Macon County, Missouri - Biographical sketches, 1910 (part 20 of 20)

Mr. Edwards is a native of this country and was born in Jackson county, Ohio, on June 23, 1851. His parents, Benjamin and Jane (Davis) Edwards, were born and reared in Wales, and were married in that eountry. They found the land of their birth inhospitable to persons struggling for a living wage and some advancement in life for themselves and their families, and even while they were still young, determined to brave the stormy Atlantic and cross over to a country whieh numbers of their countrymen had found full of good results for them, and whose voiee of promise had thrilled their own hearts with the hopes it held out for their contemplation. Gathering what household goods they then had about them, they came to the United States and located in Ohio. Here they had good prospeets and were making headway in their new home, when death struck down the father in 1857. They were the parents of ten children, five of whom are living: Catherine, Anna, Margaret, John B. and Thomas. When the father died the mother assumed the burden of rearing her offspring to usefulness, and, with the devotion of a Roman matron, she gave all her energies to the task. But her resources were limited and the duty of providing for her family as she wished was far beyond her ability, faithfulas she was. She lived, however, to see those who grew to maturity doing well, and had the comfort of knowing that her efforts and instruetion, and the force of her example were not lost upon any of them. Her life of laborious industry and fidelity came to an end in 1899.

John B. Edwards, owing to the circumstances of the family, had almost no opportunity for education in the schools and was obliged to depend largely on the lessons of experience for his training. He was obliged to make his own way in the world from an early age, and he so conducted his affairs that he lost.no ground. His progress, slow and painful at first, was based on real merit and due to qualities of head and heart that always win in the battle of life. He worked at whatever he could find to do in boyhood and youth, and in 1869, when he was but eighteen years of age, came to Missouri, which he deemed a more promising field for his enterprise, and at once began farming on his own account. This was the occupation for which he thought Nature had especially fitted him, and he has adhered to it with unshaken persisteney ever since, and has reaped a large reward for his entire devotion to it. He now owns 943 acres of good land and is actively engaged in general farming and stock-raising. He is also vice-president of the Citizens Bank of Ethel and one of the stockholders and direetors of the Exehange Bank of Elmer. In addition he has large interests in fruitful copper mines in Old Mexico.

Mr. Edwards has taken an active interest and a leading part in the publie affairs of his township and county, while pushing his own interests to their largest development. He has served the people well as a member of the school board for more than five years, and has shown his hand effectively in helping to promote every project for the benefit and progress of the region in whieh he lives. He was also road overseer for a time, but has always avoided publie office when he could. In politics he is a Republican and in religious affiliation a member of the Presbyterian church.

from Wales to this country and loeating in Ohio, just as those of her husband did. Of the seven children born of the union four are living: Mary Jane, the wife of John M. Jones, and Benjamin, Riehard and Winifred. The father is, in the best sense of the term, a self-made man. The schools did nothing for him, but Nature gave him an active eapital in capacity and the power of determined industry and frugality. He has been wholly the architeet of his own fortune, and he has built it so well that he is now one of the most imposing men in the county, in a worldly way, and he is also ranked among its leading and most influential citizens.

Patrick Watson Campbell, one of the leading merchants of College Mound, in this eounty, has had a varied and interesting career, in which he has been successively school teacher, farmer, preacher and merchant. His living in a number of different places and pursuing a variety of occupations is, however, nothing new in his family, for its members for generations before him were of an adventurous spirit and gave their attention earnestly to the duty of the hour, whatever of personal danger or endurance it involved, looking only to its faithful performance.

Mr. Campbell was born on February 10, 1868, in St. Clair county, Missouri. His father, John Thomas Campbell, was also a native of Missouri, born in 1842, and was left an orphan at the age of twelve years. From then until the beginning of the Civil war he made his own way in the world, working at whatever he could get to do, and while making slow progress in the struggle for advancement among men, he at all times held his own, and moved steadily forward. When the awful eloud of sectional strife burst upon our unhappy country he enlisted in the Federal army, serving one year in the Missouri State Militia, from which he was discharged at Osceola, Missouri, in December, 1863, and then joined Battery H, Second Missouri Light Artillery in January, 1864, and served in that command until the close of the war. The battery was in very active service most of the time and Mr. Campbell took part in some notable engagements, among them the battles of Elkhorn and Prairie Grove, Arkansas, Pilot Knob, Wilson's ereek and Big Blue, where General Cable, General Marmaduke and 1.800 men were taken prisoners, In April, 1865, his company went west aeross the plains and fought the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians in Wyoming and Montana, where they were then waging warfare. In this far western country he was subjected to great suffering and much hardship, especially on the return trip. The company was compelled to make its way back aeross the barren plains of Nebraska to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, on foot (many of the boys barefooted), leaving their bloody footprints in the sand. Besides all this, their provisions run out and for sixteen days they had nothing to eat but mule flesh roasted on live coals, At last they reached Fort Leavenworth, where they were ordered mustered out of service. From Leavenworth they went to St. Louis, Missouri, and were honorably discharged November 22, 1865, being recommended for promotion for obedience and gallantry. After tbe eruel war was over, Mr. Campbell, the father of Patrick W., settled down in St. Clair eounty, Missouri, in 1866, and during the next few years was engaged in farming and raising live-stock. In 1871 he moved with his family to Bates eounty, Missouri, and in 1876 to Linn eounty, Kansas. While living in Bates eounty, he took up the study of medieine, continuing the same after settling in Linn county, Kansas, and became a very successful physician. He kept in active practice until his death, which oeeurred November 9, 1888. On December 25, 1866, he was married to Miss Eliza Jane McWilliams, of St. Clair county, Missouri, and by this union became the father of nine children, seven of whom are still living: Thomas V., of Galena, Kansas; Patrick Watson, the immediate subject of this memoir; Cyrena Clarisa Belle, the wife of W. J. Sharp, of Brewster, Kansas; A. L., of Mound Valley, Kansas; S. W., of Seattle, Washington; W. B., of Wichita, Kansas; and Ethel, also residing at Galena, Kansas. In polities the father and all the kinfolks were Republieans of the staunchest order. He was n devout Christian and belonged to the ehurch of God (Independent Holiness People). His son, Patrick W. Campbell, began his education in the rural schools of Linn eounty, Kansas. He very much desired to complete a college eourse, but was not permitted to do so, though he attended sliort terms at Kansas Normal College, Fort Seott, Kansas; Chillicothe Norma! School, Chillieothe, Missouri; the State Normal School at Kirksville, Missouri; and Taylor University, Upland, Indiana. At the age of sixteen he seeured a teacher's certifieate and began teaching school, which he followed for twenty-four years, teaching from four to ten months each year but one, when he laid off.

As a teacher Mr. Campbell was a decided suecess. He taught first in the rural sehools of Kansas, later as prineipal of the Parker publie sehool at Parker, Kansas, then in one of the grades in the publie school of Osawatomie, Kansäs, the camping ground of the renowned John Brown, whose heroie eareer and tragie fate helped greatly to bring on the Civil war and the end of negro slavery in this country. In 1903, Mr. Campbell providentially beeame the prineipal of MeGee Holiness College at College Mound, Missouri, and eontinued to serve in this capacity until his retirement from the educational field in 1906. After a service of a totally different kind as deputy tax colleetor of Macon county, Missouri, which lasted two years, in November, 1908, he bought the general merehandise store of R. A. Hudson, of College Mound, and since then he has been conducting the business under very favorable conditions and with gratifying success. He carries a stock worth about $2,000 at the present time, and studies to make what he has to sell suit the needs of the community in every way. In addition to being one of the leading merchants of the community, he is an influential man in aiding whatever contributes to the general welfare of the region or the betterment of its people. He has rendered acceptable service as a member of the school and town boards.

On December 26, 1892, Mr. Campbell was married to Miss Lenora Ungehner, of Centreville, Kansas. Six children have been born of this union and five of them are living: Velma F., Ruth L., John J., Hazel V., and Paul W., all of whom are still at home with their parents. The father is a Prohibitionist in polities and zealous in the cause. His religious connection is with the Church of God, of which he is an ordained elder and active worker. In all the relations of life he is upright and he is everywhere highly esteemed as an excellent citizen.

Y Arthur Conley Howlett

Editor, owner and founder of the Atlanta Express, of Atlanta, Missouri, is one of the best known newspaper men of North Missouri. Mr. Howlett is a native of Missouri, having been born in Putnam county, Liberty township, on December 17, 1871.

His parents, Francis A. and Buena Vista A. (Dale) Howlett, were natives of Kentucky and Missouri, respectively. The father was born October 5, 1828, in Kentucky, and while he was yet a child the family removed to Illinois and later to Henry county, lowa. There he grew to manhood; remaining at the old homestead until twenty-six years of age.

In 1854 he fell a victim to the gold exeitement in California and became one of a party whieh erossed the plains in that year with ox teams and remained in California for fifteen years. But, meeting with indifferent suecess as a miner, he returned to Missouri in 1869, locating in Putnam county, when he met and married Miss Buena Vista A. Dale, their marriage taking place in April, 1870. To them were born four sons and two daughters, but both daughters died in infancy, the sons are living and filling important positions of life in various parts of the United States.

Arthur C. Howlett was educated in Missouri and at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, where he attended **Howe's Academy," a private school for teachers. After passing two years at the academy he turned his attention to teaching and followed it successfully for some time. Later he again attended ** Howe's Academy," taking a post-graduate course of twelve weeks and then returned to Missouri and followed school teaching for some years.

In 1903 he removed to Schuyler county, Missouri, where he engaged in farming, but not finding tilling of the soil to his liking. In 1906 he abandoned it and removed to Kirksville and entered the State Normal Sehool, whieh he attended some months.

While he was still a student at the State Normal he was tendered the position of principal of the Greentop schools, which he accepted and acceptably filled that position for two years, resigning at the end of the second term that he might enter the newspaper field.

In the spring of 1908 he removed to Atlanta, Missouri, and April 2 of that year issued the first copy of the **Atlanta Express," a weekly paper, which has been a success from the start.

The paper is Demoeratie in its politics and Mr. Howlett is an active worker in the cause of his party, and his paper has ever advanced the interests of its eandidates, and defended the principles for which it stands.

Mr. Howlett was married August 15, 1895, to Miss Lucinda M. Hemstreet, daughter of Benjamin Hemstreet. Three children have been born to them, Buena Vista Janet, Margie May, and Arthur Conley, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Howlett are active workers in the Christian chureh of whieh they are members, and he holds membership in the Modern Woodmen of America.

It is well for a man when he finds his right place amid the activities of life and adheres to it. He will then be working according to his bent, and with his heart in his labor, will be able to make every stroke teil to his advantage and that of the industry in which he is engaged. Robert Richards, of Bevier, in this county, found his proper place early and has stuck to it ever since with a grip like that of the tug of gravitation. And he furnishes, in his successful and useful career, a strong ilustration of the truth with which this paragraph begins. He has wasted no time in fruitless efforts in lines unsuited to him, and none in seeking just where he belonged. He has, therefore, found all his days fruitful to himself and the interests with which he has been connected.

Mr. Richards was born on February 13, 1873, in England, and is a son of John E. and Dorothy (Barrons) Richards, the former a native of Wales and the latter of Newcastle, England. An account of the father's life will be found in this volume. He was a miner, and the son entered upon the paternal oeeupation at an early age and has followed it through life so far. He was reared and educated in his native land to the age of eight years, then came with his parents to this country and found a new home in Pennsylvania. In that great hive of industry he eompleted his slender edueation and began the work which was to oeeupy his time and his faculties until now.

At the age of fourteen he began the duties of life for himself by working in the mines at Bevier, having located there with his parents a short time before. He was not only industrious and frugal, but studious and attentive to every phase of his work. It was his settled purpose to master all the details of the mining industry in the most praetieal way, so far as that industry passed under his review or became a part of his experience. He gave himself to the undertaking with a zeal and devotion worthy of all praise and in a spirit that gave earnest of the success he has achieved. And he never abandoned his purpose, but continued to pay his court before the altar of his chosen divinity with a loyalty that never wavered and a vigilance that never slept. She, in turn, rewarded his zeal with a munificence commensurate with its constancy, and he is now regarded as one of the best posted men on the subjeet of mines and mining in this part of the eountry.

So well known are his eapabilities in this respeet, and so highly is he esteemed for them and his sterling worth in other respects, that on April 15, 1909, he was appointed state mine inspector for Missouri. His record in this office, short as his tenure of it has been, has brought him even higher standing and a wider reputation as an expert of comprehensive praetieal knowledge of his business than he enjoyed before, and has fully justified the faith that was shown by those in charge of the matter in his appointment.

his community and his state, and does all he can to promote it. For three years he was a member of the board of education and during one of them its president. In the spring of 1909 he was elected mayor of Bevier, but his aversion to official station of a merely political character led him to decline the proffered honor and refuse to accept the office. In 1899 he was married to Miss Margaret Roberts, a native of Bevier. They have three children, their sons, Ralph, aged nine, and Elmer, aged three, and Homer, aged eight months. In fraternal relations Mr. Richards is a Knight of Pythias.

It is a far call from the wildly pieturesque mountains and glens of Wales to the limitless prairies and long-flowing rivers of the West in this eountry, but it is one that John E. Richards, of Bevier, in this county, has heard and heeded. For he is a native of the former country and has been for nearly a quarter of a century a resident of Missouri. But, like many another for whom the scenes and associations of childhood have changed to something very different in mature manhood, he continued to follow in his new home the industry which engaged his faculties and rewarded his efforts in the old.

Mr. Hiehards was born in Wales, in 1840, beginning his life in the northern part of the country. He was reared and educated in England, and in that eountry began providing for himself by working in the mines, In 1881 he came to the United States and located at Newcastle, Pennsylvania, where he again engaged in mining. After a time he removed to Illinois, but a little while later returned to Pennsylvania. The western fever had seized him, however, and, as it is accustomed to, hung on to him with unyielding tenaeity. In 1886 he came to Missouri and took up his residence at Bevier, in this county. Here he was engaged in mining aetively until 1906, when he retired from all aetive pursuits, content to pass the remainder of his days in the enjoyment of his well-earned rest.

Mr. Richards was one of the pioneer miners of Bevier, and helped the infant mining industry of that section into being, assisted at its christening, aided in its training and development through childhood and youth, and then left it challenging the attention of the world by its vigor and aggressiveness in its full maturity. It is his portion now to see in retrospeet the transformation of an infant industry through all its subsequent stages of progress to its present enterprising and produetive condition, and to realize, with whatever of gratifieation his modesty will let him find in the reflection, that he was of very material ance in bringing about the results which his prevision must have seen in prospeet when he began operations in the locality.

In 1860 Mr. Richards was united in marriage with Miss Dorothy Barrons, a native of Neweastle, England. They became the parents of twelve children, six of whom are living. These are: George, a resident of Bevier; Mary, wife of Thomas Hepple, of Bevier; John B., a minister of the gospel, also living in this state; William B., one of the leading eitizens of Bevier; and Robert, who is state mine inspeetor of Missouri, and a sketch of whom will be found elsewhere in this work.

In polities the father is independent. "That is, he believes in voting for the best man, irrespeetive of party considerations. But he is a man of fine publie spirit and takes an earnest and intelligent interest in the affairs of the county, state and nation in which he lives, giving to the land of his adoption the same cordial devotion and loyalty that he formerly gave to that of his nativity. He has always been deeply and helpfully interested in all matters of local improvement and willing to bear his full share of the burdens incident to promoting the welfare of the community of his home. His wife died on December 15, 1908, and he has since lived quietly in Bevier, generally esteemed as an excellent eitizen and in the full enjoyment of the regard of all who know him.

John Hugh Jones, Jr

Every year, even almost every day, brings proof of the statement that **Death loves a shining mark." He sought and found one in this county when in February, 1909, he laid low the late John Hugh Jones, Jr., of Walnut township at the early age of forty-eight years and three months, when everything promised for him long years of usefulness in the serviee of the people in helping to promote the growth and improvement of the township and county, and of prosperity and progress for himself. He was one of the leading farmers and citizens of the township and had a voice of potential influence in the direction of its publie affairs, and his untimely death was universally mourned as a great loss to the county and every interest of value in it.

Mr. Jones was a native of Wales, born in 1860, but was brought to this eountry by his parents before he was a year old. His father, John Hugh Jones, was also a native of that country, and was descended from families long resident within its borders and engaged in its industries. The father was a miner. The mother, whose maiden name was Mary

Brown, was likewise born and reared in Wales and belonged to families domesticated for generations there. The parents came with their infant son and the rest of the children they had at that time to the United States in 1860, and in 1869 they located in Macon county, Missouri, and engaged in farming. They had five children, all of whom are now deceased. The father died on March 28, 1885, and the mother on September 2, 1904.

Their son, John Hugh, Jr. as he was called, grew to manhood from the age of nine years in this county and secured his edueation in the publie schools and at the State Normal School at Kirksville. After leaving that institution he at once began farming on his own account, and in this industry he was extensively and very profitably occupied until his death. He owned and cultivated with skill and excellent judgment 750 acres of first-rate land in Macon county, and also had interests in land and other property in the state of Wyoming. In addition to and in connection with his extensive farming operations he carried on a large and flourishing industry in raising live-stock for the markets and in this also he was very successful and prosperous. He was a stockholder and director and the vice-president of the Bank of Ethel, and was connected with other financial and industrial institutions of importance to this seetion of the state and its people.

In the publie affairs of the township and county Mr. Jones took a very active interest and a leading part. He served on the school board for many years and was found at the front in behalf of every interest in which the progress of the region or the welfare of its inhabitants was involved. His political allegianee was given to the Republican party and his personal influence and activity were expended in the promotion of its success. Fraternally he was connected with the Odd Fellows, the Woodmen and the Yeomen, and, in addition to all his other efforts for the good of his community, he expended a large amount of zeal and energy in the service of his lodges, in all of whieh his membership was highly appreciated and accounted as especially valuable.

On December 20, 1888, Mr. Jones was united in marriage with Miss Maggie Williams, a native of Ohio, but of Welsh parentage, her father and mother having been born in Wales and brought to this country in ehildhood by their parents. They located in Missouri in 1866, moving here from Ohio, and continued in this state their industry and success as farmers which had brought them prosperity and comfort in Ohio. The mother died on July 20, 1892, and the father is still living, at the age of eighty-two and has his home at Ethel, where everybody knows nnd esteems him.

Mr. and Mrs. Jones had seven children, all of whom are living: William John, Mary Edna, David Hugh, Benjamin W., Richard Luther, Owen Russell and John Hugh, Jr. They still have the counsel, care and helpful companionship of an excellent mother, and they have the stimulus and incitement of their father's noble example. From the general esteem in which all are held by the people it is clear that they are profiting by both, and that wherever their several lots may be east in the rapid whirl of American life, and whatever interests may engage their attention, they will continue to exemplify in their daily lives the lessons imparted to them by precept and example around the family fireside and enforced in daily fidelity to duty by their parents in all the relations of life.

A representative member of the bar of Macon, and a eitizen who has been actively identified with her growth and development, Mr. Barrow merits distinctive recognition in this publication, He is especially fortified in his wide and comprehensive knowledge of the science of jurisprudence and he has attained a noteworthy reputation in the profession in the state.

Mr. Barrow was born in Macon county, near Bevier. December 12, 1864. His parents, Robert W. and Sarah J. (Walker) Barrow, were, like himself, natives of Missouri, while the grandparents on the father's side were natives of Kentucky, but eame to Missouri in the pioneer days. His mother was a daughter of Isham Walker, a well known and highly respected citizen of Macon county. His father was killed by lightning while weighing eoal at Atwell's mine, near Bevier, in 1864, a few months before our subjeet was born.

Mr. Barrow passed his boyhood days at the home of his grandfather Walker until he was thirteen years of age, when his mother determined that he should be given the advantages of a good education, and accordingly moved her few household possessions to Kirksville, that he might attend the Normal school of that place. Her relatives tried hard to dissuade her from this eourse, but she persisted, and the journey from their little home was made by wagon in the midst of a snow storm. "The mother rented a small house and took boarders, in order to support herself and son until such time as he could complete the preseribed course.

a teacher's life certificate in all three grades. Following his graduation he taught school for several years in various parts of the state and, by practieing striet economy, he was able to save money, and in 1886 he entered the State University at Columbia, and completed both the law and the regular elassical course, receiving his degree of A. B. in 1888. In that year Mr. Barrow won the Stephens medal in oratory, and was chosen to represent the Missouri University in the international eollegiate league of the state, winning the first medal in that contest. He also won the Appleton prize in latin that year.

On completion of his studies at Columbia Mr. Barrow eame to Macon and entered the oflice of Captain Ben Eli Guthrie, with whom he read law for a short time. He was admitted to the bar in 1889 before Judge Andrew Ellison, and soon established himself in the praetiee of 'his profession. In 1892 he was elected prosecuting attorney of Macon county, and re-elected in 1894. During his occupancy of that offce he tried some of the most noted cases ever tried in the county. One of these was the George Anderson case. Anderson was indicted for the murder of his wife, tried, found guilty and sentenced to hang. The sentence being duly executed at Macon in 1896. This was the only legal execution that has ever occurred in Macon county.

He also prosecuted Sealous Grugin, who was tried for the killing of his son-in-law, Walter Hadley. The defense in this case was the unwritten law. This case was twice tried, Grugin being at first convieted, the Supreme Court reversing the case, and on the second trial he was acquitted. One of the most important decisions relative to the coal mining industry in this part of the state developed while Mr. Barrow was prosecuting attorney, and resulted in the passage of the present law governing the firing of shots, in all mines, by regular shot-firers after the miners have left the mines. This is regarded as one of the most important laws that has been passed for the protection of the coal miners of Missouri, Another case in which Mr. Barrow was employed, and which attracted state-wide attention, was the case of Edward Albright, an alderman of St. Louis, charged with perjury. This case was brought to Macon on a change of venue. Mr. Barrow appeared for the defense in this case, and had associated with him some of the most prominent attorneys of St. Louis. In his elösing argument in this ease, it was generally eoneeded that he made the best effort of his life, and he was strongly complimented upon it by the St. Louis attorneys.

again by the higher eourts. During all of his life he has been a close student of the law, and looks earefully after every detail of the evidence. He tries his cases slowly and carefully, making it a point to study his opponent's side as well as his own, and adopts that well known military maxim of expeeting your enemy to do what he ought to do and being prepared for it.

In 1896 Mr. Barrow was united in marriage to Miss Sophia Simmons, daughter of George E. Simmons, now a retired business man of Macon. One son has been born to them, Robert W. Barrow the UL, who gives every promise of following in the footsteps of his father.