Biographical Sketch of T. W. Chiles, Franklin County, Missouri

>From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and 
Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing 
Company, 1888.

**********************************************************************

T. W. Chiles, county surveyor of Franklin County, Mo., with postoffice
at St. Clair, was born in Greencastle, Putnam Co., Ind., April 18, 1834
and is the son of John C. and Mary T. (Brooking) Chiles.  The father 
was born in Virginia, in 1807, and was the son of Tarlton W. Chiles, 
who was a Virginian.  John Chiles removed to Indiana in 1823, and loca-
ted in Putnam County.  He was a graduate of Transylvania University at
Lexington, Ky., graduating in the same class with Henry Clay, in 1827,
delivered the valadictory address, and his diploma is signed by Henry
Clay.  He was admitted to the bar at Lexington, Ky., in 1828, and prac-
ticed his profession there until he removed to Indiana.  He attained 
considerable note as a lawyer and practitioner, and represented Putnam
County in the Indiana Legislature a number of years.  His death occurr-
ed January 6, 1847.  The mother was born in Virginia, in 1805, and was
the daughter of Robert E. Brooking, a native of Virginia, and a soldier
of the War of 1812.  She died December 20, 1847.  After the death of
his parents, our subject made his home in Clark County, Ky., with an
uncle, Samuel W. Chiles, where he secured a limited education.  In 1850
he removed to St. Louis, Mo., and entered a high school at that place.
In the fall of 1852 he was connected with the civil engineering corps 
on the Iron Mountain Railroad.  In November, 1853 he located in Frank-
lin County, Mo., and was interested in the Moselle Iron Furnace Company
of which he was superintendent for five years.  In 1858 he removed to
Dent County, Mo., purchased a farm, and turned his attention to stock
raising.  April 14, 1858, he married Miss Judith W. Barnes, a native of
Franklin County, Mo., born in 1838, and the daughter of James H. Barnes.
To that union one son was born, who is now a citizen of St. Louis. Soon
after removing to Dent County, Mo., Mr. Chiles was appointed deputy 
surveyor, and in 1860 he was elected on the Democratic ticket to the
position of surveyor of Dent County, which position he held until the
breaking out of the late war.  August 14, 1862, Mrs. Chiles died, and
shortly afterwards Mr. Chiles moved to St. Louis, and entered the com-
mission business with an uncle, under the firm title of Chiles & Co.
In the fall of 1864 he went to New York City, thence to Havana, and 
then to the mouth of the Rio Grande River, Old Mexico.  On July 4, 1865
he left there and returned to St. Louis and purchased a stock of goods,
went to Mississippi and engaged in merchandising for about two years,
after which he returned to St. Louis and took a position as book keeper
in a nail-mill company, at which he continued until 1870.  December 15,
of the same year he married Miss Fannie G. Cheatham, who was born in
Franklin County, Mo., in 1851, and who is the daughter of John E. A.
Cheatham, a native of Virginia.  To this union a daughter and son have 
been born.  Soon after his second marriage Mr. Chiles returned to Fran-
klin County, Mo., and purchasing a farm, engaged in agricultural pur-
suits, which he has since continued.  In 1872, he was the Democratic
candidate for surveyor of Franklin County, was defeated and then served
as deputy surveyor for four years under Francis Wilhelmi, his success-
ful opponent.  In 1876 he made the race a second time against Mr. Wil-
helmi as an Independent and was elected.  He held that position until
1880, and was then defeated as an Independent by Joseph Eckert, Demo-
crat.  After this he entered the collector's office and served as
deputy collector through 1881 and 1882, under R. M. Armstrong.  In 1884
he made the race for surveyor as an Independent, against Mr. Eckert,
was elected, and is holding that position at present.

====================================================================
     USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing
         free information on the Internet, data may be used by
         non-commercial entities, as long as this message
         remains on all copied material. These electronic
         pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit
         or for presentation by other persons or organizations.

         Persons or organizations desiring to use this material
         for purposes other than stated above must obtain the
         written consent of the file contributor.

         This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb
         Archives by: Joe Miller <mio@netins.net>
		      Penny Harrell <Incog3678@aol.com>

====================================================================