Missouri Genealogy, Author at Missouri Genealogy

Biography of Isaac Preston of Smith Township

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

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.

Biography of William H. Mitchell of Rock Prairie Township

William H. Mitchell, a farmer and stock-raiser in Rock Prairie Township, was born in Grainger County, Tenn., in 1836. His father, Preston Mitchell, born in 1808, moved to Dade County, Mo. in 1855 and died in 1875. William’s grandfather, Greenberry Mitchell, was a War of 1812 soldier and early settler in Grainger County. William, the third of six children, married Elizabeth Poindexter in 1856 and settled on a 265-acre farm in Dade County. He served in the Union Army during the Civil War and was involved in local politics as a Republican. William and Elizabeth had ten children.

Biography of Hon. Edgar P. Mann of Greenfield

Hon. Edgar P. Mann, born in Warren County, Mo. in 1858, was an attorney and mayor of Greenfield, Mo. He moved to Greenfield in 1883 and partnered with Mason Talbutt a year later. Son of Josiah and Elizabeth (Moore) Mann, Edgar was the grandson of Thomas Mann, originally from North Carolina. Educated at Warrensburg State Normal, Edgar taught in Lafayette County before studying law under Hon. John S. Blackwell. Admitted to the bar in 1881, he became Greenfield’s mayor in 1888. Edgar married Mary E. Clark in 1887, with whom he had one child, Frank. Edgar was active in local politics and community organizations.

Biography of S. N. McMillen of Washington Township

S. N. McMillen, a notable farmer and stock-raiser in Washington Township, was born in Hardeman County, Tennessee, in 1833 to Robert D. and Mary (Neely) McMillen. His father, Robert, born in 1794 near Knoxville, Tennessee, moved frequently, eventually settling in Dade County, Missouri, in 1837, where he became a prominent farmer. S. N. McMillen embarked on several expeditions, including to New Mexico, Oklahoma, and California, before settling back in Missouri. In 1865, he married Sarah A. Morris and had eight children. Active in local affairs, McMillen witnessed significant changes in Dade County over his lifetime.

Biography of C. C. McLemore of Washington Township

C. C. McLemore, born in 1837 in Monroe County, East Tennessee, was the son of John and Delila (Bredon) McLemore. The family moved to Dade County, Missouri, in 1852, where John McLemore, a farmer and blacksmith of Scotch descent, died in 1880, and Delila in 1868. C. C. McLemore, the third of ten children, received a common school education. In January 1868, he married Sarah A. Ragsdale, whose parents, Joshua and Sarah Ragsdale, were early settlers in Dade County. C. C. McLemore had eight children, five sons and two daughters. After a successful seven-year stint in the Colorado stock business starting in 1863, he returned to Dade County, where he owned 837 acres, with 350 under cultivation. An extensive stock dealer, he specialized in short-horned cattle and Clydesdale horses. A Democrat, he was active in Masonic organizations and was a prominent and wealthy farmer in Dade County. His wife, Sarah, was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.