Biographical Sketch of James Madison Orchard, Dent County, Missouri

>From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, 
Pulaski, Phelps and Dent Counties, Missouri" The Goodspeed Publishing
Company, 1889.
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Judge James Madison Orchard, postmaster of Salem, was born in Washing-
ton County, Mo., and is the son of John and Rosanna (Ashbrook) Orchard.
John Orchard was a native of Kentucky, born in 1801, and was of Scotch
Irish descent.  When eighteen years of age he immigrated to Missouri,
when that state was territory, and located in Washington county.  Here 
he was married, and in 1847 he came to Dent county, Mo., locating on
the Meramec, and in 1850 settled on a farm six miles southeast of the
county seat.  He at first owned 180 acres, but has added to this 320
acres.  He was sheriff of Washington county, Mo., one term.  He died in
1865.  His wife, Rosanna (Ashbrook) Orchard, was born in Washington 
county, Mo., in 1805, and died in 1873.  To them were born eight child-
ren, only three now living: Alexander H., George W. and James Madison.
The last named was educated in the common schools of his native county,
was reared on a farm, and in 1849 commenced teaching a four months'
school, but when half through with the term resigned, and started to
California to obtain his share of the hidden wealth in the "Eureka
State."  He went overland, it taking him six months to make the long 
and perilous journey, and remained in that State until 1853, working
in the mines, after which he returned East and became a citizen of
Salem, Mo.  He then engaged in merchandising, his father and his 
brother, William A., being partners.  In 1854 Mr. Orchard was appointed
postmaster, the name of the office being Dent Court House, now Salem,
and held the position until about 1858, he being the first postmaster
at that place.  In November, 1856, Judge Orchard was married to Miss
Martha E. Ware, nee Mitchell, daughter of Spencer Mitchell, who was one
of the pioneer settlers of Texas county, Mo.  Mrs. Orchard was born in
Tennessee in 1829, and by her marriage became the mother of seven 
children: John M., assistant professor of mathematics at Naval Academy
at Annapolis, Md., and graduate of the same, ranked as lieutenant of 
the United States Navy; Albert E., who died in January, 1888, at the 
age of twenty-six; Charles H., manager of Clark Mercantile Co., of 
Salem, Mo.; Mary L., wife of Dr. C. A. Dunnavant, at Kirkwood, Mo.;
Julia R., wife of J. W. Simms, at West Plains, Mo.; William D., at 
Pueblo, Colo., and Ruah.  Judge Orchard continued in partnership with
his father and brother until 1858, when the firm sold to John W. Live-
say, and in 1860 Judge Orchard became a partner in a general store, but
one year later they boxed their goods and shipped them to St. Louis.
Subsequently Judge Orchard sold his interest to Mr. Wheeling.  In 1862
he began shoemaking, which occupation he followed until the fall of
1865, and after the war he commenced practicing law, having been admit-
ted to the bar in 1855.  In November, 1887, Judge Orchard was appointed
by Postmaster General W. F. Vilas to the position of postmaster at
Salem, and this office he is now holding.  He is one of the old citi-
zens of Dent county, and is one of the influential and most esteemed
members.  For one year he was probate judge of Dent county, and was
county commissioner for a short period.  He is a life-long Democrat in
his politics, casting his first presidential vote for Franklin Pierce
in 1852.  He is a Royal Arch Mason, and he and wife are members of the
Missionary Baptist Church, of which he has been a member for forty-one
years and a deacon for twelve years.  Mrs. Orchard, by a previous
marriage, became the mother of one child, Spencer H. Ware, who is 
circuit clerk of Shannon County, Mo.

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