Biographical Sketch of H. L. Pemberton, Johnson County, Missouri, Rose Hill Township >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** H. L. Pemberton, the widely known and prosperous farmer and stockman of Rose Hill township, is a member of a pioneer family of Johnson county. He was born August 29, 1858 in Johnson county, son of L. W. and Rebecca (Davis) Pemberton. The father was born in Virginia in 1819. L. W. Pemberton was a son of Henry Pemberton, who came to Missouri from Virg- inia in 1833 and settled on a vast tract of land comprising 1,000 acres in Rose Hill township, which farm he purchased for twenty-five cents per acre. The elder Pemberton built a rude, primitive log cabin of three rooms, having an old fashioned fireplace and chimney, and this was the Pemberton home for many years. He engaged in general farming and became well known as a very wealthy man for his time. His son, L. W., was at one time sent to Kentucky to settle an estate the father had there and the young man made the round trip on horseback. He was rear- ed to manhood on his father's farm in Johnson county and he too, became known as a very successful and enterprising farmer and stockman. L. W. Pemberton bought the homestead from his father and was in turn an ex- tensive landowner. He was a quiet, unobtrusive, but genial man, one who was strictly honorable and honest in all his dealings with his fellow men and he was justly esteemed and popular throughout this sec- tion of Missouri. Several years prior to the Civil War, L. W. Pemberton was united in marriage with Rebecca Davis, of Virginia and to them were born two children: Mrs. Ella F. Wood, who is now deceased; and H. L., the subject of this review. The mother died in 1862 and the father in 1897. They were numbered among the county's most valued pioneer citi- zens. Mr. Pemberton, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Pemberton and the sole survivor of his immediate family, was reared and educated in Johnson county. He attended the public schools of Rose Hill township and in 1875 was a student at a select male school, which was taught by Professor George Catron, and later, in the Warrensburg city schools. He began life for himself engaged in farm work on his father's place and the first money he made was made in selling wheat for one dollar a bus- hel. Mr. Pemberton invested his savings in land, the first tract which he owned comprising 115 acres for which he paid $2700. He has main- tained the unbroken record of his predecessors and has prospered. At one time, he was the owner of 1600 acres of land in Johnson county and he has always had splendid success in stock raising. At the present time, he has 93 head of fine cattle, of the white face Hereford breed, and more than 100 head of hogs. H. L. Pemberton now owns 700 acres of choice land, a well watered and equipped farm. He is a capable agri- culturist. No machinery is ever seen standing out in the rain on the Pemberton place. Mr. Pemberton has a machine shop and he never fails to put the machinery away immediately when he has finished using it. In 1884, H. L. Pemberton was united in marriage with Lucy E. Baker, daugh- ter of Nathaniel and Louisa (Scott) Baker, early settlers of Johnson county. Mrs. Pemberton and Mrs. Mary H. Arnold, of Kansas City, Mo., were sisters. To H. L. and Lucy E. (Baker) Pemberton were born four children: Lilly L., San Diego, California; Una, San Diego, California; Louisa, Kansas City, Missouri; and Harry, Holden, Missouri. Mrs. Pemb- erton, the mother of his children, was burned to death and in January, 1913, he was again married, his second wife being Mrs. Clara Shoup, born in Franklin county, Missouri, a daughter of L. W. and Caroline (Lawson) Bird, natives of Tennessee, pioneers of Franklin county, that came to Johnson county in 1891, both now deceased. By her first marr- iage to Richard Shoup she is the mother of two sons: Marvin and Mark, who are living with Mr. and Mrs. Pemberton. Mrs. Pemberton is a member of the Christian church. Mrs. Pemberton is an energetic poultry raiser and at the time of this writing, in 1917, has almost 1,000 chickens. The Pembertons reside in the same home, where Mr. Pemberton first start- ed keeping house 33 years ago. The beautiful maple trees which shade the lawn of the Pemberton home were planted by Mr. Pemberton in 1885. When H. L. Pemberton was a youth, the country was unbroken prairie from his father's home to Holden and fences were few. Deer, prairie chicken and wild ducks were here in abundance. Oxen were used to break sod. Mr. Pemberton states that in the spring of the year the roads became practically impassable. He has always been a firm advocate of good roads for he well knows the inconveniences and hardships imposed by bad ones. Mr. Pemberton has been an active worker in the Democratic party but he has never aspired to hold office. ==================================================================== 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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