Biography of Hon. Jacob B. Reaser

HON. JACOB B. REASER. This prominent and successful stockman and farmer of Birch Tree, Missouri, was born in Jackson County, Tennessee, in 1837. A son of Peter and Emeline (Brown) Reaser, who were natives of Virginia, but removed to Tennessee with their parents, where they were reared, received such education as the schools of that day afforded, and were married in Jackson County, Tennessee. In May, 1822, they came by ox team to Oregon County, Missouri, at which time that section was very wild and unsettled, and for a long time the most of their marketing was done at St. … 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 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 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 Judge George F. Chilton

JUDGE GEORGE F. CHILTON. To become distinguished at the bar requires not only capacity, but also sound judgment and persevering industry. These qualifications are combined in no gentleman at the Shannon County bar to a greater extent than in George F. Chilton. A careful and accurate adviser, and an earnest and conscientious advocate, his success at the bar has been achieved by the improvement of opportunities, by untiring diligence, and by close study and correct judgment of men and motives. The Chilton family is an old and prominent one in the history of Missouri, for certain members of this family … 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 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 Andrew Cox

ANDREW COX. The farmers of Shannon County, Missouri, are noted for their thrift, energy and perseverance, and consequently for the success which has attended their efforts. Prominent among these is Andrew Cox, who was born in Sullivan County, Tennessee, in 1854, of which section his parents, David and Jane (Hughes) Cox, were also born, the former in 1818 and the latter in 1821. Until about 1858 they resided in the State of their birth and in Virginia, then came by wagon to Shannon County, the journey thither occupying thirty-six days. They located in Spring Valley and after residing there for … Read more

Biography of James Franklin Norton

JAMES FRANKLIN NORTON, merchant and farmer of Eminence, Missouri, is a native of the Blue Grass State, born in Lawrence County, in 1839. His father, David Norton, who was reared in Virginia, moved to Kentucky at an early date and when our subject was but an infant came to Audrain County, Missouri, where he passed his last days. He was a prominent farmer and stockraiser, and while a resident of Audrain County held the office of justice of the peace. Politically he was a Democrat, and fraternally a Mason. His death occurred in 1852 when about forty years of age. … 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 George Washington Collins

GEORGE WASHINGTON COLLINS. This wide-awake man of affairs is engaged in a most important business, for he is an extensive manufacturer and wholesale dealer in yellow pine lumber at Low Wossic, Shannon County, Missouri, and has been for a number of years past. He is a native of White County, N. C., where he was born in 1857, a son of Wilson and Almira (Mills) Collins, who were also natives of the Old North State. The father was a noted politician, and for many years was prominent in public life. He filled the positions of county clerk, collector and circuit … 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 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 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 James Chilton

JAMES CHILTON. This descendant of one of the most prominent families of Shannon County first saw the light of day on the old homestead near Eminence, his birth occurring April 3, 1854. He was but about eight years of age when his father was killed, and he attended the schools in the county until fifteen years of age. After this he commenced farming for himself and has continued this occupation up to the present time. He bought a farm near where his brother Perry now lives, 200 acres, and this he improved and resided on for some time. From there … 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 Capt. Charles M. Richards

CAPT. CHARLES M. RICHARDS, real estate dealer of Shannon County, is well known here and has done much to build up the interests of this section. Born in Pennsylvania, Wyoming Valley, in 1834, he is a son of David P. Richards, also a native of that State. The latter followed farming all his life. On his father’s farm in Wyoming Valley our subject grew up and in the schools of the valley he received his education. When ten years of age he was in the post office there, remaining eight years, and then, in July, 1861, he joined Company M, … 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