompson dying at the age of seventy years. Farming had been his principal occupation and he … 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 Jacob Kissel

JACOB KISSEL, junior member of the firm of Church & Kissel, began at a very early age to assume the practical duties of a business life, and by diligence, good habits, and a judicious use of natural tact has developed a character which will tell for usefulness in his day and generation. He has acquired a commercial standing which portends for him that prosperity and rank among his fellow-men vouchsafed alone to those who have worthily earned them. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1854, and is a son of Jacob Kissel who was born in Germany, but … Read more