Biographical Sketch of David E. Heizer, Johnson County, Missouri, Hazel Hill Township >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** David E. Heizer, proprietor of the "Oak Ridge Stock Farm" of Hazel Hill township, was born August 2, 1869 in Columbus township, Johnson county, Missouri. He is the first born of eight children born to William and Susanna (Jones) Heizer, who were united in marriage September 26, 1867, their children being, as follow: David E., of this review; Mrs. Bertie Parsons, Columbus township, Johnson county; Mrs. Myrtle Warren, Warren- sburg, Missouri; Mrs. Mary Bratton, Columbus township, Johnson county; W. A., Centerview township, Johnson county; C. C., Wasco, California; and two children who died in infancy. William Heizer was born September 1, 1844 in Ross county, Ohio, where he was reared and educated. The same year in which he was married to Susanna Jones, the daughter of John and Mary (Canman) Jones, Mr. Heizer came with his wife to Missouri to establish their new home in the West. With his uncle, Sylvanis Lock- ard, his brother Stephen Heizer, and a neighbor D. F. Braden, William Heizer drove through from Ohio to Missouri. They settled on a tract of splendid farm land in Columbus township, where Mr. Heizer was success- fully engaged in farming and stock raising the remainder of his life. He bought and fed stock extensively and was widely known as one of the leading shippers of livestock in Johnson county. At the time of his death, October 31, 1905, Mr. Heizer was owner of 280 acres of choice land in this county. Mrs. Heizer joined her husband in death July 28, 1913, and both parents were laid to rest in the cemetery at Jacoby Chapel. Mr. and Mrs. Heizer were brave, noble pioneers and good, sub- stantial, industrious citizens, whose loss has long been deeply felt in Johnson county. Cyrus Heizer, the paternal grandfather of David E., the subject of this review, was born in Virginia in 1815 on the planta- tion owned by his father. When the child Cyrus was nearly seven years of age, his parents moved from Virginia to Ohio and settled on a farm in that state. Here, Cyrus Heizer was reared to manhood, his boyhood days spent in assisting with the work of the farm and learning many valuable lessons from the school of experience. In early maturity, he was married to Jane E. Cripps and they located first on a farm in Ross county, Ohio, where their son, William, was born and then in 1867 came West to Missouri, where they settled on a farm in Columbus township, Johnson county. The closing years of their lives were spent at this country place. Jane E. (Cripps) Heizer died about three years prior to the death of Cyrus Heizer, which occurred April 11, 1891. Both are interred in the cemetery at Jacoby Chapel. David E. Heizer attended the city schools of Warrensburg and the Warrensburg State Normal School. He was a student at the latter institution in 1890 and 1891. Leaving school in 1892, Mr. Heizer returned to his father's farm and engaged in the pursuits of agriculture. In October, 1897, he purchased his pre- sent farm, located in Hazel Hill township, a place comprising 120 acres of land, formerly owned by Sammons brothers, from whom he obtained it. This tract of land was entered from the government by James Waldon. Mr. Heizer has since increased his holdings by purchasing 50 acres more land, located north and ajoining the Shackelford place. Sixty acres of "Oak Ridge Stock Farm" are fertile bottom land and the balance of the farm is upland. Mr. Heizer has never failed to produce annually a fine corn corp. He pays much attention to the raising of high grade Aber- deen Angus cattle, in which breed he first became interested in 1913. He has at the present time, in 1917, 20 head of cattle and a registered male heads the herd. He raises and feeds some cattle and hogs for the market each year. "Oak Ridge Stock Farm" is well located, plentifully supplied with water, and nicely improved. All the improvements on the place, David E. Heizer has himself put there and his country home is one of the most attractive in the county. October 4, 1893, David E. Heizer and Emma Jeannette Crutcher, the daughter of J. W. and Martha Leona (McMahan) Crutcher, were married. J. W. Crutcher and Mrs. Crut- cher came from Kentucky in 1860 by boat to Lexington, Missouri and thence by land to Hazel Hill township, where they settled on a farm. They were the parents of the following children: William Lewis, Girard, Kansas; Frank, Washington, Missouri; Fred, Providence, Rhode Island, who was a member of the Coast Artillery but is now with the Baird North Company; and Mrs. David E. Heizer, the wife of the subject of this re- view. The mother died in March, 1901 and the father is now residing in Warrensburg. To Mr. and Mrs. Heizer have been born four children: Jennie Leona, William Elden, Marcus and Adrian. Mr. Heizer is one of the county's most successful and enterprising farmers and stockmen and he and Mrs. Heizer, who is the great-granddaughter of William Stockton, one of the first and most honored pioneers of Johnson county, are held in the greatest respect and esteem in this community, where their fam- ilies have long been considered among the very best. ==================================================================== 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. 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