Greene County Biographies
Greene County Biographies
From: Past and Present of Greene County, Missouri Early and Recent History and Genealogical Records of Many of the Representative Citizens by Jonathan Fairbanks and Clyde Edwin Tuck DANIEL MARTIN NEE. One of the most promising of the younger members of the Greene county bar is Daniel Martin Nee, a member of the firm of De Vorss & Nee. He seems to be the possessor of the necessary qualification for a success in the legal field and has most carefully prepared himself for his chosen calling, taking a great deal more pains in this respect than many of the older lawyer's. By wise and judicious legislation, a barrier has been interposed against an easy and miscellaneous invasion of the legal profession, and those who propose to enter it must submit to the rigid requirements of the laws of the present time. The prescribed course of study must be observed, the ordeal of examination must be borne, and fixed grades and standards must be touched before the applicant can cross the statutory line that separates him from the bar. The result is, the profession draws its nutriment from a better, cleaner, stronger and more intellectual class--men fitted for the profession and who will sustain its high character. Our subject is of this class. Mr. Nee was born at Thayer, Oregon county, Missouri, April 1, 1888, but most of his life has been spent in Springfield, Greene county, whither the family removed when he was a child. He is a son of Coleman C. and Mary (Foley) Nee, both natives of Ireland, and from his progenitors our subject seems to have inherited many characteristics of the Celtic race which will be of inestimable benefit to him as a lawyer. These parents spent their earlier years in the Emerald Isle, from which they emigrated to the United States when young. The Foley ancestry were mostly tillers of the soil. Coleman C. Nee received his education in the common schools of his native locality and when eighteen years of age emigrated to our shores. Finally penetrating into the Middle West, he took up his residence at Thayer, Missouri, where he engaged in business. Seeking a larger field for his operations, he removed to Springfield twenty years ago and has been a successful business man here ever since, well known about town and highly respected. Patrick Nee, the paternal grandfather, was born in Ireland, lived and died there, following the sea for a livelihood; in fact, most of the Nee progenitors were sailors by profession, and noted for their ability and bravery in this line. Daniel M. Nee grew to manhood in Springfield and here he received his education, first attending the parochial schools, later was graduated from the public schools and high school and attended Drury College for a time. In 1906 he entered the law department of the University of Missouri, where he made a splendid record and from which he was graduated with the class of 1912. In July of that year he commenced practicing in Springfield in partnership with J. T. De Vorss, and notwithstanding the fact that the firm is a new one, the are doing a very satisfactory volume of business, with very bright prospects, their auspicious start auguring well for the future. Mr. Nee has for some time been well known locally as an athlete and has devoted considerable attention to athletics, of which he has been a successful teacher, and has coached many baseball and football teams with gratifying results, and at this writing he is in charge of the athletic teams at Drury College. He was a professional baseball player, and by his excellent work during vacation periods as a member of some good team he earned money to defray his expenses in college, thus being enabled to obtain his professional education. Mr. Nee is unmarried. He is a Democrat politically, and in religious matters is a Catholic. He is a member of the University Club and the Sigma Chi. He was popular among the students while in school in Springfield and at the University. MARION A. NELSON. We do not find many Greene county people who originally came from Arkansas. The reason is perhaps that they have as good a country as ours and find it to their advantage to stay at home. Arkansas is a great state every respect, greater than most citizens in other states ever dream. This is due partly to the fact that there has never been a "boom" there, the railroads have not put forth much effort to advertise it, as they have had such over rated states as Oklahoma, Florida and California, consequently the general public does not really know of the vast resources and opportunities, to be found in the state just to the south of us. Marion A. Nelson, engaged in the life insurance business in Springfield, is one of the enterprising young men from that state who has cast his lot with the people of Greene county. Mr. Nelson was born at Wilmar, Drew county, Arkansas, November 20, 1875. He is a son of Thomas D. and Maggie N. (Alexander) Nelson. The father was born in Tennessee, in which state he grew to manhood and, there enlisted in a regiment in the Confederate army during the Civil War, serving with credit until the close of the conflict. After the war he came to Arkansas and engaged in the lumber business until 1882, when he went to Louisiana, where he has since made his home, and there he is still engaged in business. His family consisted of nine children. The maternal grandfather of our subject was a native of the state of Mississippi, and during the Civil war he was a soldier in the Confederate army and was killed in battle. His family consisted of three children, all now deceased. His daughter, Maggie N. Alexander, mother of our subject, died April 25, 1914, in Dubach, Louisiana. Marion A. Nelson spent his childhood in Drew county, Arkansas, being seven years of age when he removed with his parents to northern Louisiana, where he grew to manhood and received his education in the public schools there. After graduating from the high school in his community he began his career by entering the lumber and mercantile business, continuing these lines with ever-increasing success in northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas until 1909, when he took a position with the Equitable Life Assurance Society, in which his advancement has been rapid, and he now occupies the responsible position of agency manager for this district, with headquarters at Springfield, and he is discharging his duties in an able and faithful manner that is highly satisfactory to the company. Mr. Nelson was married on February 17, 1902, to Pearl Hale, at Junction City, Arkansas, and they resided at that place until 1913, when they removed to Springfield, Missouri, where they have since made their home. They are the parents of four children, namely: Marion Hale, James Denny, Maurice Sanders and Rose Elizabeth. Politically, Mr. Nelson is a Democrat. Fraternally, he belongs to the Masonic order, including the Royal Arch degree. He has long been quite active and influential in this order, and while in Arkansas was deputy grandmaster. He has also been a member of the Knights of Pythias for many years, and has been equally active and prominent in this order, having passed all the chairs while living in Arkansas. He is a member of St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal church, South, in Springfield. He and his wife have made many warm friends since locating in this city. JOHN GLENN NEWBILL. Judge John G. Newbill, the present judge of the police court of Springfield, is serving his second term in that now important office. When reelected in April, 1914, he was the only candidate on the Democratic ticket who carried every ward in the city. He was appointed by President Cleveland to the position of register of the United States land office at Springfield in 1894, and discharged the duties of that office during a term of four years, more than a year of which time was under the administration of President McKinley. Judge Newbill is also editor of The Express, an earnest and strictly reliable Democratic weekly newspaper that he established on April 1, 1881. For a period of fourteen years he was the efficient secretary of the Democratic central committee of Greene county, and during all his journalistic career he has been a well known correspondent of different metropolitan daily newspapers, as well as agent of the Associated Press when William Henry Smith was its able manager. John Glenn Newbill is a native of southwest Missouri, his first recollection beginning on his father's fine farm two and one-half miles west of Springfield on the Mt. Vernon road. His father, Tyree Glenn Newbill, was a native of Franklin county, Virginia, in which all his ancestors located when they came to America during the days of the colonies, prior to the Revolution, in which a number of them took an active part as soldiers in the army of General Washington. Judge Newbill's parents came to Greene county in the early fifties, and his father was one of the most enterprising farmers and stock raisers in this section. He was the president of the local fair association the two years preceding the War of the Rebellion, and like his son, was an earnest and devoted Free Mason, the names of both as members being in the archives of United Lodge No. 5 and Springfield Chapter No. 15, Royal Arch Masons. Judge Newbill is also a thirty-second degree Mason of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, his membership being in Joplin Consistory No. 3, at Joplin, Missouri. EDWARD F. NEWTON. Why is it that railway magnates, presidents of banks and heads of great enterprises who must perforce do business in cities, almost all try to have homes on farms in the country, where they develop soils, plant crops and breed animals? It is because there is wearisome monotony in piled up brick and stone. There is confusion in crowded streets and clanging trolley cars and hot smoky railways. These things man has made, and they are needful, but they are not life, much as the farm boy may imagine them to be. It is the dream of millions of country bred boys to get established in some city, but after they have tried urban life a few years and see the many objectionable phases of it, they begin to have other dreams of returning to the farm, where there is more freedom, better health and greater happiness. Edward F. Newton, well known farmer and breeder of live stock of Franklin township, Greene county, has been wise enough to establish himself in the country. Mr. Newton was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, March 2, 1864. He is a son of Hiram and Caroline (Kite) Newton. The father was born in Massachusetts, from which state he came with his parents to Bowling Green, Kentucky, when voting and there spent the rest of his life, engaged principally at the carpenter's trade, his death occurring in 1865, when about fifty-two years of age. Politically, he was a Democrat. He owned valuable property in Bowling Green. His wife was born in Warren county, Kentucky, and her death occurred also in the year 1865, when forty-four years of age. To these parents fourteen children were born, named as follows: Richard, James, John, Hiram, Jr., are all deceased; George lives at Beaver Dam, Kentucky; Andrew Jackson and Silas are both deceased; Edward F. of this sketch; Mary, Fanny, and Eliza are deceased; the next child died in infancy; the two youngest, twins, also died in infancy. Edward F. Newton was reared by his sister, Mrs. Elizabeth McCrary, with whom he came to Greene county, Missouri, when a child, the family locating near Ebenezer, and bought a farm of one hundred and twenty acres on which our subject remained until he was twenty-two years of age. He received a common school education. Mr. Newton has been twice married, first, to Nettie Berry, a daughter of William and Martha (Latham) Berry. She was born in Franklin township, this county. William Berry was born in Tennessee, from which state he came to Greene county, Missouri, when young, making the tedious overland journey with an ox team, bringing his wife and household effects. He settled on rough land, which he cleared and developed by hard work, and here he and his wife spent the rest of their lives, dying on the farm now, owned by our subject. Mr. Berry purchased one hundred and sixty acres of railroad land, later took up other railroad land. He devoted his active life to general farming. Mr. Newton was married again in 1909 to Mrs. Elva (White) Massey, which union has been without issue, but he is the father of seven children by his first wife, namely: Roy, born September 20, 1886, married Mazie Murray and lives in Springfield; Ethel, born March 28, 1889, married John Jacoby, lives in Springfield and they have one child, Kenneth; Theodore, born August 5, 1892, married Bertha Goetz and they live in Franklin township; Ralph, born November 4, 1894; Maver, born August 13, 1897; Harold, born July 13, 1900; and Thelma, born October 24, 1903. Their mother died February 6. 1903. Mr. Newton moved to his present farm in 1885, after his first marriage. He has prospered through his close application, sound judgment and honest dealings, and he is now owner of one of the choice farms of the township, consisting of two hundred and fifty-three acres, of well improved and productive land, all under cultivation, but ten acres in timber. He built his present substantial residence, also outbuildings, in 1904. In 1912 he built a modern breeding barn, thirty-two by forty feet, with box stalls and other conveniences found only on up-to-date farms. In connection with general farming he makes a specialty of breeding live stock and owns some fine animals which are greatly admired by all. At present he has three jacks and two stallions–Black Eagle, Blue John and Silver Song, Skelix and Young Roman. Black Eagle is a fine black jack with mealy points, fourteen and one-half hands high, heavy bodied, high headed, large flat heavy boned. He was sired by old Ratter, a large breeder, well known in the southern part of Polk county. Black Eagle's dam was a mammoth jennett, stood fifteen hands high. Eagle's sire and dam were both high bred animals, making Black Eagle a well-bred jack. Blue John is a blue jack, fifteen hands high, jack measure, and is well known throughout Greene county to all breeders. His colts are heavy-boned, with good heads, and always make big fine mules that never fail to top the market. Silver Song is a fine black jack, weighing about one thousand pounds, and is fourteen and three-quarters hands high; he is sired by Big Eagle, dam, Lad M. Skelix is a dark bay stallion fifteen and one-half hands high, black points, weighing eleven hundred pounds. His sire is Kiosk, No. 21359, Vol. 12, page 88. Trotting record, 2 31, sire of five trotters in the list; chestnut, star, one white hind foot: sixteen hands high; weight over twelve hundred pounds; sire, Kremlin, 2:07 3/4, trotting; champion of the world in 1892. Dam, Ellsta, 2:20; dam of Elison. 2:17, trotting; second dam Green Mountain Maid; dam of nine 2:30 trotters. Young Roman is a draft stallion, eight years old in 1915, sixteen and one-half hands high, weight seventeen hundred pounds. He is three-fourths Percheron, has fine style and action, is an extra well made horse with large heavy bone. He is an entirely black stallion. Young Roman was sired by Roman Prince, an imported and thoroughbred Percheron. He weighed two thousand pounds and was as fine a breeder as the southwest has ever afforded. His dam is a large black mare, one-half Percheron, and weighs fifteen hundred pounds. Politically, Mr. Newton is a Republican, but he has never been active in public affairs or held office. He is a member of the Anti-Horse Thief Association. Fraternally, he belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America, at Springfield, also the Royal Neighbors. He and his wife are members of the Methodist church at Pleasant Valley. He is a great lover of good horses and mules and is a good judge of them. He is a home man, is sociable, is well acquainted over the county and has hosts of friends everywhere. JOB NEWTON. It is proper to judge of a man's life by the estimation in which he is held by his fellow citizens. They see him at his work, in his family circle, in church, hear his views on public questions, observe the operations of his code of morals, witness how he conducts himself in all the relations of society and civilization and are therefore competent to judge of his merits and demerits. After a long course of years of daily observations, it would be out of the question for his neighbors not to know of his worth, for, as has been often said, "Actions speak louder than words." In this connection it is not too much to say that Job Newton, well-known business man of Springfield, has ever stood high in the estimation of his acquaintances here, during his residence of forty-five years, for his conduct has been honorable in all the relations of life and his duty well performed whether in private or public life, and that he has ever been industrious, never waiting for some one else to perform his tasks. He is one of the surviving band of the famous "forty-niners" in Greene county, and his reminiscences of his various experiences in the pioneer days when he was a young man are indeed interesting. Mr. Newton was born five miles from Georgetown, Delaware, July 28, 1826. He is a son, of ______ and Mary Ann (Mariner) Newton, each parent of English descent. Mr. Newton's father died when he was an infant, and he has no recollection of him. His mother brought him overland through a long stretch of wilderness from Delaware to St. Louis, Missouri, in the year 1838; her other two children were Ann and Benjamin. Soon thereafter a brother of our subject's mother came to St. Louis and removed her and her children to Wabash, Indiana, in 1839, and there she spent the rest of her life, dying in 1848. Job Newton grew to manhood in St. Louis, was educated there in the public schools and married there, remaining in that city until 1869, when he removed his family to Springfield, where he has since made his home. He first engaged in the woolen mill and fur business in St. Louis, but upon reaching Springfield, he went into the dry goods business in which he remained about eight years, enjoying a good trade, then he started a produce business which gradually grew with advancing years until it reached extensive proportions and he is still thus engaged, with the exception of one year spent in Kansas City. He now handles not only produce but grain, hay and seed under the firm name of the Newton Grain Company, of which he is president, Dwight E. Newton being secretary and treasurer. They have a large substantial building and their operations extend over a vast territory. Although our subject is now advanced in years, being nearly eighty-nine years old, he is hale and hearty and is still actively engaged in business. Mr. Newton was married in the fall of 1856 to Minerva C. Ault, a native of Ohio, from which state she removed with her parents to Missouri when she was a child. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Newton, three of whom are still living, namely: Harry C. is the eldest; Joseph and Jefferson are both deceased; Emmitt and Dwight E. are the two youngest, the latter being associated with his father in business, and the former is manager of the Lander theater of this city. Mr. Newton is a member of the Masonic Order, United Lodge No. 5, Royal Arch Chapter No. 15, is past commander of St. John's Commandery, No. 20, and is also a member of the Chapter, also the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and is past grand patron of the Eastern Star of Missouri; he has long been prominent in Masonic circles. Politically, he is a Democrat and has been more or less active in public affairs, and has been a member of the city council twice, and in the earlier years of his residence here he was chairman of the Democratic committee. One of the most interesting chapters in Mr. Newton's life is that relating to his trip to the far West, when he crossed the plains with the gold seekers in 1849, and had the distinction of taking the first goods into Salt Lake City, Utah, after the Mormons had settled there. He started on his long journey from St. Louis on March 17, of that year, and arrived in California the following October, going the Truckee route, and he built the second house in the city of Grass Valley, California. He returned to St. Louis in 1851 by the Nicaragua route, on a Vanderbilt vessel, the first line run in opposition to the Pacific Mail route, Mr. Newton being one of the first passengers to come over this route. He crossed the Isthmus of Panama in 1855 en route to San Francisco, California, and in the spring of 1856 he returned to St. Louis, coming back via the Nicaragua route. In the spring of 1868 he came to Springfield, having sold his business interests in St. Louis. He immediately took up activities in the dry goods business, and in the spring of 1869 he moved his family here, where they have since remained with the exception of one year, which was spent in Kansas City. In the spring of 1854 he again crossed the arid and wild lands of the western territories, freighting to Salt Lake City, having charge of about twenty-five wagons, and he took a large herd of cattle on into California. A. D. NICHOLS. Few young men of Springfield have achieved signal success in an important calling so early as has A. D. Nichols. His career bears out the oft-heard statement that this is a young man's age and that positions of importance and lucrative remuneration are open to the youth of good habits and industry. Mr. Nichols was born in Springfield, Missouri, December 19, 1884, and here grew to manhood and received good educational advantages. He began his railroad career when seventeen years of age as clerk and stenographer for his father, D. H. Nichols, a sketch of whose life occurs on preceding pages. The latter was at that time vice-president and general manager of the Pecos Lines, also Southern Kansas Railway Company of Texas, which properties belonged to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Company. A. D. Nichols was employed at various places in New Mexico, Texas and Kansas while connected with the Santa Fe, his principal work being stenographer and secretary to the different officials at that time connected with the road. He remained in the Southwest practically two years and then went to the Frisco System at Springfield, Missouri, where he was connected with the road's transportation department, having a clerical position under C. R. Gray, who was at that time superintendent of transportation of the Frisco. Mr. Nichols remained with the Frisco System until he was twenty-two years of age, and in May, 1907, went to Louisiana. He was with his father and later with J. M. Parker during the promotion of the Arkansas, Louisiana & Gulf Railway Company, and after construction was started held various positions, having run track gangs, work trains and had charge of the steam shovel work. After the line was completed and in operation, which was September, 1908, he went into train service in the capacity of conductor, where he remained for a year. In 1909 he went into the office of W. J. Hillyer, at that time superintendent, as chief clerk, remaining with Mr. Hillyer one year, and 1910 was spent by Mr. Nichols as chief clerk for T. J. Shelton, traffic manager at Monroe, Louisiana. From 1910 Until May 30, 1913, he was employed as chief clerk to the general manager and car service agent. On June 1, 1913, he was employed as superintendent of transportation under J. M. Parker, receiver for the above named road, and this responsible position he has filled to the present time in a manner that has reflected much credit upon his ability and to the satisfaction of all concerned. His headquarters are in Monroe, Louisiana, in which city he now makes his home. Mr. Nichols was married in the city of Monroe on January 4, 1911, to Bernice Margaret Renwick, a young lady of culture, and the representative of a fine old Southern family. To this union one child has been born, Joel Rountree Nichols, who is one year old at this writing. Fraternally Mr. Nichols is a member of the Masonic Order, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and religiously he belongs to the Episcopal church. He is a young man of exemplary habits and genial address and judging from his commendable career in railroad service of the past, the biographer predicts for him a future replete with honor and success. CAPT. DANTON H. NICHOLS. Praise is always due to merit and especially where merit is the product of unassisted energy and perseverance. The self-made man commands our highest respect. The struggles by means of which he has risen from obscurity to honorable distinction cannot fail to enlist sympathy and call forth our warmest applause, and too, the record of a life well spent, of triumph over obstacles, of perseverance under difficulties and steady advancement from a modest beginning to a place of honor and distinction in the industrial world, when imprinted on the pages of history, present to the youth of the rising generation an example worthy of emulation and may also be studied with profit by those of more mature years whose achievements have not kept pace with their expectations. On the roster of the names of those who have been prominently identified with the development and upbuilding of Springfield and southwest Missouri that of the late Capt. Danton H. Nichols merits a place of honor. The major portion of his brilliant career was spent in this city, and ever during that epoch his energies were effectively directed along normal lines of industry and business enterprise-railroading-through which he made distinct contribution to the progress of this favored section of Missouri, and the same may be said of him in other localities of the nation, for he was one of the most prominent men of his field of endeavor in the United States for a number of years and held many high and responsible positions. His life was one of signal integrity and usefulness and such was his association with the varied affairs of the Queen City that it is altogether proper that a record of his strenuous, varied, useful and honorable career be perpetuated in this publication. Capt. Nichols was born in Lima, Ohio, on August 14, 1849, and was a son of Mathias H. and Sylvia S. (Fisher) Nichols. The father was born in New Jersey in the year 1827, and he spent his boyhood in his native state, emigrating to Ohio when nineteen years of age, among the pioneers, and locating at Lima, and he published the first newspaper in that town, called The Allen County Gazette. He became a prominent man in that section of Ohio, and when only twenty-four years of age was elected to Congress. His death occurred in Cincinnati, Ohio, at the early age of thirty-nine years. Thrown upon his own resources at the age of seventeen years, Danton H. Nichols carved out his own fortune unaided. He had received a fair education in the common schools of Lima and in the Illinois Military Academy, which he attended two and one-half years. At the age mentioned he came to Missouri and secured a job as peanut vender on trains out of St. Louis. He afterward held various positions on the old Atlantic & Pacific Railroad, which he filled with such satisfaction that the head officials offered him the position of division superintendent of the road. This was in 1875, and in 1881 he was advanced to the position of master of transportation. He was for some time general superintendent of this road, which is now a part of the Frisco System. Leaving the latter road, he went to the New York & New England Railway to straighten out a freight blockade. He did his work so promptly and thoroughly that when it was finished he was made general superintendent of that road. He returned to Missouri a year later to attend to some mining interests, after which he went to Mexico as superintendent of construction of the Pecos Valley System. When this road was built from Roswell, New Mexico, to Amarillo, Texas, he was made general manager and vice president. He later left the Pecos System to become president of the Kansas Southwestern Railway. After two years in this position he returned to Springfield to live, and during the three years following was with the Frisco Company rebuilding its lines in southwestern Missouri. He then went to Monroe, Louisiana, as superintendent of the construction of the Arkansas, Louisiana & Gulf Railway, from Monroe to Hamburg and Crossett, Arkansas. After completing this line he took tip the promotion of the line from Monroe through southwest Arkansas. It was while Capt. Nichols was general superintendent of the Frisco that a fierce contest broke out among the officials of that road. Vice-president John O'Day was on one side and Capt. Nichols and E. D. Kenna, assistant general attorney, were on the other side. The fight became as bitter as a political campaign and Springfield was the storm center. It resulted in both O'Day and Nichols tendering their resignation, but Captain Nichols remained sixty days after Mr. O'Day. Mr. Kenna remained with the Frisco for a number of years as general attorney, but finally went to the Santa Fe. The business motto of Mr. Nichols was, "Do that which your sense of right demands, leaving the consequences to take care of themselves," and this he tried to observe at all times. One of the north side organizations of railroad men was named for Mr. Nichols, and Nichols junction, the first station west of Springfield on the Frisco was also named for him, as well as Nichols street in the city of Springfield. He was greatly interested in the upbuilding of the northern business section of Springfield, and he also did much for the development of Drury College and was a decided friend to the churches of all denominations, and every church in this city received aid from him, which was always gladly and freely given, but in a quiet manner. He was charitably inclined, but not in order to gain the plaudits of his fellow-men, rather from a sense of duty and spirit of genuine altruism. He became very religious during the latter part of his life, and was instrumental in establishing Episcopal missions in New Mexico and Louisiana. Captain Nichols was married in St. Louis on September 9, 1874, to Kate Cummings, a lady of culture and many estimable attributes and a representative of a sterling old family. She is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Cummings. She was reared in St. Louis and there received an excellent education. Four children blessed the union of our subject and wife, namely: Mary, born in St. Louis on March 4, 1876, is the wife of E. B. Cowell, of Springfield; Sylvia S., born in St. Louis on October 15, 1878, is the wife of Seth Barham, chief accountant of the American Radiator Company, Chicago; Clara, born in Springfield on December 7, 1882, is the wife of Joel H. Rountree, of Springfield, and Arthur D., born in Springfield on December 19, 1884, is superintendent of transportation for the Arkansas, Louisiana & Gulf Railway, and lives in Monroe, Louisiana. Politically Captain Nichols was a Democrat. Fraternally he belonged to the Masonic Order, including St. John's Commandery, No 20, Knights Templar, and was past master of Wentworth Lodge, No. 113, Ancient Order of United Workmen. Captain Nichols was a charter member of Knights Templar of Springfield and a member of the Mystic Shrine of Salina, Kansas. The death of Captain Nichols occurred suddenly and without warning at Monroe, Louisiana, on November 27, 1910, at the age of sixty-one years. The funeral was held from the beautiful Nichols residence on East Cherry street, conducted by Rev. F. F. Beckerman, rector of Christ Episcopal church, with which the decedent held membership. Interment was made in Maple Park cemetery. Captain Nichols will long be greatly missed by a very wide circle of acquaintances and friends. The following resolutions adopted at a meeting of the vestry of Grace church at Monroe, Louisiana, December 5, 1910, signed by a committee composed of Archdeacon M. R. Carson, LeDoux E. Smith and John G. Sanders: "Whereas it has pleased Almighty God in His infinite wisdom and love to remove from our midst the spirit of Danton H. Nichols, a member of the vestry of Grace church, Monroe, Louisiana; "And, whereas, his associates on that vestry and the congregation have lost in him one whose counsel and example were at all times helpful and inspiring; "Therefore, be it resolved, That a formal record be made upon minutes of the sense of genuine sorrow that is entertained by reason of his death. "In Captain Nichols we saw a man of the deepest religious convictions. At all times charitable, always regular and faithful in his devotions, constantly endeavoring to realize the highest precepts of his church, he stood as a splendid exemplar of the Christian faith. We shall miss him deeply, and we shall long cherish the recollection of his noble life. "Be it further resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be forwarded the family of Captain Nichols with the assurance of our deepest and profoundest sympathy." GEORGE WILLIAM NICHOLS. During his residence in Springfield of nearly thirty years, George William Nichols has figured as one of our most enterprising business men. He has been by no means an idle spectator to the growth of the city from a small town to a city of wealth and importance. He had the sagacity to foresee the great future of the same when he came here and he never lost faith in her great destiny, and no one takes a greater pride in seeing the Queen City advance along all lines than he. Mr. Nichols has been an advocate of right living not only in private but commercial and public life as well, and he is recognized as an upright citizen, square and honest in his dealings with his fellow-men, and as one that can be relied upon when called to perform any of the duties of a faithful citizen. Mr. Nichols was born in Lincoln county, Missouri, February 11, 1851. He is a son of Chesley H. and Sarah Ann (Sitton) Nichols, both natives of that county also, and there, they grew up, were educated and married and there established their home on a farm and spent their lives there, the father dying in 1873 at the age of fifty-six years, and the mother survived to the advanced age of eighty-six years. William Sitton, the maternal grandfather of our subject, was at one time sheriff of Lincoln county. To Chesley H. Nichols and wife six children were born, three sons and three daughters, namely: George William, of this sketch; Mathias P., Jonathan C., Mrs. Anna Johnston; Mrs. Melissa Williams, and Mrs. Fannie L. Martin. Jonathan C. Nichols who was born in April, 1865, resides in Springfield, and has been connected in business with his brother, George W., of this sketch for the past five years. He married Laura A. Dillard, in October, 1889, in Lincoln county, Missouri; she is a daughter of John A. and Anna (See) Dillard, both parents dying many years ago. Four children have been born to Jonathan C. Nichols and wife, namely: Olin C., born in 1892; Myrtle E., born in 1896; Dora Ida, born in 1905; and Roy Dillard, born in 1907. These children were given good educational advantages in the Springfield schools. George W. Nichols grew to manhood in Lincoln county, Missouri, and there received his education in the public schools. He assisted his father with the general work on the home farm, and continued farming until 1885, when he came to Springfield, and engaged in the grocery business, soon afterward adding the wood, coal, feed and fuel business, and conducted both branches with much success until 1903 when he abandoned the grocery store, and has devoted his attention exclusively ever since to the feed and fuel business in which he has built up a very extensive trade, and has one of the best established businesses in this line in the city. Mr. Nichols was married in September, 1877, to Mary Ida Moore, of St. Charles county, Missouri, where she grew to womanhood and received her education. She was a daughter of S. W. and Mary (Griffith) Moore, of Pike county, this state, where they spent their lives engaged in farming. The death of Mr. Moore occurred in 1905, and his wife preceded him to the grave in 1902. One daughter was born to George W. Nichols and wife, Lulu E. Nichols, whose birth occurred in St. Charles county, Missouri, in 1878. She was graduated from Drury College and the Missouri State University. She married Dr. W. J. Wills, September 1, 1910. Doctor Wills was graduated from Drury College and from the St. Louis Medical College. They reside in Sedalia, Missouri, where he is successfully engaged in the practice of his profession. Politically, George W. Nichols is a Democrat. Religously, he is a member of the Congregational church, and fraternally he belongs to the Masonic order, is a Knight Templar, and also belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He and his brother, Jonathan C. are members of the Interstate Feed Dealers' Association. GEORGE WESLEY NIEDERHUTH. The evolutions in the industrial world and the improved modes of manufacturing things have been marvelous in the past half century, and scarcely an industry exists that has been left untouched by the spirit of reform. The demand of the age is for labor-saving devices, improved appliances, machinery, and short cuts generally to desired ends. George Wesley Niederhuth, chief engineer at Drury College and agent for a number of standard makes of motorcycles, is one of Springfield's young men who is giving much thought to these things and has a comprehensive understanding of modem mechanical industries in general. Mr. Niederhuth was born on August 2, 1889, at Eldora, Iowa. He is a son of Rev. Otto Niederhuth, who was born in Hanover, Germany, on February 12, 1862, where he spent his boyhood and attended school, emigrating to America when eighteen years of age, and he became a minister in the Methodist Episcopal church, having studied theology at Wesleyan Academy at Wilbraham, Massachusetts, in 1884; also studied at the German college and the Iowa Wesleyan University at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa; then, being well equipped for his serious life work, he went to Bismark, North Dakota, having charge of the Grand Forks Mission, extending sixty miles north and south and one hundred and fifty miles east and west. He drove over this large field with horse and buggy and during winter often with thermometer registering thirty degrees below. Later he filled appointments at Crookston, Minnesota, Eldora, Iowa, also Olderbolt, Colesburg, Burt and Burlington, of that state; Brighton, Illinois; Hermann, Mt. Vernon and Truxton, Missouri, being still the pastor of the German Methodist church at the last named place. He has done an excellent work in all these charges and is a learned and eloquent expounder of Holy Writ. Politically, he is a Republican, and fraternally a member of the Modern Woodmen. His wife was known in her maidenhood as Louisa Launroth, a native of Burlington, Iowa. To them nine children were born, and were named as follows: Lulu is the wife of Rev. Herman Langer, a Missouri Methodist minister; George W., of this sketch; Esther is the wife of Louis Schultz, a farmer of Madison, Nebraska; Oscar, deceased; Otto, deceased; Irwin, deceased; Raymond, Earl and Alberta are all three at home with their parents. George W. Niederhuth received his education in the common schools, then studied two years at Central Wesleyan College at Warrenton, Missouri, and after that took the International Correspondence School course in electrical, and mechanical engineering. His first employment was at Nokomis, Illinois, as assistant night engineer at the electric power plant there, later being promoted to engineer and then to the position of chief engineer, remaining there three years. He then came to Hermann, Missouri, as assistant engineer at the Starr Roller Mills, where he remained nearly a year, then went to Warrenton, Missouri, and entered college, working his way through, and also worked at spare times at the city electric plant there. He then came to Springfield, and secured a position as engineer at the Woodruff building in January, 1911, filling this position until December 11th following, then accepted his present position, that of chief engineer at Drury College. He has given entire satisfaction in all these places, being faithful, trustworthy and having an excellent working knowledge of both electrical and mechanical engineering. He has for some time also been agent for the best makes of motorcycles and does high-class motorcycle repairing at his home at 1090 East Harrison street. He handles motorcycle accessories, such as lamps, tires, horns, etc., and he has built up a good business in this line. He has furnished motorcycles to the special police of this city for some time. Mr. Niederhuth was married on September 14, 1911, to Ella Boehm, a daughter of John Boehm, a veteran of the Union army, formerly of Hermann, Missouri, now of Springfield. To our subject and wife two children have been born, namely: John Wesley and Allyn Edison. Politically, Mr. Niederhuth is a Republican. Fraternally, he formerly belonged to the Modern Woodmen of America. National Association of Stationary Engineers. He holds membership with the Cumberland Presbyterian church. DR.GEORGE L. NOLAND. Osteopathy has an able exponent in Springfield and Greene county in the person of Dr. George L. Noland, a man who has studied hard and left no stone unturned whereby he might get to the top, of his profession. Thoroughness, promptness and honesty have been watchwords with him and he is in every way deserving of the large success and the popularity which he has attained, for he began at the bottom of the ladder and has mounted its rungs unaided. He seems to have inherited many of the traits that win in life from his sterling ancestors of the old Buckeye state. Doctor Noland was born at Big Plain, near Columbus, Ohio, in 1868. He is a son of Beckworth and Martha (Biggert) Noland, a highly respected family of that place, the elder Noland spending his life on a farm and was one of the enterprising citizens of his community. George L. Noland was reared in his native vicinity and when of proper age he assisted his father with the work on the farm during the crop season, and during the winter attended the public schools, later entered the State Normal School at Danville, Indiana, completing the prescribed course there, after which he returned to Ohio, and was married to Lou Tway, of London, that state, on November 2 1891, and then he engaged in farming for three years on the old home place. He removed from the scenes of his childhood to Mt. Ayr, Iowa, where he engaged successfully in the live stock business until the fall of 1899, when he sold out and moved to Kirksville, Missouri, and there he and his wife entered the American School of Osteopathy, where they both made splendid records, and were graduated in due course of time. Immediately thereafter they came to Springfield, Missouri, and began the practice of osteopathy here in July, 1901, and they have continued the same to the present time with ever-increasing success, and are among the most skillful and best known osteopathic physicians in southern Missouri, and each. of the thirteen years they have been here has found them further advanced and with more patients and with more friends than the preceding. Mrs. Lou Tway Noland was born on July 16, 1870, in Fayette county, Ohio, and there spent her early girlhood. When twelve years of age she went to London, where she resided until 1895. She was graduated from the high school there in 1888, and, subsequently, took a post-graduate teacher's course in the State Normal at Ada, Ohio, after which she spent several years teaching school in Madison county, that state, and was regarded as one of the leading public school instructors of that county, and it was in London that she and Mr. Noland were married. She spent six months studying in Europe, in 1908, and took a course of lectures in osteopathy in University of Vienna, Austria. She is profoundly versed in this science, has met with pronounced success during her professional career and has been of great assistance to her husband. She is a daughter of Perry and Clara (Cartlich) Tway, the mother a daughter of Abraham and Lucinda (Will) Cartlich. Lucinda Will was a daughter of George Will, who was born on May 3, 1749, and he died on October 13, 1828. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, serving as first lieutenant and adjutant of the Sixth Pennsylvania Regiment. He was commissioned first lieutenant on February 5, 1877, and his name is the last one on a list of officers, dated August 27, 1778. This regiment was in the disaster at Fort Wellington on March 16, 1776. Mrs. Noland has served three years as treasurer of the Missouri Osteopathic Association, which position she still holds. She is also secretary of the Ozark Osteopathic Association. and has discharged her duties in these capacities in a faithful and commendable manner. She is one of the most widely known Osteopaths in the state and is popular in the various associations. Religiously, she belongs to the Grace Methodist Episcopal church. She is an active member of the American Osteopathic Association, belongs to the Royal Neighbors of America, the Sorosia Society, and the Daughters of the American Revolution. To Doctor Noland and wife one child was born, Percy Ray Noland, whose birth occurred in February, 1895, at Mt. Ayr, Iowa, and died on February 27, 1906, in Springfield, Missouri. Doctor and Mrs. Noland have an up-to-date suite of offices in the Landers building, and they are pleasant people to meet, intelligent, experienced, and courteous to all. GEORGE W. O'BRYANT. Although George W. O'Bryant, of Brookline township, Greene county, does not farm on so large a scale as some of his neighbors, yet he does well whatever he attempts and is making a good living. The time has arrived when farms the size of his will be more numerous than those that are larger, for it has been found that the methods of farming must change as climate and general conditions change and in order to carry on intensive farming one does not need a vast acreage. Our subject has spent his life in this locality which he has seen develop from primitive conditions to its present high state of prosperity. Mr. O'Bryant was born in the above named township and county, October 7, 1864. He is a son of George W. and Mary Caroline (Howard) O'Bryant, natives of Tennessee and North Carolina, respectively. The father came to Missouri with his parents when he was quite young, the family locating in Cedar county, near Cane Hill, on a farm, and there G. W. O'Bryant was reared to manhood and received a meager education in the early-day schools. When older he located in Greene county. His wife, Mary Caroline Howard, emigrated from the far Southland with her parents to Missouri in 1839, the family locating near what is now Battlefield, on the James river, in Greene county, and there our subject's mother was reared on a farm and received such educational advantages as the early day schools afforded, and she and Mr. O'Bryant were married in 1851. To their union nine children were born, namely: Armitta died in infancy; Mary Frances is the wife of Levi Taylor, of Polk county, Missouri; Martha Ann married J. T. Phillips, both now deceased, who was at one time judge of the county court of Greene county; William T. and Delilah E. are twins; the former lives on a farm in Brookline township, and the latter is the wife of Winfield Lawson, of Republic; Alice A., deceased, was the wife of a Dr. Camp, of Springfield; Nancy C. is the wife of J. T. Crouch and lives in Arizona; George W. of this sketch; Jas. Henry is in the United States mail service in Springfield. During the Civil war George O'Bryant, Sr., was a member of the Home Guards, seeing considerable service in this locality. He was one of the guides of Gen. Lyon's army from Springfield to the Confederate camps on Wilson's creek the night preceding the great battle there, August 10, 1861, and he was at Springfield during the various engagements that were later fought there. His death occurred on his farm in Brookline township in 1866, his widow surviving until 1903, outliving him thirty-seven years, and reaching the age of seventy-three. George W. O'Bryant of this sketch grew to manhood on the homestead and here he still resides, in fact, has spent his life here. He received his education in the district schools of his native township, the first school he attended having been taught in an old log house, equipped with an open fire place and hewn slabs for seats with no backs. He was about twenty years old before he went to school and eight years later he attended one term in Republic, walking almost daily to the school house which was three and one-half miles distant. He has spent his life engaged in general farming and owns sixty acres, a part of the original home place, and he has kept the land well tilled and it is very productive, and he has a comfortable home. Mr. O'Bryant was married, November 7, 1904, to Maude Kirby, a daughter of James H and Mary (Woods) Kirby, who are residents of Mt. Vernon, Lawrence county, this state. Mrs. O'Bryant was born in 1873 in the village of Chesapeake, that county, and in that vicinity she grew to womanhood and received a common school education. To Mr. and Mrs. Kirby the following children were born: Mattie is the wife of George Hillhouse of Verona, Missouri; M. Filmore lives in California; Sallie is the wife of William Howard, of Lawrence county; Dora is the wife of J. N. McCacken, of Springfield; Ella is the wife of G. W. Moore and they live in New Mexico; Isora, deceased, was the wife of Henderson Maberry, deceased; Ollie lives in Chicago; Maude, who was the first wife of the subject of this sketch, died in 1909; Myrtle, youngest of the Kirby children, is now the wife of our subject, they having married in 1911; one died at age of eighteen years. To Mr. O'Bryant's first marriage three children were born, all of whom died in infancy. His second marriage has been without issue. Politically Mr. O'Bryant is a Democrat. Fraternally he is a member of the Court of Honor. He was formerly a member of the Presbyterian church but now belongs to the Methodist church at Republic, as does his wife. JAMES H. O'BRYANT. There is an habitual tendency in human nature to live in and for that which is perishing, hence the necessity for something that shall remind us of what is abiding, something that shall enable us to realize our larger duties and higher destiny. The life of the masses of the people tends to become commonplace, and the only way to give color and zest and interest and beauty to the things around, us is to be able to view them from the inside of a rich, splendidly furnished intellectual home. This is possible no matter in what line of work we are engaged. James H. O'Bryant is one of the citizens of Springfield who realized these facts long ago, and he has thus sought to develop his mind along general lines while engaged in his routine of daily tasks.. Mr. O'Bryant was, born in Greene county, Missouri, August 20, 1866. He is a son of George W. and Mary C. (Howard) O'Bryant, natives of Tennessee and North Carolina, respectively, the father's birth occurring in 1823, and the mother's in 1830. They received limited educations in the old-time subscription schools, and when young they accompanied their parents from their respective communities in the South on the long journey to Greene county, Missouri, both the O'Bryants and Howards being pioneer settlers here, and here the parents of our subject were married. George W. O'Bryant was a successful farmer and stock raiser and became owner of three hundred and sixty acres of good land near Republic, and there his death occurred in 1866. His widow survived about thirty-seven years, dying in July, 1903, at the old homestead in Brookline township at an advanced age. Mr. O'Bryant was a member of the State Militia during the Civil war and was an active Union man, but served only in one important engagement--the battle of Springfield, fought on January 8, 1863. His family consisted of ten children, namely: Sarah Jane is deceased; Mary Frances lives in Polk county; John C. is deceased; Martha A., deceased, was the wife of Judge Phillips, of this county; William and Delila, twins, both live in Republic; Alice A. is deceased; Nancy C. lives in California; George W. near Republic, and James H., of this sketch, who is the youngest of the family. James H. O'Bryant grew to manhood on the home farm in Brookline township and he received his education in the common schools. -He remained on the home farm, of which he owned one hundred and forty acres, until 1899, when, after a successful career as general farmer, he sold out, and in that year was appointed superintendent of the Greene County Farm, serving four years in a manner that reflected much credit upon himself and to the satisfaction of all concerned, doing much the meanwhile to improve the general condition of the farm and inaugurating an excellent system of management. In February, 1903, he began working as salesman for the J. T. Carter Vehicle Company. Since then, or for nearly eight years, he has been engaged in the mail messenger service in Springfield. Mr. O'Bryant was married May 24, 1891, in Republic, to Maggie L. E. Hood, who was born in Greene county, Missouri, July 31, 1873. She is a daughter of James D. and Mary E. (Clack) Hood. Her father was born in this county on December 31, 1848, and here he attended school, married and has spent his life. He is still living on a farm northwest of Republic. His wife was born in Tennessee, in 1856. These parents have always lived on the farm. To Mr. And Mrs. O'Bryant eight children have been born, namely: Nellie A., born March 21, 1892, is teaching school in the state of Washington; Earle J., born December 30, 1893, lives in Oregon; Leta F., born December 25, 1895, is married and lives in Kansas City; Elias B., born November 9, 1897, died August 15, 1900; Mary T., born February 15, 1902, is attending school; John R., born August 15, 1905, died May 3, 1910; Helen L., born September 19, 1907; Hazel C., born September 30, 1911. Politically, Mr. O'Bryant is a Republican. Fraternally, he belongs to the Masonic order, including the Chapter and the Order of Eastern Star,. while Mrs. O'Bryant is a White Shriner and was treasurer, also worthy matron in the Order of Eastern Star, and is very active in lodge work. Our subject and wife belong to the Grace Methodist Episcopal church. JAMES O'BYRNE. Springfield has long been headquarters for a great number of commercial travelers. Men representing a wide diversity of firms maintain their homes here, which some of them have an opportunity to visit only infrequently. It is a good residence town for their families, is conveniently and centrally located in one of the best sections of the Union, and salesmen go out in all directions in the adjacent territory, representing not only local houses but companies in many of the eastern and northern cities. Of this number the name of James O'Byrne should have specific mention, as he is not only one of the most successful but one of the best known traveling men out of the Queen City of the Ozarks. Mr. O'Byrne is a native of northern Ireland, and is a son of Patrick O'Byrne and wife. His paternal grandfather, James O'Byrne, emigrated from the Emerald Isle to America in an early day and proved his loyalty to the United States by enlisting in our army during the War of 1812, and he fought at the memorable battle of New Orleans under Gen. Andrew Jackson. He was a farmer and also a manufacturer of Irish linen of a superior quality. He finally returned to Ireland, where his death occurred at the unusual age of one hundred and three years, and was buried beside his wife. He spent ten or twelve years in the United States. His son, Patrick O'Byrne, father of our subject, was born in Ireland, where he learned the machinist's trade when a young man. After emigrating to America he followed his trade in New York City, working in one shop for a period of seven years. After spending ten years in this country he returned to his native land. His wife was known in her maidenhood as Margaret McCallig, a daughter of Hugh McCallig, a native of Ireland. Two sons and one daughter were born to Patrick O'Byrne and wife, James, our subject, being the only one living, and the only one to come to America. The death of the father occurred at the advanced age of ninety-eight years. James O'Byrne spent his boyhood in Ireland and received a good common school education. He has always been a commercial man, and he came to the United States before the Civil war. On April 17, 1861, at New Orleans, he enlisted in the Confederate army, among the first to offer his services, and as a private in the Third Louisiana Volunteer Infantry he served with valor and credit all through the struggle of four hard years, participating in many important campaigns and nearly all the great battles. After the war he remained in the South until the spring of 1867, reaching Springfield, Missouri, on March 17, and he has made his home here ever since. He has traveled in every state in the Union, also Central America and South America and Australia, having a record as a commercial traveler which few can equal in the United States. He has no doubt traveled more miles as a salesman than any other man in the Middle West. He has met with uniform success, no matter what territory was assigned to him, and has been faithful and trustworthy at all times, ever alert to the good of the firm he represents. He is a man of tact, diplomacy and earnestness, a good mixer and makes and retains friends easily. He is one of the most widely known commercial travelers in the country. He has long owned a nice home in Springfield. Mr. O'Byrne was married, September 27, 1876, in this city, to Margaret Hayes, a daughter of James Hayes, who owned a livery stable on Boonville street, Springfield, for many years, or up to a few years of his death. Mrs. O'Byrne was born in Mexico, Missouri, where she received a good education. To our subject and wife eleven children have been born, nine sons and two daughters, namely: James Patrick died when twenty-six years of age; Ann married Edward L. Maurice, who has long operated a confectionery on South street, this city, and recently added a café; John, who lives in Springfield, Missouri, is a widely known race horse man, having for years participated in races in the United States and Canada; Margaret Ellen is engaged in the coal business with her brother in Springfield; Leo, who lives in Texas, is a commercial traveler; Edward Emmett is engaged in the coal business on Main street, this city; Joseph William is a member of the firm of Walker-O'Byrne Electric Company on East Walnut street, Springfield; Eugene is an attorney-at-law, with an office in this city; Lawrence is a salesman for the Walker-O'Byrne Electric Company; Francis Xavier is employed in Mr. Maurice's cafe; Hugh Vincent lives in Lewistown, Montana. Politically, Mr. O'Byrne is a Democrat. He is the oldest Catholic resident in Springfield. He is a stanch friend of Father Lilly. Fraternally, he belongs to the Knights of Columbus. He holds membership in the Church of the Immaculate Conception. He is also a member of the Illinois Commercial Travelers' Association. He recalls with much satisfaction his meeting with Count John A. Creighton, of Omaha, Nebraska, on the last birthday of that well-known gentleman. During his residence of nearly a half century in Springfield our subject has seen many important changes take place here and has always been interested in the city's general welfare. Although his vocation has made it necessary for him to be absent from the city a great deal during this long period, nevertheless he is well known here and has a host of good friends. GEORGE F. OLENDORF. The theater has long been recognized as one of the world's indispensable institutions, and the management of theaters, if done judiciously, is a remunerative and pleasant one. Humanity needs amusement amid its exacting and trying daily occupations, truly "the show's the thing," as one of the wisest of men remarked. The human mind must relax, must find relief at times, "must lose itself in other men's minds," as the great essayist, Lamb, wrote. This can be done in no better way than in spending an hour or so at a good play-house. The theater has been popular with the masses-men and women of all creeds and convictions, of all parties and denominations from remote ancient history to the present time, from the days of Grecian one-act, outdoor tragedies to the latest twentieth century complex grand opera, and it will ever be so. George F. Olendorf, of Springfield, has long given his attention to the theater business, and is widely known throughout southwestern Missouri in this particular field. He has met with gratifying success because he has been industrious, has had the tact of knowing what the people want and because he has always been desirous of giving his thousands of patrons adequate returns for their money and time. He has made it a study and has therefore kept well abreast of the times in this line of endeavor. Mr. Olendorf was born in Middleport, New York, July 20, 1875. He is a son of George H. and Caroline (Forrest) Olendorf, both parents also natives of the state of New York, where they grew to maturity, attended school and were married. George H. Olendorf devoted his earlier life to the drug business in his native locality in central New York. Back in the seventies he removed with his family to St. Joseph, Missouri, where he engaged in the furniture business fifteen or twenty years and where he resided until twelve years ago, when he moved to Springfield, in which city he and his wife still reside, living in retirement. The father has been a successful business man and laid by a competency for his old age. George F. Olendorf, the only child of his parents, was a small child when the family moved from the state of New York to St. Joseph, Missouri, and there he grew to manhood and received a common school education. In September, 1893, he began his career in the theater business, which he has continued to the present time with ever-increasing success. He began in St. Joseph, and was also cashier of the large Tootle estate and had charge of the Tootle Theater, the leading playhouse there, remaining with this estate for about eight years, giving eminent satisfaction in every respect. Then he and three other men leased a circuit of thirty-two theaters in the state of Missouri, which proved to be a paying venture. Mr. Olendorf came to Springfield in 1903 and leased the old Baldwin Theater on St. Louis street, one of the finest theaters south of the Missouri river in this state, with the exception of St. Louis, for many years, if not the finest. He managed this with his usual success until it was destroyed by fire in 1909. Afterward he was instrumental in promoting the new Landers Theater on Walnut street, which he leased and managed until 19112, when he re-leased it and promoted the Bell-Olendorf-Ballard Amusement Company, of which he is president and which operates sixteen summer theaters, including the Skydome in Springfield. He is also manager of the Springfield Poster Advertising Company, and maintains offices in the Landers Theater building. Each of these new ventures has proven successful and he is kept busy in their management. Mr. Olendorf was married on November 17, 1902, in Kansas City, Missouri, to Matilda Meyer, who was born in St. Joseph, this state. She is a daughter of J. B. and Marie Meyer, both natives of Germany, from which country they came to the United States when young. To our subject and wife three children have been born, namely: Marie Caroline, born on May 3, 1905; George Meyer, born on November 17, 1910, died August 3, 1911; and Forrest George, born on October 7, 1912. Mr. Olendorf is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Springfield Club; also is a thirty-second degree Mason, belonging to the Knights Templars. He is active in Masonic affairs, and his daily life is led along the lines laid down by this time-honored order. ANDREW J. O'NEAL. One Of Greene County's most progressive farmers and stock raisers is Andrew J. O'Neal, of the vicinity of Republic, where he has resided for over a half century, during which he has seen wonderful changes "come over the face of the land," and in these changes from the old to the new order of things he has been by no means an idle spectator, being a public-spirited man and never withholding his aid from any worthy movement having for its object the general good of his township and county. He has ever had an honest determination of purpose and an obliging nature which impel him to assist others on the highway of life while making the path of prosperity, for himself and family. Mr. O'Neal is a scion of one of the earliest settlers of Missouri, his grandfather invading the wilds of this domain of the red men one hundred and ten years ago, and from that remote day to the present, members of this family have been well known in southwestern Missouri and northern Arkansas. Mr. O'Neal, of this review, was born in Carroll county, Arkansas, February 18, 1848. He is a son of Charles and Martha (Hillhouse) O'Neal. The father was born in Kentucky, and when seven years of age removed with his parents from that state to Missouri, but after a short residence here moved on to Arkansas and established their home. The father of Charles O'Neal first came to Missouri in 1805, and later went to Kentucky. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. The subject of this sketch was fourteen years old when his parents left their old home in Carroll county, Arkansas, and moved to the western part of Greene county, Missouri, where they located, in 1862, during the Civil war period, and here Charles O'Neal, the father, owned and operated a good farm during the rest of his active life, dying here at the advanced age of ninety-four years, in the year 1904. He was a good man and good citizen, neighborly and hospitable, everybody knew him and respected him in this part of the county. His wife, who came from near Lebanon, Laclede county, Missouri, preceded him to the grave in 1897. Andrew J. O'Neal grew to manhood on the home farm and there assisted with the general work when he became of proper age and he received his education in the rural schools. When a young man he began farming for himself and this has always been his occupation, He prospered with advancing years through good management and is now owner of one of the choice farms of this county, consisting of two hundred and thirty acres, which he has brought up to a fine state of improvement and on which he carries on general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale. He has a pleasant home and large convenient outbuildings, and a good grade of live stock is always to be seen about his place. His farm includes a portion of the old homestead. Mr. O'Neal was married, January 16, 1868, to Nancy Jane Wallace, a. daughter of Thomas J. Wallace, who was born in middle Tennessee, where he spent his earlier years, and from there immigrated in an early day to Greene county, Missouri, and here became a successful farmer and spent the rest of his life. His family consisted of eleven children, four sons and seven daughters. Andrew J. O'Neal is also one of a family of eleven children, four sons and seven daughters, four of the children being now deceased; some. are living in Arkansas and some in Greene county. Four children have been born to our subject and wife, namely: Charles Thomas, born July 13, 1870, died at the age of sixteen years; Wilson S., who is farming in Republic township, this county, married Ruby Franklin, and they have three children, two sons and one daughter; Nora, who was the wife of Albert Franklin, died at the age of twenty-six years, leaving two children, Albert Loyd and Lola Ruth; Nellie Alice married Ross Chriswell, and they have one child, Irmyn. Mr. O'Neal's father and four uncles were soldiers in the Civil war. Politically, our subject is a stanch Republican. In 1898 he was elected judge of the Greene County Court and served in that office two years, discharging his every duty. most faithfully and winning the hearty approval of his constituents. GEORGE W. O'NEAL. One of the men who has stamped his strong individuality upon the minds of the people of western Greene county in a manner as to render him one of the conspicuous characters of this locality is George W. O'Neal, who has had a somewhat varied career as a man of affairs, farmer, miller, banker and lumberman. Faithfulness to duty and a strict adherence to a fixed purpose, which always do more to advance a man's interest than wealth or advantageous circumstances, have been dominating factors in his life, which has been replete with honor and success worthily attained. He is a scion of one of the sterling old families of the Ozark region, and many of the strong characteristics of his progenitors seem to have outcropped in him, and he has been most vigilant in keeping the record of the family untarnished, for the O'Neals have always been noted for their sterling honesty, their rare industry and their readiness to assist in the general upbuilding of the communities in which they selected as their homes. Mr. O'Neal was born on April 8, 1841, in Carroll county, Arkansas. He is a son of Charles G. and Martha (Hillhouse) O'Neal, natives of Tennessee, where they spent their earlier years eventually moving to Carroll county, Arkansas, where they located on a farm and were well and favorably known. They were parents of thirteen children, twelve of whom lived to maturity and eight of whom survive at this writing. George W. ONeal grew to manhood on the homestead in Arkansas and there he made himself useful when crop seasons came around, and in the winter time he attended the district schools in his community, obtaining a practical education which later in life has been greatly supplemented by wide reading and contact with the world until today he is an exceptionally well-informed man on current events. He remained on his father's farm until he was twenty-one years of age, leaving home in 1862 to go to Springfield, Missouri, where he enlisted in the First Arkansas Cavalry, and served three years and three months in the Federal army during the Civil war in a gallant manner, seeing considerable hard service in the Southwest, and was honorably discharged. About the time the war closed his father moved from Arkansas to what was known as the old Tom Dodd farm, three miles northwest of Republic, and here spent the rest of his life, and to this place came our subject when he returned from the army and engaged in farming with success until 1885, when he bought out the lumber yards in Republic owned by W. W. Coover, Keys, King & Company. When the Bank of Republic was organized he took considerable stock in the company, and was for a time its president finally resigning from this office after he had placed the bank on a safe and sound footing and made it a pronounced .Success. He also took a large block of stock in the Republic Canning Company, which was organized in 1888 and when the other stockholders of that company became discouraged after a year's run, Mr. O'Neal got four other men interested and managed the canning company himself, clearing ten thousand dollars the next four years and paying off the old indebtedness. When the R. C. Stone mill burned in 1894 it was Mr. O'Neal who took the contract to rebuild the mill, while the balance of the citizens of Republic only contributed the necessary bonus to get the mill to remain. In this transaction he lost considerable money, but he considers himself fully repaid every time he looks at the big mill, knowing that it gives life and support to a town that otherwise would be dead. Mr. O'Neal has had other reverses, including the loss on the contractor's bond of the new school building in Republic, but despite that fact he is a successful man and justly deserves the wealth he has attained. He has acquired a one-third interest in a flouring mill at Mt. Vernon, Lawrence county, in which mill his son is the prime factor. Our subject was for some time a stockholder, director and vice-president of the Monitor Printing plant in Republic, which publishes the Weekly Monitor, but has recently retired from this firm. He is a thorough business man, ready at all times to help in any cause that will benefit Republic and vicinity, and he has done as much as any other one man toward the material upbuilding of this town and toward the general welfare of the people in this section of Greene county. He has one of the most extensive lumber businesses in the county, having recently rebuilt his sheds, making them ninety by one hundred and sixteen feet and all covered with felt roofing and iron. He is a progressive man of high ideas and has long enjoyed the good will and confidence of all who know him. Religiously he is a worthy member of the Christian church, and while he is deeply interested in public affairs; he has never sought office. Mr. O'Neal married Ellen Wallace, who died after a married life of eighteen years, leaving six children, who still survive. Mr. O'Neal married again in 1892, Zetta Bingman, of Greene county and a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Lamb) Bingman, whose family consisted of ten children. Personally, Mr. O'Neal is a genial, obliging and courteous gentleman whom it is a pleasure to meet. JAMES L. ORMSBEE, M. D. There are but few professions or trades that "go well together," that is, there are few men who are capable of following successfully more than one specific line of endeavor, but here and there we find a man like Dr. James L. Ormsbee of Springfield who has the innate ability and has had the proper training to make him successful in two or more lines of endeavor. He is a physician and pharmacist, and it is doubtful if two distinct professions could be found to blend more perfectly than these. He has built up a good business in both during his residence in this city of twenty-six years, and he has become one of the well-known professional men of Greene county. Doctor Ormsbee was born at Corry, Pennsylvania, September 20, 1867. He is a son of E. J. Ormsbee, a carpenter and farmer, born in Paris, Oneida county, New York, in 1825, and who died in 1905 at the age of eighty years. The mother of our subject was known in her maidenhood as Amelia Mapes; she was born in 1836 in Belmont, New York, and died in 1913, at the age of seventy-seven years. These parents grew to maturity in the state of New York, attended the old-time schools and were married there, and spent their lives in that state and Pennsylvania. James Ormsbee, paternal grandfather of our subject was born in Providence, Rhode Island, June 21, 1792, and died at Paris, New York, in 1853; his wife, Philena Dimmick, was born at Mansfield, Connecticut, January 16, 1798, and died at Paris, New York, December 1, 1825. James Ormsbee, Sr., our subject's great-grandfather, was born in 1765, and he married Abigail Ide. His father was Daniel Ormsbee, born in 1723, married Keziah Cummings. His father was Thomas Ormsbee, who was born in Massachusetts, November 11, 1645, and he married Mary Fitch, a daughter of John Fitch. His father was Richard Ormsbee, born in England, from which country he came to Saco, Maine, landing there in the year 1641. From that place he went to Salisbury, Massachusetts in 1645, bought land in that vicinity and died there in 1664. Thus the record shows that this is one of our oldest American families. Dr. James L. Ormsbee received his early education in the public schools, later graduating from the Cayuga Lake Military Academy at Aurora, New York, then took the course in the medical department of the Washington University of St. Louis, from which institution he was graduated with the class of 1891 receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Upon leaving the city of St. Louis he came to Springfield in 1892 and at once began the practice of his profession which he has continued here from that date to the present time, having long since taken his place among the successful general physicians of this locality. He found time to make a thorough study of pharmacy and was given a license in that field and he has long maintained a neat, well stocked and popular drug store at 1862 North National Boulevard, and has built up a good trade in drugs and drug sundries. He has enjoyed a large patronage ever since he established himself in this city. Doctor Ormsbee was married on October 25, 1914, in Springfield, to Alice M. McLean, a daughter of T. B. McLean and wife. She received her education in this city. Politically, Doctor Ormsbee is a Republican. Religiously, he belongs to the Episcopal church. He is a member of the Greene County Medical Society, the Missouri State Medical Association and the American Medical Association. He was secretary of the first named of the three for a period of three years. He is also a member of the Greene County Retail Druggists' Association, of which he was secretary for some time. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was county coroner in 1897, and upon the death of the sheriff was appointed to this office, serving very ably until another sheriff could be appointed. He was also health officer during Mayor Bartlett's administration. Doctor Ormsbee is deserving of a great deal of credit for what he has accomplished, which has been in the face of obstacles and entirely through his own efforts. WILLIAM J. ORR. A lawyer of intense energy and application, William J. Orr, of Springfield, has won a position in the front ranks of men of his profession, in which he is what might be denominated a student lawyer. His mind is of the workshop order, in contradistinction to the lumber room sort. Its acquisitions are not uselessly there, and not alone for him, but for others, they are ready to be shaped into the support of whatever purpose is in hand. He knows enough to know, and he knows it by both intuition and experience, that to be a good lawyer, a successful one, means hard study and devotion to the profession. Hence, we refer to him as a student, or a studious lawyer, as a man among his books, not as a recluse, or a book-worm, but as a lawyer who busies himself with those things in which success depends upon the symmetrical judgment and practical grasp that come from reading and reflection. Mr. Orr, who for nearly a quarter of a century has been district attorney for the old "Gulf" and Frisco railroads, and one of the most widely known attorneys in the Southwest, was born in Pike county, Missouri, February 2, 1856. He is a son of Robert S. and Henrietta A. (Early) Orr. The father was born near Salisbury, North Carolina, but removed from that state to Missouri in an early day with his parents and here he grew to manhood on a farm and received good educational advantages for those times. When a young man he worked as a stair builder for some time. When his health failed he engaged in mercantile pursuits. His death occurred in Louisiana, Missouri, in 1880. The mother of our subject was a native of Pike county, this state, where she was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools. Her parents located in that county upon their arrival in Missouri from Virginia. She was the niece of Gen. Jubal A. Early, of Virginia. Her death occurred in 1912 in Howell county, Missouri. These parents were members of the Presbyterian church. To them eight children, were born, four of whom are deceased. William J. Orr was reared in his native county and there received his primary education. He was graduated from Watson Seminary in 1878, but he is for the most part a self-educated man, having remained an ardent student all his life. In 1880 he went to West Plains, Howell county, Missouri, later taking Horace Greeley's advice, went West and tried his fortunes in the state of Oregon, remaining there several years, then returned to West Plains. He was admitted to the bar in 1878 and has been practicing law continuously ever since with pronounced success. Twenty-four years ago he was appointed district attorney for the Kansas City, Ft. Scott & Memphis Railroad, and when that road was leased to the St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad Company he was retained in the same position, being the only man from the law department of the former road that is now with the law department of the Frisco. This long service would indicate that he has been very capable and faithful in the performance of his duties. He has retained the same district, Springfield to Memphis. Mr. Orr was married in 1884 to Emma Winger, a daughter of J. B. Winger, who was postmaster at Springfield during the Civil war. Mrs. Orr's death occurred in 1898, and he was subsequently married to Ola B. Saunders, of Kansas City. She is a daughter of L. L. Saunders. Both unions have been without issue. Politically Mr. Orr is a Democrat, but he has never sought the emoluments of political office. He is a gentleman of pleasing address, impressing the stranger with his versatility, sincerity and genuine worth. THEODORE OTT. Theodore Ott was born on November 12, 1845, near Cologne, in the Rhine country, Germany. He is a son of Adam and Mary Ott, natives of Germany, where they grew up and were married, and made their home until 1857 when the family emigrated to America, locating in Calumet county, Wisconsin, where the elder Ott became owner of a large farm, farming having been his business in the old country. He continued this line of endeavor until 1865 when he removed to Chicago and lived with his son, Theodore, of this sketch, until his death at the age of seventy-three years and he was buried in Chicago. His family consisted of nine children, namely: Gertrude married John Smith, a farmer of Calumet county, Wisconsin; Helena married William French, of Green Bay, Wisconsin, he being now deceased; Henry is engaged in farming in Calumet county, Wisconsin; Theodore of this sketch. The other five children are deceased. Theodore Ott was twelve years old when his parents brought him to the United States. He assisted his father on the farm in Wisconsin until 1863. He received a common school education. When eighteen years of age he went to Chicago and worked in a furniture factory as wood shaper and sawyer, for the Thayer & Tobey Furniture Company, with which firm he remained until 1873 when he began working for the McClusky & Craig Company, also furniture manufacturers, remaining with this concern a year and a half, as shaper and sawyer, and while there lost a finger in a saw. He then went to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1874 and worked for the A. H. Field & Nashville Furniture Company as wood moulder and sawyer, in fact, did all kinds of wood work for one year, then went to Humboldt, Tennessee, where he worked in the factory of the Humboldt Furniture Company for nine months, when the plant was destroyed by fire. This firm also operated a plant there in which were manufactured wagons, buggies and fruit box materials and our subject worked in this three years, after which he went to Kansas City, Missouri, and worked six months in the planing mill of Richardson & Heinz. He came to Springfield in 1887 and began working for the Kansas City, Ft. Scott & Memphis Railroad Company in their shops which are now controlled by the Frisco lines. The year he came he purchased a lot at the corner of Brower and Grant streets and built a comfortable home. He has been running a wood working machine for twenty-seven years and has long been regarded an expert in this line of work. He was journeyman for a number of years, and when the Frisco took over these shops he was promoted to foreman of the mill room which responsible position he still holds, having an average of ten men under his direction. Mr. Ott was married in November, 1865, to Elizabeth Bower, a daughter of Joseph Bower, a farmer in Wisconsin at that time. Mrs. Ott was born in Canada. Besides owning a good home on Brower street our subject owns a valuable farm adjoining Hazelwood cemetery. His family consisted of the following children, namely: Mary, Annie, Adam, Frank, Josephine are all deceased; Abbie married George Creiger, an Iowa farmer; Anton is a wood worker in a box factory in Los Angeles, California; Allois, a barber by trade, lives at Ozark, Missouri, where he also conducts a moving picture show; he is married and has three children, Louis, Allois and Elizabeth. Politically, Theodore Ott is a Democrat. He belongs to the Catholic church, the Catholic Knights and was formerly a member of the Knights of Pythias. CHARLES J. OWEN. It does not necessarily require a farm expert to look over some of the older farms of the locality of which this history treats and see that the soil has become thin very largely from the fact that proper attention has not been paid to rotation of crops. The land has been "grained" too much, the same fields sometimes for years having been successively sown to wheat or planted to corn, with never a seed of grass or other good "cover crops." The same methods were followed in a number of older states of the East with the results that one now finds thousands of abandoned farms there, the owners being compelled to remove to the newer agricultural sections of the West where the soil has not been ruined by improper tillage. But many of our farmers are awakening to the true situation, some of them after it is practically too late. It used to be the desire of most farmers to own large tracts of land. Their chief desire seemed to be to buy "the land adjoining." This many of them have done and spent the rest of their lives trying to keep the interest paid on borrowed capital and a little paid on the principal. The same men are now understanding how they can live easier and happier on fewer acres and by more intensive farming methods. One of the successful farmers and stockmen of Wilson township, Greene county, is Charles. J. Owen, who is a student of all that pertains to his vocation and is thus avoiding some of the mistakes that others are making in handling their farms. He is a member of one of the well-known old families of Greene county, and his birth occurred here on April 15, 1866. He is a son of Charles B. and Nancy C. (McCroskey) Owen. Capt. Charles B. Owen, who, was for many years one of the most extensive farmers of Greene county, was born in Marshall county, Tennessee, February 28, 1827. He was a son of Solomon H. Owen, who was born in eastern Tennessee, December 12, 1797, in Sullivan county, near the Virginia line. He was a son of Joseph Owen, who was reared in Pennsylvania, was of Welsh stock, and married a Pennsylvania Dutch woman, two years, and moved to Sullivan county, Tennessee, in an early day. He was a farmer and died when only thirty-five years of age, and was the father of Charles, Jesse, Solomon H., Hannah, Mary and Elizabeth. Solomon H., grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was married in Sullivan county, Tennessee to Mary E. Bushong, of Pennsylvania and German stock. After their marriage they moved to the middle part of Tennessee and Mr. Owen purchased a farm of one hundred and seventy acres in Marshall county. In 1836 he moved with his wife and five children to Greene county, Missouri, and settled on four hundred acres which he entered four miles northwest of Springfield. He entered in all about two thousand acres in southwest Missouri. He gave all his children land. Like most of the early settlers from Tennessee, he was the owner of slaves. During the Civil war much of his personal property was destroyed. He removed to Springfield in 1874 at seventy-seven years of age. His family consisted of six children, namely: Susanna A., George H., who died at the age of twenty-one years; Pleasant B., Charles B., father of our subject; Jesse W., and William S. Solomon H. Owen was a Democrat but was a Union sympathizer; he and his wife wire members of the Presbyterian church. Captain Charles B. Owen was nine years old when he accompanied his parents from Tennessee to Greene county and here he grew to manhood and received a common school education. On September 18, 1856, he married Sarah E. Yarbrough, and to them were born two children, John S. and Stephen A. Douglas Owen. After his marriage, Mr. Owen settled on a farm on the James river, after having spent several years engaged in buying and selling live stock. He became one of the most prosperous and best-known general farmers and. stockmen in Greene, county. He finally became owner of thirteen hundred and ten acres, in one body, and three hundred and ninety-five acres besides, two hundred acres of which were entered from the government by his father. The land lay on either side of the James river, was well watered not only by the river but by six springs on various parts of the place. He cleared and improved about half of the entire tract, using much of it for pasturage, and a large portion of the place was kept in timber. His place was always stocked with large numbers of horses, mules, cattle, hogs and sheep. The first wife of Captain Owen died March 18, 1862, and on January 31, 1865, he married Nancy C. McCroskey, and to this union eight children were born, namely: Charles J., subject of this sketch; Mary Elizabeth is deceased; Mrs. Margaret S. Martin; Mrs. Alwilda Madora Jane Garton; George D., Francis W., Wm. E., and Joseph L. are all living in Wilson township. Politically, Captain Owen was a Democrat and was active and influential in the affairs of his county. He was elected sheriff in 1870 and served two years, and was re-elected in 1874, serving two years more. He was one of the most efficient sheriffs Greene county ever had. In those days, during the reconstruction period after the Civil war, it took a man of courage and stability to fill that office. In May, 1861, he organized a militia company of Home Guards in his township and was elected captain, and then he consolidated his company with another, and being younger than the other captain, accepted the position of first lieutenant. When the Union troops occupied Springfield, General Lyon appointed him as guide to the troops under Col. Franz Sigel, and he led the army at night, August 9, 1861, to the Confederate camp on Wilson's creek where the great battle was fought the following day, and he took part in that engagement. The Union troops having retreated to Rolla, Lieutenant Owen was enrolled at that place with his company in the United States service and was commissioned by the governor of Missouri as first lieutenant in the United States army. He was mustered into the service at Benton Barracks. He was in a series of skirmishes with the bushwhackers in southeastern Missouri and was afterward in service against Marmaduke in that part of the state, and in skirmishes in different parts of Missouri and western Tennessee. At Columbus, Kentucky, his company did guard duty on the ordnance boat General Grant and later was on the march with General Sherman through Mississippi; was with Banks on the ill-fated Red river expedition, and at the occupation of Alexandria, also at the battle of Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, where his regiment lost all of its officers except the major, captain and one lieutenant, in killed and wounded, and lost one-third of the men. His own company lost one-half of its number in killed and wounded, and was then in severe skirmish fighting from April 9th to May 16th, where the battle of Yellow Brow was fought. Later he was in a battle near Mineral Point, Missouri. He was sick in a hospital in Memphis nine weeks, and was mustered out and honorably discharged in St. Louis, October 14, 1864, and returned home and took up farming again, which he continued until his death, March 15, 1907. His wife, mother of our subject, died on September 22, 1887. Charles J. Owen, of this sketch, grew to manhood on the home farm and there he assisted with the general work when a boy. He received his education in the local schools in Wilson township. He remained on the farm with his father until he was thirty-five years old, then, having previously purchased one hundred acres in this township, he removed thereto and has since resided here, engaged in general farming and stock raising. He also owns one hundred acres south of his original farm which he rents out. He pays considerable attention to raising a good grade of live stock, does an extensive horse and mule business, and maintains a popular breeding barn. He has three jacks--one a fine jack named Chief Benton, register number 3522, 14 ¾ hands; weight, nine hundred and fifty pounds; large-boned and one of the best in Greene county. One extra large and fine jack named "Bill Wilson," No. 20415; black, 15 ½ hands; extra large; weight, one thousand pounds; a fine animal. Also Mr. Owen has one young jack named "Woodrow Wilson," which has great promise. Besides the above, Mr. Owen keeps two stallions, Percheron and one saddle horse. Mr. Owen's breeding barns are in the front rank in the entire county. He was married, August 18, 1889, to Margaret C. Payne, a daughter of Lewis and Margaret Payne, of Greene county. The death of Mrs. Owen occurred January 16, 1904, and on April 29th.of the same year he married Annie Beierle, a native of Newton county. The second union has been without issue, but the following children were born to Mr. Owen by his first wife: Roy Edward, born May 29, 1890, is deceased; Lewis Baker, born November 6, 1891, is assisting his father on the home farm, married Ester Campbell, a native of Greene county have one child, Ralph Eugene, born September 26, 1914; Grace, born March 31, 1893, died in infancy; Earl Stephen, born December 1, 1896, deceased; and Bennie Sterling, born May 16, 1898, are all three deceased, and Charles Arthur, born February 14, 1903, who is living at home. Politically, Mr. Owen is a Democrat, and he is a member of the Anti-Horse Thief Association. He is regarded as a man of good judgment, especially in reference to live stock and is a good citizen in every respect. JOHN S. OWEN. The name of the late. John S. (Sol) Owen needs no introduction to the readers of this history, for he was widely known in Greene county for many years, being a worthy representative of one of our best pioneer families, and he was highly regarded by all who knew him. Mr. Owen was born September 22, 1857, near Wilson's Creek, this county. He was a son of Capt. C. Baker and Ellen (Yarbrough) Owen. He was a grandson of Col. Sol Owen, who settled the old Owen farm in 1837, on which place our subject's death occurred. The parents of our subject were both born in Tennessee, from which state they came to Greene county, Missouri, in an early day, when they were children, the father being twelve years of age when he came here. Here he grew up and helped develop the farm. When the Civil war came on he enlisted in the Federal army and became captain of Company D, Twenty-fourth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, which he commanded in a praiseworthy manner for three years. Later he served four years as sheriff of Greene county. He was a farmer and stock raiser. He was a strong Democrat and a leader in his party. Captain Owen was twice married, first to Ellen Yarbrough, mother of our subject. The only other child by this union was Stephen A. Douglas Owen, who died in January, 1915, on his farm on the James river, this county. The mother of our subject died when he was a small boy. Later Captain Owen married Caroline McCroskey, an aunt of C. W. McCroskey, the present superintendent of schools of Greene county. A sketch of Professor McCroskey appears in this volume. Eight children were born to Captain Owen and his second wife, all of whom are living but one. John S. Owen of this sketch grew up on the home farm and he was educated in the rural schools, however, educating himself for the most part, and was an excellent example of a self-made man. When twenty-four years of age he started in life for himself on a farm of one hundred acres, which was a part of the old Owen homestead. He prospered and at the time of his death owned two hundred eighty-seven and one-half acres, which valuable place is now in possession of our subject's widow and children. Mr. Owen carried on general farming in a very successful manner. He was never much of a trader, for being a great home man, did not like to be absent from his family. However, he handled many mules, of which he was an excellent judge. This farm is known as the "Old Judge 'Sol' Owen place." Mr. Owen of this sketch married, on April 28, 1881, Sarah M. Rose. She was born in Greene county, Missouri, near the Wilson's Creek battleground, on October 16, 1859. She is a daughter of Reuben O. and Lucy A. (McElhaney) Rose. Mr. Rose was born in Tennessee, from which state he came to Greene county, Missouri, devoted his active life to general farming and died on his farm near Wilson's creek in March, 1880. His wife was also born in Tennessee, and she is still living on the old homestead here, and, although now advanced in years, is well preserved--in fact, looks many years younger. She has always looked for the silver lining in life's clouds and is the possessor of many admirable characteristics. Mr. Rose was owner of the old Rose flouring mill, well known in the former generation in this part of the country. To Reuben O. Rose and wife fourteen children were born, ten of whom are still living. Mrs. Owen received her education in the public schools of her community Eleven children were born to our subject and wife, namely: Charles B., born April 5, 1882, married Evelena Murray, a farmer and stock man of Polk county, Missouri; Jerome B., born November 22, 1883, married Olive Murray, and they live on a farm in Greene county; Abble E., born April 13, 1885, died September 10, 1886; Rose H., born December 3, 1886, married Charles Reichle, a machinist in the Frisco shops, and they live in Springfield; Joseph C., born March 1, 1889, married Amelia Helbig, and they reside on the home farm; Robert F., born October 1, 1890, died July 24, 1891; Wilda (Nora) A., born April 8, 1892, lives at home; Sarah E., born January 10, 1894, married Clarence Robertson, who is engaged in the banking business, and who resides at 468 South Grant street, Springfield; Savanna F., born February 3, 1896, is living at home; John Sol, Jr., born August 1, 1897, is living at home; Hollie M., born February 5, 1899, is living at home. Mr. Owen was a public-spirited man, always ready to give his support to any good movement in his community. He was a deputy sheriff of this county, serving under Sheriff John Day, serving the full two years very creditably. In 1896 he was elected sheriff of Greene county on the Democratic ticket, and served two years in a very creditable manner. Like his father before him, he was loyal to the Democratic party. Fraternally, our subject was an active member of the Knights of Pythias and was buried by that order. He also belonged to the Modern Woodmen, the Woodmen of the World and the Royal Arcanum. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South. His wife and children also belong to this church. The death of Mr. Owen of this review occurred October 24, 1899. JOSEPH LEWIS OWEN. Scientific methods of farming disseminated through the medium of the agricultural schools throughout the country have come as a great blessing to those pursuing agricultural callings. Yet the farmers in the early days of this country had no such advantages. They had to depend upon their own judgment, their own foresight, their own intuition, as it were, to overcome many a perplexing problem in farming. And yet their success was more often than not almost phenomenal; and we can pardon the veteran tillers of the soil who yet remain among us if they look askance upon our newer methods. Joseph Lewis Owen, a creditable representative of the well- known old Owen family of Greene county, who owns a fine modern farm of large acreage in Wilson township, is making a pronounced success as a general farmer, employing such of the progressive methods as are consistent with this locality and climate, and his well-cultivated land and comfortable home would indicate to the observer that his efforts have been well rewarded. Mr. Owen was born near what is now Battlefield, in the above named township and county, May 7, 1880. He is a son of Capt. C. Baker Owen and Nancy Caroline (McCroskey) Owen. Captain Owen was a native of Tennessee, born in Marshall county, February 28, 1827. He was a son of Solomon H. Owen, a native of eastern Tennessee, and of Welsh descent. Baker Owen was nine years old when he was brought by his parents to Greene county, Missouri, in 1836, his father entering four hundred acres of land from the government, four miles northwest of Springfield. He continued entering land until he owned about two thousand acres. He owned large numbers of slaves. He became one of the most extensive farmers and stock men in this section of the state, and remained on his farm until 1874, when he was seventy-seven years of age, when he removed to Springfield. His family consisted of six children, named as follows: Susanna A., George H., Pleasant B., Charles Baker, Jesse W., and William S. Captain Owens, father of our subject, grew to manhood in Greene county and here devoted his life to farming and stock raising on a large scale. On September 18, 1856, he married Sarah E. Yarbrough, and two children were born to this union, John S., and Stephen A. D. After his marriage Captain Owen settled on a farm on the James river, however, he had previously spent a number of years engaged in buying and selling livestock, and, like his father before him, he became one of the most progressive agriculturists in Greene county, owing a vast estate on either side of the James river, aggregating over nineteen hundred acres. He cleared and improved about one-half of the entire tract, leaving a large portion of his land in timber and he kept large herds of various kinds of livestock on his large pastures. The first wife of Captain Owen died in the spring of 1862, and on January 31, 1865, he married Nancy Caroline McCroskey, to which union eight children were born, named as follows: Charles J., Rachael M., Margaret S. E., Alwilda M. J., George D., Francis W., W. E., and Joseph L. (subject of this sketch). Captain Owen was a Democrat and was influential in local public affairs. He was elected sheriff of Greene county in 1870, and was reelected in 1874, serving two terms of two years each. He took a conspicuous part in the local military affairs during the Civil war. In May, 1861, he organized a militia company of Home Guards in Wilson township and was elected captain, but when his company was consolidated with another, he being the junior of the two captains, resigned and became a first lieutenant. When General Lyon's army marched out from Springfield on the night of August 9, 1861, to attack General Price and McCulloch on Wilson's creek, Captain Owen was appointed one of the guides; and he led the division under Col. Franz Sigel to the Confederate camp, he took part in the battle on the following day. The Union forces having retreated to Rolla, Phelps county, Captain Owen and his company were enrolled in United States service there, and was commissioned by the governor of Missouri as first lieutenant in the regular army. He saw considerable active service, was in a number of skirmishes in the southern part of the state and later fought against General Marmaduke in that part of the state and was also in minor engagements in Tennessee and different parts of his own state. At Columbus, Kentucky his company did guard duty on the ordnance boat "General Grant," and later was with General Sherman on his march through Mississippi; was with General Banks on the Red river expedition, also at the occupation of the city of Alexandria, and the battle of Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, where his regiment lost all of its officers except the major, one captain and one lieutenant, in killed and wounded, and lost one-third of the men. His own company lost one-half of its number in killed and wounded. This company was in severe skirmishes, fighting from April 9th to May 16th, when the battle of Yellow Brow was fought. Later Captain Owen was in battle near Mineral Point, Missouri. He was sick in the Federal Hospital at Memphis, Tennessee, nine weeks. He was mustered out of the service in St. Louis, October 14, 1864. Soon thereafter he returned home and engaged in farming until his death. Joseph L. Owen grew to manhood on the home farm and there he worked during the summer months and attended the district schools in the winter time. He has always lived on the old homestead, he having taken the old home place proper in the settlement of his father's estate, and he is owner of one of the choice farms of this part of Greene county, consisting of three hundred and twenty acres, two hundred acres of which is under cultivation and he is carrying on general farming and stock raising in a highly successful manner. He has carefully rotated his crops and otherwise skillfully managed the old farm so that it has not only retained its original fertility but the strength of soil has been increased. Mr. Owen was married November 10, 1901, to Kate McConnell, a daughter of John and Nannie (Aven) McConnell, both born, reared and educated in Christian county, Missouri, and in that county Mrs. Owen was born January 25, 1883, and there grew to womanhood and received a common school education. Her father's death occurred June 3, 1909, but her mother is still living in Christian county. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. McConnell, namely: Lindsay is the eldest; Mrs. Maggie Avery, wife of Ed Avery, of Christian county; Lucy is the wife of James Stewart, of Greene county; Gracey is the wife of Herbert Avan and they live in Christian county; Ross also lives in that county; Bertha, wife of Will Gooch, resides in the same county; Kate, wife of Mr. Owen, of this sketch; the other three children died in infancy. To Mr. and Mrs. Owen. three children have been born, namely: Rosco died in infancy; Clarence, born February 7, 1903, and Homer, born October 12, 1909 are at home. Politically, Mr. Owen has voted the Democratic ticket since attaining his majority. Mrs. Owen is a member of the Christian church. They are among the popular young people of this part of the county. STEPHEN A. D. OWEN. No industry is so vital to the well-being of the nation as agriculture, and nothing is so vital to agriculture as the soil. From its treasury it has been estimated that we draw annually about eight billion and three hundred million dollars, and its possibilities are as yet only partially realized. There are still in this country millions of acres which have never felt the plow, while those which are now under cultivation can, by the application of scientific principles, be made to produce many times the present value of their products. How to use and not abuse this great resource is the most important problem which faces the farmer of today--one worthy of the best efforts of our profound and learned scientists; for upon its solution depends the future prosperity of the nation. One of the alert and wide awake agriculturists of Greene county of a past generation was the late Stephen A. D. Owen, of Wilson township, a scion of the prominent old Owen family of this locality. Mr. Owen was born in Greene county, Missouri, January 6, 1861. He is a son of C. B. and Ellen (Yarbrough) Owen, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Christian county, Missouri, the parents of the mother of our subject having emigrated from middle Tennessee to Missouri in an early day. C. B. Owen was also one of the early settlers in the southern part of Greene county, becoming an extensive land owner along the James river and one of the most substantial and influential citizens here. He was twice married, and had two children by his first union, namely: J. Solomon, and Stephen A. D. During the Civil war C. B. Owen was a Unionist, and became captain of the Twenty-fourth Missouri Infantry, serving three years with distinction and credit. At the battle of Wilson's creek he acted as guide to Col. Franz Sigel's column which marched from Springfield to the camp of the Confederates the night preceding the battle. Mr. Owen took part in numerous engagements, including the battles of Pleasant Hill and Ft. Derussy and several of minor importance. He was never wounded but was once struck with a spent ball. A fuller history of Captain Owen will be found on other pages of this work. Stephen A. D. Owen grew to manhood on the home farm, where he assisted with the general work and in the winter months he attended the old subscription schools, obtaining a meager education, which has since been properly supplemented by wide miscellaneous reading. When he was forty-six years of age his father died and our subject became possessed of a finely improved and valuable farm of two hundred acres from the old homestead, a part of which lies across the line in Christian county. Here he carried on general farming and stock raising in a manner that indicated he was fully abreast of the times of modern husbandry. Mr. Owen was twice married, first, on April 28, 1883, to Luta L. White, a daughter of Hardy and Tampey White, formerly of the state of Tennessee, from which they emigrated to Greene county, Missouri, in an- early day. She was one of three children, being the youngest, and her death occurred March 18, 1888, leaving three children, namely: Alfred Wilson, Charles Baker, and Horace Preston, all living in Greene county. Our subject was married on February 17, 1894, his last wife being Rachael Ann Payne, born April 6, 1858, a daughter of Lewis and Margaret Payne, natives of Tennessee and Virginia, respectively. The father came to Greene county, Missouri, when five years of age. His father was the second white man to settle in Greene county. He found only Indians and a few Spaniards in these parts. Our subject's second marriage was without issue. Politically, Mr. Owen adhered to the principles of the Democratic party since reaching maturity, but never sought public office, being content to devote his attention exclusively to his pleasant home and his extensive farming operations. However he served as constable four years. His death occurred at his home, January 28, 1915. JERRY W. OWENS. Although we are prone to rail at our environments and lack of early opportunities, blaming these for our failures along the road toward the "heights," yet the contemplative mind must conclude that life is, after all, about what we make it. When but a boy Jerry W. Owens, of Springfield, Missouri, general agent of the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, of Philadelphia, realized that man is master of his fate; that he is the captain of his own soul, and he set about in a laudable manner to shape his destiny on "these banks and shoals of time." Mr. Owens was born on September 6, 1875, on a farm eight miles northwest of Carthage, Missouri, in one of the best farming sections of Jasper county, and resided on this farm until he was twenty-one years of age. He is a son of David D. and Frances M. (Stout) Owens. The father was born in Wales, July 15, 1834, and moved to Newark, Licking county, Ohio, with his parents when a mere boy, and the mother's birth occurred near Newark, Licking county, Ohio, September 9, 1842. Her death occurred at Santa Cruz, California, July 17, 1913, and in that city the father is still making his home. David D. Owens received a fairly good education in the rural schools. His wife was well educated and she spent her earlier years in educational work, teaching about twenty terms in Ohio and Illinois. Mr. Owens has devoted his active life to farming and stock raising, but is now living in retirement, but still owns his fine farm of two hundred acres in Jasper county, Missouri. During the Civil war he enlisted in an Ohio regiment and served in the Union army, participating in several engagements in Maryland and Virginia. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and politically he is a Republican. His family consists of four children, namely: Edwin J. lives in Canon City, Colorado, where he is engaged in the mercantile business; David A. lives in Santa Cruz, California, where he is engaged in the transfer and storage business; James B. also lives in Santa Cruz, being in partnership with his brother in business. Jerry W. Owens spent his boyhood on the farm in Jasper county and received his education in the common schools, later attending college in Carthage, then came to Springfield and took a course in the Springfield Business College. He began life for himself by doing clerical work for a number of different firms in Springfield. He subsequently became official court reporter for the Circuit Court and the Criminal Court, discharging the duties of this important trust for a period of eight years in a manner that was highly satisfactory to ail concerned. He reported all civil cases in Division No. 2 and reported all criminal cases. While incumbent of this office he found time to engage to some extent in the insurance business, and about ten years ago he was made general agent for the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, of Philadelphia, his territory comprising about twenty-five counties in southwestern Missouri. He has offices at 826 Landers Building. He is one of the best known insurance men in this section of the state. Mr. Owens was married on March 10, 1909, in Springfield, to Minnie Clyde Umbarger, who was born in Saline county, Missouri, June 21, 1877. She is a daughter of Thomas A. and Mary Jane (Spates) Umbarger. The father was born on July 5, 1846, near Bloomington, Indiana, and died on October 8, 1910, his death being the result of an accident. The mother of Mrs. Owens was born on February 16, 1837, near Louisville, Kentucky, and her death occurred on March 5, 1903. To these parents six children were born, five of whom are still living, namely: William W. is engaged in farming near Marshall, Saline county, Missouri; Walter A., who lives in Springfield, is a member of the firm of Boehn & Umbarger, fire insurance agents; Dr. Thomas T. is practicing dentistry in Springfield; Maggie, who married William W. Naylor. He was killed in a train wreck near Lebanon, Missouri, September 15, 1914; Minnie C., who became the wife of Mr. Owens, of this sketch. She attended the country schools, and the Missouri Valley College at Marshall, Missouri. Two children have been born to Jerry W. Owens and wife, namely: Mary Frances, born January 10, 1911; David Allen, born January 1, 1913. Politically, Mr. Owens is a Republican and is active in party affairs. He is at this writing chairman of the county committee of his party and has done much for the success of the candidates of his party. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias and the Illinois Commercial Men's Association, of Chicago. The family belongs to the Cumberland Presbyterian church.
Missouri Records Kansas Records Cemetery Transcriptions
Census Transcriptions Marriage Records Obituary Index
Family Research Research Requests Email Webmaster


free web counter
Alienware Computer Coupons