Biographical Sketch of Henry E. Fewel, Leeton, Johnson County, Missouri >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** Henry E. Fewel, one of the founders of the city of Leeton, Missouri and president of the Bank of Leeton, is one of the prominent pioneers of Johnson county. He was born June 6, 1855, in Jefferson township, John- son county, a son of Richard B. and Nancy (Avery) Fewel, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of Tennessee. Richard B. Fewel was born April 30, 1827, a son of Mason C. Fewel, who was born January 30, 1797 in North Carolina. Mason C. Fewel and his son, Richard B., came overland from N. C. to Missouri many years before the Civil War and settled on land entered from the government six miles southeast of Leeton, Missouri. Nancy (Avery) Fewel was born in Tennessee, March 12, 1830. To Henry E. Fewel's parents, Richard B. and Nancy Fewel, were born the following children: Orlando, deceased; Hattie E., Montrose, Mo.; Henry E., the subject of this review; Dr. R. B., who has been en- gaged in the practice of medicine at Montrose, Mo., for the past thirty five years; Mace, Redlands, California; Mrs. Mollie Wallace, Fort Worth Texas; Green, Muskogee, Oklahoma; Mack, Calhoun, Mo.; and Walter, Mur- chison, Texas. Mason C. Fewel died and was buried on the home place near Leeton. February 24, 1880, the death of his son occurred and the remains of Richard B. Fewel were interred in the cemetery at Sardis church. His widow survived him 22 years, when March 12, 1902, she followed Mr. Fewel in death and was also laid to rest in the cemetery at Sardis church. Henry E. Fewel attended the public schools of John- son county and the Warrensburg State Normal School. He was in attend- ance at the latter institution for two years. After leaving school, Mr. Fewel engaged in the stock business. He was reared on the farm in Jefferson township and all his life has been interested in agricultural pursuits and a stock buyer since he attained maturity. Mr. Fewel re- sided on the farm until 1896, when the town of Leeton was founded. J. R. Grinstead, J. J. Lee and Henry E. Fewel were the founders of the present prosperous, flourishing, little city of Leeton, Missouri. In 1896 the town was laid out and at first embraced but 80 acres within the corporation limits, but since that time 70 acres more have been added. Leeton was planned and laid out before the Rock Island railway reached this locality. Leeton now has a population of about 500 and is constantly growing. It has two splendid banks, an elevator, two lumber companies, and is located in the richest agricultural section of John- son county. On October 10, 1889, Henry E. Fewel was united in marriage with Jennie Lee Cooper, the daughter of Daniel and Angie (McCray) Cooper. Daniel Cooper was born January 3, 1822 and came to Missouri with his father, David Cooper, in 1832. They settled in Jefferson township, and here Daniel's daughter, Mrs. Fewel, was born many years later. At the time of his death, December 8, 1893, Daniel Cooper was owner of nearly 620 acres of land. His widow still resides in Leeton. Mr. Cooper was a veteran of the Confederate service, serving under Gen. Price, and he took an active and prominent part in the battle of Wilson's Creek. To Henry E. and Jennie Lee Fewel have been born three children: Mrs. Belle Kennedy, who was a student at Liberty College, Liberty, Mo., and is now the wife of J. T. Kennedy, assistant cashier of the Bank of Leeton; Floyd E., who is a graduate of the Military College of Mexico, Mo., was a student at the State University at Colum- bia for three years and then engaged in farming and stock raising, and associated in business with his father in buying and selling stock, now in training for an officer's commission at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, and also he attended the Military Training School, at the Presidio, San Francisco, six weeks during Panama Exposition; and Lee Lucile, who is a graduate of Stevens College, Columbia, Mo., and is now a student in Central College, Lexington, Mo. Henry E. Fewel was one of the organiz- ers of the Bank of Leeton, of which institution he is now president. Mr. Fewel still buys and sells stock, being associated in business with his son, Floyd E. In addition to his beautiful residence in Leeton, Mr. Fewel is owner of the Snowberger place, located a fourth mile northeast of Leeton, the Harwood place, which comprises 200 acres one and a half miles northwest of Leeton, and a farm of 240 acres two miles southeast of Leeton, owning 760 acres in all. Henry E. Fewel is a man of whom Johnson county is proud. He possesses an unusually broad per- spective of life. In a pretty, woodland home, surrounded by flowers and trees, he is spending his life in the city of his own building, for the growth and advancement of which he willingly gave the best years of his life. ==================================================================== 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. 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