MARION SILVEY. A native of Douglas County, Missouri, it is but natural that this gentleman should be public spirited, law-abiding and progressive. He was born June 30, 1846, a son of Charles and Letitia (Howard) Silvey, who came to this section from Roane County, East Tennessee, about 1835, and settled on a tract of land in Webster County, where they resided until about 1850, then came to the western part of Douglas County, where the father’s death occurred in 1886, at the age of eighty-four years, the mother’s death having occurred in 1857. The father became one of the most prominent farmers of this section of Missouri. Upon moving to this State he became quite a Nimrod, for game was plentiful, and also became well known as a successful bee hunter. He was a Democrat in politics. Six of the eleven children born to himself and wife are now living: Washington, a farmer of Webster County; William, a farmer of Taney County; Marion; Cynthia J.; Jackson, a farmer of this county, and Samuel, who is living in this county. The others are: James, who died in 1853; Julia A., who died in 1863; Caroline, who died single; Rill, who died in 1857, and Dode, who died young.
The school days of Marion Silvey were passed in this and Webster Counties, but his educational advantages were quite limited. At the early age of fourteen years he enlisted in Gov. Phelps’ regiment and later became a member of the Eighth Missouri Cavalry, with which he served three years and six months. He was in the battle of Pea Ridge and was slightly wounded in this engagement. He was honorably discharged August 5, 1865. After the war he turned his attention to farming in Douglas County, and was married in 1867 to Miss Clarissa A. Holston, daughter of William and Martha (Burnsides) Holston, natives of Virginia, who came to Douglas County before the war. In 1875 Mr. Silvey moved with his family to the farm on which he now lives, consisting of 220 acres about one mile west of Ava. He has been successfully engaged in stock farming, and all the property of which he is now the owner has been gained since the war. In politics Mr. Silvey is a People’s party man. He has always interested himself in the political affairs of the county, but is by no means a political aspirant. He and his wife and family attend the Baptist Church and Mrs. Silvey is a member of this church. They have many friends in the section in which they reside and have a comfortable, pleasant and hospitable home. Their family consists of five children: James W., who died in 1881; Martha, who died in 1893; Marion; Moses and Marietta.