Madison Township (part 2 of 2)

Jesse Miller

Was born in Virginia, January 12, 1802, where he lived until about the close of the war in 1812, when he moved to Franklin county, Ohio, lived there about twenty-seven years, and followed farming. He married Miss Mercy Ann Everett, in October, 1S26, then moved on his farm where he lived until he came to Grundy county, September 20, 1839, and located on a farm near Grubtown, then in Livingston county, where he died. He was county judge at the same time Dr. W. P. Thompson and Judge Woods served, and was one of the first grand jurors; he died the last year of his judgeship, December 18, 1845. His wife remained a widow about two years when she married William Willis, ISTovember 18, 184:7. Thej' settled on the old Jesse Miller farm, and lived there about six years, when they sold out there and bought the old Oxford farm where they lived about twentyfive years, 'when he rented his farm and moved on the old Freeman farm with his son Thomas, who, as they were getting old, wanted them to live with him. They came to Edinburg and he embarked in the mercantile business which he carried on about one year, in connection with his farm, then sold out the store to James Peery. He was born in England, May 19, 1805, where he lived until he was twenty -five or twenty-six years of age, when he came to America, settled in New York State and lived there about six years; moved to Franklin county, Ohio, and lived there about the same length of time when he came to this county, with Mr. Miller, in 1839. He died September 10, 1879. His wife still survives him and lives in Edinburg. She had six children by her first husband: Mary Ann, Sarah Jane, Catherine, Amelia Avis, Albert Chapman and S\'lvania; and three children by her second husband: Thomas G. P., a babe, not named, and Millie.

Geogee W. Nichols

Was born in Boone county, Missouri, August 1, 1828, where he lived until he grew to manhood. He was in the Mexican War under General Price, and served about fourteen months in the Boone company. He went to California at the breaking out of the gold fever in 1849, remained about three years, and came back to Missouri. Mr. Nichols married Miss Louisa E. Patton, of Grundy county, December 16, 1857. He moved to Gallatin, where he and his brother embarked in the dry goods and grocery trade, under the firm name of B. F. & G. W. Nichols, and then moved to Bancroft, where they built the first house, and opened a branch store, which he ran about two years. When the war broke out they closed up and he moved on a farm near Edinburg where he lived about eighteen months then moved on the Patton farm south of town. Was in the Missouri militia, and served about one year. He moved back to Daviess county, near Gallatin, where he lived one year, then moved to Gentryville, Missouri, where he stayed about three months, then returned to the Patton farm in Grundy county where he still lives and does a general farming business. His wife was born in Kussell county, Virginia, March 27, 1839, where she lived until she was about three years old when her mother came to Grundy county, Missouri, November, 1841 (her mother was the first school teacher in this part of Grundy county and taught six terms), and settled on the farm where she still lives. Mr. and Mrs. Nichols belong to the M. E. Church (South) ; he was steward in the church for several years. They have had eight children: Laura E., William A., Edward, Kobert Lee, Harry P., Barhie K., David M. and Paul N.; William A. and David M. are dead.

De. Archibald Peeet

ArcliibaM Peery was born in Tazewell county, Yirginia, December 15, 1818, and lived there until he was seventeen years old. His father moved to Gi'undy county, Missouri, in 1835, then called Carroll county or Territory of Carroll, and their nearest post-office was at JRichraond, Eay county, Missouri. His father, (jeorge Peery, settled on a farm near where Edinburg is now situated. He remained with his father until he was about twenty-iive years old, when he went to read medicine under Dr. Keith, of Chillicothe, Missouri, and afterward attended one course of lectures at the University of the State of Missouri, at St. Louis, during the winter of 1847 and '48. Since that time he has practiced his profession in this and adjoining townships. In the early days the country was sparsely settled and he had a circuit of about twenty miles, and had a great deal to contend against, as there were but few roads anywliere in this part of the country« Dr. Peery was the third physician who located in this county, Drs. Thompson and Cooper were first, and there were two or three others who came here but did not stay very long, so he claims the honor of being the third one. He married Miss Elizabeth A. Kirk, September 18, 1851, and settled down in Edinburg, where he lived three years, practicing his profession, then moved to his farm about three-fourths of a mile east of town, a part of his father's old place, where he still resides. He has since followed his profession and carried on his farm besides. He does not practice much now, but attends calls when he can?t refuse, as a good many of his patrons will not employ any one else, so he has to still keep going. Dr. Peery Avas deputy sheriff of this county under William Thrailkill, who was appointed the first sheriff in 1841. Dr. and Mrs.^ Peery have eight children: Horace Jewett, Florence H., Nash A., Trusten P., Mary C, Archibald K., Daniel William, and John T.

William H. Peeey

Was born in Tazewell county, Virginia, October 16, 1828. His father moved to Montgomery' county, same State, when he was an infant, and they lived there until 1836, wlien his father moved to Montgomery county, Missouri. While there he married Miss Nancy Jane Witten, March 9, 1853. In 1854 he came to Grundy county, and located in Washington township, where he lived about ten years, then moved to Edinburg, and went into the mercantile and general trading business. In 1867 he sold out, went to Chillicothe, embarked in the livery business, and carried it on about two years, when ho sold out, and bought a steam saw-mill on Wolf Creek, at a place called '- Dog Town," which he ran for five or six years, when he sold out and bought the farm that he is living on now, about three and one-half miles south of Edinburg. He opened a meat market in Tren- ton in 1875, and ran it abont two years then sold out; has dealt in lumber, ties, and wood for a number of years. He has been a member of the school board for some time. Mr. and Mrs. Peery have had eleven children; named, j'espectively, Rebecca R., Sarah E., Joseph A., Cosby F., Thomas A., Edward H., Caroline L., Willie J., Carenia G., Ward H. and Eobert W.; Cosby F., Edward H. and Ward H. are dead.

William Kobertson

Was born in Breckinridge county, Kentucky, Januarj^ 23, 1841, where he lived until 1850, when his father moved to Grundy county, Missouri, where he lived and worked on a farm until the war broke out. He enlisted July 18, 1862, in company F, Thirty-fifth regiment Missouri volunteer infantry, and served three years. He was mustered ont at St. Louis, then went back to Grundy county, where he remained a short time. He came to Washington township, where he married Miss Minerva Frances McCammon, November 10, 1869, and went into partnership with his father-in-law, William McCammon, in general farming and stock-raising, which business they carried on until March, 1880, when the partnership was dissolved by his father-in-law retiring from the firm. He still carries on the farm and lives on his father-in-law's old homestead. Mr. and Mrs. Robertson have five children: Henry Orville, Charles, William, Emerson Elbert, Rosanna Sarah, and Wilber Esta.

Abraham Ruddell

Was born in Harrison county, Kentucky, February 24, 1823, where he lived until he was ten or elev^en years of age. His father moved to Logan county, Ohio, where he lived about twelve years, then moved to Shelby county, same State. There he lived about eight years, when he moved to Daviess county, Missouri, and remained one winter, then moved to Grundy county, remained one year, returned to Daviess county and resided there about two years, when lie moved back to this county again, and located on the farm he now lives on. Mr. Ruddell married Miss Christina Brandenburg, February 20, 1850. They had two children, Mary A. and a baby, not named.

Was born in Rappahannock county, Virginia, March 27, 1834, where he lived until he was about twenty-three years of age; went to school winters and worked on the farm during the summer. He married Miss Sarah A. Brandom, August 22, 1855, and lived on a farm until he moved to Daviess county, Missouri, in the fall of 1856. Came with his brother-in-law, C. P. Brandom, and settled near Gallatin, where he remained until the spring of 1857, when he moved on a farm near Edinburg, lived there two years, then returned to Daviess county, remaining about four years, when he bought

Mr. and Mrs. Sealock have liad eight children: John "W., David A., Lou Emma C, Mary E., Edwin S., Viola O., Mortimer G., and a baby not named. John W., Viola O. and the baby are dead.

Was born in Mercer county, Kentucky, November 19, 1809, where he lived about sixteen years, when his father moved to Decatur county, Indiana, and he lived there eight or ten years. They next moved to Shelbj'^ county^ same State, where he lived four or five years. He married Miss Elizabeth Cole, November, 1831, in Decatur county, Indiana. They had one child. Mrs. Shirley died December, 1833. December 10, 1836, he married Miss Susannah Burns, in Bartholomew county, Indiana. He took her to his home in Decatur county, where they lived until 1839, when he moved to Grundy county, and settled on the farm where he still lives, on Coon Creek. They have ten children: Daniel G., Mary E., Isaac, Catherine J., William H., L. P., Martin, Joel C, Jonathan and Absalom Harvey. All are living except Martin.

William Preston Thompson, the first white man to settle in Grundy county, was born in Washington county', Virginia, in 1788. He attended school there, read medicine, and attended the medical college at Richmond, Virginia, and practiced his profession a short time in that city. He was a general in the War of 1812, was paymaster of the army at Norfolk, Virginia, during a portion of that war. Was elected to the legislature of that State, and was also a member of Congress from there; was considerable of a politician and an old line Whig. He moved to Kay county, Missouri, near Eichmond, in 1821, and was appointed general of the Missouri militia soon after; was in command of the troops during the Mormon War in this State. He followed his profession in Ray county when he was not engaged in the militia, and was still a general in the militia when he moved to Grundy county, then called Carroll, in the fall of 1833. He located on a farm in what is now Madison township, and his was the first white family and the only one that fall and winter in Grundy county. J. Harvey Meek, a brother-in-law, came with him to help him put up a cabin, and went back that fall and brought his family and another brother-in-law, John Scott, with him in the spring of 1834. They settled near the doctor, and formed the only settlement in the county. The doctor's nearest neighbor when he came was Samuel Peniston, three miles east of Gallatin. In the fall of 1834 Levi Moore settled near where Trenton now is, about ten miles from the doctor, and they were glad to have neighbors so near. Dr. Thompson's practice extended from Eay county to the Iowa line, and from Linn county to the Missouri Eiver on the west, and he also had considerable practice in Decatur county, Iowa. At that time he was the best physician in north Missouri, and several of his old patrons now living say they have never had so good a physician. The doctor named all the streams in north Missouri. Thompson's Fork is named after him. He was judge of this connt}^ when he had to go to Carrolton to transact business, then had to go to Chillicothe when this was Livingston county, and to Trenton, and was a judge at his death. He lived in the same place all the time he represented the three counties. Was twice married, his first wife being Miss Jane Eussell, daughter of Major Eussell, of Burke's Garden, Virginia. They had six children. She died there and he married Miss Sallie Meek about the j-ear 1820. They moved to Missouri shortly after their marriage. His first children were: Eliza, Maria, John H., Patrick, James and William. Maria mai-ried Eev. David R. McAnally, editor of the Christian Advocate, of St. Louis, and she died in 1862; Eliza married a lawyer named Williams, of Ashland, North Carolina, who moved to St. Louis in 1861 ; both died the same year Mrs. McAnally died. Rev. John H. Thompson, a Methodist preacher, the last of his first children, died in 1880, at Ashland, Kentucky. By his second marriage there were nine children, named Caroline A., Milton v., Catherine S., William Preston, James Winston, Evans Shelby, and Columbus Keyes; Sarah Jane and Mary Jane died in infancy; Caroline married John S. Darnaby, she had two children, and died in 1850. Catherine S. married William N. Peery, and she is dead. William Preston and James W. died young; Evans Shelby went to California for his health, and came home and died shortly after; Columbus K. enlisted in the Twentythird regiment Missouri volunteers, was captured the 6th of April, 1862, at the battle of Shiloh, was paroled July, 1862, contracted the chronic diarrhea, got back as far as Nashville, Tennessee, where he was taken to the hospital; Milton went after him and brought him home, and he died soon after. Milton is the only living representative of Di". Thompson's family. Dr. Thompson died November 22, 1848. His wife survived him until October, 1851. She was born in Washington county, Virginia, in 1802.

Alexander E. Tate

Was born in Daviess county, Indiana, August 22, 1830, where he lived until he was eleven years old, when his father moved to Buchanan county, Missouri, in 1841, where he lived about one year, then moved to Andrew county, this State. He married Miss Margaret Carson, of Andrew county, December 18, 1851, and rented and lived upon a farm until he came to Grundy county in the spring of 1853. He rented a farm the first years after he came here, then bought the farm that he is living on now. He enlisted in company F, Thirtieth regiment Missouri volunteer infantry on the 27th of Jiily, 1862; was elected captain of the same company October 10, the same fall, and commissioned by Governor Gamble; held the position until 1865, when the regiment was reorganized, and he was reelected to the same office, which he held until they were discliarged; his second commission was signed by Gov. Thos. Fletcher; their headquarters were at Chillicothe, and they were called on whenever there was any raiding done north of the river. Mr. Tate ran for sheriff on the independent ticket in the fall of 1878 and was beaten by eighty-six votes. The Democratic party thought they could elect him to an office so he allowed his name to be used; was a candidate for sheriif on that ticket again last fall (1880), was beaten worse than ever and has retired from the field. He has been on the school board for several years, and is one of the stockholders and directors of the North Missouri Central Agricultural and Mechanical Association of Grundy county.

Milton V. Thompson was born in Eay county, Missouri, August 22, 1826, whei-e he lived until he was about seven years of age, when his father, Dr. W. P. Thompson, moved to Grundy county, then called Carroll, in the fall of 1833, where he still lives. He attended school here, and was a pupil of Miss Louisa Peery, and afterwards attended two terms at Richmond College, Ray county, Missouri. When he was ten years of age he could talk the Indian language better than he could English, as he had no playmates except the little Indian children, and was almost as much of an Indian as they were, until the county began to be settled up. He read medicine under his father and practiced with him a while before his death, then took his father's place, practiced about twelve years, and then went into the stock business, which grew so large that he either had to give up his practice or farming, and being in poor health he abandoned the practice of medicine, there bing so much exposure attached to it he could not stand it. He began to raise mules and cattle; the war broke out and he dealt largely in mules, buying and selling them to the government; toward the latter part of the war he had to take all of his mules up into Iowa to keep the ragged Missouri militia from stealing them; they took everything in the shape of stock they could get hold of, and judged a man's loyalty by the number of his horses and mules; if he had a fine lot he was disloyal and they took them. After the war he went more into the cattle business and not so much in mules, which business he still follows, and has several large farms on which he raises feed for his stock. He is the oldest settler now living in the county. He has been justice of the peace for several years, also road overseer; when the country was new they needed good roads, and he helped to lay out a good many of them. Dr. Thompson married Miss Elizabeth H. Isli, May 30, 1848, daughter of William Ish, of Lafayette county, Missouri. She was born January 18, 1829, in that county. They have had twelve children; namely, William Preston, Paschal W., Horace R., Evans Dickey, James M., Shelby H., Lenora M., Belle C.,^ Columbus D., Catharine N., Porter A. and Lou OctaviaE.; William Preston, Evans Dicky, James M., Shelby H., Catharine N. and Lou Octavia E. are dead. His son, Shelby H., was struck by lightning and killed in a barnon his farm, near Grubtown, at the age of eleven years.

Was born in Grundy county, Missouri, September 18, 1848, where he has lived ever since. He was educated in the district schools and Grand Eiver College. He lived at home until his father's death, when he went to farming for himself, buying a farm just over the line in Daviess county, where he lived about two years, then rented his farm, and moved to Edinburg. He commenced to buj' stock when he was about twelve years old, and has followed the business ever since; has considerable stock on hand now, about thirty head of fine mules and horses and about ninety head of young cattle, besides other stock too numerous to mention. His farm is all under good cultivation, and is the best watered farm in this section of the State, a fine spring furnishing all the water necessary for his stock. Mr. Willis married Miss Ella L. Mitchell, August 19, 1879. She was born in Daviess county, Missouri, May 1, 1862, where she has lived most of the time since. They have one child, Willie M.

Iies. Melvina Wynn

Widow of Evans P. Wynn, was born in Pettis county, Missouri, February 7, 1834-, where she lived until she was about six years of age, when her father moved to Daviess county, same State. There she was married, September 14, 1854, and lived until 1856. Her husband was engaged in selling goodsfor two years after they were married, when they moved to Middlebury, Mercer count}', Missouri, where he sold goods for eighteen months, and then moved on the farm where she now lives. Her husband died September 27, 1875. She joined the Methodist Ej)iscopal Church (South), when she was about nineteen years old, and is still an active member. Her sons run the farm. She has had eight children ; namely, David B., James G., William K., Frank E., Edward W., Eobert P., Sallie B. and Mary L. Daniel B. is a school teacher; lie was born in Daviess county, Missouri, May 29, 1855; was reared in Grundy county, and attended the Grand River College and graduated in 1880; he follows the profession of teaching in the winter.

John Wynn

Was born in Tazewell county, Virginia, May 25, 1840. His father left therewhen he was about four months old and came to Grundy county, Missouri, where he grew to manhood, and was educated at Trenton, and Grand River

College, working on the farm in summer and going to school in winter He enlisted in company G, First Missouri Oonfederate cavalry, June 17, 1861, and served until January, 1862, when he went to Virginia and enlisted in Lee's army, April 14, 1862; was discharged April 14, 1865, came back and settled on the farm. He married Miss Anna Holt, March 11, 1866, and went to farming for himself; sold out to C. P. Brandom, and bought the farm where he lives now. He has been on the school board for several years. Mr. and Mrs. Wynn are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church (South) and he is one of the trustees of Antioch Church on Hickory Creek. They have seven children; nam§d, respectively, Anna B., Mary E., Theodore H., Eleanor, John W., Archibald P., and Grace. All are living except John W.

John Waed

Was born in Morgan county, Illinois, September 20, 1842, where he lived until he was about four years of age. His parents moved to Lee county, Iowa, where he lived until 1856, when they moved to Grundy county, where he settled on a farm, near Grubtown, and lived until the war broke out. He enlisted in the Union army, company H, Twenty-third regiment, Missouri infantry, August 25, 1861; was taken prisoner at the battle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862, and paroled in July the same year; was sent to Benton, Roanoke and St. Louis; remained until he was exchanged; same fall was sent to join the regiment and remained until his three years expired; he participated in all the battles his regiment, was engaged in during that time; was mustered out, came back and worked on the farm. He married Miss Sylvania Miller, September 20, 1865, and then he went to teaching, and taught school on Coon Creek that winter. In the spring his father gave him a farm of fortyfive acres, when he began farming for himself, and has been very successful, now owning a farm of one hundred and eighty two acres. He continued to farm until he moved to Edinburg, in August, 1876, and in September of that year went into the drug business, which he conducted until January 1, 1877, when he took W. T. Gannaway into partnership, and put in a stock -of general merchandise in connection with drugs, and carried on the business until May, 1878, when they removed their general stock to Hickory Creek station (selling their drugs to McDougal & Wynn), where they remained until they were burned out October 18, the same year. He then went back on the farm but returned to Edinburg, in August, 1879, and be- .gan to build to his hotel property, and now has the largest hotel in the village. In February, 1881, he again embarked in the drug business, which lie runs in connection with his hotel. His wife was born in Grundy county, Missouri, May 20, 1845. Tiiey have had five children; viz., Lora V., Angle H., Millie Ann, Leona and Leota, twins; all are living except Millie A.

John T. Witten

Was born in Tazewell county, Virginia, September 27, 1820, where he lived until he was twenty-three years of age, when he and his brother Samuel came to Grundy county, in 1843. He located on the farm where he still resides, near Edinburg, and has his farm under good cultivation; does general farming, feeds cattle for the market, and raises considerable other stock. He has made farming pay, as he looks after everything himself, and goes in for all kinds of machinery that helps him to save labor; is possessed of good business tact, has accumulated considerable property, and has given all of his children, who have married, a good start. Mr. Witten married Miss Caroline V. Thompson, August 4, 1842. Tiiey had seven children. She died August 20, 1866, and he married Mrs. Lucy A. Peery, February, 1868. Was divorced in April, 1876, and married Miss Evelina Fulkerson, his present wife, September 26, 1878. He, and a neighbor of his, Mr. William Peery, built what is now known as the Grand River College. It was started on the scholarship plan in 1858, and tliey ran it on that plan until 1861, when the war broke out and the State government used it as quarters for troops for several months; it was next used as a district school for some time, and then they sold it to a joint company. He has taken an active part in all public enterprises, and feels a pride in all educational affairs in his town; has been on the school board for about twenty years. He was county assessor in 1845, and was elected justice of the peace for several years. His children are named as follows: James H., Louisa R., Thomas O., Susan»E. V., Mary Aim, America, John E. and Emma J.

Henry B. Witten

Was born in Tazewell county, Virginia, March 1, 1833, where he lived until he was eighteen years of age. His father moved to Grundy county in 1851, and settled on a farm near "Buck Snort," now Edinburg, where he still resides. He married Miss Emily Graham, October 21, 1852, and went to farming for himself on a farm he owned on Coon Creek, and remained two yeaj'S. He improved a farm in Daviess county, just over the line from this, where he dealt in mules and horses, buying and selling to the government, and continued the business until 1865, when tlie disease called glanders broke out among his stock; he lost heavily, abandoned the mule business and devoted his time to raising cattle. In 1874 he bought the Graham grist-mill on Thompson's Fork of Grand River, and has followed milling and farming up to the present time. He was enrolled in the State militia and was in active service about thirty daj'S. Mi-. Witten is a member of the A. F. & A. M. Lodge No. 311, at Trenton, also of the I. O. O. F. Lodge No. 394, at Edinbui'g, and is a member of the district school board, and has been for a number of years. He and his wife are members of the M. E.

Church (South), joining in 1867; he is sabbath-school supei-intendent and has held the office for several years. Mr. and Mrs. Witten have had twelve children, whose names are: John T., James "W., Charles H., Samuel G., George T., Oliver E., Harry A., Eebecca T., Emma J., John M., Arch. P. and Nancy E. Three, John T., Oliver E. and John M. are dead.

James A. Woodeess

Was born on a farm in LaKue county, Kentucky, November 22,-1825, where he was reared and lived until 1849. His father being a blacksmith he was brought up to that trade, and on leaving home went to Oreen county, Kentucky, and established himself in that business and carried it on until 1856. In this latter year he came to Missouri, and after prospecting in Harrison and Andrew counties, came to Grund}' county in the summer of 1857 and settled at Edinburg, where he established himself in the blacksmithing business and carried it on until 1865. During the late war he was a Union man, and was enrolled in the State militia and held himself ready for duty, but was out only thirty days. In 1866 he embarked in the mercantile business at Edinburg with Lucius M. Abbott, under the firm name of Woodress & Abbott. Mr. Abbott retiring from the firm in 1868, William Albin became his successor, clianging the firm to Woodress & Albin. In 1869 he retired from the firm and engaged in farming and blacksmithing until 1871, then bouglit out Mr. Albin and carried on the mercantile business alone until 1873, when his son-in-law, L. H. Shafer, became associated with him, and the present firm of Woodress & Shafer was formed. Mr. Woodress was united in marriage to Miss Hanijah Woolridge, of Green county, Kentucky, January 1, 1851. She died at Edinburg, September 3, 1857. They had three children: William, who died in Kentucky, Laura, wife of L. H. Shafer; and Thomas A., a merchant of Trenton. November 10, 1869, he married Mrs. Phoebe C. Willis, of Edinburg. They have four children: Katie, Maggie, Pearl and Nellie.

R. W. Witten was born in Tazewell county, in the State of Virginia, on the 22d day of April, 1832. Opened an ofiice as practicing physician at Oceana, the county seat of Wyoming county, in the State of Virginia (now West Virginia), on the 8th of April, 1855, and continued the practice of medicine at that place until the year 1857, when he removed to Bickley, county seat of Paleigh county, in the same State, and there practiced medicine until the breaking out of the war between the States. He accepted a surgeon's commission in the Confederate army, and served in that capacity during the greater part of the war. After the war he removed to Grundy county, Missouri, and has been engaged in the practice of medicine at the town of Edinburg ever since. He married Miss Sarah F. Eiggs, of Vir- ginia, on the 11th of May, 1856. They have four sons: Thomas A., who is a lawyer at Trenton ; William Wirt, also a lawyer at Trenton; Evermont Ward, a medical student, having attended one full course of lectures at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Keokuk, Iowa; and Robert Pickett, now in his thirteenth year.