Sparta, Missouri

Teceived his education. He there became personally acquainted with Abraham Lincoln, Stephen A. Douglas, Governor Yates, General Logan and other noted men of that State. He emigrated West in the fall of 1841 and landed in this county September 10. Being a young man, he traveled around over the country and mustered regularly at Sparta. He finally married and settled down, commencing farming. He owns a fine farm of eighty acres, which is well watered and contains a good orchard. He has never been an office seeker, but has always given his attention to his legitimate business. He was married March 25, 184S, to Miss Julia A. Barges, a native of Kentucky, born in 1821. She died May 24, 1880, leaving four childreii, Jane B. (now Mrs. C. W. Harris), John S., Elizabeth, and James G. They lost one. Mr. W. has been a member of the Ciamberland Presbyterian Church since 1844, and held the position of elder until his age prevented his attending to the office any longer. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity. The eldest son, John S., was born September 18, 1848, in this county, and has been raised here as a farmer, and is also a member of the Masonic fraternity. He resides with his father.

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

was born in Mason County, Kentucky, June 3, 1797- He removed from the place of his birth to Hardin County, Kentucky, where he remained for several years and then enlisted in the war of 1812. He for a time kept a hotel at May's Lick and then engaged in farming in Fayette County. He engaged extensively in the manufacture of hemp in Lexington,. Kentucky, operating a large factory which was destroyed by fire and absorbed all his available means, but with the energy characteristic of the man he set out for the west to retrieve his losses, and on the nth of March, 1839, he came to Buchanan County and settled on the farm which for twenty-six years was his home. He engaged in the raising of hemp and the raaimfacture of rope and was the first in the Platte Purchase tO' engage in this industry and one great inducement in doing it was that the product of summer's labor could be utilized by labor of winter, thusproving him a good political economist. This business proved very remunerative and was the basis of the large estate he left at his death which occurred December 30, 1864. He was a man of large frame, a strong mind, a powerful will, untiring energy and industry, as an evidence of which he had acquired as a farmer in a legitimate attention tO' that branch of industry a large estate. He was a man whose standard, of morality was very high and in the daily affairs of life attended strictly to his own affairs, giving to every man his due as punctually as he exacted from others. His theories were few and practical. He waseminently a utilitarian and was slow to believe in innovations on good old law and customs. In every sense of the word he was a patriot and a lover of his country. He had great respect for the laws of the land.

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

farmer and stock raiser, section 35, postoffice Willow Brook, was bom December 22, 1817, in Orange County, Indiana, and was reared there on. a farm and attended school. He learned the carpenter trade in hisyouth and has followed it considerably through life. He moved to- Illinois in the fall of 1836, resided there three years and returned to- Indiana, remaining until the spring of 1842, when he emigrated WesL and settled in Buchanan County, Missouri. He was rather young, and traveled around the country for some years assisting in clearing up farms and improving the county. During the late war he enlisted in the- Enrolled Mission Militia! and served for six months. Mr. M. has filled his present office of school director several terms,, and that of roadoverseer for a number of years. He was married in December, 1845^ to Miss Margaret Mathers, a native of Belmont County, Ohio. They have four children living: Mary E.., now Mrs. Andrew Isaacson; Sarah. F., now Mrs. Joseph Culbertson ;, John F., and Rosy M. Lost one. Hislanded estate consists of 134 acres of well improved land. Mr.. Miiler is a member of the Presbyterian Church, farmer and stock raiser, section 10, postoffice St. Joseph, was born- December 3, 1823, in Green County, Kentucky, aind lived there until sixteen years of age. He was brought up on a farm, received a common school education, and came West with his parents, in the spring of 1838, by the overland route, and arrived in this county on the 8th of June. The country then was very thinly settled, and the Indian wigwams were the only evidence left of the race that once inhabited this vicinity. Discouragements beset the new comers on every hand, and it was no uncommon occurrence for whole families to be sick at once. During the late war Mr. M. served two months in the Enrolled Missouri Militia. He has filled the position of school director and road supervisor several terms. His landed estate consists of 310 acres, 243 of which he cultivates. His farm is well improved. He assisted in building the first court house in Sparta, and has also lent a hand -in erecting other county buildings, besides the First Baptist Church of St. Joseph. He was married to Miss Julia A. White, a native Madison County, Kentucky. She was born February 2, 1829. They have one child, Martha J., now Mrs. H. C. Register, of St. Joseph. Mr. and Mrs. M. are members of the Missionary Baptist Church.

Passage source: The History of Buchanan County, Missouri : Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, Etc., Biographical Sketches of Its Citizens, Buchanan County in the Late War, General and Local Statisics, Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men, History of Missouri, Map of Buchanan 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 Center Township - it names this place 1 more 1 time.