Biographical Sketch of Colonel J.H.R. Cundiff, St. Joseph, Buchanan County, MO >From "History of Buchanan County, Missouri, Published 1881, St. Joseph Steam Printing Company, Printers, Binders, Etc., St. Joseph, Missouri. ********************************************************************** Colonel J. H. R. Cundiff is a native of Hampshire County, Virginia, and was born November 11, 1832. His ancestors were residents of that state from a period previous to the Revolutionary Wary, a con- test in which both his maternal and paternal grandfathers took part. In 1840, his father emigrated to Missouri, coming directly to Buchanan County, and settling east of St. Joseph. In 1846, he re- turned to Virginia, and while there died. The subject of this sketch was about eight years of age when he came to Missouri. At sixteen, he began to learn the printing business. He entered the Adventure newspaper office in St. Joseph in 1848. Working four years on that paper, and thoroughly mastering the printing business, he left St. Joseph in 1852, and worked in St. Louis, New Orleans, Memphis and Cincinnati. He returned to St. Joseph in 1853, and with P.S. Pfouts bought the Gazette, conducting the same as a weekly till 1857. The proprietors then started the Daily Gazette, the first daily news- paper ever published in St. Joseph. The paper remained in the control of Messrs. Pfouts & Cundiff until June, 1861, at which time it had become firmly established and was in a prosperous condition. Towards the close of the year 1861, its publication ceased on account of the opposition it met with on the part of the Federal authorities, by reason of its political sentiments. From 1861 to 1864, Colonel Cun- diff was in the Southern army, serving in all ranks, from lieutenant to colonel. For two years and a half after the war he was in Mexico, connected with the Vera Cruz & Mexico Railroad, of which he for a time had charge. He returned to St. Joseph in the fall of 1867, and in June, 1868, re-established the Gazette. He managed it successfully and disposed of the paper in October, 1873. In November, 1874, he was elected Circuit Clerk of Buchanan County. Subsequently Colonel Cundiff left St. Joseph and removed to St. Louis. In 1879, he pur- chased the St. Louis Times, published it for one year, and is now on staff of the St. Louis Republican. He was married, in 1855, to Cecelia Keedy, the daughter of Dr. D. G. Keedy, a leading physician of St. Joseph. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Penny Harrell ====================================================================