Caldwell County MO Archives History .....JAMES F. COLBY - EARLY LUMBER DEALER  
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Karen Walker khw4@yahoo.com September 4, 2008, 4:58 pm

JAMES F. COLBY - EARLY LUMBER DEALER IN HAMILTON
	Narrators:  Mrs. Alice Owens and Mrs. Emma Doll

     The narrators are the daughters of James F. Colby, early lumber dealer in 
Hamilton.
     He was born 1823 Springfield N.H. of the Revolutionary War Colby family.  
In 1832, he accompanied his parents to a new home in Connecticut, and 
afterwards to Rhode Island.  In 1847, he was connected with a cotton mill in 
the latter state and in 1865, he made his first move west to Freeport Ills., 
in the boot, shoe, and cap business.  In 1868, hearing of the town of Hamilton 
through the railroad ads, he came to Hamilton and settled down for life here.
     Ever since 1868 to his death, he was connected with the lumber business 
here.  His first connection was as a clerk for C.E. Goodnow on the Broadway 
Lumber yard, (site of the Ralph White home).  That gave him experience in his 
new field and he liked it.  He bought property here, the Colby home, which was 
the site of the present Neall home in west Hamilton.  He later went to clerk 
for George Reddie, the veteran Lumber dealer on the north side.  Later he was 
agent for the Dubach lumber company in the south side lumber yard.  He finally 
bought this lumber yard of the Harper Lumber company in 1882.
     He was married three times, Adeline Foster of Mass., Caroline Johnson of 
Rhode Island, and Mary Newton of Boliver N.Y.  His son William who was his 
father's partner for many years was a son of the first marriage.  The third 
marriage was with a young woman who was out here in Missouri visiting her 
sister.  From this marriage there were six children, three died as infants, 
buried first in the old Rohrbaugh cemetery, then moved into the new Highland, 
then three daughters reached maturity; Alice (Mrs. Dave Owens), Elizabeth 
(registered nurse), Emma (Mrs. Earnest Doll).
     The third Mrs. J.F. Colby has the following family history.  Her mother 
was Rhoda Lyon born 1800 married Hollis Newton 1820.  The Lyon family was from 
New Jersey Elizabethtown and they moved to Seneca N.Y. in an ox wagon.  Rhoda 
Lyon Newton told about a battle in the war of 1812 in N.J. when they had to 
stay in a cellar on account of the balls.  A neighbor girl of theirs was 
carried off in N.Y. by the Indians, and released only after grave suffering.
     Mrs. Colby's mother, Rhoda, had a mother who was a Seventh Day Baptist, 
and had her daughters keep that faith as long as they stayed at home.  That 
accounts for Mrs. Colby being of that faith, one of the few in town.  Mrs. 
Newton, her sister-in-law also was one and Mrs. Evans her sister.  The family 
back a few generations was German.  There were six children of the Hollis 
Newton and Rhoda Lyon marriage and Mrs. Colby was the youngest, born 1840, 
died 1923, being 16 years old when her mother died.  People in Hamilton still 
remember Mrs. Colby as a splendid mother and home maker.
     Interview  1933.


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