Sparta Missouri

Biography of James F. Adams

JAMES F. ADAMS. James F. Adams, clerk of Christian County, Missouri, and a young man of much intelligence, force of character and determination, was born near Sparta, this county, April 21, 1861. He is the youngest child born to Leroy and Mary A. (Cummins) Adams (pioneer settlers of this region), the family coming from middle Tennessee to this county as early as 1833. Of the nine children born to Mr. and Mrs. Adams only three are now living: John N., who resides on the old homestead; Thomas D., also on the old homestead, and our subject. It was a good … Read more

Biography of Andrew J. Farmer

ANDREW J. FARMER (deceased). When a citizen of worth and character has departed from this life, it is meet that those who survive him should keep in mind his life work, and should hold up to the knowledge and emulation of the young his virtues and the characteristics which distinguished him and made him worthy the esteem of his neighbors. Therefore, the name of Andrew J. Farmer is presented to the readers of this volume as a public-spirited citizen and a man well and favorably known throughout the county. He was born in Roane County, Tennessee, in 1824, and at … Read more

Biography of Henry J. Hinkle

HENRY J. HINKLE. No better proof of the advancement of Sparta in the last few years can be shown than the dimensions which the hardware trade has assumed. Among those prominently engaged in that line of business in the county is Henry J. Hinkle, who is a gentleman of standing and repute, his business being the outgrowth of his own energy and push. Mr. Hinkle was born in Fremont County, Iowa, March 8, 1856, and is a son of William and Alvira (Winstow) Hinkle. The elder Hinkle was a native of the Keystone State and of German descent. The father … Read more

Biography of A. Lawrence Lovejoy

A. LAWRENCE LOVEJOY. – The subject of this memoir was born in Groton, Massachusetts, March 14, 1808, and was the third son of Doctor Samuel and Betsey Lawrence Lovejoy, descendants of good English families. His mother, Betsey Lawrence Lovejoy, was a cousin and adopted sister of Amos and Abbot Lawrence of Boston. When quite young he moved with his parents to Townson, Massachusetts, where he was a pupil of the Reverend David Palmer until the age of sixteen, when the death of his mother made it necessary for him to reside with an elder brother in Boston, where he engaged … Read more

Biography of Jasper N. Farmer

JASPER N. FARMER. The peculiar responsibility which attaches to the compounding and dispensing of prescriptions and kindred functions, imparts to the calling of the druggist an interest and importance somewhat unique in this respect among the arts and sciences, and therefore it is that accuracy and vigilance become elements closely akin to knowledge and skill in the laboratory. In such connection we make due reference to Mr. Jasper N. Farmer, the prominent drug man at Sparta, whose neat and popular pharmacy com-mends itself to all. This prominent business man was born in Christian County, on the old home place, July … Read more

Biography of Dr. C. B. Elkins

DR. C. B. ELKINS. The noble profession of medicine affords to the student in that science a never-ending source of investigation and experiment. New remedies are constantly being discovered, steady progress is being made in surgery and new diseases are presenting themselves under varying forms of civilization. In the noble army of workers in this great field may be found the name of Dr. C. B. Elkins, who, since 1888, has resided in Ozark, Christian County, Missouri. He came from Cannon County, Tennessee, in 1870, and with his father settled in Christian County about three miles from Ozark. There his … Read more

Biography of Samuel G. McCracken

SAMUEL G. MCCRACKEN. Among the active and energetic business men of Ozark is Samuel G. McCracken, grain dealer and grocery merchant. He has acquired an enviable reputation as a business man and citizen, and well deserves the large competency he has acquired by honest methods and strict business integrity. The McCracken family is of Scotch-Irish origin and the first members of this family to come to America settled in Tennessee, where they were esteemed as honorable and upright men and women. Thomas McCracken, grandfather of our subject, was born in Tennessee, as was also Nathaniel McCracken, the father of our … Read more

Biography of John Hornbeak

Success in business life is a guerdon that is very cautiously bestowed upon a person by the goddess, who in a measure guides, and invariably decorates, man’s efforts. And this same success is far more apt to come because of the pursuer’s genius or adaptability for his calling, than from any mere luck, ambition, push or demand. There are favorable opportunities in men’s lives, which, if taken advantage of, will take them far along the road toward the consummation of their ideals, and, too, there are those who have a strange intuition of that time and avail themselves of it. … Read more

Biography of Dr. D. F. Hedgpeth

DR. D. F. HEDGPETH, a young but promising physician of Sparta Mo, although still in the dawn of the success which has attended his efforts in a professional way, has already given abundant evidence of the ability which qualifies him for a high place in the medical profession. Truly ambitious and with an ambition whose aim is high, there seemed no reason why his unquestioned ability should not find full scope to relieve the pains which a suffering world is heir to. He was born in Sparta, December 4, 1862, to the union of Emanuel I. and Lurannah J. (Farmer) … Read more

Biography of Charles R. Fulbright

CHARLES R. FULBRIGHT. In tracing back the genealogy of the Fulbright family we find that it sprang from good old German stock. William Fulbright, the great-grandfather of our subject, was a native of the Old North State, and spoke the German language fluently. He married Miss Ruth Hollingsworth and went to Tennessee where he became the owner of a large farm and many Negroes. In the spring of 1830 he came to Greene County, Missouri, with his family, making the trip in wagons; he also brought thirty slaves. He had four brothers who came to Missouri with families: David, John, … Read more

Biography of Henry H. Lee

HENRY H. LEE. Prominent among the early pioneers of Christian County, Missouri, stands the name of Henry H. Lee, whose thrift, enterprise and go-ahead ativeness have placed him among the representative men of the county. He was born in Jackson County, Tennessee, February 15, 1837, and his parents, James H. and Polly (Stafford) Lee, were natives of Tennessee also. Grandfather Lee was an early pioneer of that State, and James H. grew to manhood and married there. In 1851 he emigrated to Missouri, but previous to that he had visited the State and located in Greene County, where he remained … Read more

Biography of Martin V. Tyndall

Martin V. Tyndall is also a native of Christian (then Greene)County, Missouri born March 7, 1864, on the old farm. His parents, William V. and Hannah (Huff) Tyndall, were natives of Georgia and Arkansas, respectively, the father born April 19, 1818, and the mother in Fulton County. Our subject’s great-grandfather came from England to this country at an early date, and settled at Baltimore, Md. His son, the grandfather of our subject, was a soldier in the War of 1812. William V. Tyndall, father of the subject, remained in his native State until three years of age, and, when grown, … Read more

Biography of Prof. J. M. Johnson

PROF. J. M. JOHNSON. This gentleman has resided in Christian County for the past six years, and though young, he is full of energy, business qualification and thoroughly fitted for the drug business which he is now following. He is a native of Webster County, Missouri, born February 24, 1862, but was reared principally in Wright County, this State. He is a son of J. C. and Mary (Russell) Johnson and the grandson of Spencer Johnson who was a Virginian by birth but of Scotch-Irish origin. The latter was an early pioneer of Tennessee, and some of the members of … Read more

Biography of W. G. Holland

W. G. HOLLAND. When a grain of wheat is cut across the middle and examined under a glass the central parts are found to be composed of a white substance; if the grain is dry this interior readily becomes a pearly powder. Near the outside of the kernel the texture is more compact, and at the surface it becomes horny. This added firmness is produced by the increasing quantity of gluten as the analysis advances from center to circumference. Under-standing the structure of the grain, it has been the object of the miller to separate the various parts, so as … Read more

Biography of A. C. Crain

A. C. CRAIN, ex-sheriff of Christian County and one of the representative men of the same, is now living a retired life at Sparta, Missouri He is a native of Tennessee, born in Franklin County October 2, 1833, and the son of William B. and Alice (Ford) Crain, natives of Tennessee. The grandfather, William B. Crain, was a native of North Carolina and came to Tennessee at an early day. Later he moved with his family to Stoddard County, Missouri, and in 1842 settled with his family in Greene County. Previous to this, in 1839, the father of our subject … Read more

Biography of William T. Tyndall

William T. Tyndall, a successful teacher in the High School of Sparta, was born on the old home place of the Tyndall family, three miles east of Sparta, January 16, 1862, and there grew to mature years. His parents, William V. and Hannah (Huff) Tyndall, were natives of Georgia and Arkansas, respectively, the father born April 19, 1818, and the mother in Fulton County. Our subject’s great-grandfather came from England to this country at an early date, and settled at Baltimore, Md. His son, the grandfather of our subject, was a soldier in the War of 1812. William V. Tyndall, … Read more

Biography of Hon. J. J. Bruton

There are men, and the number is by no means small, who drift into what we are accustomed to look upon as the learned profession in the same way that thousands of men in the lower walks of life drift into the ordinary bread-winning occupations. Having no special preference for any calling, and without feeling that they have any particular fitness for a certain profession, they find themselves drifting in that direction as a result of associations or environment, and in the course of time they find themselves shouldering responsibilities for which they have scant liking, carrying burdens which rest … Read more

Biography of Taylor Bray

TAYLOR BRAY. The Bray family is of Irish extraction and the family tree took root on American soil at an early date. Our subject’s grandfather, William Bray, was a native of North Carolina, in which State he passed his entire life. His son, Mark Bray, father of our subject, was also a native of the Old North State, born December 21 796, and died December 19, 869. The latter was married in his native State to Miss Margaret Patterson, also a native of North Carolina, and there their nine children were born. About 1840 or 1841 they, in company with … Read more