Biographical Sketch of John A. Doak, Holden, Johnson County, Missouri >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** John A. Doak, retired pioneer of Holden, Missouri, is one of the oldest of Missouri's native born pioneer settlers. Four score and three years ago, this patriarch was born in Missouri, a son of one of the earliest of the brave pioneer settlers, who redeemed this great state from a wilderness of plain and forest and made it habitable for mankind. Near- ly ninety years have elapsed since the Doak family settled in Missouri and during that period a great nation has grown and the great state of Missouri has achieved a foremost place among the galaxy of states which make up the greatest republic on earth of which history has ever recor- ded the story. Probably no living man has witnessed more or greater changes than John A. Doak, the pioneer of Holden, Missouri. John A. Doak was born in 1834 on a pioneer farm in Lafayette county, Missouri. He is a son of Alexander and Mary A. (Campbell) Doak, both of whom were of old Southern pioneer stock. Alexander Doak was a native of Tennesse and his wife was a native of Virginia. The two were married in Ken- tucky and resided in that state until 1828, when they came to Missouri, residing in Lafayette county until 1842, when they made a permanent settlement in Johnson county on a farm six miles south of Holden, on Bear creek. Here they developed a fine farm and spent the remainder of their lives. Alexander Doak entered a small tract of government land and also bought land which was partly improved. He died in 1879, being followed to the Great Beyond by the wife and mother five years later, in 1884. This pioneer couple were parents of eleven children, three girls and eight sons, only two of whom are now living: the subject of this review; and Mrs. Sarah J. Raker, who lives on a farm near Columbus, Missouri, in Johnson County. John A. Doak was eight years of age when he accompanied his parents to the farm near Holden, Mo. He endured all the hardships of the pioneer era in the upbuilding of Johnson county and has a vivid recollection of conditions in Johnson county in the early forties. There was no city of Holden at that time and no one even dreamed of building a city on the present site. Lexington was the nearest trading point and this city was forty-five miles distant. The settlers followed the trail straight across country when it became nec- essary for them to go to Lexington for trading purposes, and the round trip would require several days. The settlements were all located along the creeks so that the pioneer families would be provided with two prime necessities in those days: water and timber, the latter for fuel and building purposes. There were no luxuries although food was plentiful and wild game, such as deer, turkeys and prairie chickens, abounded and could be killed from the front door. The settlers supplied their tables with plenty of wild game, such as would be an unheard of luxury at the present day. The pioneer had meats and food stuffs which are high priced at the present day and he had no longing for other lux- uries which were beyond his means. All lived alike; none were overly rich; everybody tried to be neighborly and kind; all vied with one another in making the newcomer feel at home and assisted him and his in every way possible. Mr. Doak has witnessed prairie fires and assisted in subduing them. This patriarch attended the old time "subscription schools" in a little log school house, roughly and poorly furnished with crude, handmade benches. The only ventilation or light was admit- ted to the hut by means of a hole made by omitting a log in the side of the building. His first teacher was W. L. King. He was later taught by Mr. Emerson. Mr. Doak engaged in farming and became very prosperous as a successful farmer and stockman in the vicinity of Holden. He re- mained on his farm until 1901, at which time he removed to Holden and is now living in comfortable retirement and truly enjoying the eventide of life after a long and productive period of energetic endeavor. Mr. Doak disposed of his farm lands and has carefully invested his life earnings so that the returns from his well earned hoard will yield him a comfortable income for the remainder of his days. John A. Doak was united in the bonds of matrimony with Susan J. Potts of North Carolina in 1855. To this union have been born seven children: Susan Ann, who died in childhood; William M., deceased; Tobias S., a farmer located near Chilhowee; Dora, deceased; Charles, now living in Arkansas; James, deceased; and Robert, deceased. The mother of the above named children departed this life in 1872. Two years later, in 1874, Mr. Doak was married to Martha C. Tuttle, a native of Cole county, Mo., and daughter of John Tuttle, who was born and reared in Maryland and came to Miss- ouri and made a settlement in Johnson county in 1866. The Tuttles spent their lives in useful farming pursuits in Johnson county and were well respected citizens. To this second marriage of John A. Doak were born two daughters, as follow: Etta May, wife of Oscar Phipps, living on a farm south of Holden; and Mary E., deceased. Mr. Doak has been one of the most useful citizens of Johnson county and has filled various offi- ces of trust and honor conferred upon him by his fellow citizens. For a period of twenty-five years, he capably filled the office of justice of the peace and also served as a member of the school board. This patriarch also has an honorable war record of which his descendants may be proud. He, with five brothers, served in the Confederate Army dur- ing the war between the states and he was the only one of the six boys who came out of the terrible conflict alive. Mr. Doak enlisted in 1861 and served as a member of Company D, 16th Missouri Infantry, 2nd Brig- ade, under Col. Jackman with whom he enlisted, serving also under Gen. Price. He fought at the Battle of Prairie Grove and at Helena, Ark., taking an active part in countless minor battles and skirmishes. The nearest he ever came to being wounded was when a bullet passed through his collar at Prairie Grove. His command operated extensively in Miss- ouri and Arkansas and Mr. Doak served the cause until the close of the war. Mr. Doak is religiouslly inclined and has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, since 1856. He is a stockholder in the Blairstown Bank and is a stockholder and a director of the Farmers and Commercial Bank of Holden. He is numbered among Holden's most substantial and respected citizens and has many warm and steadfast friends whom he has made by acts of kindness and by honorable and hon- est dealings during the many active years which he has been a factor in the development of Johnson county. ==================================================================== 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: <> Penny Harrell ====================================================================