Biographical Sketch of Edwin Toole, 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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Edwin Toole was born February 23, 1808, in Shelby County, Kentucky,
is now in his seventy fourth year, and perhaps looks as young and feels
as stout and active as most men at the age of fifty. Between the ages
of eighteen and twenty three he taught several schools in both Shelby
and Henry Counties, and at Newcastle, in the latter county, studied
law and was admitted to the bar when about twenty four years of age.
Was married to Lucinda S. Porter, at Owenton, Kentucky, on the memor-
able 12th of November, 1833, the night of which day will ever be re-
membered as of star shooting notoriety, or rather of metoric showers.
About the 1st of April, 1837, they left the State of Kentucky with two
children, boys, one about three and the other about one year old, and
embarked at Louisville for St. Louis by steamboat, thence up the
Missouri River to Liberty Landing, at which place both children died
and were there buried. They were detained at said landing some four
or five weeks, and finally reached the point at which they located on
June 10, 1837, about two miles south of where the city of Savannah now
stands. At that time there were not exceeding fifteen or twenty famil-
ies within the limits of what now constitutes Andrew County, who had
preceded them, and most, if not all, of them were living in tents and
camps, but the country began to fill up very rapidly, and all the
country lying west and northwest of Clinton County, including what now
forms Andrew, Holt, Nodaway, Atchison and possibly Buchanan Counties,
being attached to Clinton County for civil and military purposes. He
was, during the following fall or winter elected justice of the peace
of Washington township, which then included all the territory now
forming Judge Kelley's circuit, and possibly no inconsiderable part of
Judge Sherman's. Soon after this, however, Platte and Buchanan Counties
were organized, and the territory now constituting Andrew, Holt, etc.,
was attached to Buchanan, and orders for the election of county officers
made and published. Although now a citizen of Buchanan County, yet
living in the territory attached to her, Mr. Toole became a candidate
for the office of Clerk of the Circuit Court, and was elected, William
Fowler at the same time being a candidate for both Circuit and County
Clerk, and was elected to the latter. At the next succeeding session
of the Legislature, Andrew County was organized, and not being a resi-
dent and citizen within the chartered limits of Buchanan County, and
having no desire at that time to change his residence for the sake of
said office, he let it slide, feeling assured that the office of both
circuit and county clerkships in Andrew County were at his service, both
of which he filled for many years, and resigned the former in the spring
of 1858. Then removed to St. Joseph, where he resided until the spring
of 1875, at which time he settled on a farm two miles east of Troy, in
Kansas. In April, 1878, Mrs. Toole died, and was buried in the cemetery
at Troy, leaving him alone. In the month of August, following, he
visited the city of Helena, Montana Territory, where he has two sons,
E. W. and J. K., practicing law, and have been there engaged for a
number of years. His two daughters, Mrs. Dr. Atchison and Mrs. R. P.
Stout, have, with their families, both followed him, and are settled
there, and his two other sons, Ben W. and C. B., may before long, do
likewise. His youngest son Oliver B., died at Helena in october,
1877, of brain fever, soon after his admission to the bar. Mr. Toole
is a man of large frame. He has all his life enjoyed excellent health,
and now, in the seventy fourth year of his age, is as stout and active
as most men of fifty. During the period of his long and active life no
man has enjoyed a higher degree of respect and of personal popularity.

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