Missouri

Biography of W. C. McBee

There are lines of business in which good management is everything, and to this essential merit, coupled with large experience and accurate judgment, is due the success which has attended the mercantile business of W. C. McBee, of McBee’s Landing, Marion County, Arkansas This wide-awake man of affairs is a native of Mississippi County, Missouri, where he was born August 25, 1848, to S. E. and Lucy (Blackburn) McBee, both of whom were born on Kentucky soil, the former being of Irish lineage, and descended from one who fought for the Colonial cause in the Revolutionary War. S. E. McBee … 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 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 George W. Stone

GEORGE W. STONE. This gentleman who resides in James Creek Township, is the owner of a fine farm, which attests by its value and productiveness the excellent qualities of thoroughness and system which mark the owner. He is a native of Ozark County, Missouri, where he was born in 1848, a son of John and Maria (Bayless) Stone, natives of Tennessee, where they were reared and married. From that State they removed to Greene County, Missouri, and later to Ozark County, of the same State, where Mr. Stone died when the subject of this sketch was very small. In 1862 … Read more

Biography of Robert E. Lee

ROBERT E. LEE. Robert E. Lee, president of the J. L. Lee Lumber Company at Sparta, Christian County, Missouri, has held that position since the retirement of the first president, J. L. Lee, who is now residing at Springfield. This company was organized in 1891, and is now operating on the Chadwick & Baltimore branch and on the main line of the ‘Frisco, between Springfield and St. Louis. The vice-president is B. F. Hobert, the secretary is F. W. Fisque, and our subject acts also as general manager of the company. The business is conducted on a very large scale, … Read more

Biography of John May

JOHN MAY. The grandfather of our subject, Caswell May, was a native of the Keystone State, but at an early date came to Tennessee, and was among the pioneers there. He descended from prominent Dutch stock, and became one of the representative men of Tennessee. His son, Adam May, father of subject, was born in Tennessee, and was married in that State to Miss Elizabeth McGinnis. After his marriage he located on a farm in Washington County, and there he and wife passed the remainder of their days. The following children were born to them: Mary, Anna, Emaline, Elizabeth, Caswell, … Read more

Biography of John S. May

JOHN S. MAY. The energy and perseverance of a man’s character have nowhere a better field for manifestation than in agricultural pursuits and stock-raising, and from small beginnings often become wealthy and influential citizens. The original of this notice is a native of Missouri, born in Taney County in 1843, and is a son of John D. and Elizabeth (Sittsworth) May, natives respectively of Tennessee and Arkansas. When a boy John D. May went to Arkansas, where he married and soon after removed to Taney County, Missouri, locating in the woods on Bear Creek, where he improved a good farm. … Read more

Biography of William A. Wyatt

WILLIAM A. WYATT. This gentleman is one of the prominent residents of Richland Township, and one whose constancy to the business in hand, and whose thrift has added so greatly to the agricultural regions of Searcy County. He is a native of Warren County, Missouri, born October 2, 1828, and is a son of Lewis L. and Caroline (Tutt) Wyatt, natives of Kentucky and Tennessee, respectively, their marriage in all probability occurring in the latter State. At a very early day they removed to Missouri and first located in Warren County, but in 1843 took up their residence in Searcy … Read more

Biography of Christopher Columbus Hughes

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS HUGHES. This prominent and successful tiller of the soil owes his nativity to Jefferson County, Arkansas, where he was born, in 1840, to Matthew and Clara (Hill) Hughes, who were born in Crittenden County, Kentucky, and Maryland, respectively. Their marriage occurred on Blue Grass soil, and in Crittenden County, where Mr. Hughes has spent his entire life, with the exception of a few years when he resided in Jefferson County, Arkansas He is now over eighty years of age, has been a lifelong and successful farmer, and prior to the war had accumulated a comfortable fortune, but lost … Read more

Biography of Milton G. Pattillo

MILTON G. PATTILLO. He whose name heads this sketch is a fair representative of the better class of men who began life’s battle at the lower rounds of the ladder, and through his own efforts he has gained a substantial place near the top. Practically speaking, he is today in comfortable financial circumstances, and the position he now occupies is direct evidence that he possesses the confidence and esteem of his fellow-mortals. He was born in Gallatin County, Illinois, February 11, 1826, a son of John S. and Mary (Trawsdale) Pattillo, the former of whom was born on Blue Grass … Read more

Biography of William Thompson

WILLIAM THOMPSON. The man from Tennessee has always been a potential element in the civilization and development of Missouri, and in early days along the woodsman’s trail came men of all avocations and of every degree of social life. No better blood ever infused pioneer life; no sturdier arm ever set about the task of subduing the wilderness and no less vigorous mental activity could have raised a great commonwealth, amid the unbroken elements of nature, within.the limits of half a century. William Thompson, who is one of the pioneers of the county, is now retired from the active duties … Read more

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 George W. Legg

GEORGE W. LEGG. After an industrious and well-spent life devoted to the occupation of farming, George W. Legg is now living in retirement at McDonald Station, Missouri, and is in the enjoyment of a competency which his early industry has brought him. He is a Virginian by birth, and first opened his eyes on the light in 1827, being a son of Willis and Susannah (Land) Legg, natives of Virginia also, who removed to Ohio when the subject of this sketch was a small lad, but a few years later returned to their old home. The father was successfully engaged … Read more

Biography of William Bain

WILLIAM BAIN. The farming class of America, and especially of the State of Missouri, is notable for the degree of intelligence that is possessed among its representatives. William Bain, who resides in Finley Township, owns a fine farm, which attests by its value and productiveness the excellent qualities of thoroughness and system which mark the owner. Like many other first-class citizens of the county he came originally from Tennessee, his birth occurring in the eastern part of the State in 1821. His parents, Arthur and Mary (McFerren) Bain, were natives of that part of Tennessee also. There the father and … Read more

Biography of Samuel D. McSpaden

SAMUEL D. MCSPADEN. We present with pleasure a sketch of the life of one of the most substantial and prominent farmers and stockraisers of Pike Creek Valley, Carter County, Missouri This worthy citizen was born in Gordon County, Ga., in 1847. The son of Joseph and Edith (Dillard ) McSpaden, the father a native of Virginia, born October 16, 1820, and the mother of east Tennessee, born October 1, 1827. Mr. and Mrs. McSpaden met for the first time in Gordon County, Ga., whither they had removed with their parents, and here they were married. In 1869 they moved to … Read more

Biography of James K. P. Conner

JAMES K. P. CONNER. The subject of this sketch is a gentleman of ripe intelligence, and a man of large benevolence and broad sympathies. He is a citizen of Jobe, Missouri, and the most efficient postmaster at that place. Mr. Conner is a native Hoosier, born in Dubois County, December 23, 1844, and the son of Rial and Clara (Berry) Conner, natives, respectively, of Tennessee and Illinois. The parents were married in Indiana, and the father died in Dubois County, that State, in 1861. The mother is still living and finds a comfortable home with her children. All his life … Read more

Biography of P. J. Ponder

P. J. PONDER. This successful and worthy citizen, residing ten miles west of Doniphan, at the town of Ponder, is a native Tennesseean, born in Hickman County in 1838. His parents, Amos and Nancy (Dudley) Ponder, were married in the State of Tennessee, but moved from there to Ripley County, Missouri, in 1843. Mr. Ponder bought land on Fourche, a mile and a half below where the town of Ponder now stands, principally in the woods, and began immediately to improve and clear the land. There he worked and delved and gathered around him many of the comforts of life, … Read more

Biography of Levi Smith

LEVI SMITH. Among the many agriculturists who have devoted their attention to the occupation of tilling the soil in Howell Township, Howell County, Missouri, Levi Smith is one of the foremost, and he owes the success which has attended his operations in this respect to his own good fighting qualities. He owes his nativity to Surry County, N. C., where he was born in 1838. Son of Rev. Thomas and Candace (Snow) Smith, who were born in Wilkes and Surry Counties, N. C., in 1812 and 1814, respectively. They were reared, educated in a limited way, and married in their … Read more

Biography of T. J. Ferguson

T. J. FERGUSON. Prominent among the early pioneer families of Howell County, Missouri, stands the name of Ferguson. T. J. Ferguson, a prominent farmer of the same, resides four and a half miles west of Willow Springs. He was born in Greene County, Tennessee, August 12, 1849, to the union of William and Elizabeth (Hogan) Ferguson (see sketch of J. A. Ferguson). Our subject received his scholastic training in the schools of Tennessee and those of Howell County, Missouri However, the war put a stop to his schooling, but not until he had obtained a fair education. When twenty-one years … Read more

Biography of William Shy

WILLIAM SHY. It is always a pleasure to deal with the history of one who is a member of one of those grand old pioneer families whose bravery, fortitude and determination paved the way for the present advanced state of civilization, and William Shy is one of these. He is a successful farmer and merchant at Lesterville, Reynolds County, Missouri, and was born here in 1841. His parents, Eli and Mary Elizabeth (Smith) Shy, were born in Kentucky in 1802 and 1807, respectively, and were reared and married on Blue Grass soil. They made their home in the State of … Read more