OWSLEY BIOGRAPHIES, Henry County, Missouri
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OWSLEY, Rolla Neigh - b: 1858 Johnson Co, MO
source: 1883 History of Henry Missouri , National Historical Co. - page: 590
residence: Windsor Twp

Rolla Neigh Owsley of the firm of Shelton & Owsley, grocers and produce dealers, 
is a native of Johnson County, Missouri, and was born in 1858. His father, John N. 
Owsley, was born in Boone County, November 20, 1819, and removed to this 
county in 1832, with his father, Anthony Owsley, a Virginian by birth. John N. 
Owsley was for forty years an extensive and profitable dealer in horses and 
mules, purchasing them in this market and selling in the south. During the war he 
lost heavily on security debts, through the south, yet after the war he was 
enabled to start anew and thus regained much of his lost fortune. At his death, in 
December, 1877, he left a large estate to his family of nine children. Mrs. Owsley 
is still living on the old homestead with her two unmarried daughters, Bettie and 
Pearl. The subject of this sketch is the fifth child of the family. He attended the 
normal school at Warrensburg, and fitted himself for a business man, and 
subsequently bought an interest in H. C. Churchill's drug store. After a year or 
more he sold out and built the large livery barn east of the Bass House, and 
started the livery business. This he conducted for eighteen months, disposed of 
the stock, etc., to Burton & Collins, the present proprietors, but retained the 
barn. Then he purchased an interest in his present business with George J. 
Shelton. They erected their store in 1882 and commenced the grocery business in 
July. They are doing a very large grocery trade, and pack and ship produce of all 
kinds. During the fall of 1882 they bought, packed and sold 12,000 bushels of 
apples. Mr. O. married Miss Nettie Pierce, of Windsor, June 27, 1880. She was the 
daughter of Matthew Pierce, a former sheriff of Benton County, he having moved 
from Illinois. Her mother was formerly Mary Thompson, also of Illinois. Mr. 
Pierce died in 1876, and Mrs. Pierce in 1879. Mr. and Mrs. Owsley have one child, 
Mary, born April 8, 1882. Mr. Pierce at his death left 1,000 acres of land and 
valuable property in Warsaw, Benton County, besides a large personal estate to 
Mrs. Owsley. Politically Mr. O. is a Democrat, and he belongs to the A. L. of H. of 
which he is an active member. He is peculiarly well fitted for the business in 
which he is now engaged, and is generous, kind and affable to all with whom he 
comes in contact.

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