| A B C D E F G H K L M P R S T W Y |
William J. McCord
| William J. McCord, a farmer and stock raiser of Sylvania Township, Scott Co., Mo., was born in Ripley County, Mo., on January 17, 1850. He is a son of Thomas and Dausa (Bradley) McCord, natives of Tennessee, who came to Scott County, and located near Kelso, but later removed to a farm in Sylvania Township, where they resided until their deaths. To them were born ten children as follows: Cynthia (widow of R. Spradling, of Scott County), Louvisia (deceased), Sarah (deceased), James D. (deceased), John D. Jefferson B. (deceased), William J., Simeon (deceased), Elizabeth (deceased) and Polly (deceased). William J. remained on his parents' farm, until the death of his mother, when he engaged in farming for himself. He located where he now resides in April 1887, and is improving his farm with the intention of making it his future home. He married Miss Ider Dillingham, a native of Kentucky, who was reared in Hopkins County, that State. She is the daughter of Louis O. and Eliza J. (Bessy) Dillingham, natives of Kentucky, who removed with their family to Southeast Missouri in 1879. They were the parents of eight children, five of whom are living, viz: Lenora, Ider J., Walter B., Oliver L. and Mysta. Those dead are Michael, Minnie and Irene T. Mrs. Dillingham is dead, and Mr. Dillingham and youngest daughter, Mysta, reside with the subject of this sketch. By a previous marriage Mr. Dillingham had six children: David (deceased), Demarus C. (deceased), Theodore, Orville C., Louis B. and Mary Ann. Mr. and Mrs. McCord have had four children: Louis L. (deceased), Elnora, Willie O. and Lou Ina. In religious belief the family belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church South. |
Abner J. McFerron
| Abner J. McFerron, farmer and manufacturer of sorghum molasses, was born in Scott County, Mo., near his present home, in 1846. He is the son of Columbus and Nicey (Kinnison) McFerron, both born and reared in Cape Girardeau County, Mo. They were married in 1843, came to Scott County in 1845, and located near Kelso. Columbus McFerron was a farmer, was born in September 1816, and died in January 1865. His wife was born in January 1820, and now resides with her son, Simeon. To them were born seven children: Erina L. (now the wife of Carrol Welch, of Stoddard County), Abner J., Effie J. (the wife of William Jeffords, of Scott county), Simeon J. (residing on the old home place), Maggie M. (wife of William D. Jones), Columbia E. (Mrs. Chesley D. McAllister, now deceased) and Martha A. (wife of Marion Rhodes, of Stoddard County). Columbia E. left one child, Columbus G., who resides with his father in Cape Girardeau County. Upon his father's death Abner J. took charge of the old home place, and managed the farm until the latter's marriage in October, 1869. He married Maria J. Foster, a native of Scott County, Mo., and a daughter of Asa and Eliza Foster, both now deceased. Mrs. McFerron had one half-brother, who died in the confederate army in Arkansas. The former died on March 6, 1881, leaving a family of five children: Edgar F., Gertrude (deceased), Arthur, Asa Columbus (deceased) and Clara A. On June 7, 1885, Mr. McFerron married Rosella Williams, a daughter of Francis M. Williams, of Cape Girardeau County, Mo. Mr. McFerron is a member of the Missionary Baptist church, and of the Agricultural Wheel. He is a deacon of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. |
Iguatius McKinley
| Ignatius McKinley, a prosperous farmer of Kelso Township, Scott Co. Mo., was born in Cape Girardeau County, in 1848 and is a son of John and Martha (Story) McKinley, natives of Virginia and Illinois, respectively, John McKinley was born in 1800, and when a young man went with his parents on pack-horses, to Kentucky. The parents lived to be very old, the father dying in Kentucky, and the mother in Missouri. Although but twelve years of age, John McKinley served in the War of 1812. He was a shoemaker by trade, and went to Illinois where he was married, and resided until about 1830, when he came to Southeast Missouri, and located in Cape Girardeau County, where he remained until the fall of 1860. He then removed to the farm on which the subject of this sketch now resides, and remained until his death on October 5, 1863. His wife, who was born in 1811, died in March 1884. They were the parents of eight children viz: Jane (widow of James Stoley, who resides in St. Louis), William (who died in his forty-sixth year), Benjamin (a merchant of Commerce), Sarah (wife of M. Randol, of St. Louis), John (residing in Scott County), Mary (deceased), Ignatius and Thomas (who died when twenty-nine years of age). Upon the death of his father, Ignatius took charge of the home place and the family then at home. He took care of his mother until her death. John served in the Confederate army. Mr. McKinley cultivates about 130 acres of land and is a successful farmer. He is a member of the A.F. & A.M. |
Samuel A. Mason
| Rev. Samuel A. Mason, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and editor and publisher of the Agricultural Wheel, of Commerce, Mo., was born in Madison County, Tenn., in 1842. He is a son of William B. and Aquilla Ann (Brown) Mason, natives of Robinson County, Tenn., born in 1805 and 1819 respectively. Both the Mason and Brown families immigrated from England to the United States. The former settled in Pennsylvania, and the latter in Virginia, and descendants from each family were among the early settlers of Tennessee. William B. Mason was a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church South. He died in 1850, after which his widow married Dr. Franklin Richard Dallam, of Mayfield, Ky., who died in 1868. She died in 1871. To her and William B. Mason were born four children: Samuel A., John B. (now deceased), James O., of Arkansas, and Laura B., of Tennessee. After the death of his father, Samuel A. was reared by his mother, and received a good education, having spent four or five years in Graves College. During the war he served as lieutenant in Company B, Sixth Tennessee Infantry (Confederate) and when peace was restored returned to his mother's home and remained two years. He joined the Memphis conference of Tennessee, but in 1872 was transferred to St. Louis conference, since which time he has been stationed as pastor at Caledonia, Mount Olivet, Belmont, Bertrand, Licking, Rolla, Labadie, Manchester and Commerce. In 1885 he took charge of the Scott County Agricultural Wheel, established by and devoted to the interest of that organization. There are now over 1,200 names on its subscription list. In 1873 Rev. Mason was united in marriage with Mary A. Carr, of Caledonia, Mo. To them have been born six children: Munson (deceased), Anna Belle (deceased), Ella Moore, Katie May, Susan A. and Cecil E. Rev. Mason is an earnest minister, a royal Arch Mason, a member of the A.O.U.W. and of the I.O.O.F. |
John E. Marshall
| John E. Marshall was born in Scott County, Mo., on March 21, 1854, and is a son of Samuel Marshall, a native of Kentucky. Samuel Marshall's father, James Marshall, was born in Kentucky, and immigrated to Scott County, Mo., about 1830. He entered land near Sikeston, upon which he located and resided until his death. Samuel Marshall came to Missouri with his parents, since which time he has been a resident of Scott County. He is a good citizen and a successful business man. He has been three times married. His first wife, Martha Turner, was a native of East Tennessee. Her family came to Scott County a little later than the Marshall family. The parents lived to be quite aged, and reared a large family of children, all of whom grew to maturity. Martha died on May 17, 1874. She was the mother of eight children, five of whom: John E., James, Charles, William and Benjamin F., are living. Those deceased are Mary J., Sarah F. and an infant unnamed. By his second marriage Mr. Marshall had three children: Isaac, Sterling and an infant (deceased). He also has three children by his third marriage: George W., Joseph and Cyrus. John E. Marshall remained on his father's farm until 1878, when he was married to Mary, a daughter of James and Aspiza (Vaughn) McMullen. He then located on his present beautiful farm near Sikeston. He owns 1,040 acres of land in Scott County, of which 600 acres are under cultivation, with good improvements. He has a fine residence, built in 1887. To Mr. Marshall and wife have been born seven children, five of whom: Lena S., Minnie J., Edward L., Mamie and Stella are living. Samuel A. and Robert are dead. Mr. Marshall is a member of the Masonic fraternity. |
Louis Martin
| Louis Martin, an enterprising farmer of Scott County, was born in Davis County, Ky., December 21, 1828. He is a son of John and Elizabeth (Atkins) Martin, both of whom were natives of Virginia. The paternal grandparents immigrated from Virginia to Kentucky, where Grandfather Martin died. Abner Atkins, the maternal grandfather, immigrated to Mississippi County, Mo., about 1838, and remained there the rest of his life. John Martin immigrated to Southeast Missouri at the same time, and settled near Charleston, where he entered 160 acres of Government land. He built a little log cabin, in which he lived while he got the land ready for cultivation, which required much hard labor. It required four horses to plow to break the ground at first. After several years he sold this farm, and removed to the farm upon which the Harris brothers now live, and remained there until his death. He was the father of ten children, of whom Barbara, John and Louis are living. The last named was quite small when his parents brought him to Missouri and he remained with them until they died, after which he went to work for himself, making his home with his sister (Mrs. Harris) until he was married, January 29, 1854, when he located on Big Lake. In the spring of 1850 he went overland to California, and during his stay of two years suffered some severe hardships, but returned home with $2,000 in gold. In 1869 he purchased the place where he now lives, but did not remove thither until 1870. The farm, which consists of 400 acres, with 200 under cultivation, had but twenty acres improved at the time of his purchase. It has required the labor of many years to get the farm under its present state of high cultivation. Mr. Martin has been married twice, the first time in 1854 to Alice Norris, by whom he had three children: Martha, Barbara and Jesse S. Mrs. Martin died February 8, 1863, and on October 20, 1863, Mr. Martin was united in marriage with Elizabeth (Davis) Huff. She was the eldest daughter of Tandy and Susan Davis, and was born in Bullitt County, Ky., December 8, 1839, moving to Mississippi County with her parents in 1846. This union has been blessed by seven children, of whom only two are living: Addie (Mrs. Edgar Swank) and Charles. Those deceased are: Lethia, Alice, Louis, Julia and an infant unnamed. By her first marriage Mrs. Martin had one child, Tandy. She is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. Mrs. Martin was married to William D. Huff May 10, 1857 and was left a widow November 23, 1860, with one son two years old. |
George S. Martin
| Dr. George S. Martin, a physician of Oran, Scott Co., Mo. was born in Lima, Allen Co., Ohio, in 1840, and is a son of J.A. and Elizabeth (Scoville) Martin, natives of Ireland and Whales, respectively. J.A. Martin came with his parents to America in 1830, and located in Ohio. He was married in Putnam County after which he removed to Allen County and resided until the beginning of the Civil War, when he removed back to Putnam County, where he and his two sons, D.W. and George S., enlisted in Company B, Fifty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The father served as surgeon three years, and D.W. was regiment chaplain about the same length of time, during which time he was fourteen months in Libby prison. George S. served as steward of his regiment for three years, after which he was second assistant-surgeon for over one year. He was mustered out at Nashville, and discharged at Columbus, Ohio. The family contained five children besides the Doctor, viz: D.W., Sarah A. (Mrs. I.N. Numguester, of Indiana), Lucy, Martha and Mary. Mrs. Martin died in 1842, after which J.A. Martin married Amanda Wallace, who bore him two children: Elijah and Jane, both living in McLean County, Ill. J.A. Martin is seventy-four years of age, is in good health, and is practicing medicine and surgery in Bloomington, Ill. Dr. George S. first attended medical lectures at Cincinnati, and from 1867 to 1874 practiced in Northeast Missouri. In 1874 he graduated from Rush Medical College, of Chicago, after which he was successively in Colorado, St. Louis, Colorado and California. In 1886 he located in Scott County, where he has since had a good practice. In 1887 he married Miss Sally Key, who was born in Madisonville, Ky., in 1870. She is a daughter of B.B. Key, now a resident of Scott County, having removed thither in 1880. Mr. Martin is a member of the I.O.O.F. of the K. of P. and G.A.R. |
William R. Matthews
| William R. Matthews was born in Cape Girardeau County, Mo., in 1823, and is the son of William and Charity Jane (English) Matthews. William Matthews was born of Irish parents, who came to America and located in North Carolina. Charity J. English was born in North Carolina. Her father, Thomas English, came to Missouri about the same time that she and her husband came and lived to a ripe old age. William Matthews, settled seven miles from Cape Girardeau about 1800. He accumulated considerable property, but lost the greater part of it before his death, at about seventy years of age. His wife lived to be about eighty years old. They were the parents of thirteen children, ten of whom grew to maturity. Two, including William R., are now living. The other, Louisa (widow of William Allen), lives in Cape Girardeau County, Mo. William R. was about ten years of age when his father died, after which he lived with his uncle until he was grown. About 1840 he came to Scott County, Mo., and located near where Chaney's Station is now situated, and remained five years, when he removed to a farm near Benton. About five years later he removed to a farm near Commerce, his present home. The farm consists of 700 acres of land, with 200 under cultivation. During the Civil War he served in the Home Guards. He first married Elizabeth Montgomery, who died about one year after her marriage. He afterward married Eliza A. Harday, a native of Tennessee, who came with her parents to Scott County, Mo., when a child. She has a sister, Delilah Adams, living in Pemiscot County, Mo. Mr. and Mrs. Matthews are the parents of four children: Thomas A. (who is engaged in farming near his father), Grandville G. (postmaster and merchant of Commerce), Missouri A. (deceased), Mary Jane (also deceased). Mr. Matthews and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. |
J.F. Mitchim
| J.F. Mitchim, editor and proprietor of the Benton Record, was born in Mount Vernon, Ill., in 1865, and is a son of Lawson S. and Catherine (Fronaberger) Mitchim, natives of North Carolina and Pennsylvania, respectively. After their marriage the parents located in Mount Vernon, Ill., from whence they came to Southeast Missouri in 1865 and located in Jackson. In 1878 they removed to Ripley County, Mo., in which county the subject of this sketch learned the printer's trade in the Current River News office. The father died on his farm near Doniphan, Mo., on January 24, 1879 aged forty-six years. To him and wife were born eight children, viz: William (editor of the Sikeston Star), Charles (of Benton, Mo.), J.F., Connie (wife of W.C. Hancock of Ripley County), Ollie, Alice (deceased), Bennie (deceased), and an infant unnamed, also deceased. The mother, an active, energetic lady, is keeping house for the subject of this sketch. She is a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. When sixteen years of age J.F. Mitchim established the Doniphan Daisy, a monthly society sheet which he published for one year, and in 1884 he established the Sikeston Star, in Sikeston, Scott County, and in 1886 he bought the Express-Record, and changed the name to the Benton Record, and a few months later in the same year he purchased the Benton Free Press and closed its doors. He established a paper at Jacksonport, Ark., called Jacksonport Democrat, which he afterward sold to J.H. Page, one of his employees. He established the Doniphan Bee in December, 1887, soon selling the same to the "Bee Publishing Company" of that place. Mr. Mitchim was instrumental in founding the Bonne Terre Critic, of Bonne Tere, Mo., with John LaChance, editor. He purchased the Puxico Express in May 1888, and in June 1888 he purchased a half interest in the Cape Girardeau News, with L.R. Johnson, and changed the name to the New Democratic Era, making it a Fourteenth Congressional Democratic District organ. Mr. Mitchim is now proprietor of four weekly Democratic journals in Southeast Missouri. On the 17th of June, 1888, Mr. Mitchim completed a fourteen-mile telephone line between Commerce, on the Mississippi River, and Oran, on the Iron Mountain Railroad, by the way of Benton, the county seat of Scott County, thereby connecting these towns with the outside world by wire. Although Mr. Mitchim began early in life with no means, by industry, perseverance and close application of the business tact which he possessed, he has been very successful in life thus far, and is today one of the brightest and most promising young men of Southeast Missouri. |
Joseph H. Moore
| Joseph H. Moore, a prominent attorney of Commerce, and one of the most extensive stock farmers of Southeast Missouri, was born in Bullitt County, Ky., June 12, 1836. His great-grandfather, William Moore, was born in England August 6, 1712, and he and his brother Ralph, with a large number of others, were driven from England in 1733, because of their resisting religious and political oppressions. They came to America, where William married Rachel Fletcher, born in 1716, a native of Somerset County, Md. Ralph became a sea captain and died a bachelor at the age of fifty-five. William located in Maryland, and reared three sons. He died December 15, 1788, after having served as colonel in the Revolutionary War. One son settled in Delaware, another located in Ohio, and has descendants now living in Illinois, and the other, James, who was born May 1, 1742, settled in Maryland, and married Mary Rider, born in 1745. She died September 18, 1812. James Moore was a major in the Revolutionary War, and died February 27, 1798. They reared a large family, consisting of four sons and two daughters, viz: Joseph, Elizabeth, Benjamin, Charles, Anna and James. Joseph removed to Kentucky, and from thence, in 1833, to Southeast Missouri. Elizabeth was twice married, and one of her daughters was married to Noah Handy, ex-judge of Mississippi County, Mo., whose daughter, Ella, married Joseph C. Moore, an able attorney of Mississippi County, Mo., and now of Nashville, Tenn. Benjamin, Anna and James died in Maryland, each leaving children. One of Benjamin's grandsons, George M. Moore, is now superintendent of the schools of Scott County. Charles, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born April 28, 1788, in Maryland. He immigrated to Kentucky in 1818 and in 1821 married Elizabeth Chalfant, a daughter of Abner and Jane (Cox) Chalfant. They became parents of seven children named in order of their ages, as follows: Eliza J. (widow of A.P. Goddard), Benjamin J. (a physician of Mississippi County, and once member of the Legislature, deceased), Elizabeth (wife of James Smith, of Mississippi County), Nancy M. (widow of B. Parrott, of Charleston, Mo.), Charles C. (deceased), Susan A. (widow of Abram Swank, of Price's Landing, Mo.) and Joseph H. Charles Moore was an intelligent and enterprising man, and accumulated considerable property. His wife died October 11, 1837. Very soon after her death he moved to Scott County, Mo., and in 1839 married an excellent lady, Mrs. Martha (Strong) Broom, whom he survived only a few days, his death occurring August 16, 1857. Joseph H. Moore attended such subscription schools as were taught in his neighborhood, and in 1851 he entered Arcadia College, at Arcadia, Mo. In 1852, though only sixteen years of age, he taught a large subscription school, and soon afterward returned to college, where in 1855 he graduated in the A.B. course. He was employed as professor for the ensuing year at his alma mater, but Prof. B.S. Newland, a relative, having purchased an interest in the college property, with a view to teaching, took the professorship, and Mr. Moore returning home began the study of law, and having graduated at the Cumberland Law University of Tennessee, opened an office in Benton, Scott Co., Mo., in 1857, where to the present time he has attended every term of the courts of record of his county. He commands a good business, and has the only set of abstracts of land titles in the county. In the last ten years he has cleared over 1,200 acres of land, and now has 2,000 acres under cultivation, besides 3,000 acres of timbered land adjoining his farms. On December 8, 1857, he was united in marriage with Anna E. Hunter, daughter of Joseph Hunter. She died June 13, 1874, having borne seven children viz: Lizzie H. (wife of Charles I. Anderson, of Commerce), Charles A. (a graduate of Missouri Medical College, who died December 11, 1884), Susie M. (a graduate of the Wesleyan Institute, of Stanton, Va.), Joseph L. (now a student of the State University, at Columbia, Mo.), Anna E., Bertie N. and Bennie H., the last named deceased. On May 24, 1876, Mr. Moore was married to Mrs. Emma (Prince) Ross, who died January 21, 1879, leaving one child, Brumfield C. Moore, born January 10, 1879. With reference to the late war, Mr. Moore was with the Southern people, whom he admires for their hospitality, independence, and determination to stand up for their legal rights, and believes none were disunionist per se. And while he is a high tariff Democrat, he does not see how any Southern man can be a Republican. Mr. Moore has, with his family, traveled extensively in the United States and Canada, and says of all places visited by him Southeast Missouri, for the beginner, presents the best opportunities to industry, promptness and practical sense. |
William H. Myers
| William H. Myers, an enterprising young farmer, of Scott County, Mo., was born and reared in the county. He is a son of William H. Myers, who was born in Cape Girardeau County, Mo. The latter's parents came to Southeast Missouri in its early settlement. The father of our subject came to Scott County and opened up a large farm near Oran. He married Louisa Evans, a native of Scott County, and reared a family of nine children, five of whom are living: John B., William H., Christopher C., Wilson B. and Thomas N. William H. was born in 1855, and when about eighteen years of age, began farming for himself. He now has a farm of 300 acres, with 150 acres under cultivation, with good improvements, and has considerable town property in Oran. He is industrious and is one of the best farmers of the township. In 1877 he married Louisa Mathews, also a native of Scott County, born in 1857, and a daughter of Charles Mathews, also born and reared in Scott County. He had a large family of children, three only being alive: Reuben, James and Louisa. Those dead are Charles, John, Caleb and Mollie. Mr. and Mrs. Myers are the parents of two children, Ivah and Hal. Mrs. Myers is a member of the Agricultural Wheel. |