Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Mary Jane (Stone) Eppright, Johnson County, Missouri, 
Centerview Township

>From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell,
Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918.
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Mrs. Mary Jane (Stone) Eppright, one of Johnson county's noblest pio-
neer women, widow of George Eppright, a late prosperous and influential
farmer and stockman of Johnson county, was born in Post Oak township,
daughter of Salathiel Stone, who settled on a farm in that section of
Johnson county in 1839.  In 1874, George Eppright and Mary Jane Stone
were united in marriage.  George Eppright was a son of Jacob and Cath-
erine Eppright, the former of German descent.  To Mr. and Mrs. Eppright
were born two sons: Charles S., who was born in 1876 and with whom Mrs.
Mary Jane Eppright now makes her home on the farm in Centerview town-
ship, where he is engaged in farming and stock raising; and George W.,
a well to do farmer and stockman of Chilhowee township, a sketch of 
whom appears elsewhere in this volume.  Mr. Eppright was twice married:
His first wife was a Miss Starkey.  He died in 1900.  He was an honest,
industrious, capable citizen, one who has been sadly missed in this
community.  Mrs. Mary Jane Eppright has made her home in this county 
all her life and the relation of her youthful experiences furnishes an
excellent picture of pioneer life in Missouri.  She possesses a remark-
able memory and well recalls the early churches, homes, schools and
pleasures.  Shiloh Presbyterian church was the first to be organized 
and the church structure to be erected in the vicinity of her home.
Preachers of all denominations proclaimed the Gospel there among the
first of whom were: Reverends Ridley, "Uncle Billy" Caldwell, Benton
Farr, Ben Thomas, Carter, Birchfield, and "Uncle Hugh" Smith.  Her
father taught the "subscription school," which she attended.  The 
school was held in a log house, having a clapboard roof, greased paper
window, and puncheon floor.  She sat on one of the puncheon benches
which were placed around the three sides of the room.  On one side of
the room was a sort of shelf made of a puncheon, built against the 
wall, high enough for the older boys and girls to write upon.  This was
what was called a "loud school" for when the teacher would say, "Study
your spelling lessons," every child in the school would take his book
and shout his lesson at the top of his voice.  This made great confus-
ion.  Nathan Perry, who succeeded Mr. Stone as teacher, introduced the 
first "silent study" in this part of Missouri.  The early settlers en-
joyed one another more in the days of long ago, visiting more frequent-
ly, and giving accommodations more cheerfully.  When a girl, Mrs. 
Eppright immensely enjoyed the old fashioned camp meetings.  The 
pioneers would turn the calves with the cows and all go to the meeting,
where scores of families would "camp out" and have great times.  The 
mail was received but once weekly.  Letters were not stamped in those
days, but one paid twenty-five cents at the time he received a letter.
As money was often very scarce in the homes of the pioneers a handful
of letters was far from desirable.  There was very much hard work to be
done in the pioneer homes.  All the clothing was provided by labor in
the home and usually by the mother.  Mrs. Eppright has carded, spun,
wove, and colored the wool and then fashioned it into clothing for the
different members of her family.  Mrs. Mary Jane Eppright is worthy of
the greatest respect and consideration.  The advantages and pleasures 
we now enjoy could not exist were it not that men and women, such as
she, toiled long and hard in days gone by and did without much which we
think so necessary.  Such brave, true lives have made this beautiful
country possible.

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