Biographical Sketch of Joseph Piner, St. Joseph, Buchanan County, MO

>From "History of Buchanan County, Missouri, Published 1881, St. Joseph
Steam Printing Company, Printers, Binders, Etc., St. Joseph, Missouri.
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Joseph A. Piner, Mayor of the city of St. Joseph, was born in Boone
county, Kentucky, August 1, 1820, and received a fair business educa-
tion in the common schools of his native state.  He was the eldest of
four brothers.  Presley Piner, his father, carried on a large tobacco
factory, near Florence, in Boone County, where he died when young 
Joseph was but eight years of age.  On his mother's second marriage,
he determined to leave home in quest of fortune.  Accordingly, with a
scanty wardrobe, and no means, save willing hands and a hopeful heart,
he began the active journey of life.  He subsequently found himself in
Kenton County, in his native state, where he engaged in the service of
merchant; he was, at that period, fifteen years of age.  He remained
in this store several years, rising from one position of trust to 
another till he became entrusted with the direction of the business,
at a good salary.  He afterwards moved to Campbell County, Kentucky,
of which he was subsequently elected sheriff.  At the expiration of
his term of office he was chosen judge of the county court of the same
county.  In 1862, he moved to Buchanan County, Missouri, where he en-
gaged in mercantile pursuits, meeting with the most satisfactory 
success, for the period of four years, after which he was burned out, 
sustaining a loss, in this calamity, of $15,000.  Since that period he
has been engaged in various enterprises.  In 1871, he went into the
business of transportation, and is now President of the St. Joseph
Omnibus Company.  April, 1878, Judge Piner was elected, on the Demo-
cratic ticket, Mayor of the city of St. Joseph, by a majority of 804
votes, the largest ever achieved by any candidate in this place.  His
competitor in this election was also a popular and estimable citizen.
In 1880, he was again elected to the position of Mayor, by a large
majority.  In his public career in St. Joseph he has achieved the 
character of a painstaking, capable and impartial officer.  August 12,
1853, he married, in Newport, Kentucky, Miss Sophia F. Bennett, the
daughter of Dr. J. Bennett, Surgeon in the United States Army.  They 
have one daughter, she is the wife of Thomas A. Massey, of St. Joseph.

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