Caldwell County MO Archives History .....THE WILLIAM PARTIN FAMILY IN MIRABILE, 1858,  
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mo/mofiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Karen Walker khw4@yahoo.com September 8, 2008, 4:06 pm

THE WILLIAM PARTIN FAMILY IN MIRABILE, 1858, IN HAMILTON, 1867
	Narrator:  Will B. Partin, Rock Springs, Wyo.

     William Partin was born at Dandridge Tenn. not far from Knoxville.  He 
attended seminaries at New Market and Strawberry Plains.  He became a cotton 
buyer for a plant at Mosey Creek.  He traveled the mountain valleys of his 
district on the horses from the company's stables kept for that purpose.  
Later, he set out to see the world and went to Philadelphia.  Some friends and 
distant relatives had come west and settled at Mirabile Mo.  Partin joined 
then in 1858, believing that this new country had advantages for a young man.  
He was in business at Mirabile Caldwell county with John R. Penney, firm name 
being Partin and Penney.  Later he married Betty Penney, niece of his 
partner.  She was daughter of Rev. Eli Penney, a plantation owner of that 
section who owned 60 slaves and was very wealthy for the times.  Prior to 
coming to Caldwell county, Rev. Penney had a plantation in Lawrenceburg, Ky.
     William Partin, although a Southerner, became a captain in the Union army 
and his colonel complimented him for his bravery but said the one thing wrong 
with him was his "damnable politics" for Mr. Partin was a life long Democrat.
     The first two children of Wm. Partin and Betty Penney were James and 
Edward.  James was after Rev. James C. Penney a life long resident of 
Hamilton, and Edward was after Mrs. Partin's brother Edward of St. Joseph.  
These two oldest boys died and are on the old Penney plantation near Mirabile.
     In the late sixties, Mr. Partin moved his family to Hamilton and they 
lived in what was long known as the O'Neil house on South Main street.  His 
first store was just north of the depot near the old A.G. Davis general 
store.  Later, Mr. Partin bought a frame just south of the old elevator on 
South Main and had a fine grocery store business there.  Later, he sold out 
his store to Mr. Fowler.
     After this, he travelled for a while, with a view to change, but came 
back to Hamilton.  He was manager for the grocery department of McDonald, 
George and Co, Gene Low, George Penney, Harry Nichols and others.  Uncle Billy 
Partin knew his groceries.
     He served on the school board and his name, as a member, is inscribed on 
the first large bell on the north side brick.
     A country greenie from remote parts once stopped his journey here and was 
attacked by a local bully.  His hat was ruined.  The stranger knocked down his 
assailant and got the best of the fight.  Father called him into the store, 
set him up with a lunch and gave him the best hat in the house, because of his 
victory over the bully.
     Another story on Mr. Partin:  In the early 70s, a young woman gave birth 
to a child in a manger in the outer part of town.  It came to Mr. Partin's 
ears.  He started a subscription paper.  Many of the business men wanted to 
know more about her, whence she had come etc. but Partin at once said that did 
not matter.  What did matter was her plight, she needed help and he got enough 
to send her back to her Eastern home.
     Uncle Billy Partin loved cats and all his pets at the grocery stores were 
smart.  They would wait for him both at the home and at the store.  Everyone 
in town knew his fondness for cats, and were apt to drop them on the store or 
his house.
     William Partin died while on a visit to Denver, Colorado. For a while, 
his body was left in Fairmont cemetery there, but was eventually returned to 
his beloved Hamilton, where in the Highland cemetery he rests with his wife, 
his two daughters Mittie and Anna and his nephew Eli Penney, together with old 
Rev. Eli Penney and wife, all of whom have been removed from older grave yards.
     Interview  1935.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mo/caldwell/history/other/williamp315gms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mofiles/

File size: 4.3 Kb