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BIOGRAPHIES.
History of Linn County,
Missouri
An Encyclopedia of Useful Information, and A Compendium of
Actual Facts.
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It Contains
A Condensed History of the State of Missouri and Its Chief
Cities -
St. Louis, Kansas City and St. Joseph;
A Reliable History of Lynn County -
Its Pioneer Record, War History,
Resources, Biographical Sketches and Portraits of
Prominent Citizens; General and Local Statistics of great
Value, and a Large Amount of Miscellaneous
Matter, Incidents, etc. Etc.
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ILLUSTRATED
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Publ. Kansas City, Mo.
Birdsall & Dean.
1882
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Bucklin &
Bucklin Twp. -
HENRY SHOOK.
Dr. Shook was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, in 1820,
where he was raised and educated, residing there until
sixteen years of age, when he went with his parents to
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Received his medical
education at Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
He came to Missouri in the spring of 1843 and settled
in Kirksville, Adair county, where he began the practice of
medicine. He continued there about twelve years.
In the fall of 1858 he came to Bucklin, where he has since
resided, and has been engaged in the practice of medicine.
Dr. Shook was married in 1844 to Miss Sarah
Calison, of Adair county, by whom he has four children
living: Mollie A., James B., Henry Clay and
John D. His first wife died in 1857 and he was
again married in 1858 to Miss Lucy Caps, of Hardin
county, Kentucky, by whom he has one child, William E.
He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church
South, and he is also a member of the A. F. & A. M.
He was regimental surgeon of the Seventh Missouri
Regiment during 1861 and 1862. Was captain in the
Twenty-seventh and Forty-second Missouri Regiments during
1863 and 1864. He is the son of David and Christina
Shook, his father being a native of Virginia and his
mother of Pennsylvania. The Doctor has been identified
with the interests of Bucklin and surrounding country for
many years and has taken an active part in the welfare of
the place.
Source: History of Linn County,
Missouri -
Publ. Kansas City, Mo. by Birdsall & Dean -
1882 |
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Bucklin &
Bucklin Twp. -
JORDAN SIGHTS, a farmer of Bucklin
township, four miles northwest of Bucklin, was born in
Chariton county, Missouri, in 1832, when he resided with his
parents until March, 1838, when he came to this county,
where he has since resided, with the exception of eighteen
months spent in the West engaged in mining. Mr.
Sights is the son of Isaac and Elizabeth Sights,
natives of Kentucky, who came to Missouri in an early day.
Mr. Sights was married in July, 1862, to Miss
El J. Lawson, a native of Breckenridge county, Kentucky,
by whom he has had seven children, six of whom are living:
Mary C., Milton J., Albert P., Olin Ewin, Filena E.,
Flossie Lee. Allen B. is deceased.
Mr. Sights and wife are members of the Methodist
Episcopal Church South. Mr. Sights is an
industrious and energetic farmer.Source: History of Linn County,
Missouri -
Publ. Kansas City, Mo. by Birdsall & Dean -
1882 - Page 665 |
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Benton Twp. -
JOHN W. SLEEPER is a son of Moses
and Lydia Sleeper, and was born in New Hampshire, July
10, 1828. His parents also were natives of the same
State, and John lived there till June, 1843.
The family then moved to Dundee, Kane county, Illinois,
where they lived over a year. From there John W.
came to Linn county, Missouri. This was in 1844, and
he has been here ever since, except temporary absence.
He went to Texas in the fall of 1852, and wintered at
Austin. He went out with teams and returned by
steamer. Most of the time he has been farming and
working at the carpenter's trade. Mr. Sleeper
was married at Scottsville, in Sullivan county, May 14,
1854, to Miss Nancy Keller, daughter of Isaac and
Elizabeth Keller, natives of Tennessee. Eleven
children have been born of this union, seven of whom still
survive. Mr. Sleeper was not in the war, except
being enrolled in the Provisional service, Company L, under
Capt. H. D. Johnson.
Source: History of Linn County,
Missouri -
Publ. Kansas City, Mo. by Birdsall & Dean - 1882 - Page 780 |
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Benton
Twp. -
BENJAMIN C. SOUTHERN. This
gentleman has had a strange and somewhat adventurous career,
and did space allow, a detail could be here given that would
prove very interesting.
Mr. Southern was born in Kurachee, Bengal
Presidency, East India, Sept. 25, 1853. His parents
were Thomas and Elizabeth Southern, the father having
been a native of London, England, and the mother of Madrid,
Spain. His father was a railroad manager and director,
and was engaged with the first railroad ever operated in the
country where Benjamin C. was born. At eleven years
old, the subject of this sketch returned to England, where
his mother still resides (his father having died in 1863),
and entered the Duke of York School, and remained three
years. He and his mother then made a trip to the
United States, but returned to England and spent six or
seven years at his mother's country residence. He then
returned alone to the United States, and located at Detroit
Michigan, where he remained three years. After another
extensive tour, in which he visited Spain and many other
places on the Mediterranean coast, having spent some time
with his mother at Madrid, he returned to this country, and
made a temporary stop at Paterson, New Jersey, and fro there
back again to Detroit. He had learned telegraphy when
in America on the former occasion, and began as an operator.
He was a while train dispatcher in Chicago for the Chicago &
Northwestern Railroad His next engagement was at Mt.
Pleasant, Iowa, and while there he married a daughter of
Wellington and Mary Leach, who is a member of the Methodist
Church. Mr. Southern is a Master Mason, and a member
of St. Johns Lodge. Though he has but recently
accepted his present situation in the railroad office at
Browning, Mr. Southern has built him a neat residence, and
is fast improving his place into a comfortable home.
His father was at one time a man of great wealth -
perhaps a quarter of a million - but lost heavily before his
death in railroad speculations. Was a director of the
London & Brighton Railroad when he died.
Source: History of Linn County,
Missouri -
Publ. Kansas City, Mo. by Birdsall & Dean - 1882 - Page 777 |
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AARON
STAINS, JR. This gentleman is the son of
Aaron and Julia Ann Stains, and was born on a farm near
Shirleysburg, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania. His
father was a contractor and builder and Aaron Jr.
learned the carpenter's trade from the men in his employ.
He continued to live with his parents till after he was of
age. In 1854 he came to Missouri and settled in Linn
county, five miles southeast of Brookfield. He then
engaged in building, and erected many barns and residences
in that part of the county and in Chariton. He then
went to Kansas in 1856 and there became involved in the
struggle of "Bleeding Kansas" in the efforts to bring her in
as a free State. He enlisted in the Union service at
Laclode, in the Thirty-third Regiment of Missouri Volunteer
Infantry, serving till February, 1865, when he was
discharged because of disability caused by a gunshot wound.
During his service he participated in many battles, the most
important of which were Helena, Pleasant Hill, Natchitoches,
Grand Ecore, and in all the fights under Gen. A. J. Smith
and General Mower on the Shreveport expedition by
Banks. He was also on the White River expedition, and
was, in all, four times wounded. After his discharge
he returned to his farm in Linn county and continued faring
till 1870, when he rented out and moved to Brookfield and
engaged in contracting and building. In July, 1872, he
went into the dry goods and grocery business, which he
continued till he sold out and moved to Chariton
county. There he purchased a farm and lived on it
three years when he sold it and returned to Linn. In
1879 he again came to Brookfield and resumed the carpenter's
trade till the fall of 1881, when he began business in his
present line. Mr. Stains has been three times
married, his first wife being Mary J. Howe, to whom
he was married Dec. 15, 1857. She died Aug. 1, 1863,
and he was again married to Miss Grazilla E. Lambert,
on the twenty-seventh of April, 1865. This lady also
died July 19, 1873. He was a third time married, July
19, 1874, to Miss Sarah E. Weaver. His last and
third wife also died April 21, 1880. MR. Stains
is the father of four children, one by his first marriage,
two by the second, and one by the third. He is a
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and has been for
thirty years.
Source: History of Linn County,
Missouri -
Publ. Kansas City, Mo. by Birdsall & Dean -
1882 - Page 562 |
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Bucklin &
Bucklin Twp. -
LOUIS STEUNKLE, senior member of the
firm of Stuenkle & Co., dealers in general
merchandise and live stock, was born in Prussia, where he
was raised and educated. When about nineteen years of
age he came to the United States. He spent two yeas in
New York, two and a half years in St. Louis, and one year in
Macon county. In 1860 he came to Bucklin, and engaged
in business. In 1873 he took in as his partner his
brother-in-law, George Manewal, and they now carry
the largest stock in town, and have the leading trade of the
place. Mr. Stuenkle was in the United States
service for three years, in the Second Missouri Cavalry.
Was in the battle of Little Rock and others engaged in by
his command.
Mr. Stuenkle was married in 1869, to Miss
Elizabeth Manewal, by whom he has three children living:
Louis, Carl, and Emma.
Is a member of the A. F. & A. M., and I. O. O. F.
Mr. Stuenkle is one of the staunch business men
of his town.
Source: History of Linn County,
Missouri -
Publ. Kansas City, Mo. by Birdsall & Dean -
1882 - Page 666 |
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Benton
Twp. -
WILLIAM THOMAS STEPHENSON. He is
the son and eldest child of Dr. David I. Stephenson,
of Linneus, whose biography appears elsewhere in this
volume. When William (or as he was familiarly
known among the boys, Billy) was about six years of
age, his father moved to Linn county, and settled near
Enterprise, upon a farm which he had purchased, where he
continued in the practice of his profession until 1863, when
he removed to Linneus, where he now resides. In the
schools of our county seat, the literary training of the
subject of our sketch was mainly received. His
professional education was received at the well-known
McDowell College of his native city.
He commenced the practice of his profession in August,
1873, at Enterprise, in the vicinity of where his father
had, some yeas before, been actively engaged in the same
pursuit. Indeed, we might say that so prominently, for
years past, have father and son been identified in this
section with the above mentioned calling, that the name
has become linked with the profession in the minds of
the people in the northern part of the county. After
practicing for about two years at Enterprise, thinking that
the young and growing town of Browning afforded a better
field of operation, he, in June, 1875, removed thither,
notwithstanding that four other physicians were already
established therein. But the result has fully proven
the wisdom of his choice.
The Doctor was married Nov. 3, 1878, to Miss Anna
Lee Clark, daughter of R. J. and M. A. Clark.
They have one child, a fine chubby boy, born in 1879.
Dr. Stephenson is a Mason, Odd Fellow, and one of the
the charter members of the A. O. U. W. lodge of Browning.
Since his marriage (it could not have been expected
before), he has made some rapid strides in a financial point
of view, and promises ere many years have lapsed to wield an
influence in this direction, as well as in that of his
profession.
We were pleased to notice, upon the shelves of his
library, a number of standard works of the latest eminent
authors of the profession, showing that he was determined to
avoid the ruts of old fogyism, and keep pace with the
advancing views and theories of the present.
Considering his youthfulness and the success which he
has already achieved, may we not, with safety, predict for
him a career of great usefulness in the future?
Source: History of Linn County,
Missouri -
Publ. Kansas City, Mo. by Birdsall & Dean - 1882 - Page 777 |
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Locust Creek Twp. -
WILLIAM N. STILLMAN was born in
Madison county, New York, Jan. 10, 1833, where he was reared
and educated. After leaving school he engaged in the
hardware business, which he followed ten years. He
then engaged in farming, which occupation he has followed
ever since. In the spring of 1869 he came to Linn
county, where he has ever since made his home. He owns
a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, well improved and
stocked. He was married in New York Sept. 20, 1859, to
Miss Ann E. Hoxie, a native of Brookfield, Madison
county, New York. By this union they have one
daughter, Jennie M., born Aug. 26, 1861.
Source: History of Linn County,
Missouri -
Publ. Kansas City, Mo. by Birdsall & Dean -
1882 |
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Baker Twp. -
ALBERT H. STONE. The subject of
this sketch was to the manor born, being a native of Baker
township, Linn county, Apr. 7, 1844. His father and
grandfather were born in Virginia, and his mother in Howard
county, Missouri. Mr. Stone has always lived in
Baker township, engaged in farming. He served one
term, and was elected to a second term as township assessor
under the first adoption of the township organization in
this county. He was prevented from completing his
second term by abolition of the system of organization.
On the twenty-ninth day of August, 1865, he was married to
Miss Maria E. Roberts. She died Sept. 2, 1876,
having borne him four children, all of whom still survive.
Their names are, Robert L., William W., Mary J., and
Arthur M. Mr. Stone was a second time married
Sept. 25, 1878, to Miss Sarah E. Cable, a native of
Wolf county, Kentucky, and daughter of Joseph and
Margaret Cable. Two children have been born of
this second union, named Emma Alma, and Orie
Ellen. Mr. Stone is a member of the Baptist
Church, and his wife of the Christian Church. He has
his homestead, in section three, township fifty-nine, range
eighteen, well improved, with good residence and barn, and a
fine young orchard. He owns three improved farms,
aggregating six hundred acres in all.
Source: History of Linn County,
Missouri -
Publ. Kansas City, Mo. by Birdsall & Dean -
1882 |
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Benton Twp. -
BENJAMIN F. STONE. Mr. Stone
was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, Sept. 22, 1822.
His parents were Aaron and Priscilla Stone, both of
whom were natives of Pennsylvania. Benjamin
lived in his native State till 1858, when he moved to
Missouri and located in Benton township, Linn county, on the
place where he still resides. While living back East,
he was engaged in buying and selling stock, but on coming to
this county gave his attention wholly to farming. When
the civil war began, Mr. Stone entered the Union
service in Company F, of the First Missouri State Militia.
His first fight was with General Porter, over on
"Painter" (Panther) Creek, in Macon county. He was in
the Marshall, Saline county, fight against General Shelby,
and was also at the defense of Jefferson City, during
Price's last raid. He was in a "bush" fight with
Quantrell, after that famous guerrilla had sacked
Lawrence. He was never wounded or captured. Just
before the war Mr. Stone was elected justice of the
peace, and after the war served by appointment as
registration officer, and was subsequently elected
supervisor. Mr. Stone claims to have brought the
finest horse - a "Black Hawk Morgan" - that ever came to
Linn county. He now has on hand a lot of very fine
cattle, almost thorough-breds. He has a good farm of
one hundred and seventy acres, which he knows well now to
cultivate. He was married in his native county, Oct.
6, 1847, to Miss Mary Boughner. They have had
seven children, four of whom still survive. Mr.
Stone is not a member of any church, nor secret order,
though he was formerly an Odd Fellow.
Source: History of Linn County,
Missouri -
Publ. Kansas City, Mo. by Birdsall & Dean - 1882 - Page 776 |
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Benton Twp. -
FRANCES ELIAS STONE was born in
Greensborough, Greene county, Pennsylvania, on the
thirteenth day of March, 1816. He is the son of
Aaron and Priscalla Stone, both of whom were natives of
Greene county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Stone lived in
the county of his birth until he was twenty-four years of
age. Thinking there were better opportunities afforded
out in the distant west for men of nerve and energy who had
the hardihood to risk their lives and fortunes among savage
Indians of the forest, he left the home of his boyhood and
with wagons and teams slowly wended his way, and at last
landed in Linn county on the sixth day of October, 1840.
He located on section seven, township sixty, range twenty,
and either upon or very near this section seven, township
sixty, range twenty, and either upon or very near this
section he has ever since lived. Like the majority of
old settlers farming has been his principal occupation since
he has been in the State. He has also a portion of the
time been engaged in merchandizing and in the milling
business; and for a while ran a carding machine. Many
incidents of early days he calls to memory and loves to
relate how they used to weigh down the tax collector with
wolf scalps, bear and deer skins instead of greenback or
something of a more solid nature. On the
twenty-seventh day of October, 1837, he was married to
Miss Elvira Lantz, a sister of Mr. Lot Lantz,
another old settler, who came to this county with Uncle
Frank but is now a resident of Sullivan county, Mrs.
Stone is also a native of Greene county, Pennsylvania.
They have had in all nine children, three of whom are dead.
They have had about thirty grandchildren, a few of whom are
dead. They have a few great-grand-children.
Uncle Frank has held the office of constable, justice of
the peace, and is the present mayor of Browning, the duties
of which position he has so satisfactorily performed that
the people ran him without opposition the second time for
the office. At the present writing his second term is
unexpired. He was among the foremost to go into the
late war and was enrolled on the twenty-ninth day of
January, 1862, in the First Regiment Cavalry, Missouri State
Militia, under Captain Henry Wilkinson. He was
discharged the second day of December, 1862, at Sedalia.
While in the army he proved a valuable accession to his
company in the capacity of veterinary surgeon, the duties of
which position he performed very efficiently and to the
great delight and satisfaction of all his comrades.
After he had lived here a number of years Uncle Frank
took a trip back to the land of his younger days and was
surprised to find on his way the many wonderful changes -
the woods converted into houses for the homes of men, and
long lanes well fenced on either side, in places where on
his former trip were expanded and unobstructed prairies.
The old landmarks of the camping grounds of his previous
experience were effaced by the onward progress of
civilization.
So far as politics are concerned Uncle Frank is
a Republican. Notwithstanding his advancing yeas,
there are few who display more vim and energy than he, and
we might perhaps include his wife under the same
description. Even now he could take his favorite
weapon, the rifle, to into the woods, and in pursuit of game
fairly lay most young men in the shade. He is a man of
his word, honorable in his dealings with his fellow men, and
any noe who has Uncle Frank on his side in a
centroversy feels assured that his side must be in the
right. We sincerely hope that he may be blessed with
life, strength and prosperity for many years yet to come.
Source: History of Linn County,
Missouri -
Publ. Kansas City, Mo. by Birdsall & Dean - 1882 - Page 778 |
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Bucklin & Bucklin Twp. -
WILLIAM E. STORY. Mr. Storyis
a native Missourian, having been born, raised, and educated
in this county.
He is the son of Oscar F. and Sarah A. Story,
natives of Ohio, who came to Linn county in 1859.
Mr. Story learned the trade of tinner in
Bucklin. In 1857 he engaged in business for himself.
He enjoys the leading trade of the place and carries a large
stock of hardware, stoves, tinware, and agricultural
implements. He is a young man of good business habits,
and is bound to succeed, having already earned a reputation
to be proud of.
Mr. Story was married Dec. 15, 1881, to Miss
Emma Hansmann, of Bucklin.
Source: History of Linn County,
Missouri -
Publ. Kansas City, Mo. by Birdsall & Dean -
1882 - Page 666 |
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Benton Twp. -
J. A. STURGES, M. D. was born in
Washington county, Iowa, Dec. 20, 1849, and is the son of
David P. and Maria Sturges. His father was a
native of New England. His mother was born in New York
City, was of German descent, and her name, prior to her
marriage, was Scrouder. His father, who was a
carpenter by trade, moved from the country, in January,
1850, to Washington, the county seat of Washington county,
where the doctor remained with him till he was twenty-two
years of age. While there he availed himself of the
educational facilities which the town afforded. He
then went to Iowa College at Grinnell, Iowa, where he
received the rest of his literary training. His course
at Grinnell was interrupted by several months of hard work
in the printing office at Washington, in which he was
engaged both before and after leaving college, making
altogether several years. In the fall of 1870 he began
reading medicine at home in the office of Doctors
Rousseau and Clapp, at whom he remained a year. In
the fall of 1871 he attended lectures at Iowa City, in the
Medical Department of the Iowa State University. The
following summer he was occupied in the study of his
profession, and the succeeding winter in teaching school.
He attended the Chicago Medical College during the terms of
1873-74 and 1874-75, and graduated in March, 1875, taking
the degree of M. D. In 1875-76 he attended lectures
at the Rush Medical College, where he also graduated in the
spring of 1876, taking the degree of M. D. While
attending lectures in Chicago he spent the summers of 1874,
1875 and 1876 at Mercy Hospital. But he was not only
diligent enough to thus advantageously employ the intervals
between the terms of lectures, but during the winter was
actively engaged through the day in storing up knowledge for
his future career in his profession, and a t night busily
employed in the office of the Chicago Times, earning
the means with which to obtain the instruction he was so
eagerly seeking. He moved to Browning in the spring of
1877 and commenced the practice of his profession. On
the thirtieth day of May, 1879, he was married at his old
home in Iowa, to Miss Abbie L. Geach, a young lady
originally from Ohio. They have had two children, a
boy living and a little girl dead.
The Doctor's father died since he came to Browning, and
his mother in the spring of 1870.
Source: History of Linn County,
Missouri -
Publ. Kansas City, Mo. by Birdsall & Dean - 1882 - Page 789 |
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Enterprise Twp. -
JESSE JAMES SUMMERS was born in
Washington county, Kentucky, Feb. 22, 1817. His
parents were Greenberry and Nancy (Elliott) Summers,
both Kentuckians.
In 1839 Mr. Summers came to Linn county, this
State, and began farming. He had received his
education in the common schools of Kentucky, and never had
many school advantages.
Mr. Summers was married in Linn county, May 13,
1841, to Margaret Ann Nichols. She was born in
Columbia, Boone county, Missouri, May 1, 1826. Mr.
Summers and wife are the parents of ten children, all
living, and all married except one son and one daughter, who
still reside with their parents. Mr. Summers
and wife are both members of the Christian
Church, and have been for many years.
During the Rebellion, he staid at home on his farm,
and now many ups and downs of civil warfare. His place
contains one hundred and thirty-seven acres, and is nearly
all in cultivation.
Source: History of Linn County, Missouri - Publ.
Kansas City, Mo. by Birdsall & Dean - 1882 - Page 806 |
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