Biographical Sketch of James M. Hamisfar, Johnson County, Missouri, Warrensburg Township >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** James M. Hamisfar, proprietor of the "Elmwood Farm" in Warrensburg township, was born in 1862 in Perry county, Ohio. He is the son of Dr. L. R. and Mary C. (Williams) Hamisfar, both of whom were born in Perry county, Ohio. Dr. L. R. Hamisfar was the son of Karl Hamisfar, who emigrated in early manhood from Germany to America, and settled in Ohio. Mary C. (Williams) Hamisfar is the daughter of William Williams, of Pennsylvania. Her grandmother, Mary Wright, was an aunt of the re- nowned Wright brothers, of Dayton, Ohio, the gifted inventors of the aeroplane. Dr. L. R. and Mary C. Hamisfar were the parents of the following children: J. M., the subject of this review; M. D., a well known dentist of Warrensburg; Lulu, whose death occurred in Ohio; Charles, who died in 1873 in Warrensburg; and Florence K., who is a teacher in the city schools of Warrensburg. Dr. L. R. Hamisfar came to Missouri in the spring of 1860 and bargained for the Wilson Halley place of 280 acres of land in Johnson county. The father of Wilson Halley died before the deal was consummated and Mr. Hamisfar purchased the farm from the administrators of the estate, paying thirteen and a half dollars an acre for the land. Due to the unsettled conditions of war times, Dr. L. R. Hamisfar returned to Ohio and and engaged in the practice of dentistry, which profession he followed until 1873, when he came with his family to Johnson county and settled on the farm purchas- ed many years prior to their coming. On the Hamisfar homestead in Warrensburg township, Dr. L. R. Hamisfar died in October, 1882. His remains were interred in the cemetery at Mount Zion. Dr. L. R. Hamisfar was a highly intelligent and esteemed citizen of Johnson county, whose loss has long been keenly felt. His widow is now residing in Warrens- burg, Missouri. J. M. Hanisfar obtained his early education in the district schools of Johnson county. He was later a student at the Warrensburg State Normal School for three years. He then engaged in farming and stock raising on the home place and since 1882, has follow- ed farming. The Hamisfar place is known as the "Elmwood Farm," the name having been registered. With the exception of about 90 acres this farm is all excellent, tillable land, o20 acres of which are in wheat, at the time of this writing, 15 acres in oats, 110 acres in corn, and the balance in meadow and pasture. "Elmwood Farm" is located four miles south of Warrensburg and is one of the best in Johnson county. Three residences have been burned on "Elmwood Farm" at different times. Two of the homes were burned during the Civil War, one by the Federals and one by the Confederates. In 1910, the third residence was destroy- ed by fire, started in some unknown way, as the family were away at the time. In the last fire, there were $500 in the house, when it was burned, $225 of which were recovered, some of the money being silver and a part paper made good by the United States government. October 26, 1901, J. M. Hamisfar and Hattie Baker, the daughter of Morris and Sarah (Prince) Baker, of Warrensburg township, were united in marriage. Both Mr. and Mrs. Baker were natives of Indiana, who came to Johnson county after the Civil War had ended and settled in Warrensburg town- ship. Both father and mother of Mrs. Hamisfar are now deceased. The father died in March, 1912 and the mother four years later. Mrs. Baker was killed accidentally in a tragic incident in November, 1916, at the crossing on the railway at Lewis Station, Missouri. Mrs. J. M. Hamisfar has five sisters and four brothers now living and three sisters deceas- ed. The living brothers and sisters are as follow: W. T. Baker, of Warrensburg; James Baker, a prosperous blacksmith of Post Oak township; Marion White Baker, resides in New Mexico; John Baker, resides in Okla- homa; Mrs. Della Daugherty, of Lewis Station, Missouri; Mrs. Lottie Kelly, of Lewis Station, Missouri; Mrs. Susie Newland, Cornelia, Mo.; Mrs. Belle Lord, resides in Oklahoma; and Mrs. Millie Ball, Windsor, Mo. To J. M. and Hattie (Baker) Hamisfar have been born five children: Lillie, who is now the wife of Clyde Greer, of Warrensburg township; Mary, Nellie M., James M. Jr., and Rosalie, who are at home with their parents. The Hamisfar family has long been prominent in this section of Missouri and Mr. and Mrs. Hamisfar are of the best pioneer lineage and are numbered among the excellent citizens of Warrensburg township. In 1900, J. M. Hamisfar was appointed census enumerator of Warrensburg township and again in 1910. In 1902, he was offered a position in the United States census department, but was obliged from existing circum- stances to refuse. Mr. Hamisfar has ever been keenly alert to the interests of his township and county and it was he, who circulated the successful petition for the establishment of rural mail routes in this county and it is chiefly due to his energetic efforts that Johnson county now enjoys the excellent mail service it has. ==================================================================== 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. 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