Putnam County MO Archives Obituaries.....Means, Reason April 5, 1901
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Elaine Martin martinfe@aol.com January 16, 2006, 3:01 pm

Unionville Republican, Unionville, Missouri
A Pioneer Gone

Reason Means was born in Brook county, Virginia, March 3rd, 1824, and died at 
his old homestead five miles southwest of this city, April 5th, 1901, aged 77 
years, one month and two days.  While yet a young man he came to Illinois, 
where for several years he worked on a farm or farms as a hand, and during this 
time he became acquainted with Miss Mary E. Young, to whom he was married March 
25th, 1847, and soon thereafter removed to this county and settled on the tract 
of land upon which he died.  Here he continued to live almost continually the 
remainder of his life.  On October 30, 1855 he entered his first tract of land 
(sw ne sec. 7, twp. 65, range 19) and from time to time as his means would 
permit entered and purchased until he could walk or ride over 1720 acres 
without passing over the land of another.  To this vast track he added round 
about until his holdings amounted to 2000 acres or more, including such 
portions out of the same that he had deeded to his children as they married, 
and to whom he gave liberally, reserving not an acre at his death.

There was born of the marriage aforesaid, nine children to-wit:  William, 
Elizabeth, Martha, Catherine, Mary, John, Jane, Loren, and Ida, all of whom 
survive him except Elizabeth.

The wife of his youth died April 7th, 1875, and he was again married Feb. 22 
1877, to Mary A. Botts, and of which last marriage there was one child, Maud, 
to whom after her marriage he deeded the remainder of the dear old homestead.

In addition to lands Mr. Means gave his children liberally of his money and his 
personality, reserving abundantly however for his old age and last wife.

He was a farmer in the best sense of the word, knew when to sow and to reap, 
and how to care for the fruits of his toil.  He needed but to glance at a horse 
or stock to know their value and rarely sold without profit.  He was of 
towering build, nearly six feet tall, broad of chest and of that commanding 
presence which would attract attention in any assembly of men.  Of dominant 
will and courage he feared nothing, not death itself, but withal of a genial 
and kindly disposition.  One need but grasp his hand to receive in response 
that cordial shake and response “how goes” betokening the war, heart from 
whence it came.

With him is buried the last one of a long train of hardy pioneers of his 
neighborhood, whose names and character would do honor to any community, to-
wit:  Crumpacker, Winchell, Haigler, Armstrong, Hall, Downing, Patrick, Brice, 
Keene, Campbell’s, Drury, Hurly, Lemen, Christian, Daily and others.  He was 
never connected with any church or made any professional of religion, but a 
firm believer in an overruling Providence in whom he was willing to trust his 
future.  The writer knew him long and well and who enjoyed his confidence to 
the last, cannot better portray his idea and hope in a future state than the 
following verses from “The Prayer of Nature:”

“Thou, in whose wisdom placed me here,
Who when Thou will can take me hence,
Ah! Whilst I tread this earthly sphere,
Extend to me thy wide defenses.

“To thee my God, to thee I call;
Whatever weal or woe betide,
By thy command I rise and fall,
In thy protection I confide.

“If when this dust to dust restored
My soul shall float on airy wing,
How shall thy glorious name adored
Inspire its feeble voice to sing?

“But if this fleeting spirit share,
With clay the grave’s eternal bed,
While life yet throbs I raise my prayer,
Though doomed no more to quit the dead.

“To thee I breath my humble strain,
Grateful for all thy mercies past
And hope my God to the again
This erring life may fly at last.”

He was laid to rest in the Crumpacker cemetery beside his first wife by kindly 
friends and neighbors and thus has gone to that bourne from whence no traveler 
returns.  A kind and affectionate husband and father, liberal and generous 
neighbor, and friend to the poor we opine there are few who will not in good 
faith be willing to say: Peace, peace to his ashes.

April 6th, 1901						M. D. H.


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