HARKESS BIOGRAPHIES, Henry County, Missouri
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HARKESS, Reuben - b: 1880 Pettis Co, MO
source: 1919 History of Henry Co MO, Uel W. Lamkin, Historical Publishing Co - 
page: 837
residence: Windsor, Windsor Twp

Reuben Harkess, a widely known and successful auctioneer throughout this 
section of Missouri, is a native of Pettis County, Missouri. He was born on a farm 
in Pettis County July 5, 1880, and is the son of James and Jane (Elliot) Harkless, 
who were natives of Pennsylvania and Missouri, respectively. James Harkless 
was born near Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and his wife was born within five miles 
of Green Ridge on the old John Elliot homestead, which was one of the widely 
known and noted pioneer farms in Pettis County. The old stage route ran by the 
Elliot homestead, and John Elliot was a skilled cabinet maker and wood worker 
who made coffins for the early settlers of the surrounding country. James 
Harkless came to Missouri from Minnesota with his parents when six years old, 
the family making the trip overland in 1855 and the little six year old boy 
walking practically all of the distance to the new home in Johnson County. They 
settled near Knob Noster. James was born in 1849 and died at his old home in 
Pettis County in March, 1915. His wife was born in 1849 and departed this life 
February 8, 1913. She was a distant relative of Daniel Boone. Reuben Harkless 
was reared to the life of a farmer and tilled the soil until November of 1909 
when he located in Windsor and launched his successful career as an auctioneer. 
In 1914 he took the agency for the Buick automobile and conducted an automobile 
business until he sold out April 17, 1918. Mr. Harkless first began to cry public 
sales in his neighborhood and has averaged over one hundred public sales each 
year. His largest public sale was one held in Windsor in 1911 which included the 
stock, business property and residence of a citizen and brought $26,000. On 
January 10, 1904, Reuben Harkless and Mona Schnabel were united in marriage. 
One child has blessed this union, Balfour, born July 17, 1909. Mrs. Mona Harkless 
was born in Pettis County, Missouri, the daughter of Louis J. and Ellander 
(Rogers) Schnabel, natives of Benton County and Shelby County, Missouri, 
respectively. Louis J. Schnabel is a successful merchant of Lonia, Missouri, and is 
father of six sons and four daughters. The Schnabels are of German descent, the 
father of Louis J. Schnabel having left his native land to escape from the 
intolerable and degrading military oppression of the ruling classes and to find a 
free home in America. He homesteaded a tract of land in Pettis County and built 
up a splendid farm. Five sons and two daughters were born to James and Jane 
Harkless, as follow: John E., a farmer of Pettis County; Charles R., Sedalia, 
Missouri, who is a Spanish-American War veteran and was a sharpshooter in 
Company M, 32nd Regiment Volunteer Infantry, United States Army; Reuben, 
subject of this sketch; Count, living near Green Ridge, Missouri; Mrs. Bertha 
Downing, Jefferson City, Missouri; Sarah May, wife of William I. Pittman, whose 
farm adjoins that of Mr. Harkless in Pettis County; Luster, Sedalia, Missouri. In 
addition to his activities as an auctioneer, Mr. Harkless attends to a fine farm of 
one hundred twenty acres located in Pettis County not far from Windsor. He is a 
Republican and a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. 

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