Biographical Sketch of William A. Skaggs, Pulaski County, Missouri

>From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas,
 Pulaski, Phelps & Dent Counties, Missouri, Published 1889, Goodspeed
 Publishing Company.

Transcribed by: Penny Harrell (Incog3678@aol.com)

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William A. Skaggs, farmer and stock raiser, of Liberty Township, is
a native of Wayne County, Tenn., where he was born in 1821, son of
Mastin and Lucy (Abbott) Skaggs, who were born, reared and married
in Virginia, and about 1818 came to Wayne County, Tenn.  About 1828
they removed to Weakley County, of that State, and a year later 
came to what is now Camden County, MO., where they lived until 1841,
and then took up their abode near Waynesville, where the father died
in 1863 and the mother in 1844.  They were worthy tillers of the 
soil, and were among the early pioneers of Missouri, coming to the
State when the country was almost a wilderness, inhabited by indians
and wild animals, and throughout their career improved several good
farms.  The grandfather was Jacob Skaggs, a German who died in Tenn-
essee.  William A. Skaggs is the second of eight children, and was
reared to manhood on different farms in Missouri.  At the age of
twenty-three years he began farming for himself, and the following
year was married to Susanna Dean, daughter of Jesse Dean, who was
formerly of Tennessee, where Mrs. Skaggs was born, but came to
Pulaski County, MO., about 1836, where he spent the remainder of his
days.  His wife, who died in 1866, became the mother of three sons:
Mastin, Jesse (deceased) and Jacob.  Since 1849 Mr. Skaggs ha lived
in Liberty Township, where he owns a fine farm of 411 acres, all the
result of his own labors and good management.  He was engaged in
merchandising in Swedeborg about one year, but the greater portion
of his life has been spent in farming.  He has been a Democrat all
his life, and his first presidential vote was cast for Polk in 1844.
He has served as justice of the peace six years, and for many years 
has been a member of the Baptist Church.  His present wife, whom he
married in 1868, and whose maiden name was Margaret Hibbs, is also
a member of the Baptist Church, her people coming to this county in
1841.  Mr. Skaggs served four years in the late war in the Confeder-
ate army, under Gen. Price, in Company I, Sixth Missouri Cavalry,
operating in Missouri, Arkansas and Tennessee, and was a participant
in the battles of Des Arc, Prairie Grove, Pea Ridge, Deep River, and
many minor engagements.  He was with Price on his famous raid through
Missouri, and on November 1, 1864, was captured and taken to St.
Louis, thence to Alton, and afterward to Rock Island, Ill.  Here he
was released on May 20, 1865.  He was captured in Kansas, with Gen.
Marmaduke and eighty-three of his men.
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