Biography of Benjamin B. Jones

BENJAMIN B. JONES. Ozark County, Missouri, has no more progressive farmer or business man than Benjamin B. Jones, who is located in business at Lutie, Missouri, eighteen miles west of Gainesville. He owes his nativity to Logan County, Ohio, where he first saw the light in 1844, a son of Nehemiah and Rachel (Taylor) Jones, who were also born in the Buckeye State, where they were reared and married and made their home until 1860, when they came to Shelby County, Missouri, where the father passed from life the same year. He was a well-to-do farmer, a man of unblemished … Read more

Biography of William Hembree

WILLIAM HEMBREE. This well-known business man and successful farmer of James Township, Stone County, Missouri, is a product of the Hoosier State, born in Dubois County, March 9, 1836, to the union of John and Maggie Hembree. The father was born in Knox County, Tennessee, and when a young man went to Indiana, was married in Dubois County, and when our subject was six or ten years of age the family came by horse and ox teams to what is now Taney County, Missouri, locating on Bull Creek, where Mr. Hembree improved a farm. Later he moved to White River … Read more

Biography of J. A. Weatherman

J. A. WEATHERMAN. Among the prominent men of the county who have held the office of sheriff, none have filled it in a more efficient and satisfactory manner than has the subject of this sketch. He is an honored and respected citizen and, although young in years, is possessed of those advanced ideas and progressive principles which seem to be among the chief characteristics of the average Missourian. He is a product of Taney County, born December 7, 1859, and the eldest child born to the marriage of John and Matilda J. (Krithley) Weatherman. The grandfather, James Weatherman, was a … Read more

Biography of John Kintrea

JOHN KINTREA. Among the countless industries of the United States, there are none which attracts more universal attention than that of merchandising. Among those prominently engaged in this occupation in Taney County, is John Kintrea, who has a fine store at Kirbyville. This gentleman was born at Woodstock, February 28, 1852, and, no doubt, inherits his perseverance, industry and sturdy traits of character from his Scotch ancestors. His father, James Kintrea, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1820, and when a young man emigrated to Canada. Later he found his way to Missouri and followed the painter’s trade at Springfield, … Read more

Biography of S. W. Boswell

S. W. BOSWELL, vice-president of Taney County Bank, and general business man of Forsyth, Missouri, was born in that city, October 15, 1860. He is a son of Levi and Louisa (Wilks) Boswell, both natives of Missouri, the father being born in Taney County. Levi Boswell, Sr., grandfather of our subject, was born in Tennessee, and came to this State at an early day, taking up land on Swan Creek, about sixteen miles from Forsyth. There he resided until 1861, when, on account of his political views he was obliged to remove to Greene County, Missouri, where he remained during … Read more

Biography of David J. Smith

DAVID J. SMITH, general merchant and farmer of Walnut Shade, Taney County, Missouri, is emphatically a business man, the leading points of his character being energy, quick conception and an excellent judgment of men and their motives. No man in the county occupies a higher position for energy, enterprise, public spirit, integrity and business rectitude than he. This worthy gentleman first saw the light in Madison County, Illinois, in 1838, and is a son of Jason and Elizabeth (Forbis) Smith, natives of McMinn County, Tennessee, the father born in 1799, and the mother in 1803. The father never attended school … 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 W. W. Moore

W. W. MOORE. He who is careful of small things, and who earns a reputation for honesty and reliability by observing the promises he has made, is already on the high road to a consummation of his hopes. Such an one is W. W. Moore, who is a prominent general merchant of Protem, Missouri He was born in Hardin County, Kentucky, in 1844, a son of Henry and Nancy (Litsey) Moore, who were born in Kentucky, in which State the father spent his life in the occupation of farming, his death occurring in 1867. His father, George Moore, was a … Read more

Biography of Benjamin F. McKinney

BENJAMIN F. McKINNEY. The incidents in the early life of the original of this notice were not materially different from those of other boys living on farms. He was taught to work, to make himself useful around the pioneer homestead, and, in common with other boys, to attend the winter schools at intervals, and to assist in improving the farm during the summer. His birth occurred in Smith County, Tennessee, in 1838. He was the eldest of six children born to R. S. and Ann S. (Roe) McKinney. The other children were named as follows: William died in infancy; Jordon … Read more

Biography of Hon. Patrick C. Berry

HON. PATRICK C. BERRY. The position occupied by Patrick C. Berry as one of the prominent and influential citizens of Stone County, Missouri, has been gained by personal worth and unquestioned integrity. He is well and favorably known all over the county, few men more so, and is now enjoying the fruits of a well-spent life. In the grand old mother of States, Virginia, he was born, August 22, 1830, the seventh son and next to the youngest of the eight children of Samuel and Sarah (Hickey) Berry, both natives of Washington County, Virginia. Our subject’s grandfather, William Berry, was … Read more

Biography of Joseph C. Blair

JOSEPH C. BLAIR. The success which has attended the efforts of Mr. Blair in the various occupations he has filled is by no means a matter of chance, nor was he in any sense an especial favorite of fortune, for when he started out in life for himself he began near the bottom of the ladder. In his case fortune smiled upon him as an agriculturist and as a public official because of his untiring efforts, his close and intelligent application to his duties, and his uprightness and honesty, which should bring success under any circumstances and in any field … Read more

Biography of J. M. Haworth

J. M. HAWORTH. The locality in which Forsyth is situated is indeed fortunate in having among its citizens such a man as Mr. Haworth is conceded to be, for his connection with the interests of the county, both as a minister of the Gospel, business man and agriculturist, has proven of much benefit and influence. He inherits much of his energy and push from his Irish ancestors, his grandfather having been a native of the Emerald Isle, and having emigrated to the United States at a period antedating the Revolutionary War, in which he served with distinction. He took up … Read more

Biography of Charles H. Groom

CHARLES H. GROOM. Charles H. Groom, one of the most progressive and successful young attorneys of Taney County, Missouri, was born in Holt County, Missouri, January 16, 1861, to the union of Sylvanus L. and Semira E. (Boswell) Groom, natives, respectively, of the Empire State and Indiana, the former born May 19, 1818. Isaac Groom, grandfather of the subject, was a native of the green isle of Erin and was probably the first of the family to come to America. He passed the remainder of his days in the State of New York. Sylvanus L. Groom and his brother, Edward, … Read more

Biography of J. M. Gideon, M. D.

J. M. GIDEON, M. D. There is generally a wide diversity of opinion among people outside of the medical profession in their estimate of the skill and ability of a particular physician. A family is likely to pin its faith on one practitioner and distrust all the rest. If there is a member of the profession in Ozark who has successfully fought down this prejudice and now stands secure in the confidence and high esteem of the general public, that man is Dr. J. M. Gideon, a man whose research in the field of science has produced such remarkable results … Read more

Biography of Prof. G. M. Siler

PROF. G. M. SILER. This able, experienced and successful educator of Douglas County, Missouri, is a native of Holt County, this State, where he was born July 28, 1864, a son of Granville L. and Nancy J. (Bohart) Siler, for a history of whom see the sketch of J. G. Siler, of Taney County. Prof. George M. Siler received his education in the schools of Arno, Ava and Silver Shade, and eventually graduated in the teacher’s course from the well-known Bradleyville School. He was brought up on a farm, and while following the plow or wielding the hoe he learned … Read more

Biography of Barnett P. Parrish

BARNETT P. PARRISH. Although almost eighty years have passed over the head of the gentleman who is the subject of this sketch, he is well preserved, physically and mentally, and is a typical representative of the native Ohioan, honest and upright in word and deed, energetic and pushing, and of a decidedly practical turn of mind. He was born in the Buckeye State September 13, 1818, and is a son of Ira O. W. W. and Ruth (Cheneworth) Parrish. It is thought that the father was a Virginian by birth, but at an early date he was married in Ohio … 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 Capt. C. C. Owen

CAPT. C. C. OWEN. The greater part of the life of Capt. C. C. Owen has been devoted to husbandry, but now, in the sixty-fifth year of his age, he is retired from that life, and is a notary public of Protem, Missouri. He was born in Barren County, Kentucky, in 1829, a son of George W. and Martha S. (Dickerson) Owen, natives of North Carolina and Kentucky, respectively, the birth of the former occurring in 1801 and that of the latter in 1805. George W. Owen was taken by his parents to Kentucky, and there he attained man’s estate … Read more

Biography of Jeremiah J. Wood

JEREMIAH J. WOOD. Our subject is an intelligent farmer and stockraiser who keeps abreast of the times in the improvements and progress made in his calling. He is a successful farmer, using the best methods of fertilizing the soil and improving the land, and his enterprise has made him a man of note in his section. He owes his nativity to the Hoosier State, born in Martin County in 1837, and is seventh in order of birth of nine children born to James and Sarah (Pifer) Wood. The father was born in Kentucky, but when a young man went to … Read more

Biography of John Moseley

JOHN MOSELEY, who since 1840 has been a resident of this county, is a man highly esteemed by all and one whose career has been upright and honorable in every particular. He was born in Shelby County, Illinois, March 14, 1825, and is a son of Len S. and Elizabeth (Whitten) Moseley. The elder Moseley was a native of the blue grass regions of Kentucky, where his parents, John and Priscilla Moseley, were among the pioneers. They came originally from South Carolina. At an early date Grandfather Moseley moved to Missouri and first settled on White River. Later he settled … Read more