C. H. STOCKARD. The credit of a large share of the enterprise which helps to make Christian County one of the most thriving and progressive of the counties of Missouri, belongs, in a considerable degree, to the worthy gentleman whose name is at the head of this sketch. Since 1879 he has made his home in this county, and during that time has shown himself thorough master of his business and an influential and esteemed citizen. His birth occurred in Gibson County, Tennessee, February 25, 1835, to William and Mary A. (Edwards) the Stockard. He is grandson of John Stockard, who moved from North Carolina to Tennessee when his son William was ten years of age.
The Stockard family came originally from the Emerald Isle, while the Edwards family came from Scotland. The maternal grandfather of our subject, Thomas Edwards, organized a company and served as captain of the same in the War of 1812. The father of our subject was born in North Carolina in 1786 and was a soldier in the War of 1812. His death occurred in Tennessee when eighty-six years of age. All his life he had tilled the soil and was fairly successful in that occupation. In politics he was an Old Line Whig. The mother of our subject died in 1870, two years before her husband. To them nine children were born: John, Thomas J., Clement H. (subject), William Henry, James Alfred, Elizabeth J., Sally A., Mary C., and Louisa R. Of these, six are now living. Two sons, Thomas J. and William Henry, were soldiers in the Southern army. The father and mother held to the Cumberland Presbyterian faith and were most worthy citizens.
Our subject spent his early life and school days in Tennessee and when but a boy began shouldering his own burden. He began as a farmer and, when twenty-four years of age, was married to Miss Elizabeth Greer, a native of Tennessee, the daughter of Elijah Greer. Mrs. Stockard lived only about a year and Mr. Stockard selected his second wife in the person of Miss Lavina Robbins, of Arkansas, their nuptials being celebrated in 1861. One child was the fruit of this union, but mother and child died while our subject was in the army. The latter enlisted in Company H, First Wisconsin Cavalry, in 1862, and served three years, participating in some of the fiercest battles of the war. His services were principally east of the Mississippi River, and he was wounded in the head at Dandridge, Tennessee, from the effects of which he has been deaf in his left ear. This wound disabled him for a number of months, nearly proving fatal, and still troubles him very much. On July 22, 1865, he was discharged and returned to his old home in Tennessee. After remaining there a year or two, he married Miss Patience E. White, daughter of M. White, one of the pioneers of Tennessee and later moved, to his native county, where he again bought a farm. To this union six children were born: Fenton T., attorney at Billings; William J., who died in 1892; John S., who assists on the home farm, but is now attending school; Lizzie, at home and Rutherford Hayes and James P. at school.
Mr. Stockard lost his third wife in 1884 and since then has married Miss Mary Jones, a native of this county and the daughter of William Jones, one of the early settlers of this county. Three children were born to this last union: Josie, Henry and June. Mr. Stockard came to Christian County in 1879 and settled on a farm near Billings, but two years later bought the farm where he now lives. This consists of ninety acres, but he also owns a fine farm of 160 acres two miles from this. He is a good farmer and citizen, is self-made, and the family stands high in the community. He is active in all public enterprises and is giving his children good educational advantages. Since the war he has been a Republican and an active member of his party.
