Missouri Genealogy, Author at Missouri Genealogy

Biography of J. C. Shouse of Morgan Township

History of Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade and Barton Counties, Missouri

J.C. Shouse, a dedicated farmer and stock-raiser in Morgan Township, Dade County, Missouri, was born in Shelby County, Kentucky, on November 3, 1834. His parents, William O. and Harriet (Bryan) Shouse, both natives of Kentucky, moved to Jackson County, Missouri, in 1837. William Shouse, of German descent, later settled in Kansas City. J.C. Shouse married Mary Ann Campbell in 1857, with whom he had twelve children. After her death in 1874, he married Mrs. Niece in 1875, having five more children. By 1882, he had settled on a 347-acre farm, with 200 acres under cultivation. Shouse was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Dadeville.

Biography of James R. Scott of Center Township

James R. Scott, a prominent agriculturist in Center Township, Dade County, Missouri, was born in 1847. He is the son of Emerson C. and Amanda (Tucker) Scott. His grandfather, Richard Scott, originally from Kentucky, died in Dade County in 1858. Emerson C. Scott, who settled in Missouri at twenty-two, pre-empted 300 acres and was tragically killed in 1863. Amanda Scott, born in Tennessee in 1822, raised eight children. James married Sarah C. Studdard in 1873, and they have one child, William E. Scott. James owns ninety-three acres of the family homestead, is a Democrat, a Mason, and a Cumberland Presbyterian.

Biography of Judge Frederick Schnelle of Dade County

Judge Frederick Schnelle, born in Prussia in 1836, is an associate judge of the Dade County Court from the Western District, elected in 1888. Son of Henry and Mary (Linback) Schnelle, he emigrated to the U.S. in 1852, settling in Illinois. In 1861, he married Elizabeth Behrens, also a Prussian immigrant. The couple had twelve children. In 1884, Schnelle moved to Dade County, Missouri, where he became a successful farmer and stock-raiser. He served as township collector in Illinois and, despite Dade County’s Republican majority, was elected judge as a Democrat. He and his family are members of the Lutheran Church.

Biography of Cyrenus Z. Russell of Greenfield

Cyrenus Z. Russell, born in 1840 in Peoria County, Illinois, served as county clerk of Dade County, Missouri. He was the eldest son of Abner and Samantha (Seward) Russell. Raised on a farm, he received a liberal education in Illinois and Missouri. During the Civil War, he served in the Union Army, rising to second lieutenant. Post-war, he engaged in business in Illinois and Kansas before settling in Dade County in 1874. Elected county clerk in 1886, he moved to Greenfield. In 1867, he married Ala Ann Teagarden, with whom he had five children. Russell was a Republican, an I.O.O.F. member, and a G.A.R. Post No. 75 member.

Biography of Isaac Preston of Smith Township

Isaac Preston, born in 1823 in what is now Johnson County, Kentucky, was a pioneer of Smith Township and a farmer and stock-raiser. His parents, Isaac and Sarah (Downing) Preston, natives of Virginia, moved to Kentucky early in the 19th century and settled in Dade County, Missouri, in 1840. Isaac Sr. died in 1848, and Sarah in 1856. Isaac Jr., after working and saving money, spent five years supplying troops at Fort Scott before marrying Susan Fryer in 1851. The couple had five children. Isaac served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War and was a Cumberland Presbyterian and Democrat.

Biography of Howard Pierce of Grant Township

Howard Pierce, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser in Grant Township, Dade County, Mo., was born in Greene County, N.Y., in 1828. Son of Dr. Eli and Sarah (Burgess) Pierce, Howard received a solid education, including language studies with a private tutor. In 1855, he married Mary J. Mossman in Indiana, where his family had relocated. Howard moved to Fond du Lac, Wis., in 1857, later engaging in the grain business in Milwaukee and Chicago. He settled in Dade County, Mo., in 1871 and owned a 160-acre farm. A former Whig and later a Republican, he was an active member of the A. F. & A. M. and the Old School Presbyterian Church.

Biography of William N. Poe of Washington Township

William N. Poe, born in 1846 in Benton County, Ark., was a farmer in Washington Township and judge of the Dade County Court from the Eastern District. Son of John and Matilda Ann (Ferguson) Poe, his family moved to Dade County, Mo., when he was nine months old. After his father’s death in 1863, William remained on the family farm, eventually owning 140 acres. In 1869, he married Louisa Cecil, and they had four children. A dedicated Republican, he served as county judge starting in 1888 and was active in the I.O.O.F. and the Methodist Episcopal Church, where he served as steward for nearly twenty years.

Biography of Joseph A. Patton of Cedar Township

Joseph A. Patton, a skilled farmer and stock-raiser, was born on September 9, 1837, in Tipton County, Tenn. Son of George and Taphenis (Leeper) Patton, he moved to Dade County, Mo., as a child. Despite limited formal education, he ventured to California in 1850 before returning to Missouri. In 1862, he enlisted in the Federal Army and served until the Civil War’s end. Patton resided on a 610-acre farm in Cedar Township with his siblings. A member of the Masonic order, he had varied political affiliations, voting for multiple third-party candidates in presidential elections.

Biography of Col. Jason W. Newell of Marion Township

Col. Jason W. Newell, born in 1834 in Utica, Oneida County, N.Y., was a farmer in Marion Township, Dade County, Mo. Son of Rev. Jeffrey and Christina (Traver) Newell, he moved west with his family, settling in Springfield, Ill., and later in Calumet County, Wis. A machinist and engineer by trade, Newell enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War, achieving the rank of Captain. Post-war, he moved to Dade County in 1879, served as sheriff in Wisconsin, and was elected to the Missouri Legislature in 1884 and 1886. Married to Lydia I. Lee, he was an active member of the Christian Church and the G.A.R.

Biography of Marshall C. Murray of Grant Township

Marshall C. Murray, born in 1831 in McMinn County, Tenn., was a prominent stock-dealer and farmer in Grant Township, Dade County, Mo. Son of Judge John and Sarah (Lettreal) Murray, he moved to Greene County, Mo. in early childhood. In 1858, he married Frances Jane Sim, and they had nine children. Marshall served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War and was captured in 1864. He settled in Dade County in 1878, developing a 490-acre farm. A dedicated Democrat and Master Mason, he was a long-time member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.