Missouri

Biography of Samuel E. Fitzhugh

Samuel E. Fitzhugh is a native of New Madrid County, Missouri, born February 7, 1822, a son of Samuel E. and Margaret (Ruddle) Fitzhugh, natives respectively of Maryland and Missouri, and of Irish origin. John Ruddle was a soldier in the war of 1812. The subject of this sketch is the third in a family of nine children. His father moved from Missouri to Kentucky in 1833, where the family grew up. Mr. Fitzhugh was married in St. Louis, in 1845, to Caroline McKee, a native of Pennsylvania, but reared in Kentucky. She is the daughter of David and Eliza … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Calvin Logan Thomas

Calvin Logan Thomas, a rancher, two and a half miles southeast of San Bernardino, was born in Bledsoe County, Tennessee, January 5, 1837. His father, E. H. Thomas, was a native of Kentucky, and his mother, Edna (Zinn) Thomas, was born in South Carolina. His parents moved to Jackson County, Missouri, when the subject of this sketch was but four years old. From there the removed to McDonald County, where they remained until 1852, when they crossed the plains by ox team to Oregon. When they got to Utah, however, they found it was too late in the season, so … Read more

Biography of Thomas Jonathan Wilson

Thomas Jonathan Wilson, the oldest in active pedagogical work of all teachers in San Bernardino County, is a native of Union County, Kentucky, and was born February 7, 1845. At the age of eleven years he moved with his parents to Sedalia, Missouri, in which State he was educated for the purpose of teaching. He taught two years in Texas, and at the instigation of his father, studied medicine, nearly completing the course, and did some practice, sufficient to satisfy himself that the duties of the school-room were more congenial to his taste than dealing out powders and pills. Meeting … Read more

Biography of Benjamin B. Harris

Benjamin B. Harris, attorney at law, City Clerk of San Bernardino, and treasurer of the Society of California Pioneers-of San Bernardino County, was born in Hanover County, Virginia, in 1824. When seventeen years of age he went to Nashville, Tennessee, and was there educated, graduating at Nashville University in 1845; studied law in a private office in that State, and was admitted to the bar of Tennessee. In 1847 he went to Panola County, Texas, expecting to remain there permanently, but the climate being malarious he suffered with liver troubles, which necessitated a change in his purposes. After the discovery … Read more

Biography of John Brown, Sr.

John Brown, Sr., was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1817, and when but a boy came to St. Louis, Missouri, with his parents, where they died. He began rafting on the Mississippi and then went to New Orleans, and thence by ship to Galveston, suffering a shipwreck on his route. He returned to Fort Leavenworth by the Red River route. Was at the battle of San Jacinto, and first saw Santa Ana when taken prisoner. Remained two years at Fort Leavenworth; and then went to the Rocky Mountains and for fourteen years hunted and trapped from the headwaters of the … Read more

McBroom, Carlon M. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Carlon M. McBroom, 69, of Baker City, died Jan. 1, 2004, at St. Elizabeth Health Services. His funeral will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Baker City Amvets will conduct the service. Visitations will be today until 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Carlon was born Dec. 16, 1934, at Bernie, Mo., to Ada Belle and Joseph McBroom. He attended school in Richland, graduating from Eagle Valley High School in 1952. Upon graduating, he spent the next 10 years in the U.S. Air Force, serving in Alaska, Georgia, Spain and lastly … Read more

Biography of Joseph Hancock

Joseph Hancock, a rancher near San Bernardino, was born near Cleveland, Ohio, in 1822, and is the son of Solomon and Alta (Adams) Hancock, natives of Massachusetts and Vermont respectively. His father was born in 1793, and his mother in 1795, and were of English descent. The great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.  His paternal great-grandmother was the daughter of General Ward. Solomon Hancock was a frontiersman in the Buckeye State, a farmer, but in his early days spent much time in hunting deer and wild turkey, with which … Read more

Biography of Dudley R. Dickey, M. D.

Dudley R. Dickey, M. D., is a California pioneer of 1850, and the longest in the medical practice of all physicians in San Bernardino County. He is a Buckeye by nativity, born in Washington County, Ohio, January 11, 1829. His paternal grandfather, who had been a soldier in the Revolutionary war, settled in Athens County in that State soon after the birth of our republic, and there the Doctor’s father, Thomas Dickey, was born. He moved from Washington County and settled in Fairfield, Jefferson County, Iowa, in 1836, when that State was a part of Wisconsin Territory. Dr. Dickey was … Read more

Biography of Henry Babel

Henry Babel, deceased, formerly proprietor of the celebrated springs which bear his name, and which are now the property of his widow, was born near Hanover, Germany, on August 2, 1826. In 1845 he immigrated with his parents to America, and settled in Lebanon, Illinois, where his father and mother both died within a year. After their decease Henry went to St. Louis, Missouri, and on October 8, 1849, he married Miss Elizabeth Holadway, a native of Tennessee, a descendant of Scotch ancestry on her father’s side, and English on her mother’s. Early in May, 1850, Mr. Babel and his … Read more

Biography of Alma Whitlock

Alma Whitlock, the pioneer dentist of Southern California, first commenced the practice of his profession in San Bernardino in 1857, and has been continuously in practice in the city ever since 1859. He was born in Missouri in 1831. His parents, who were both natives of New England, were brought up from childhood in Ohio. His mother, formerly Miss Abbot, was a relative of the Garfield family. They started for California across the plains from Tipton, Iowa, in the spring of 1850, and spent the winter of 1850-’51 in Utah, and resumed the journey on the following spring, reaching Hangtown, … Read more

Biography of Stewart Montgomery Wall

Stewart Montgomery Wall, a California pioneer of 1852, was born in Virginia in 1834, and moved with his parents to southwestern Missouri when a lad five years of age and there resided until he came to the Pacific Coast. During the gold excitement of 1850, his father, William Wall, came via Santa Fe and Yuma with his two oldest sons to California and spent a year in the mines up about Auburn in search of the coveted yellow dust. In 1851 the old gentleman returned to Missouri and the following spring started for the Golden State with the rest of … Read more

Daugherty, Florence Jeffords Mrs. – Obituary

Haines, Baker County, Oregon Florence Daugherty, 104, died March 16, 2003, at St Elizabeth Health Services. Her memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Methodist Church in Haines. Pastor Sally Wiens of the church will officiate. Interment will be at Haines Cemetery. Visitations will be until 7 o’clock tonight at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Florence was born Aug. 20, 1898, at Mount Vernon, Mo. She was the third of 12 children born to Thomas R. and Lora Ann Woods Jeffords. The Jeffords family arrived in Baker City on a train from Missouri on August 20, … Read more

Biography of C. J. Van Doren

C. J. Van Doren’s extended business experience had been almost entirely in connection with the cement industry. He knows the business in every detail, both on the technical and manufacturing side, and also selling end. Mr. Van Doren is now superintendent of the Great Western Portland Cement Company’s plant at Mildred, Kansas. A native of Michigan, he was born at Adrian July 22, 1874. His paternal ancestry goes back to Peter Van Doren who immigrated from Holland and settled on Long Island between 1637 and 1640. Mr. Van Doren’s grandfather, Jacob Van Doren, a native of New York State, was … Read more

Biography of Frank C. Miller

Frank C. Miller. The substantial rewards of a business career seldom come so rapidly and in such liberal measure as had been true in the career of Mr. Frank C. Miller of Humboldt. Mr. Miller had lived in Humboldt since 1891. He was fifteen years of age when he came to the city, and his first occupation was the cigar manufacturing business, which he learned as an apprentice and followed as a journeyman for a number of years. In fact he gave up the cigar business only in 1908. Since then his interests have become widely and rapidly extended. In … Read more

Biography of Armon P. Vaughn

Armon P. Vaughn. The condition and the high standards of the public schools of Rosedale reflect the power and efficiency of Armon P. Vaughn as an educator and an educational leader. Mr. Vaughn for the past four years had been city superintendent of schools there, and had two more years to serve in his present term. He came to Rosedale in 1907 and for four years was principal of the Columbian School and for two years was principal of the high school before his election to his present office. The enrollment in the public schools of Rosedale is 1,725 students, … Read more

Biography of Myron M. Buck

Myron M. Buck was born in Shortsville, Ontario county, New York, January 16, 1835. His ancestors settled in central New York, when the state was wild and uncultivated, his maternal grandfather, Theophilus Short, in whose honor Shortsville, New York, was named, having been a member of the “Old Holland Land Purchase Company,” and prominent in every way in the affairs of the community. Attracted by the fertility of the soil in this undeveloped district, the company purchased a large portion of central New York. They at once proceeded to establish homes for the pioneers who were the leading spirits. The … Read more

Biography of Elizabeth Tantum Spencer

Elizabeth Tantum Spencer was born near Jerseyville, Illinois, September 28, 1871. She attended the rural schools in Jersey County, Illinois, and Woodson County, Kansas, was graduated from the Yates Center High School (a member of the first class) in 1890, and from the Kansas State Normal at Emporia in 1894. She taught three years in the rural schools of Woodson County, during the first year riding fourteen miles each day. Since that time she had taught in the schools of Yates Center, Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri. In 1912 she became deputy county treasurer of Woodson County under … Read more

Biography of G. Leroy Ramsey

G. Leroy Ramsey. Among the men who are marking their names indelibly upon the stockraising history of Southeastern Kansas, one who had been more than ordinarily active in this field of endeavor and whose operations have assumed large proportions is G. LeRoy Ramsey, who owned and operates 1,760 acres six miles north of El Dorado and 560 acres northeast of that city, all in Butler County. Mr. Ramsey not only raises and ships cattle extensively, but of recent years had been interested in oil leases. He was born at Belle Center, Ohio, December 22, 1872, and is a son of … Read more

Biography of George F. Beatty

George F. Beatty, who had spent nearly all his life in Kansas, had been enrolled in the ranks of the lawyers of Salina for the past twelve years, and is now serving as referee in bankruptcy with the United States District Court. His birth occurred August 17, 1877, at 1001 Olive Street in St. Louis, Missouri. His parents were Dr. George F. and Martha Ann (Posey) Beatty. His mother, who is still living, is a daughter of William Thornton Posey, who was closely related to the family of George Washington. During her girlhood Miss Posey graduated from a seminary at … Read more

Biography of Charles Hedinger, M. D.

Charles Hedinger, M. D., of Canton, McPherson County, is a character unique in the great Sunflower State of Kansas. Others have grown old under the bright skies and in the wholesome and invigorating climate of Kansas’ prairies, but so far as known none had reached the age of ninety-five still active in work and had passed through such a varied range of experience, meeting hazard and danger with equanimity, and getting all possible out of life at every hour of existence. Much had been said and written in recent years concerning the decadence of the modern man and his comparative … Read more