Biographical Sketch of James Theodore Drummond, Johnson County, Missouri, Warrensburg Township >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** James Theodore Drummond, a citizen of Johnson county, Missouri, worthy of great consideration, was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, April 5, 1847, the son of Samuel B. and Sarah E. (Tingle) Drummond, natives of Penn. He is one of eight children born to his parents as follow: Row- ena; John A., Warrensburg; James Theodore, the subject of this review; Rhoda; J. H.; William T.; Mrs. Sarah E. Rucker, Warrensburg; and Edwin, a civil engineer, Phoenix, Arizona. Samuel B. Drummond came from Penn- sylvania to Missouri in the fall of 1867 and located on a farm of 80 acres, three miles south of Warrensburg, paying $7.50 an acre for the land. He died on the farm, which had been his home for eleven years, his death occurring about 1878. He was a member of the Mt. Zion Cumb- erland Presbyterian church and his remains were interred in the ceme- tery at Mt. Zion. Sarah E. (Tingle) Drummond died in California while on the way to visit her daughter, Rhoda. She was buried at San Diego, California. James Theodore and John A. Drummond received their educa- tion in the public schools of Ohio. In the spring of 1867 they toget- her came to Missouri. They spent their first night in Missouri at the Western Hotel in Warrensburg. This hotel was located on the site of the present Young Women's Christian Association building. The follow- ing morning the two brothers saw a large number of people going and coming along the railroad right-of-way east of the hotel and they inquired of the proprietor what the attraction might be to cause so many people to be going and coming. The proprietor answered, "Go and see. You will find something interesting." The boys followed the crowd and saw suspended from the end of a rope, which was attached to the limb of a tree growing near the right-of-way, a victim of the early vigilance committee. The committee had finished their work that night. The first work which James Theodore Drummond did in Missouri consisted in cutting timber. When the Drummonds came to Missouri lumber was hauled from Warrensburg to Clinton and Mr. Drummond paid for the lumber in the first home he built in Warrensburg by hauling lumber to Clinton. Cameron Moore & Company were the pioneer lumber dealers. The Drummond brothers were engaged in the sawmill business for some time and then in the business of well-drilling. They had been employed in this work in Ohio previous to coming to Missouri and they shipped their outfit west. In 1868, James Theodore Drummond and Georgeanna Gilliland, the daughter of Harvey Gilliland, were united in marriage. Mrs. Drummond was a niece of James Gilliland, of Warrensburg. Two children born to James Theodore and Georgeanna Drummond are now living: Elza H., a graduate of the Warrensburg State Normal School and is now in the employ of the Crane Company in Salt Lake City, Utah; and Ernest T., a prosperous ranchman of Watsonville, California. He owns a beautiful home near the Pacific coast. The Drummond brothers engaged in well-drilling until 1873, when James T. entered the feed and coal business, in which he is still engaged. About 1878 the Drummond brothers purchased the old fair grounds and there raised strawberries for the market and also put in operation a syrup factory, making sorghum molasses. The government offered at that time a premium of twelve hundred dollars for the best report of steam, fire, train, or open farm work. The Drummond brothers won the premium on the latter. When the land became valuable, James T. platted his portion of the ground and sold it. On the plat of the city this is known as the "Drummond Addition." Mr. Drummond then purchased one hundred feet of ground on South Holden street and erected the brick building, 25x70 feet in dimensions, on the second floor of which is his home. He is also the owner of another brick building located at 206 Holden street, which is occupied by a bakery, the Air Dome, which is located between the above mentioned properties, and a farm, comprising forty-eight acres four miles south of Warrensburg. Mr. Drummond takes great pleasure in gardening a small part of his farm, raising enough vegetables for their own use. In 1896, James T. Drummond and Mary E. Greim, a niece of Nicholas Greim, a pioneer of Warrensburg, were united in marriage. To James T. and Mary E. (Greim) Drummond have been born the following children: Clyde and Ruby, both graduates of the Warrens- burg High School who reside with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Drummond reside at 200 South Holden street in Warrensburg. They are numbered among Johnson county's most substantial citizens. ==================================================================== 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 ====================================================================