Vernon County, Missouri - The whole text, 1911 (part 13 of 14)

James W. Underwood was born in Cass county, Missouri, May 7, 1838, and was connected by birth with a family whose reputa¬ tion is not confined alone to this part of Vernon county. Jackman K. Underwood, his father, was a son of Joel Underwood, who was born March 12, 1776, in the state of North Carolina, and died September 19, 1840, near Lone Jack, Missouri. His wife, whose maiden name was Susannah Cunningham, was of Scotch-Irish extraction and was born January 28, 1782 ; she died May 25, 1839, leaving the following children: Jackman K., Wesley, Narcissa, John H., William H., Grizella, James F., Sally, Susan, Rebecca, Eliza and Martha. The first named child, Jackman K., was born in Surry county, North Carolina, on January 4, 1805. He grew up in his native state, taught school in Virginia, and while in the

Old Dominion married Miss Amanda Leonard. In 1837 Mr. Underwood moved westward, taking up a location in what is now Cass county, Missouri, during the following fall. In 1868 he came to Vernon county and made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Frank Lawrence, until his widely mourned death occurred, Jan¬ uary 18, 1880. Perhaps no man had a stronger hold upon the affections of the people in this community than Mr. Underwood. Plain, honest and honorable in all his dealings, his life was above reproach ; for over forty years he was connected with the AL E. Church South, lived a faithful, earnest Christian career, and was devoted to the church. He was the father of five children: William C., now deceased; James W., Rossy A., Mrs. F. M. Lawrence, Susan M. and Henrv H. James AY. Underwood, a worthy member of the family whose name he bears, was reared to a farm experience and always followed that calling, and with uniform good success. In March, 1869, he settled in this county. During the war he enlisted in Company A, 16th Missouri Infantry, serving actively in the siege of Lexington, battle of Lone Jack, Jenkin's Ferry, Pleasant Hill and others of severe importance, returning after the close of the war to his home in Cass county. March 27, 1872, Miss Alary Bowman, of Fremont county, Iowa, became his wife. She was born in 1852.

William Vail was born on the 7th of October, 1829, a Canadian by birth, as was also his father, Isaac Vail, but his mother, whose maiden name was Alary Campbell, came originally from Scotland. Isaac Vail died in that country in 1857, his widow surviving until 1883, when she, too, passed away. Their children were : AVilliam, Susan, John, Betsy, George and Isaac. The subject of this sketch was brought up on his father's farm and early identified himself with agricultural pursuits. In April, 1857, he came to the United States, locating in Kansas, where some years later he joined the army, becoming a member of the 6th Kansas Cavalry. With this command he served for three years, two months and twenty days, obtaining an extensive military experience. In July, 1863, his health having been impaired, he was assigned to duty in the ordnance department at Fort Scott as issuing clerk, a position in which he continued during the remainder of his term of service. On the 30th of September, 1865, Air. Vail located upon his farm,

Cornelius C. Van Arsdale,* who has been a prominent man in Osage township, Vernon county, Missouri, for more than a quar¬ ter of a century, was born in Mercer county, Kentucky, November 7, 1842. His parents, Abram M. and Dovinda (Bohon) Van Arsdale, both natives of Mercer county, Kentucky, are at this time deceased, the mother dying in 1875.

Cornelius C. acquired his preliminary education in "subscrip¬ tion schools'' in his native countv and later attended Harodsburs: University at Harodsburg, Kentucky. He ran away from school in the early part of 1861 and enlisted in Company H, Third Regi¬ ment, Arkansas Infantry, and entered the Confederate Army, serving till June, 1864, when he was taken prisoner and sent to the military prison at Rock Island, Illinois, where he was held till the close of the war in 1865. Returning to Kentucky in the fall of that year, he took a course of study in the Commercial College at Louisville and in 1866 engaged in mercantile business at McAfee, in Mercer county. After three years of mercantile life he turned his attention to farming and continued it with good success till March, 1882, when he moved to Vernon county, Mis¬ souri, and settled in Ballstown, Osage township, where he has since made his home. Mr. Van Arsdale bought twenty acres and leased other land, and since that time has devoted himself to farming in connection with other matters. In 1887 he was ap¬ pointed postmaster at Ballstown by President Cleveland and tilled that office until the spring of 1891. He was also at. the same time elected justice of the peace and, with the exception of two terms, served in that office from the spring of 1887 till 1909. He also served on the township board some eight or ten years, and for eight years was township tax collector. In politics Mr. Van Arsdale has always adhered to the principles Of the Democratic party. On November 3, 1874, he was united in marriage at Louis¬ ville, Kentucky, with Miss Mary T. Burford, who was born in Mercer county, Kentucky, January 17, 1852, the daughter of Dr. John A. and Mary A. (Wallace) Burford, who moved about 1861 to Louisville, where the mother passed away in 1907 at the age of eighty-seven, and where Dr. Burford celebratetd the ninetieth anniversary of his birth on January 2, 1911. They had a family of seven children, of whom Mrs. Van Arsdale is the second in order of birth, Stonewall J. Burford, who was a member of the Rhodes-Burford Furniture Company, being- a younger brother.

Of seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Van Arsdale. Edna E., born January 24, 1875, resides with her parents; Lulu B., born September 24, 1879, is married to John E. Hobart, of Webster Grove, Missouri; Robert H., born March, 1881, lives in St. Louis, Missouri; Addie A., born March 28, 1893, resides at home; Fannie L.; born in March, 1888, died March 31, 1911, and two passed aAvay in infancy.

Thomas W. Vandiver is one of the substantial and well-known business men of Nevada, and a native Missourian. He comes of Holland ancestry on his paternal side, and was born in Chariton county, October 14, 1850, and is one of a family of six children born to Thomas L. and Elizabeth (Heryford) Vandiver, natives of Virginia and Missouri, respectively ; the father settling in Missouri, in 1818, and the mother spending her life there. Their other children were : Jacob 0., a twin brother of our subject, now deceased ; Eliza, who is married to Mr. Allen Taylor, of Salisbury, Mo. ; Della, the wife of Mr. Charles Landrum, of Linn county, Missouri, and Susan and William, both now deceased. Our subject's paternal grandfather, Jacob Vandiver, moved from Virginia, his native state, in the pioneer days, and spent his life as a farmer in Shelby and Marion counties, Missouri. His ma¬ ternal grandfather, Capt. James Heryford, settled in northcentral Missouri about the year 1808, and experienced numerous thrilling encounters with the Indians and other perils incident to those early pioneer days; he commanded a company in the Black Hawk War.

Thomas W. acquired his preliminary education in the public schools of his native county and supplemented this with a course of study in the State Normal School at Kirksville, Mo. He began his business career as deputy county clerk of Chariton county, and then, after clerking for a time in a general store at Salisbury, engaged in mercantile business at Clinton, Mo. He was after¬ wards employed as a traveling, salesman till 1893, when he took up his residence at Nevada, where he has since made his home. Here Mr. Vandiver joined with others in organizing the Farm and Home Savings Association of Missouri, which has grown to be one of the strongest financial institutions in the southwestern section of the state, and from its beginning has filled the offices of manager of agents and vice-president of the organization, which last office he now holds.

Colonel Vandiver, as he is familiarly called, is widely known as an active and leading man of affairs throughout his section of the state, and is alive to all that relates to the development and betterment of his community. In 1880 he married Miss Mary A., daughter of Thomas and Janet Fleming, of Clinton, Mo., and they have one child, Earl F. Vandiver. "Tom," as Mr. Vandiver is more generally known, is an ardent devotee of hook and line, and there is not a more thorough and enthusiastic fisherman in the state than he is. He renders good assistance in the support and enforcement of the game and fish laws.

Isaac J. Veatch was born in Washington county, Illinois, October 7, 1845. He was the sixth child and is one of five sur¬ vivors of a family of fifteen children born to William and Lucy (Larkin) Veatch, both natives of Kentucky. Our subject's grand¬ father, Elias Veatch, settled in Washington county, Illinois, with his family when William, our subject's father, was eight years old, and died there. William Veatch moved to Davis county, Iowa, soon after the birth of our subject, and lived there twentyone years. In the fall of 1866 he moved with his family to Ver¬ non countjq Missouri, and bought and settled on a quarter sec¬ tion of land in section 1, Harrison township, and built the first house erected between Big Drywood and Little Drywood rivers west of Branougli. Here he wras a successful general farmer and cattle dealer. He died in Vernon county, Mo., in 1886. He was a member of the Masonic order, and in political opinion held to Democratic principles. His widow passed away at the age of seventy-three, February 20, 1898.

Our subject attended the common schools in Davis county, Iowa, till he was eighteen years old, and in his twentieth year was there united in marriage with Miss Mary King, a daughter of Mr. Soloman King, a native of Virginia.

Mr. Veatch has devoted his life to farming, with gratifying success, and owns one of the choice farms of Harrison township, being in section 15, well stocked, thoroughly equipped and hand¬ somely improved. He is esteemed among his neighbors and by

He is a Democrat in political opinion and takes a somewhat active part in the local affairs of his party. Mr. Veatch has a comfortable home and with his wife lives happily in the enjoy¬ ment of the fruits of their busy lives.

Of four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Veatch the only sur¬ vivor, Jasper Lee Veatch, was born July 17, 1873, is a farmer and lives in Harrison township, Vernon county, Missouri.

Orange T. Vedder is one of the prosperous and successful merchants of Nevada, Mo., whose success is the result of tire¬ less effort and good judgment. A native of Carrollton, Ill., he was born November 7, 1850, to Francis P. and Wilhelmina (Terliune) Vedder, whose parents were natives of Holland. On coming to this country the grandparents first settled at Coney Island, whence the father followed his trade as a cabinetmaker until his removal to Carrollton, Ill., in the early thirties, being among the pioneers of that place. He served seventeen years as county clerk of Green county, Illinois, and lived there till 1865. He then removed to Carrollton, Ill., where he died in 1872, at the age of sixty-three years, his death having been preceded by that of his wife, who passed away when she was forty years of age. Of eight children born to them, one daughter, Sarah, who is mar¬ ried to Dr. J. M. Davis, of Carrollton, Ill., and our subject, who is next to the youngest of the family, are the only survivors.

Orange T. acquired his preliminary education in the public schools of his native place and supplemented it by a course of study at a college in Syracuse, N. Y.

After leaving college he clerked five years in a dry goods store at Syracuse, and then for a time was similarly employed at Carrollton, after which he was employed three years as man¬ ager of a store at Washington, Kan., owned by his uncle, James S'. Vedder. Returning to Carrollton at the end of this engage¬ ment he spent five years clerking and then engaged in business on his own account, opening a large dry goods store at Carrollton and conducting it with marked success from 1872 to 1889.

On the 15th of May of that year Mr. Vedder settled at Nevada and associated with Messrs. J. H. Jackson, of Nevada, and William H. Sturgis, of St. Louis, under the firm name of Sturgis-

Jackson Dry Goods Company, purchased the business formerly owned by Mr. J. F. Harber and began the development of a dry goods trade that has grown to large proportions. The business is managed by Mr. Vedder, whose long experience admirably fits him for the work ; and the fact that the house ranks among the leading and most prosperous mercantile establishments of the city speaks more eloquently than words of Mr. Vedder 's able, wise and progressive management of its large affairs.

In 1884 he was united in marriage with Miss Mollie G. Jackson, daughter of H. V. and Louise (Hinton) Jackson, of Carroll¬ ton, Ill. Mrs. Vedder is a woman of rare attainments with great executive ability and fine accomplishments, and is a recognized leader in social and club circles in Nevada. Mr. and Mrs. Vedder have two children, viz.: Vena, who is married to Mr. Irving C. Brower, of Chicago, and Louise, who lives at home.

Joseph M. Waddell was born June 26, 1826, in Gallia county, Ohio. His father, James Waddell, and also his mother, formerly a Miss Cunningham, were Virginians by birth, but when Joseph was six years old they removed to Michigan City, Indiana, and thence in 1840 to Freeport, Illinois. Accompanying the family on these moves he was reared, as it were, on the frontier, becom¬ ing thoroughly familiar with agricultural life in a pioneer coun¬ try. In 1859 he removed to Wisconsin, from which state in 1861 he enlisted in the 12th Wisconsin Infantry, serving eight months, when he was discharged on account of sickness. After recovering he enlisted as a recruit in Company F, 3d Wisconsin Cavalry, as private, and when mustered out held the rank of orderly sergeant. It was while a soldier that he first came to this county in 1862, and he remained in this vicinity until mustered out of the service in 1865, when he returned to his home in Wisconsin for the win¬ ter. In 1866 he located here permanently and engaged in farming up to 1872, when he engaged in the mercantile business at Deer¬ field.

William J. Wainscott, one of the enterprising and hustling business men of Nevada, is a native of Kentucky and was born in Richmond, Lafayette county, April 23, 1855. He began his business career when 18 years of age as a traveling salesman for Messrs. Phillips, Grant & Co., manufacturers and wholesale dealers of boots and shoes, at St. Louis, and continued in that relation ten years. In 1883 he moved to Nevada and bought an interest in the Tyler Hardware & Furniture Company, of which he became sole owner after the death of Mr. Tyler, May 3, 1894, but immediately disposed of a part of the business of the house, retaining only the furniture and undertaking business, which was organized and merged into the Wainscott Furniture Com¬ pany, with Mr. Wainscott as president. Mr. Wainscott is a practical undertaker, thoroughly posted in all the minutiae of the business and holds the highest grade certificate as an embalmer.

The business* under his splendid management, has grown to large proportions and is the most extensive in its line in the city of Nevada or Vernon county, and its trade extends over a wide territory in every direction. Mr. Wainscott stands high in Masonic circles, being a Shriner and a member of Ararat Temple, of Kansas City. On April 17, 1884, he married Miss Mittie E. Sparks, of Lexington, Mo., and they have one son, named Richard . S. Mr. Wainscott is a worthy example of the up-to-date, pro¬ gressive, wideawake business man, and his various activities have accomplished results of which he may justly be proud.

Daniel Ward was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, February 22. 1829. He was the son of Charles Ward, a native of Ireland, who emigrated to America in 1818, here embarking in agricultural pursuits, his occupation previous to this having been that of a sailor. To himself and wife, formerly Miss Grace Fury, also of Irish nativity, fifteen children were born, twelve of whom grew to maturity. Daniel was the sixth child, and he grew up in the Buckeye State until ten years old, then accompanying his father to Ray county, Missouri, and later to Livingston county, from whence some time after, in 1841, lie turned towards southwest Missouri, settling in Cedar county. There his home continued to be for many years, and in that locality he gave close attention to the details of agricultural life. In 1853 Mr. AVard was united in marriage with Aliss Maria Ellis, of Montgomery county, Missouri, daughter of Spencer and Alary (Hudson) Ellis, the former of Richmond, Virginia, and the latter of Tenessee. Airs. AVard was the eldest of eleven children in her parents' family. She has borne her husband a family of seven children : Alice, wife of William Rinehart; Hamilton, Florence, Benjamin Davenport. Laura, wife of William Hudson; Patrick, Emmet and Eva, who married William Osborne. Mr. Ward located in this county in 1863. Mrs. Ward's father came to Vernon county as early as 1845, settling near Avola.

William H. Ward, who has been a resident of Harrison town¬ ship, Vernon county, Missouri, since 1875, is a prosperous and substantial farmer. He was born in Bourbon county, Kansas. December 13, 1866, and is the third child and one of four survivors of a family of six children born to A. G. and Mrs. (Wilson) Ward, both natives of Indiana. The father w^ent to Bourbon county, Kansas, in 1859, and moved thence to Vernon count3r. Missouri, with his wife and four children, in 1875. He settled on a tract of 200 acres in section 4, Harrison township, and there established the family home and passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring February 22, 1902. His widow, who was born in 1842, now lives on the old homestead.

William H. has always been engaged in farming operations, and is a man who keeps pace with modern improvements, and in his ideas and methods is thoroughly practical and up to date. He is a general farmer, but gives particular attention to raising wheat and oats and breeding fine horses. In political matters he supports the Republican party, and takes a live interest in its affairs. He is a member of Garland Lodge, No. 603, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

On January 17, 1899, Mr. Ward was united m marriage with Miss Cora Pippin, and there has been born to them one child. Ertie, by name, who was born September 22, 1901.

Henry J. Webber, late an honored citizens of Deerfield town¬ ship, Vernon county, Missouri, was born in Germany March 30. 1841, and came to this country with his parents when he was 10 years of age. The family settled in Pennsylvania, and here our subject learned the carpenters' trade and worked at it till his marriage, in 1864. He also owned and carried on a saw mill in Pennsylvania. In 1872 he moved to Atchison county, Missouri, and the same year removed to Vernon county and purchased and settled on 180 acres of land in section 35, Deerfield township. He

Mr. Webber acquired his schooling for the most part in Ger¬ many. He was fond of books and kept himself posted on current literature, and in touch with the trend of modern movement and affairs. But of all books, the Bible was his favorite, and by con¬ stant and careful reading and study of it he was well versed in its teachings and precepts.

In religious faith he was affiliated with the Methodist Epis- , copal Church South, and took an earnest and devout interest in church and Sunday School matters. In politics he adhered to the principles of the Democratic party. On August 24, 1864, Mr. Webber married Miss Elizabeth Schwalp, who was born Sep¬ tember 15, 1841. Five children were born to them, named, respectively, John E., born June 5, 1865, deceased; Mary L., born January 30, 1867, who is now deceased ; Christina, born October 18, 1868, married to J. S. McAllister, of Oklahoma ; Lewis J., born May 20, 1870, lives at home, married Ora Haines, a native of Vernon county; Ruben M., born January 30, 1867, deceased.

Burton Welch, a prosperous farmer of Vernon county, Mis¬ souri, was born on the farm he now owns, in section 36, Richland township, on December 14, 1873. He is the fourth child of a family of six children, born to Moses H. and Amilcla Susan (Amos) Welch. Their other children are Alice, born August 20, 1868, who is married to Mr. William Wheeler and lives in Colorado ; Alfred, who was born March 17, 1870, and lives in Oklahoma; Linna, who was born April 9, 1871, and is now the wife of Mr. E. I. Pottorf, of Nevada ; Charles, who was born April 20, 1875, and is now pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Exeter, Mo., and Ida S., who was born March 21, 1879, and now lives in Oregon, the wife of Mr. Robert Fryoer.

Moses H. Welch, our subject's father, was born September 8, 1840, in Warren county. Missouri. William J. Welch, father of Moses H. Welch and grandfather of Burton Welch, was born August 1, 1809, in Kentucky, and died in 1872. His wife, Frances S. Welch, was born in Canada December 1, 1815, died in 1862. William J. Welch located in Warren county, Missouri, in 1855, and later settled on 160 acres of land in section 36, Richland town- ship, which they secured as a grant from the United States Gov¬ ernment. Hoses H. Welch lived there with his parents till 1868, when he purchased land at the juncture of Lake Coal and Rich¬ land township, 316 acres in all. 80 acres being in Richland township, on which he built and established the family home, and where he died February 16. 1880. His wife, our subject's mother, whom he married September 7, 1867, was born May 9, 1845, and passed away April 30, 1879. At the time of his father's death, Burton Welch went to live with his aunt, Mrs. Laura L. Dale, in Box township, Cedar county. Missouri, and grew to manhood there, attending the district schools and working on the farm. In 1894, he left his adopted home and settled on a tract of land of little more than forty-six acres, which he inherited from his father's estate, in Lake township, which he improved, and on which he built a house. Three years later he bought forty acres in Richland township and twenty-six acres in Coal township, being portions of his father's former homestead, and moved his house onto the Richland township tract, north of which he had previously bought a forty-acre tract, so that his present farm comprises 154 acres of the land formerly owned by his father.

Mr. Welch is a practical, up-to-date farmer, progressive in his ideas and methods, and a man hiffhlv esteemed in the communitv. He is a Democrat, politically, but has found no time to give to political affairs, more than to perform his duties as a good citizen. He is a member of Deerfield Lodge, No. 790. Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and also belongs to Camp No. 3303, at Deerfield, Modern Woodmen of America. On March 26, 1875, Mr. Welch was united in marriage with [Miss Hattie Repass, who was born in Springfield, Mo., in May. 1876. to David and Sarah (Roberts) Repass, natives of West Virginia and Missouri, respectively.

Mr. and Mrs. Welch have a family of four children, named respectively, Richard L.. born February 5, 1900; Linna Marie, born March 30. 1902 ; Hubert V., born July 17, 1906, and Mildred May, born October 5, 1909.

Levi Welch, deceased. The parents of the subject of this sketch, Thomas and Nancy (Pryor) Welch, were both natives of Tennessee, though their ancestry can be traced back to Irish and

English families who became located in this country in an early dav. His father, Thomas Welch, was an old Revolutionary soldier and came to this continent during that struggle. He and all the family were murdered by the Indians, the son only escap¬ ing by secreting himself in a hollow log while the others were being horribly butchered; afterwards he joined Washington's army. He lived to be 110 years of age. Thomas Welch (Levi's father) died in 1849, and his widow in 1876. To them were born a family of seven children, four boys and three girls. Levi, whose name appears above first saw the light in White county, Ten¬ nessee, December 28, 1832. A son of a farmer, he early learned the details of an agricultural life and to know what hard work meant ; consequently his educational advantages were somewhat limited, though by no means neglected, as later years proved. In 1854 he went across the plains to California with a large drove of cattle, reaching his destination five months after starting, and remaining there from October until the following August, when he returned. In 1864 he took his family to California, but came from there to Vernon county, Missouri, in 1868, and this county was his home the balance of his life. Here he was numbered among the well-to-do, respected citizens of the county. His valua¬ ble farm of 326 acres was improved, evidence, as seen in its sur¬ roundings, of being the place of a progressive, intelligent agri¬ culturist. In 1856 Mr. Welch was married to Miss Rachel Pryor, who bore him eight children. In January, 1878, Miss Lydia Smith became Mr. W.'s second wife. In politics he was known as a stanch Democrat.

When a man acquires notoriety and gets in the public eye we naturally become curious, if not interested, in knowing his antecedents - his early history and boy-hoocl life, that we may, in our own mind, pass judgment on the man. Therefore, the fol¬ lowing sketch of Prof. Weltmer will no doubt be gratifying and interesting to most readers.

He came of a wealthy and prominent family, and as a young man was wealthy in his right, both by way of patrimony and acquirement. In the beginning of his married life he met with financial reverses, brought about by endorsing papers for friends. From these reverses he never recovered, seeming to have lost the ambition to become rich, and centered his entire force in studious pursuits.

He was married to Catherine Hull at Wooster, O. Catherine Hull was the daughter of George and Catherine (Kirkendall) Hull. Her father was born in Ireland, her mother in Wales. They moved to Virginia in 1810. They moved to Wayne county, Ohio, in 1819, her father being one of the first settlers of that county. She was born on August 19, 1819. She was educated in the common schools of her county, and finished her collegiate education in Denison University, being the first woman to gradu¬ ate from a collegiate course in the state of Ohio.

Abraham Weltmer removed from Pennsylvania to Wayne county about the year 1849. Shortly after he was married to Catherine Hull. To this union was born Elizabeth, who died in infancy ; Sarah E., February 29, 1855, who married Jacob Arison, and now resides at Snohomish, Wash. ; Sidney Abram, the subject of this sketch, born July 7, 1858, and John Edwin, born April 7, 1861, who married Jennie Noble, of Atchison county, Missouri, and now resides in Nevada, where he is associated with the sub¬ ject of this sketch as a professor and teacher of Suggestive Therapeutics.

The parents removed from Ohio to Missouri, landing in Tipton, where they remained one year. In the following April they removed to a farm purchased in Morgan county, six miles south¬ west of Tipton. Here the parents, with other pioneers, took up the work of rehabilitating the country from the ravages of the war. General Fremont's army was still camped at Tipton when they arrived there.

They remained on that place until 1880, when the parents removed with the younger son, John E., to Fairfax, in Atchison county. The farm on which they settled in Morgan county had been partially cleared before the war. After the settlement of

Here the subject of this sketch and the other children grew to manhood and womanhood, sharing, outside the home, all things common to the country at that time as to educational, social and religious privileges. The educational advantages in that dis¬ trict at that time were very meagre and it was fortunate for the family that both the father and mother were college-bred people, else the impetus which they have since manifested might have been lacking.

The family remained intact until 1879, when Sidney married Mary Genoa Stone, and removed to an adjoining farm. The same year the sister married and moved to Atchison county, where she was followed the next year by the parents and the youngest son, John Edwin.

In Atchison county, in 1882, Abraham Weltmer died. In 1892 or 1893 the daughter, Mrs. Arison, removed to Snohomish, Wash., accompanied by Catherine Weltmer, the mother, who died ther$ in January, 1900. The subject of this sketch brought her body from the state of Washington to Atchison county, Missouri, and laid her beside her husband.

As intimated above, the subject of this sketch settled with his parents in Morgan county, Missouri, in April, 1866, being then eight years of age. There were no school houses within reach of them, ail having been destroyed during the Civil War. One church was left standing, situated a mile and a quarter east of the parents' home.

In 1867 a subscription school was started by a traveling school teacher, who was passing through the country, and the school was conducted in this church. Sidney Abram Weltmer attended this school, but at the beginning of the fourth week of this term the teacher was wanted on some charge connected with the guerilla warfare of preceding years, and was escorted out of the country by an armed posse.

This terminated the public opportunities for an education for three years. However, from the very beginning of the family's residence in Morgan county, the mother assumed the role of teacher and began the systematic education of her children. This was continued uninterruptedly as long as the family held together, until Sidney was twenty-one years old and all public schooling

In his fourteenth year Sidney formed the acquaintance of Dr. J. W. Brent, of Tipton, Mo., who, having observed the studious habits of the boy, offered to lend him books from his medical library. This offer was eagerly accepted, with the result that he became an ardent student of the subject of medicine. This he continued until his twentieth year, at which time he discontinued his study on account of failing health. The story of this period of his life is best told by his oldest son, Ernest Weltmer, in a book entitled "Realization."

When twelve years of age he was superintendent of a Sunday School; with his mother's help, and that of Mrs. Campbell, a little nucleus of a library was secured. That year a union Sun¬ day School picnic was held and he was chosen as representative of all. He prepared a speech on Robert Raikes, the founder of the Sunday School, in which work he had the assistance of Dr. J. H. McLean, of St. Louis.

On this occasion, Prof. Simpson, the county school commis¬ sioner, was to give the address of the day, but something pre¬ vented him from attending and Sidney Weltmer was left to fill the gap made by his absence.

Sidney had prepared his speech very carefully, giving a care¬ ful history of the Sunday School work, so acceptably filling the place for an hour that they dubbed him "Professor," which appellation has clung to him through all the years of his work, and thus his public career began in his thirteenth year at a Sunday School picnic. That religious interest increased until in his fifteenth year, through communication with an aunt in Ohio, who was wealthy, she, in appreciation of what he had written her, sent him a religious library of several hundred books, which he at first assembled in the Sunday School of which he was superintendent and a regular attendant. Afterwards he divided it up among the four other Sunday Schools which constituted the union. It was through his activity in Sunday School work as a public speaker that he was voted a license to preach in the Baptist Church, of which he was a member.

After the recovery of his health he devoted his time to edu¬ cational work. On October 8, 1879, he was married to Mary Genoa Stone, daughter of Benjamin and Nancy E. (Adair) Stone.

To this union were born eight children, three of whom died in infancy, the remaining five being Cyrus, Silas Woodson, Stella Truman, Tracy Carleton and Beulah Ethel, all of whom live in Nevada, the sons being associated in the conducting of the busi¬ ness of the Weltmer Institute of Suggestive Therapeutics Com¬ pany with their father, Silas Woodson being the only one married.

During his study of medicine he became acquainted with the editors of the 1 'Tipton Times," and was induced by them to learn the art of printing, which he did, studying half the day in- the printing office, reading medicine the other half and attending to the chores on the farm morning and evening, riding six miles between.

In 1880 he began his work as a teacher in the public schools. Having had no experience in the school room his ideas were naturally original and his methods differed from those then in use, he having gleaned his knowledge of the subject of pedagogy from school journals and current literature relating to the history of education in the actual spirit of the newer things, and he found himself antagonized by the teachers of the county. This, however, did not injure his standing in the district where he taught.

In 1885 he built a private school at Akinsville and named it the Akinsville Normal School. This was for the purpose of obtaining and applying his broader ideas of what was then known as the new education. This school was conducted for five years, when he sold it to other parties and returned to the farm, teach¬ ing winter terms of school and farming and traveling for school book houses between times.

One of the principal reforms which he introduced in the schools of his county was the establishment of school libraries in most of the districts. Having a distinctly library spirit culti¬ vated, he found very attractive a proposition submitted to him by a library company in Des Moines, la. In November, 1892, he took employment with this library company and went to the city of Sedalia and organized a public library.

The capital stock of this library was $5,000, all of which was expended for books furnished by the library company. He was then elected librarian. This library was established in July, 1893.

Mr. Meltmer at once began his duties as librarian and secured the donation of all the books held by various societies and former libraries, to the public library, establishing the institution in the basement of the Court House, where some rooms were furnished by the County Court for that purpose.

He remained as nominal librarian until in 1895, by a vote of the people, it was given public support. He retained the key as librarian until in 1900, when Andrew Carnegie gave the city a public library building.

During the latter part of 1893 and in 1894, while nominally public librarian, he took a position with the Central Business Col¬ lege of Sedalia as teacher of mathematics and English and general solicitor for the school. It was during the periods of the organ¬ ization and establishment of this library that he became interested in the study of the occult sciences by hypnotism, suggestion and kindred subjects, and in February, 1897, came to Nevada and laid the foundations for the establishment of the Institute of Sug¬ gestive Therapeutics.

David F. Welton,* one of the prosperous and substantial farm¬ ers of Coal township, in Vernon county, Missouri, is a native of Vernon, Indiana, and was born June 10, 1864, the son of Archibald S. and Elizabeth Melton. The father, who was a native of Ohio, moved to Vernon county and was a prosperous farmer and stockman. and at the time of his decease, January 2, 1901. owned three hundred acres of land. He was a Republican in political opinion and in religious faith a Baptist. The mother passed away May 30, 1908. David F. grew up on the family homestead, acquired a common school education, and had such exneriences as commonly

On October 6, 1893, he was united in marriage with Miss Emma Besonceny, whose family came from Tennessee and who passed away August 29, 1898, without issue. Mr. Melton now owns the family homestead, which is situated in sections twelve and thir¬ teen, Coal township, and devotes himself to general farming, giv- ing particular attention to breeding and feeding hogs for the market. He has his place handsomely improved and well stocked and equipped, and is justly counted among the progressive farm¬ ers of the community.

Enoch B. Weyand, who has been a resident of Vernon county, Missouri, thirty-four years, is a native of Marion county, Ohio, and was born September 11, 1834, to Daniel and Eliza (Beckley) Weyand. The parents were born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania; the father on May 11, 1807, and the mother on March 16, 1810. Their respective families moved to Marion county, Ohio, where they soon afterward married and settled on a farm. Four years later, in 1836, they moved with a yoke of black oxen to Cass county, Indiana (making the journey in twenty-one days, on nineteen of which it rained), and settled on a claim of 160 acres, which they purchased from the govern¬ ment a year or two later when it was put on the market at a $1.25 per acre. The father was a thrifty farmer and owned at the time of his decease 500 acres of land.

Both were worthy members of the Christian Church, and he was many years an elder in that body. They both passed their lives on this Indiana homestead, where the mother died in 1889, and the father on March 16, 1895. They had a family of seven sons, all of whom grew to mature manhood, the first to pass away being the second, who died at the age of 46 years. Our subject and the youngest son, George W. Weyand, of Royal Center, Ind., are now (1911) the only survivors.

Enoch B. attended "subscription schools" in Indina and lived on the home farm till he attained his majority, when he married and settled on forty acres of wild land given him by his father. This he cleared and grubbed and improved with a frame house and other buildings, and brought under a good state of cultivation, adding to it at a later date another forty-acre tract.

In February, 1865, Mr. Weyand enlisted in Company "F, " One Hundred and Fifty-first Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served in the Union army till September of that year, when he was honorably discharged, the war being over.

for Missouri, and arrived at the home of his cousin, Judge E. S. T\ eyand, on March 12 following. Here he remained one year and then leased and moved on to a tract of land on the Osage river, in Metz township. In 1882 he purchased eighty acres in section 30, Metz township, adding to it a forty-acre tract at a later date, and here made his home with his family, engaged in general farming, till February 22, 1902, when he retired from active work and moved to his present home in Metz.

Mr. Weyand has been an elder in the Christian Church more than fifty years, and is active in the Sunday School of the local body. He is widely known as a singer, and in early life taught vocal music, and ever since he was 17 years of age has led the choir in the Sunday School.

On May 12, 1855, Mr. V eyand was united in marriage with Miss Phoebe J. Grant, born August 22, 1840, the daughter of V illiam and Mary (Martin) Grant, natives of Ohio. Mrs. Grant passed away January 25, 1879, leaving a family of eight children as follows : Hattie, who is married to Mr. R, H. Tremain, of Iuka. Kan., and has four children, viz. : Minnie, Jay, Stella and Alice, the last named being married to Mr. Edgar Smith ; Eliza, the wife of Mr. J. R. Quinn, of Beaver City, Okla., who has seven children, viz.: Nora, wife of Wallace Quinn; Arthur, Jennie, wife of Harmon Fox ; Enoch, Martin, Orvil and Orveta. Lottie, a widow, who was married to Mr. William Brewer, and who died about 1886, leaving one son, Charles P. Hultz, by name; Leonard, who lives in Colorado Springs, and who married Miss Emma Weir, of Kansas, and has one child, viz. : Ella, who is married to Mr. Simpson; Alice, the wife of Mr. John McFeeley, of Kansas City, Mo., who has four children, viz. : Grace, Henry and Harry, twins, and Hvle ; Ella, who tvas married to Mr. John V. Coats, and who died February 26, 1910; Emma, who is married to Mr. Henry Kinney, of Horton, Vernon county, has two children, viz. : Mattie, wife of George Robinson, and Hattie ; and Nettie, who is the wife of Mr. Richard T. Cox, of Richards, \ ernon county, and has four children, named, respectively, Essie, Glessie, Rex and Grace Reola Richards.

On March 14, 1886, Mr. Weyand married Mrs. Martha (McKee) Humble, who was born in Belfast, Ireland, May 28, 1840, and came to this country with her parents in 1842. She passed away April 16, 1908, and on February 28, 1911, Mr. Weyand married Mrs. Josephine (Smith) Ramsey, his present wife. She was born in Nodaway county, Missouri, October 10, 1862, and is a daughter of Gustavis and Mary A. (Riley) Smith, natives of California and Louisville, Ky., respectively. Both Mr. and Mrs. Weyand are members of the Modern Brotherhood of America, and he belongs to Mount McGregor Post, Grand Army of the Republic.

Enoch S. Weyand* was born in Richland township, Vernon county, Missouri, February 15, 1860, and is the fourth child of a family of six children born to Judge Enoch S. and Caroline (Dickinson) Weyand, their other children being Washington P., now a resident of Richards, Vernon county; Milicent, who is mar¬ ried to L. B. White, of Weiner, Arkansas; Archibald B., of Golden City, Missouri; Tillman II., who died September 14, 1878, and Marion L., who passed away February 8, 1864.

The Weyand family is of German-English lineage. Peter Weyand, our subject's grandfather, was born November 29, 1798, in Pennsylvania, and there learned the hatter's trade and later engaged in mercantile business. He moved to Ohio in 1834 and in 1838 settled in what became Vernon county, Missouri, where he died January 7, 1847. He married July 12, 1821, Rebecca Yocum, who was born November 21, 1801, on a farm included in the present site of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and who passed away April 3, 1860, leaving three children, viz., William Henry, who was born in Pennsylvania, March 29, 1832 ; Enoch S., our subject's father, who was born October 4, 1824, in Perry county, Pennsylvania, and Jane, who is married to Elijah Rhea, of Ver¬ non county.

Our subject's father was fourteen years old when his parents removed to Missouri and settled in Vernon county, and he grew to manhood here, and it was his pride and claim that he was a thorough Missourian in all that the name implies.

At the close of the Civil War he was appointed county judge of Vernon county and helped in its reorganization ; was subse¬ quently elected to the same office and then re-elected, but resigned before the expiration of this last term. He was a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and in 1858 was licensed to preach. In the fall of the following year he began traveling as a supply preacher, and for a year and a half was on the Fort

Scott circuit, in Bourbon county, Kansas, and then spent a year supplying on the Nevada circuit. He had an extensive acquaint¬ ance throughout southwestern Missouri and was universally esteemed and beloved as an upright citizen and a man of the highest ideals of Christian manhood. After 1880 Judge AVeyand, on account of impaired and failing health, made his home at Eureka Springs and passed away there in 1888, leaving to his family and a wide circle of friends the memory of a well-spent life and the heritage of an honored name. His wife, our sub¬ ject's mother, a native of Licking county, Ohio, and a daughter of Humphrey Dickenson, once a resident of Vernon county, died at t e ci home in Richland township, Vernon county, January 19, 1877. Enoch S., our subject, acquired a common school educa¬ tion and grew to manhood on the family homestead, and from the time he attained his majority till 1910, when he sold his farm and moved into Nevada, was a successful and prosperous farmer. He was a man of influence in his community, served on the school * board, was a member of the town board and a number of years served as justice of the peace. He is a Democrat in political sen¬ timent and action, a member of the Modern IVoodmen of America, and in religious faith and fellowship is affiliated with the Metho¬ dist Episcopal Church.

Airs. AAeyand's father settled in Richland township in 1876 and was one of the largest and most prosperous land owners and stockmen in that section, owning six hundred acres, finely im¬ proved and highly cultivated.

John Adam A oung went to California in 1850 and after six years of financial success returned east and lived in Bourbon county, Kansas, till his settlement in AYrnon county in 1858. He first settled on Chaslow Creek in 1859 and lived there till 1876. when he moved to section thirty in Richland township, where he established the family homestead and where he died, July 25,

1895, at the age of sixty-seven years. Ilis wife, Catherine, who was born in 1833, died July 14, 1900. They had a family of six children, Mrs. Weyand being the third in order of birth. Of the others William T. was born in 1851 and died in 1901 ; Charles K. resides in Marceline, Missouri ; Joseph lives in Richland township ; Frank A. died in 1881, and John Adam, Jr., who is also deceased.

Hon. Enoch S. Weyand. There are but few, if any, persons living within the boundaries of Vernon county to whom the name of Judge E. S. Weyand is not as familiar almost as a household word. It is proper, therefore, that mention should be made of him in this connection. He was of German-English origin, an¬ cestors of his parents having been natives of Germany and Eng¬ land. Peter Weyand, his father, was a Pennsylvanian by birth, born November 29, 1798. He was brought up in that state, learned the trade of hatter, and afterwards engaged in mercan¬ tile pursuits, subsequently going to Ohio in 1834. where he lived until removing to Missouri in 1838. His location was made in what is now Vernon county, and here he lived until his death, January 7, 1847. The maiden name of his wife (to whom he was married July 12, 1821) was Rebecca Yocum, and her birth oc¬ curred November 21, 1801, upon a farm now included in the site of Philadelphia. She died April 3, 1860, leaving three children : William Henry, born in Pennsylvania, March 29, 1832 ; Enoch S., and Jane, now Mrs. Elijah Rhea, of this county. Enoch S. Wey¬ and first saw the light October 4, 1824, in Perry county, Pennsyl¬ vania. He lived in his native state until eleven years of age, then accompanying his father to Ohio, from whence he came to (the present) Vernon county, Missouri, in 1838. He was principally reared in Missouri. Immediately after the war he was appointed county judge and afterwards helped in its reorganization; sub¬ sequently he was elected and later re-elected to the same posi¬ tion, but resigned before his term expired. In July, 1858, he was licensed to preach in the AT. E. Church South and in the fall of 1859 commenced traveling, preaching as a supply one and a half years on the Fort Scott circuit, in Bourbon county, Kansas. In the fall of 1865 and for a year after he traveled as a supply on the Nevada City circuit. October 14, 1845, Judge Weyand was married to Miss Carolina Dickinson, of Licking county, Ohio, daughter of Humphrey Dickinson, once a resident of this county.

She died January 19, 1877, leaving six children: "Washington P., Tillman H., died September 14, 1878; Milicent, Mrs. L. B. White, Marion L., died February 8, 1864; Archibald A., and Enoch S. Archibald A. Weyand was born in this county May 6, 1857, and both he and his brother, Enoch, were reared to a farm experience. The former was married in 1884 to Miss Rosa Williams, of Penn¬ sylvania. E. S. Weyand, also a native of Vernon county, born Feb¬ ruary 15, 1860, married Miss Lydia Jane Young, of Bourbon county, Kansas, February 27, 1881.

Washington P. Weyand, who was born in Metz township, Vernon county, Missouri, December 6, 1846, and is the eldest child of Enoch S. and Caroline (Dickison) Weyand, the former born October 4, 1824, in Perry county, Pennsylvania, and the latter a native of Licking county, Ohio. They were married October 14, 1845, and the mother passed away January 19, 1877.

Washington P. acquired his education in "subscription schools'' of Metz township and in the private school of Mr. J. H. Wardin, at Ballstown, and lived on the home farm with his parents until he attained his majority, teaching school one year. In 1868 he was put in charge of the county and circuit clerks' and recorders' office at the court house in Nevada, and in the fall of 1870 was elected clerk of Vernon county, taking his office on January 1 following, and serving four years. Prior to this Mr. Weyand had bought a quarter section of land in Coal town¬ ship, whither he moved in the spring of 1875. He improved this farm with a substantial farm house, barns and other buildings and lived here, engaged in farming operations till 1902, when he removed to his present home in Richland township. Mr. Weyand has always been an influential man in the community and has filled numerous local offices, having been justice of the peace and notary public since 1875, and also having served many years as township trustee. In politics he has always adhered to the prin¬ ciples of the Democratic party. He became a stockholder of the Richards Bank in 1903, and since that date has served as secre¬ tary of its board of directors. In religious faith and fellowship he is affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church South, at Richards, in which he has been steward, recording steward and trustee for twenty-five years last past.

native male resident of Vernon county. On June 25, 1871, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah J. Harris, who was born in Tennessee in 1849, a daughter of John G. and Caroline ( Shrop¬ shire) Harris, both natives of that state. They moved to Fort Scott, Kan., about 1853, and in 1868 came to Vernon county, settling first in Richland township and later removing to Coal township, where the mother passed away in 1877, and the father about 1882. Mrs. Weyand died December 25, 1908. Of six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Weyand, Fannie C., born May 16, 1875, is married to Mr. Albert Pettibon, of Deerfield, Mo., and lias four children, viz. : Hulda, Alva, Herbert and Gaylord Petti¬ bon ; Harry L., born March 16, 1880, lives on the home farm ; he married Miss Hester J. Russell, a daughter of Charles C. Russell, of Richards. Mary L., born February 22, 1883, is the wife of Mr. Emmett M. Vetter, of Richards, and has three children, viz.: Mildred, Ralph and Rachael, twins ; Gertrude, born June 11, 1885, is married to Ezra II. Hoobler, of Newton county, Missouri, and has four children, viz. : Oscar, Marcellus, Glenna and Ella ; Nettie J., born April 16, 1888, is the wife of Mr. Jay Simmons, of Green River, Utah, and has three children, viz. : Powell, Wayne and Gladys; and Janie, born August 6, 1890, is married to Mr. Walter E. Wright and resides at Heavner, Okla.

Charles Franklin White was born in Dade county, Missouri, in 1842, and died in Nevada, Mo., November 26, 1911. He was the youngest son of Eber E. and Frances L. (Smith) White. His parents were married in Tennessee, their native state, and moved to Dade county in an early day, where they entered a large tract of government land near Greenfield, Mo., and reared their familjT and passed their lives. The farm is now owned by C. F. White's youngest son, Paul Thomas White, now fifteen years old.

C. F. White attended the public school in Dade county and later the academy at Springfield, Mo., and at Bonham, Texas. The school at Bonham being under the supervision of Robert Graham and Charles Carlton, whose memories he loved and cherished as long as he lived. The Civil War broke out before his school days were over, and he enlisted in the Confederate Army at the age of eighteen, joining Company B, of Col. D. C. Hunter's regiment, where he served as a brave soldier until its close, and was ever active in ex-Confederate organizations as long as lie lived. After returning from the war, he turned his attention to mercantile pursuits, farming and stock raising, being for a time at Greenfield, Dadeville and Areola, Mo. Was also engaged in the mercantile business with his son, Clyde C. White, at Nevada, Mo., in 1892 and 1893, and being quite successful, had accumulated considerable of this world's goods.

He was married to Miss Mary J. Ewell, a daughter of Pleas¬ ant E>. and Julia A. (Young) Ewell, who settled on a farm in Virgil township, Vernon county, Missouri, in 1865, when Mrs. White was eight years old. Her father was a native of Tennessee and her mother of Kentucky. Her father now resides at Gar¬ field, Wash., being eighty-four years of age.

Jacob Ditzler White was born forty-two years ago on May 8, 1868, on the farm he now occupies in Bichland township, Vernon county, Missouri. He is the eldest of two surviving children of Henry and Sarah J. (Fry) White, the other being Mary H., who was born February 26, 1872, and is married to Mr. T. J. McCord, of Henry township, Vernon county; the other child, Sarah E. White, born December 30, 1877, died August 20, 1900.

Our subject's father, Henry White, at one time owned about 120 acres of land near the center of Kicliland township, where he lived two years, making his home the remainder of the time on his father's farm, now owned by Jacob D. He was an influential man in the community, a Boyal Arch Mason, and many years an active and devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He passed away September 13, 1901. His widow, Sarah J., is a native of Eichland township and was born November 21, 1847, and since the fall of 1849 has had her home in Vernon county. Her father was a soldier and a member of the Company of Dragoons who were stationed at Ft. Scott, Kans., in the early 40 's. About that time she, who afterwards became his wife, moved with her family from Tennessee, her native state, to Harrisonville, Cass county, Missouri. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Fry, about 1845. settled on a farm in Vernon county, whence they moved to Harrisonville, Mrs. Fry's early home, in the spring of 1849, and she died there soon afterwards. Upon her decease, Air. Fry joined the United States Army and was sent to Independence, Mo., where he died of cholera, a month after the death of his wife. Their only child, our subject's mother, was taken after their decease and reared by her uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Hale, of Vernon county, and since her husband's death, has made her home with her son.

Jacob D. acquired his education in the district schools of Richland township and the high school at Nevada and lived onthe family homestead till his father's decease. In 1893 he bought the farm of 265 acres in sections 28 and 33, formerly owned by his grandmother, Mrs. E. J. White, and on which he was born, and has since bought 190 acres in section 22, making in all 455 acres in Richland township. Mr. White carries on general farm¬ ing, but for many years has given special attention to breeding and raising high grade stock, especially Poland-China swine.

Mr. White adheres to the principles of the Democratic party, but has never sought or cared for office. He is a Royal Arch Mason, and a Master in his lodge, and also belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America and the Order of Eastern Star.

On March 6, 1888, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary D. Collins, who was born in Mason county, Illinois, May 21, 1868. Her parents, James and Mary (Stufflebeam) Collins, the former born near Memphis, Tenn., in February, 1839, and the latter in Indiana, 1849, after their marriage lived in Illinois till 1871, when they moved to Kansas, whence they returned in 1881 and settled on a farm in Richland township; they went to Colorado in 1889, returned in 1893 to Vernon county, their present home.

In religious faith and fellowship the several members of the family are affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which Mr. White's mother has been a devoted member since 1858.

Sheldon A. Wight, a prominent lawyer and influential business man of Nevada, Vernon county, Missouri, is a native of St. Law¬ rence county, New York, and a son of Alexander and Anna

(Sheldon) Wight, both natives of New York. The father was a prosperous farmer, and in 1867 moved with his family to Vernon county, Missouri, where he passed away in 1877. Sheldon A. grew up as a farmer hoy and attended the common schools at Gouverneur, and later studied at Fairfield Academy. His ambi¬ tion was to fit himself for the legal profession, and with this purpose in view he became a student in the law office of Mr. E. B. Winn., at Watertown, N. Y. In 1861 he enlisted in the army and, as a member of the Thirty-fifth Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, took part in numerous battles, notably those of Manassas, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg and Chancelorsville and proved himself a brave soldier. After his honorable discharge Mr. Wight resumed his legal studies at the Albany Law School, where he was graduated with the class of 1864. Soon thereafter he went to Fort Scott, Kan., with a view to locating, but, in 1865, took up his residence in Nevada and began his legal practice, in which he has been eminently success¬ ful, being recognized as one of the ablest men of the profession in the state. Mr. Wight also, in connection with his professional work, became extensively engaged in real estate operations and acquired a vast amount of land and other property, owning at that time some 2,000 or more acres, and it Avas he who laid out the town of Sheldon, which bears his name.

Mr. Wight has never sought political office, but in 1870, with¬ out solicitation on his part, he was sent to the state legislature and, in 1874, was elected to the state senate. Here he served on the committee on banks and corporations and on the judiciary committee, and discharged his duties in a way to win popular and well deserved approval. Mr. Wight was elected mayor of Nevada in 1900 and re-elected in 1902, therefore serving four years.

Mr. Wight is known for his executive and financial abilities, and for years served as financial agent of Vernon county. For more than a quarter of a century he has been connected with Thornton Bank of Nevada as legal adviser or director, and at the present time (1911) is president of that strong financial institution, which ranks with the most substantial banks in Missouri. Mr. Wight stands high in Masonic circles and is a member of the Knights Templar.

leaving* three children, named, respectively, Katie, Douglass and Frances H. Wight. On January 13, 1886, he married Miss Agnes Barr, a native of Illinois.

John Wiley is a successful farmer and substantial citizen of Mounclville township, Vernon county, Missouri. He was born in North Carolina, November 27, 1845, the third child of a family of five children, born to Norwood and Alice (Gossip) Wiley, both natives of that state. The mother passed away in 1863 and the father, a carpenter by trade, died in 1894.

John attended the common schools till he was fifteen years old and remained with his parents till he attained his majority. A little later, on October 1, 1867, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Neff, and there have been born to them four children, viz.: Robert W., who was born March 27, 1870; Edward F., born October 30, 1872; Nannie Belle, born January 12, 1876, and Franklin Norwood, who was born September 8, 1878.

Mr. Wiley is a thoroughly practical and systematic farmer, a public-spirited citizen and stands high in the esteem of his friends and neighbors.

Hamite A. Wilhoit, of Richland township, Vernon county, Missouri, was born in Oldham county, Kentucky, September 22, 1838, the second child of a family of eleven children born to Gib¬ son and Amanda (Hardin) Wilhoit, both natives of that state. They moved from Kentucky with five children to Lafayette county, Missouri, in 1839, and lived on land which is the site of the present town of Odessa, till 1868, when they settled in Vernon county, their home being in section 1, Richland township, where they passed their lives. Their eldest child was drowned while traveling across the plains on his way to California. Their two surviving children, besides our subject, are : Dennison Wilhoit, who lives near Charleston, Ark., and Mary Eliza, the wife of Mr. Benjamin F. Potter, of Metz, Vernon county.

Hamite A. lived with his parents till he reached manhood, and in 1861 enlisted in an infantry regiment of the Confederate Army, which was disbanded after three months, after which he joined a cavalry regiment and served till tlie end of the war. In 1865 he went to New Mexico, but returned at the end of four months and lived with his parents till the fall of 1866. After his marriage he cultivated leased land for a time and in the fall of 1868 moved with his family to Vernon county and bought and settled on forty acres of land in section 1 Richland township, where he has since had his home. He now owns 160 acres in that section, besides 260 acres in section 6, Lake township, and 43 acres of timber land in Metz township. Mr. Wilhoit, in his farming operations, has given particular attention to buying, raising and feeding for the market, cattle, hogs and mules, with marked success, and is counted among the well-to-do citizens of his community. Fie is a Democrat in political opinion, but has never held office.

On September 16, 1867, Mr. Wilhoit was united in marriage with Miss Martha Potter, who was born in Indiana in 1846. Mrs. Wilhoit died August 14, 1876.

Of two children born to them, Allie, who was married to Mr. Ira McConnayhey, died December 23, 1884, and Julia passed* away, at the age of fourteen years, March 18, 1890.

In 1879 Mr. Wilhoit married Mary E. Bradley, a native of Jackson county, Missouri, and they have four children, viz. : Ella, who lives with her parents; James, who lives in Lake town¬ ship; Lulu, the wife of Mr. James Potter, of Nevada; and Jessie, who lives in Richland township.

Charles Wilker, who has lived in Vernon county, Missouri, since he was a young lad, is a native of St. Charles county, Mis¬ souri, and was born October 27, 1863. He comes of German ancestry, his parents being John H. and Mary (Lambrock) Wilker. The father came to this country from Germany, his native land, and settled in St. Charles county, Missouri, in the early days, and lived there till 1858, when he moved to Bates county, but returned to St. Charles county in 1863. Soon afterwards he came to Vernon county and in the fall of 1869 bought 105 acres of land in section 11, Moundville township, and there established the family home. He was a prosperous and thrifty farmer, and dealt extensively in cattle, and owned, at the time of his decease, in 1884, 360 acres of land. He was an upright citizen and in political opinion a Democrat.

Charles acquired his early education in the district school of Vernon county, which he attended till he was nineteen years old. He lived at home till he attained his majority and after his father's death, worked the home farm for his mother. At the age of twenty-three, on February 8, 1887, lie was united in mar¬ riage with Miss Alver Thornhill, and after his marriage settled with his wife on an eighty-acre tract in section 10, Moundville township, which he inherited from his father's estate. He has since purchased other land and now owns 300 acres of highly productive, fertile land, well stocked and finely improved. Mr. Wilker has given particular attention to breeding and feeding for the market, cattle and hogs, and has been eminently success¬ ful in his operations.

Mr. and Mrs. Wilker have two children, viz.: Francis Elmer, who was born September 10, 1888, and Genevieve Pearl, who was born October 2, 1890.

John R. Wilkerson, a native of Badger township, Vernon county, was born January 30, 1855, and is the second of six sur¬ vivors of a family of twelve children born to Thomas W. and Orrie Ann (Bradford) Wilkerson, natives of Smith county, Ten¬ nessee, where the father was born September 25, 1825. The other surviving children are James, who lives in Montevallo township; Thomas D. and Jefferson D., of Hill county, Texas; Mrs. J. B. Grimsley, of Stamford, Texas, and Mrs. W. C. Caldwell, of Hills¬ boro, Texas. The parents settled in Badger township, Vernon county, Missouri, where the father located a claim in 1854. After the opening of the Civil War he enlisted under Colonel Hunter in the Missouri Home Guards, and when General Price came through the county, joined the Confederate Army and served till the close of the war, after which he joined his family in Arkansas, whither they moved about 1863, taking with them their slaves, also those belonging to Dr. Badger and three other families. Dr. Badger's slave returned to him in the spring of 1866 and in the fall of that year Mr. Wilkerson 's family returned to their home. In 1870 they sold their farm to Mr. Ewell, of Bentonville, Arkansas, and moved to Benton county, Arkansas, where the mother died in 1873. The father then made his home with his, children till 1894. when, in company with his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Caldwell, he went to Hill county,

Texas, where lie passed away July 5, 1910, aged eighty-four years, nine months and ten days. Mr. Wilkerson was a man of upright, sterling character, a devoted husband and indulgent father, and after his wife's death took the place of both father and mother to his younger children and left his family the best and most cherished of all heritages, the influence and example of a noble, manly life. He was a Democrat in political affairs and at the time of his decease was affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church, with which he united after moving to Hillsboro, Texas.

John R. acquired his early education in Vernon county, and in Benton county, Arkansas, and grew up on the farm in the last named place; returning to Vernon county in 1873, he made his home with his uncle, Mr. Dick Butler, of Badger township, and attended school that and the following year at the old Badger school house. On January 13, 1875, he was united in marriage with Miss Emily A. Badger, who was born April 15, 1854, in Badger township, to Dr. Albert and Sarah E. (Halley) Badger, of that place.

Mrs. Wilkerson 's father was born near Hadlvme, Connecticut, in 1817, and died March 14, 1911. Her mother passed away in 1865, at the age of fifty-seven years. They had a family of eight children, Mrs. Wilkerson being their first born. The other five survivors are: Mrs. T. J. Myers, of Nevada, Missouri; Mrs. Elizabeth Barrows, of Rich Hill; Mrs. Harry Rhodes, of Blue Mound township; Albert H. Badger, of Nampa, Idaho, and Mrs. J. K. Hill, of Nevada.

After his marriage, Mr. Wilkerson moved to Benton county, Arkansas, and gave his attention to farming till the fall of 1880. Returning then to Vernon county, he settled on a farm of eighty acres in section 16, Virgil township, a gift from Dr. Badger, and there the family have since made their home.

Mr. Wilkerson is a man of domestic tastes, devoted to his family and home and among his neighbors and friends is esteemed for his genuine, manly worth. He is a Democrat in political matters, but has never held or desired political office.

Of the twelve children born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilkerson, eight are now - 1911 - living ; these are : Alberta and Jessie twins, who live in Virgil township, the former the wife of Mr. 0. M. Palmer, and the latter of Mr. George Zaring; Kate, the wife of Mr. Ed. Eshinger. of Virgil township ; Nellie, who is married to Mr. L. A.

Leuty, of Nevada; Oscar, who resides in Livingston, Mon.; Sadie, the wife of Mr. Frank Doubet, of Nevada, and Ernest and Lelah A., who reside with their parents.

E. P. Williams, who was born in North Wales, January 1, 1849, is a son of Robert and Elizabeth (Prichett) Williams, both natives of that country. He spent his boyhood in his native country and when nineteen years old came to this country. He first found employment in Kansas City, Mo., and spent six months -as a street laborer there. Then going to Fort Scott, he worked two years in the coal mines, and, in 1886, came to Vernon county and bought and settled with his wife and eight children on 120 acres of land in section 31, Harrison township. Mr. Williams is a thoroughly practical farmer, and has his place well stocked and finely improved and gives particular attention to raising cattle and growing hay.

In August, 1873, Mr. Williams was united in marriage with Miss Winnie Hughes, of Fort Scott. Of eight children born to them, the six who are now living are: Mary, born September 4, 1879; Robert L., born August 17, 1881; Jennie, born March 4, 1883; Ellen, born February 18, 1885; Winnie, born March 20, 1888, and Frances, who was born December 25, 1889.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Williams are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Arcadia, Kansas. The whole family are consistent members of the same church.

Hugh E. Williams, a native of Missouri, was born in John¬ son county, March 1, 1866, and is the second child of a family of six children born to Hugh L. and Margaret E. (Baker) Williams, natives of North Carolina and Tennessee, respectively. Of the early history of this branch of the Williams family little is known except that members of the family three generations back, immigrating from Wales, settled in North Carolina. Our subject's maternal grandfather, James H. Baker, was a pioneer Baptist minister in Missouri and served a number of years as pastor of different churches in Johnson and Camden counties, and spent his last days in Vernon county, where he died in 1880. Our subject's parents settled in Missouri more than fifty years

Of their * six children Dora, the eldest, is married to James E. McGrew, of Wheatland, Wyo.; Sallie M. is the wife of D. F. Jordon and lives at Sheldon, Mo.; Emma C. is the wife of Dr.

0. D. Sharpe and lives at Neodesha, Kans. ; Ida M. is married to Mr. A. S. Dyer and their home is in St, Joseph, Mo., and Mary Ethel, the youngest, is married to Mr. A. G. Trinder, and they live

Our subject's parents moved to Vernon county when he was six months old and he grew up on his father's farm there and acquired his education in the public schools. Y hen tw enty years old he engaged in mercantile business with his father at Sheldon, under the firm name of Y illiams & Son, and so continued se^ en years with good success. Mr. Y illiams then spent four j ears clerking in the mercantile house of Col. IT. C. Mooie, at ise^ada, after which he spent three years with the Goss & Glenn Clothing Company. He next associated himself with Mr. Albert YT. Jones . in the abstract business, and so continued one year, when Mr. Jones sold his interest to Mr. Edric L. Pottorf, and the present firm of Williams & Pottorf was formed. This was in 1902. Besides a large abstract business, the firm deals extensively in buying and selling real estate, negotiates farm loans and places insurance, and is widely known as one of the leading business concerns of Nevada. Mr. Williams is a thorough man of affairs and is interested in whatever relates to the welfare of his city and community. He is actively identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern W oodmen of America. On December 21, 1897, he married Miss Ruby B., daughter of Joseph H. and Martha C. (Bradshaw) Stearnes, of Nevada, and they have four children, named respectively, Roger S., Edwin P., Herbert L. and Eugene B.

Mr. Williams is an active member of the Baptist Church and it may be said of the Williams family that their loyalty to and work for the Baptist Church is a source of pardonable pride to them. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Williams, Christopher Bradshaw, was an old-school Presbyterian minister and was identified with the work of Harmony Mission. He is buried at Ball Town.

J. D. Williams, editor and publisher of the Metz " Times,' ' was born in Linn county, Kansas, December 25, 1868. His first schooling was in a rude log school house on the bank of the Osage river. His parents removing to Walnut, Kan., he there finished his studies in the public schools, and at the age of 16 became an apprentice in the office of the Walnut "Journal." After working there three years he was able to "hold cases" on the morning dailies, and worked in different cities in Missouri and Kansas. In 1895 he established the "Star" at Sallissaw, I. T. (now Oklahoma), sold it and, after working at Kansas' City a few years, went to Texas and established the "Herald" at La Porte. After publishing that paper some four years he sold it and, returning to Missouri in May, 1904, bought of Mr. W. A. Logan the Metz "Times." Besides numerous other improve¬ ments he made the paper an "all home product," and the sub¬ scription list, which then numbered 150, at once began to increase and grew to many times that number. The first issue of the Metz "Times" was printed in November, 1901, and the paper was first admitted at the postoffice as second-class matter January 2, 1902. The paper was established by Mr. M. S. Brady, of Richards. It was put in charge of Mr. W. A. Logan, who afterwards bought it and published it some two years, and then sold it to the present proprietor, who issued his first number May 26, 1904, since which date the paper has made its appearance every week. On March 21, 1905, Mr. Williams was united in marriage with Miss Lillie M. Baze, and with their adopted child, Baby Dryden Baze, a nephew, whom they took in December, 1909, theirs is one of the happy homes of Metz.

Though not wealthy Mr. Williams owns his paper, has a com¬ fortable home and is rightly counted among the thrifty, enter¬ prising and prosperous citizens of the town, interested in and ready and able to do his part to further all worthy projects for its betterment.

Thomas E. Williams is a prominent and influential citizen of Metz township, Vernon county, Missouri. He was born in Trumbull county, Kentucky, May 4, 1844, to Josiali and Annie (Morgan) Williams, the former born in Trumbull county, Ken¬ tucky, May 8, 1808, and the latter in Maryland on April 11, 1808. The father owned some 200 acres of land and six slaves in Ken- tucky, but in 1850 sold his farm there and moved to Macon county, Missouri, going by boat from Louisville to Hannibal, and from there by team and wagon. He bought a quarter section of land and added adjoining government land, owning in all 400 acres, and lived in Macon county till 1860, when he traded his farm for 400 acres at Metz, in Vernon county, then owned by his eldest son, Morgan 'Williams. He lived here with his family till 1878, then sold and bought a small farm of forty acres in the same township and lived there till the death of his wife, June 5, 1884. He then made his home with their son, John J. Williams, in Nevada, Vernon county, and passed away there December 24, 1899. They had a family of six children, named in the order of their births, respectively, Morgan, who was born in Trumbull county, Kentucky and noAv lives in Macon countv, Missouri : Martha, who was married to Major Padgett, of Knox county, Missouri, and is now deceased; Newton, who lives in Kirksville, Mo.; Jasper, now deceased; Thomas E., our subject, and his twin brother, John J. Williams, a resident of Nevada.

Thomas E. was 16 years old when the family settled in Vernon county, and he attended the district schools in a log school house and studied the "blue covered speller" and worked on the farm.

In June, 1861, he enlisted as a private in the Confederate army and served two years under Captain Stone, of General Price's brigade, and was then sent home on account of illness,* and there taken prisoner by the Union forces and compelled to take an oath of alligiance to the United States government.

Remaining on the home farm till 1871 he then went to La Plata, Mo., and studied pharmacy two years under Dr. Keif, bought a drug store and moved it to Balltown, in Osage township, and there conducted a drug business till 1880. Selling that store he established and operated a drug business at Sprague, in Bates county, till he was burned out in 1896, and then settled on his present farm in Metz township. Prior to this, between the close of the Civil War and 1871, Miv Williams, associated with his brother, John J., began buying land in Metz township, and owned at one time about 1,000 acres ; they also dealt extensively raising, buying, selling and shipping cattle to St. Louis, and did a thriving business. Since resuming farming in Metz township, where he owns 320 acres in section 10, Mr. Williams, in connection with his other farming operations, deals largely in cattle, buying, feeding and shipping. He also, in August, 1906, joined with others in organizing the Metz Banking Company, with a capital stock of $10,000, and bought the Metz Bank, which had a capital of $5,000 and had been conducted by J. M. Downing, president; T. E. Williams, vice-president, and B. H. Peck, cashier. The present officers are O. W. M. McAllister, president ; T. E. Williams, vicepresident, and F. I. Rucker, cashier. Mr. Williams is also a director of this bank.

Mr. Williams has never sought or held political office, but is a Democrat in political sentiment and action. He stands high in Masonic circles, being a member of the Blue Lodge and Chapter at Rich Hill, of the Commandary at Butler, and of the Mystic Shrine at Kansas City, Mo.

On December 4, 1873, Mr. Williams was united in marriage with Miss Cora Amanda Hedden, of Anderson county, Kentucky, and a daughter of Janies and Jane (Naylor) Hedden, natives of that state. Mrs. Williams passed away April 15, 1875. In 1877 he married Miss Sarah Elizabeth Madison, a native of Hickory county, Missouri, and a daughter of Thomas and Ella (Favis) Madison, both natives of Missouri. Mrs. Williams was born in 1861 and died October 4, 1910.

Vincil O. Williams, a wideawake, progressive and successful physician of Nevada, Mo., was born at Versailles, in Morgan county, March 16, 1880, and is a son of Dr. O. A. and Alphia (Davis) Williams, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Missouri. The father was for fifty years a practicing physician in Morgan county, Missouri, whither he came with his parents when he was 10 years old, and where he died in 1905 at the age of 69 years, and where his widow still lives. His parents, Daniel and Mary (McLaughlin) Williams, were natives of Wales.

Our subject's maternal grandparents were Porter and Addie (Stevens) Davis. He was a native of Mississippi. Our subject, after thorough preliminary education, entered the medical depart¬ ment of the St. Louis University, where he was graduated with the class of 1904. After his graduation Dr. Williams served, during 1905, as interne at the Alexian Brothers' Hospital, at St. Louis, Mo., and in 1906-07 served as assistant physician at State Hospital, No. 3, at Nevada. Dr. Williams began his general practice at Nevada in 1908, devoting himself to his professional work, with which he is thoroughly in love. Dr. Williams is inter¬ ested in several fraternal organizations, being identified with the Masonic Order, the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

William H. Wilson, who has made his own way in the world, rising from obscurity to a place among the substantial citizens of Vernon county, Missouri, was born in Fulton county, Illinois, October 18, 1846, to Harvey J. and Elizabeth (Nolan) Wilson, natives of Kentucky. The father moved with three children to Vernon county, Missouri, in 1858, after the death of the mother, January, 1857, and settled in Harrison township. A short time before the Civil War he located a claim in Kansas, hut before he could realize any benefit from it he was warned by the Kansas " Jayhawkers" to leave the state within twenty-four hours; and knowing that he would remain at the risk of his life he at once set out on horseback to join General Price, but met his death by being thrown from his horse. This calamity was the cause of the family being scattered, each having to care for himself. William H., who was then 13 years old., went to work as a farm laborer for Mr. Reynolds, an early settler of Vernon county, for $8 per month and his board. After being thus employed for a few years in Vernon county he went to Illinois and worked -there till 1882. During this time, on January 12, 1871, he was united in marriage with Miss Ella M. Porter, in McDonough county, Illinois. In 1882 he returned to Vernon county with his family and settled on a tract of 200 acres, which he bought in Harrison township, and where he has since made his home, having added 85 acres to his original purchase.

Mr. Wilson is a thoroughly practical general farmer, pro¬ gressive in his ideas and up to date in his methods. Hay, corn and horses being his special products. He is a member of Garland Lodge, No. 108, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in his political opinions adheres to the principles of the Democratic party as expounded by William Jennings Bryan.

Mrs. Wilson is a member of the " Eastern Star." Of twelve children born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilson the five survivors are Clara, who was born January 10, 1876; Sussie, born July 8, 1882; Nora,

Charles Wesley Wise, one of the substantial farmers of Vernon county, Missouri, has lived in Harrison township since his father's family settled there in 1868. He was born in Ohio, March 16, 1852, to Daniel and Eliza Wise, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. They moved from their Ohio home to Lake county, Indiana, and after a residence of fifteen years, thence, in 1868, with their family of eleven children (six of whom are now living, 1911) to Vernon county, Missouri, where the father died in 1871. He was a man of limited education but a successful farmer, and owned, at the time of his decease, 221 acres of land in section 5, Coal township. He was a man of sterling worth and noble character and devoted to the interests of the church. His widow, who was endowed with splendid womanly qualities,* passed away in 1901. Charles Wesley has devoted his life to farming with marked success, and owns a beautiful farm of 450 acres in section 5, Harrison township, where he makes his home with his family. In political opinion and actions Mr. Wise is a Republican.

On February 28, 1877, Mr. Wise was united in marriage with Miss Pauline Heuser, in Vernon county, and there have been born to them ten children, eight of whom are living, viz. : Anna, who was born January 24, 1880, and is now the wife of Mr. B. A. Brown and lives in Oklahoma; Clarence, born June 18, 1886; Ethel, who was born March 14, 1889, and is married to Mr. Bert Johnson, of Vernon county; Frank, born April 11, 1892; Lorain, born October 24, 1894; Ruth, born August 4, 1898; Lloyd, born March 23, 1902, and Russell, who was born October 18, 1904.

Mr. Wise's great-grandfather was a soldier in the War of 1812, and Mrs. Wise's great-grandfather served under General Washington in the Revolutionary War.

David Woods. One of the early settlers of Moundville town¬ ship, and one who commanded sincere respect during the entire time of his residence here, was David Woods, now deceased, whose children are still citizens of this community. By birth Mr. Woods was a Virginian, born in 1809. He continued to live in his native state until some twenty years of age, passing his youth, boyhood and early manhood in a manner not very different from the boys of the present day, occupied principally in agricultural pursuits. But about the year 1829 he moved across the river to Ohio, living there and in Kentucky for ten years, at the expiration of which time he removed to Knox county, Illinois. There his home con¬ tinued to be for quite a period, but finally, possessed of a restless spirit and desiring to locate still further west, he settled in Mis¬ souri - in Clay county, where he was numbered among the pioneer settlers. In 1844, however, he became attracted to Vernon county and accordingly moved here, making it his home for between thirty-five and forty years. On the 26th of February, 1880, he was called away from earth, following to the grave his worthy companion, formerly Miss Jane Lynd, whom he married in 1832 and who died December 31, 1874. Their family embraced eight children, seven of whom grew to maturity: William, Harmon, John L., James W., Eliza J., who married L. C. Jones, George AY. and David L.

Edgar Lyle Wood* is a successful business man of Nevada and a native Missourian. He was born at Metz, in Vernon county, March 25, 1874, and is a son of C. M. and Amanda (Hewitt) AArood, natives of Ahrginia and Indiana, respectively. In 1868 they settled at Metz, in Vernon county, where the father was engaged in mercantile business several years and where he died in 1887. AVhen they came to Aletz the country was but sparsely settled, there being but two houses on the route to Fort Scott, Kansas, then the nearest shipping point, and which was reached after a tiresome journey over an obscure trail. The incidents of these early days and experiences are still fresh in the recollection of the mother, who is still living at Nevada and who fondly re¬ calls and recounts the experiences of the pioneer times. Another son, Anson Lynn AVood, is a prosperous jeweler at Denver, Colo¬ rado. z

Edgar Lyle after leaving the public school was graduated from the high school of Nevada with the class of 1895, and began his business career as a bookkeeper for Messrs. Conklin Brothers. After one year's service there he filled a similar position with the Clark & Bates Lumber Company, of Nevada, one year, and then for five years was employed as bookkeeper with the Badger Lum¬ ber Company and another year with the Logan & Moore Lumber Company, its successor. During {he next two years Air. AVood was manager of the Sheldon Lumber Company, at Sheldon, Mis¬ souri, and in 1894 returned to Nevada and there during the past seventeen years has had the management of the Clark & Bates lumber plant, which under his wise and energetic control has steadily increased in volume and extent, keeping pace with the growth and development of the city and the constantly growing demands of the trade. Mr. Wood is recognized wherever known as a thorough business man, and his fair dealing and straightdaughter of J. N. and Ada (Knowles) Parks, of Vernon county,

George W. Woods, a native Missourian, was born in Clay county, November 11, 1843, and is the youngest surviving child of a family of six children born to David and Jane (Lyncl) Woods. The parents were married in Ohio and moved from there to Illi¬ nois, thence to Iowa, and in the early forties went to Clay county, Missouri, whence, about 1857, they moved to Vernon countv and settled on a farm in Moundville township. In 1864, on account of the disturbance incident to the Civil War, the father moved his family back to Clay county, but returned the following year and continued to cultivate and improve the homestead in Mound¬ ville township till his decease. He was born in Virginia in 1806, and died in 1880. The mother was born in Ohio in 1803, and passed away at the family home in 1874.

George W. had meager educational privileges in the rural schools of the early days and grew to manhood on the home farm, doing his part toward the support of the family. On attaining his majority he farmed on his own account and, in 1867, bought a tract of land in Center township, which he cultivated and improved, making it one of the choicest farms in the township, and where he lived continuously thirty-five years. Mr. AYoods was a model farmer, progressive and thrifty, and always kept abreast of the times in the matter of modern improvements and methods and withal, was financially successful, so that in 1902, having acquired an ample competence, he sold his farm and moved into Nevada, where he has since lived retired from active work.

On July 7, 1867, Mr. Woods was united in marriage with Miss Margaret A. Jones, a daughter of Mr. W. P. Jones, of Carroll county, Missouri. Mrs. Woods was born on April 8, 1853, and passed away on January 16, 1878, leaving five children, to-wit: Artie J., who is married to Mr. R. L. Caton, of Davenport, Iowa ; Addie A., wife of Mr. C. B. Brooks, of Nevada; Mary Ellen, wife of Mr. J. L. Lantrim, of Butte, Neb. ; Nettie E., the wife of Mr. E. U. Goddard, of Kansas City, Mo., and Louisa Florence, now deceased, who had intermarried with Mr. Elmer Zaring about' 1897. On December 4, 1892, Mr. Woods married Mrs. Mary J. Killian who was born in 1855, and who departed this life Decem¬ ber 7, 1899.

Of Mr. Woods' brothers and sisters James W lives in Center township, and David L. lives on the family homestead in Moundville township, while William H., John L. and Matilda, who was married to Mr. Lewis Jones, of Carroll county, Missouri, and Eliza J. are deceased.

James W. Woods is a native of Lawrence county, Ohio. He was born January 7, 1837, and is a son of David and Jane (Lvnd) Woods, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Ohio. His grandmother 's uncle, William, by name, was killed in battle during the Revolutionary War, being shot in the thigh, but he con¬ tinued in the fight until exhausted from loss of blood, and his last words to his comrades were, "Go on; I cannot go farther/ His maternal grandfather settled in Vernon county, Missouri, in 1841, and there acquired a large quantity of land/some of which is now owned by our subject. He died in 1856. David V oods, a farmer by occupation, in 3844 settled on a farm in Drywood township, Vernon county, and died there in 1869. His widow passed away in 1875. James W. had but meager educational privileges in early life, attending a school that was supported by subscriptions and held in a rude log school house with hewn rails for seats.. This same building is still standing in sight of Mr. Woods' home, having been remodeled and converted into a dwelling. On leaving home when he was 20 years old Mr. "Woods worked as a farm laborer, receiving $13 per month the first three years and the next two years $18 per month. With his savings from the money thus earned he bought forty acres of land in Center township when about 20 years old and sold it for $100, being a profit of $25.