Jackson-Callaway County MO Archives Biographies.....CHILES, William G. June 22, 1826 - ************************************************ 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: J. Robison normadeplume@wmconnect.com February 9, 2009, 4:25 am Author: Anonymous From 'A Memorial and biographical record of Kansas City and Jackson County, Missouri by Anonymous 1896 WILLIAM G. CHILES, who is the owner of one of the finest farms of Jackson county, and who for many years has been prominently identified with the interests of this locality, was born on the 22d of June, 1836, the fourth son in the family of Joel F. and Azubah (SKINNER) CHILES. His father, a native of Kentucky, followed farming through the early years of his manhood. He married Miss SKINNER, and with his wife and two children removed to Jackson county, Missouri, in 1831. He entered land in Fort Osage township, which he continued to cultivate until his death, in February, 1855. He was also connected with mercantile pursuits in Sibley for several years, owning an interest in the store of J. F. & F. CHILES, which firm was succeeded by Lightner & CHILES, and that by CHILES & Garrison. Mrs. CHILES, mother of our subject, died August 5, 1873. In their family were nine sons and three daughters. Our subject was reared on the old CHILES homestead, on section 11, township 50, range 31, and remained at home, attending the district schools until fourteen years of age, when he entered the employ of Frank CHILES, his cousin, a merchant of Sibley, with whom he remained until the death of that gentleman in the summer of 1852. He had just made a business trip to St. Louis by steamer, and on his return was stricken with the cholera and died. William G. then joined his brother, C. C. CHILES, who was managing their father's interest in the store of Lightner & CHILES, and afterward was with the firm of CHILES & Garrison until 1853, when he entered the Masonic College, at Lexington, Missouri. On his father's death in 1855 he returned home to assist his mother in the management of the farm. He was thus engaged until the spring of 1861, when he enlisted in the Missouri state militia, under call of Governor Jackson. Not wishing to remain in Missouri, he went to Texas, in September, 1861, joining a company which included C. C., his brother, and Elijah CHILES, his cousin, and others, who had gathered what transportable property they could obtain and started for the Lone Star state, their destination being Grayson county. William G. CHILES remained with the train until it reached the Creek nation, when he started on in advance with David Miller, of Clay county, Missouri, to secure a favorable location for his brother, C. C. CHILES, and his family. On arriving at Sherman he called on Mr. Hendricks, a lawyer, by whom he was introduced to John Bacon, who lived on the Choctaw, eight miles east of Sherman, and who assisted our subject in getting a farm of two hundred acres, two miles west of old Warren. Mr. CHILES then returned to meet the train, which he found in the Chickasaw nation. Soon afterward an agent from the quartermaster's department of the Confederate army came to them, wishing to purchase such teams and wagons as were suitable for transporting army supplies, and made arrangements to take all of the wagons and teams that were suitable, which were to be delivered at a camp west of Sherman, when they had unloaded their goods at their farms. This was done, and in payment they received certified checks from the Confederate government, payable at Fort Smith, Arkansas. Mr. CHILES and his brother purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land, well improved, four miles from Sherman, for three thousand dollars in Confederate money, after which our subject hastened to return to Missouri, hoping that he might be allowed to remain. He traveled part of the way with James Baxter and William Quantrell, the famous bushwhacker (little suspecting that the latter would become so notorious), finding him a very pleasant traveling companion. He reached his mother's home late in November, but found that he could not remain in Missouri, so determined to return to Texas. He had his wagon equipped and arrangements made to start from where he now resides, when some Kansas jayhawkers came to his farm and took all movable articles. With some friends he then secured another outfit, which was moved to a church in Greenton valley, in LaFayette county. The mules and horses were shod in Wellington, and in January they started. A heavy sleet lay upon the ground but the newly-shod teams were able to make good progress. Arrived in Texas, without delay, Mr. CHILES resolved to join the Confederate army and went to Fort Smith, with James Fletcher and Jesse Neff, expecting to go east of the Mississippi to enlist, but found that Colonel James Clarkson was there recruiting a regiment, and he insisted on Mr. CHILES taking charge of his ordnance department. The latter consented and joined Captain Minehart's company. He was immediately appointed ordnance master, and on the 3d of July, 1862, was captured by a scout belonging to General Blount's command on Cabin creek, in the Cherokee nation. He was taken to the camp, and on the 7th of July, with one hundred and fifteen prisoners of war, including Colonel Clarkson, was sent in wagons, ten prisoners to a wagon, to Fort Leavenworth. These wagons were closely covered with heavy sheeting and guarded by soldiers, and eight days later they reached Fort Leavenworth, where the Confederates were inspected and paraded and then placed in a prison camp in the midst of a grove south of the fort. Friends petitioning the authorities to release Mr. CHILES on parole, he was given his freedom on the 4th of August and came to Jackson county, but was required to report to the commanding officer at Fort Leavenworth on the first day of each month. On the first of December he was transferred to Platte county, Colonel Pennick refusing to allow him to remain in Jackson county. On the 1st of September, 1863, he was ordered to report to General Schofield, at Kansas City, of whom he asked to be released from his parole or exchanged. The General demanded that Mr. CHILES take the oath of allegiance or join the militia, or he would be banished from the United States, having choice, however, of the place to which he should be sent. He was placed under bond of three thousand dollars and on honor agreed to go to Canada, being allowed ten days for preparation and given a pass for himself and baggage. Remaining in Toronto and Oakville until the following December, he requested the provost marshal of this district, Abraham Comingo, to allow him to spend the winter in Clark county, Kentucky, and on Christmas day received a pass, sent him by order of General Schofield, permitting him to go to Kentucky, where he remained until the following March. He then obtained permission of General Rosencrans, the successor of Schofield, to go from Canada to Idaho, and remain there until the close of the war. From Canada he went to Platte county, Missouri, where with P. P. SKINNER and T. G. Calmes, he secured an outfit to cross the plains. He reached Boise City in August and remained there engaged in freighting from the Boise valley, to Owyhee, Minnesota, and Umatilla landing, on the Columbia river, also to Idaho City. On his first trip to Umatilla he became snowbound, and, as he could not recross the Blue mountains, took a steamer at Umatilla and went thence by Columbia river to Portland, Oregon, thence by steamer to San Francisco, by way of Victoria, British Columbia, reaching the Golden Gate the day after the assassination of President Lincoln. By steamer Mr. CHILES went to Sacramento and by stage to Dawesville, near where his brother I. C. CHILES, lived on a fine farm. He visited him and also and uncle, J. B. CHILES, who lived in the CHILES valley, and was a resident of California long before the discovery of gold. Returning to Umatilla, he joined his cousin T. G. CALMES, about the 1st of May and took a load of freight to Central City, Idaho, a mining camp, west of Idaho City, receiving fourteen cents per pound for freighting. In the late fall he went across the Rocky mountains from Idaho to Virginia City, Montana, where he joined Henry and Cyrus CALMES, who had ox teams loaded with freight from Salt Lake City. After unloading freight at Virginia City he took cattle and mules to Crow creek, near the junction of the Madison, Jefferson and Gallatin rivers and went into winter camp there. During the winter he hunted, prospected and mined on Indian creek, and in September, 1866, sold his interest in the mines and ranch on Crow creek, preparatory to returning to Missouri. After a few days spent in Helena, Montana, Mr. CHILES went by express to Fort Benton, at the head of navigation on the Missouri river, and engaged passage on a flatboat, owned by Parkison & Price, paying forty dollars for passage to St. Joseph, Missouri. The boat was propelled by oars, and the first day the rowers gave out. A two-hour relief was then formed and rowing day and night they arrived at Sioux City, Iowa, the last of October, where Mr. CHILES boarded a steamer for St. Joseph, arriving home by rail November 2, 1866. He remained in Jackson county until June, 1867, then went to Grayson county, Texas, on horseback. After visiting Hunt and Fannin counties, Texas, he returned to Grayson county, where he took charge of his farm, which he operated until 1868. In 1869 he rented the farm to Joseph Hall and returned to this state. He again went to Texas in July, traveling with mule team, and selling his farm for ten dollars per acre in gold. He then purchased cattle, which he placed in charge of John Belcher, who was driving cattle from Texas to Baxter Springs, Kansas. Late in September, in company with Jeff Belcher, he started on horseback to overtake the cattle, which he did a few miles before reaching Baxter Springs. It was just after a severe snowstorm, and the cattle had stampeded and were widely scattered. Mr. CHILES assisted in "rounding up," and in a few days sold his cattle to Kansas dealers and started for Jackson county with a party. At Fort Scott the party took train for Kansas City, leaving Mr. CHILES with the horses and wagons to drive through to Lees Summit. He arrived home in November, and in the summer of 1870 purchased of his brother, P. S. CHILES, and interest in the farm which he now owns. On the 28th of September of that year was celebrated the marriage of William G. CHILES and Mary E. MURFEE, who was born in Jackson county, April 23, 1849, and was the only child of Joseph and Emily (RICE) MURFEE, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Missouri. Her father died in Indiana during the war and her mother passed away in this county, in June, 1849. Our subject and his wife have seven children, one of whom died in infancy, and Phinehas S. at the age of two years. Five are still living, as follows: Isaac C., Grahame M., Mary E., William G. and Caroline. In 1884 Mr. CHILES was elected associate judge of the Jackson county court from the eastern district, on the democratic ticket, and was re-elected in 1886, serving for four years. He was a member of the court when the new office building at Independence was erected, and when the contract was let for the building of the county court-house at Kansas City. His fidelity to duty was above question and in all the relations of life he has been true to his honest convictions. Since 1861 he has been connected with the Christian church, and is now acting as deacon and trustee of Buckner church. He owns and manages a farm of three hundred and twenty acres on sections 16 and 17, Fort Osage township. There has been much in his life of an exciting nature through his experience on the western frontier, but to-day he is quietly performing the duties of an agriculturist and enjoying the prosperity that his own labor has brought him. He has the respect and confidence of all who know him and his friends are many. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mo/jackson/bios/chiles146gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mofiles/ File size: 12.5 Kb