Gower, Missouri

farmer and stock raiser, section 34, post office Gower. A well known, as^ well as an early settler of Northwestern Missouri, was Mr. Charles- Bradshaw, who was a native of Virginia, and came to Platte Count\\ locating near Weston, in 1839. He was a millwright by trade, but followed farming, principally, and eventually became a resident of Andrew County, where his death occurred, in 1S47. His son. James L. Bradshaw^ was born in Mercer Count)-, Kentucky, October i, 1837, and came to Missouri with his father, residing in Platte and Andrew Counties for some time. After the death of the fatlier, the mother of the subject of this sketch located in St. Joseph, and there J. L. learnetl the bhicksmitli trade, and was conductini,^ a shop on Messanie street, when the war broke out. He was arnonL; the first to espouse the Union cause, and enHsted, as a private, in tlie TweiitN'-fifth Missouri, under Colonel Peabody. Later, the Twent\--fifth was attached to Co-lonel Fladd's engineer corps, and was under tlie command of General John A. Logan. Mr. B, was soon piomoted to sergeant, and then to lieutenant. He participated at the engagements of Corinth, Shiloh, Raleigh, Chattanooga, and other notable battle-^^, being honorably discharged July 25, 1S65. at Louisville. Kentuck)-. Returning to St. Joseph, he soon after opened a blacksmith shop at Matney's Miils, in Buchanan Count}', which he conducted for several years, and, subsequently, engaged in blacksmithing at Plattsburg. He has attained a wide and well merited reputation as a horse skoer, and has few equals in this important branch. In 1S7G, he commenced farming where he now resides, and is the owner of eighty acresof fine land. Mr. B. is a gentleman well posted on tne topics of the day, and, in a large degree, commands the respect of his fellow citizens. He has been twice married. First, in 1858, to Miss Mary Bradshaw. Her death occurred eighfor nine months later. In i867,!Miss ?vlar}- Jordan became his wife. They have had five children, of whom, Jennie, Maud and Ralph are living, and two are deceased. Amy and Ida. Mr. B. is a member of the Protective Association- section }}, post ot^ce Plattsburg. Prominent among the old settlers i> numbered the subject of this sketch, who, by faithful attention to his calling and strict principles of honest)", has, step by step, worked his way to the elevated position he now occupies. He is a native of Virginia and was born January 29, 1S29. He was there raised in the occupation he now follow-^, and is the present owner of 426 acres of good average land, a large portion of which is under cultix'ation. He has a nice residence on his farm, and his improvements are of the first order'. Mr. C. was married, in iS5i,to Martha J. Morgan. They have, from this union, four children : John \V., Frank, Mary E., and Samuel L. Mr. and Mrs. C. are members of the Baptist Church, and contribute largely toward its support.

Passage source: The History of Clinton County, Missouri : Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, Etc., Biographical Sketches of Its Citizens, Clinton County in the Late War, General and Local Statistics, Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men, History of Missouri, Map of Clinton County, Etc., Etc, published 1881.

was born in Knox County, Kentuck}-, March 3, 1S09. His father, Frederick, was a Virginian, and one of the first settlers in Southern Kentucky. The subject of this sketch was reared to manhood and educated in his native state, his early days being spent in farming. In 1S30. he removed to Indiana, and located in l*arke County, where he was encjac;cd in farniin<j[, until i860, when he mo\'ed to Iowa, locating in Ilarri.^on County. There he continued farming until 1873. at which time he became a resident of Ikichanan County, Missouri, taking up his abode in Tremont Township. In 1879. he purchased a pleasant home in Gower, and retired from tjie active field of lcd>or. Mr. Co.v is past the meridian of life, but has been, and is still, an industrious, frugal, and public spirited citizen, alwa)'s found on the side which tends to the adx'ancement of the religious and moral sentiment. He has been twice married. First, in [851, to Miss Sally T'ruitt. The>- had ten children, five of whom are living : William. Louisiana, Elizabeth, Jane and James C; lost five: John. Samuel, ^Martha, }>la.ry M., and one died in infancy. Mrs. Cox departed this life in 1S70. For his second wife, Mr. C. married oMrs. Charit\- Wright. Her maiden name was Stalker. Slie was born in Indiana, and is the daughter of George Stalker, a native of North Carolina. She had been twice married : first, to John B. Van- Clea\'e, who died in 1852, leaving two children, Mary Elizabeth and John B. In 1S57, James Wright became her husband. He died in 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Cox are diligent and prominent workers in the Baptist Church.

Passage source: The History of Clinton County, Missouri : Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, Etc., Biographical Sketches of Its Citizens, Clinton County in the Late War, General and Local Statistics, Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men, History of Missouri, Map of Clinton County, Etc., Etc, published 1881.

1835. He came to Clinton Count}- with his parents when j'oung, and after his father's death, in 1S47, he returned to Kentucky, where he attended school for a time at Lexington ; also St. Joseph, Missouri. He has long been recognized as one of the leading stock raisers and feeders in Clinton Count}-, and his landed estate now consists of 1,229 acres, 749 of which comprise the honie farm. His residence is attractivel}- situated, and indicates comfort. ]Mr. Cul\-er is a gentleman of broad and liberal views, and is known as one who endorses ever}- enterprise for tlie advancement of the county and state. He was married in 1862, to ?^Iiss Virginia McMichael, daughter of the veteran citizen, Thomas McMichael. They have fi\e children : Romulus' E., Thomas McMichael, Charles Morgan. Paul Middleton and Josephine Augusta. Himself and family are members of the M. E. Church, South. I\Irs. ]\Iar}- A. Culver, mother of the subject of this sketch, an estimable lady, who;?e graces of mind and heart have endeared her to a large circle of acquaintances, li\-es with is one of the most sterling and live business men of Gower, and oiie who is widely know-n throughout the adjoining countr}-. He is a nati\-e of North Carolina, and was born in Guilford County, March 31, 1839. His father, John, was an agriculturist, and, in iS-^4, came to Missouri w-ith his family, locating in the southern part of Ra}- Count}-. N. G. eventually became a resident of Clay County, and for a time w-as engaged in merchandising at Clayville, and afterwards at Greenville, being closeh' identified with the prominent business men of that count}- for a number -of years. When Gower was founded he was among its first business men, engaging in mercantile pursuits ; afterwards he turned his attention to butchering and the stock trade, in connection with other lines. Li 1S69, he married Miss Amanda Williams, of Cla}- Count}-. The}- ha\-e a family of six children b}- this union: Albert C, Annie V., Claudie E., Charles E., Robert C. and an infant. He is a Master Mason and a charter member of Gow-er Lodge, No. 397.

Passage source: The History of Clinton County, Missouri : Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, Etc., Biographical Sketches of Its Citizens, Clinton County in the Late War, General and Local Statistics, Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men, History of Missouri, Map of Clinton County, Etc., Etc, published 1881.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Atchison Township - it names this place 19 more 19 times.