Missouri Genealogy, Author at Missouri Genealogy

Biography of Charles W. Gray of Lockwood

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

Charles W. Gray, born in 1834 in Chester County, Pennsylvania, was a prominent hardware and farm machinery dealer in Lockwood, Missouri. He co-founded C. W. Gray & Co. in 1888, succeeding H. C. Watterman & Sons. Gray moved to Stark County, Ohio, as an infant, where his parents, William and Catherine Gray, later passed away. After marrying Barbara E. Newman in 1856, Gray served in the Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. In 1867, he settled in Dade County, Missouri, becoming a successful farmer. A Republican and United Brethren Church member, he was a respected community leader and class leader.

Biography of Henry Gillman of Marion Township

Henry Gillman, born in 1831 in Brunswick, Germany, was a prominent sheep-raiser, farmer, and president of the Bank of Lockwood in Marion Township, Dade County, Missouri. His parents, Andrew and Mary (Lohman) Gillman, emigrated to the United States in 1849, settling in Macoupin County, Illinois. Henry married Kate Sinholz in 1857 and moved to Dade County in 1868, where he developed 1,040 acres of land. He began sheep raising in 1864 and maintained 1,000 merino sheep. Initially a Democrat, Gillman later became a Republican and was an active member of the Lutheran Church.

Biography of E. C. Gillett of Lockwood

E. C. Gillett, born in 1836 in Stephenson County, Illinois, was the presiding judge of the Dade County court and resided in Lockwood, Missouri. Son of Ezra B. Gillett, a Black Hawk War veteran, E. C. Gillett received his education at the State University in Madison, Wisconsin. He married Eliza C. Miller in 1860 and transitioned from farming to the grain and stock business in Wisconsin before moving to Missouri in 1880. Elected as presiding judge in 1886, he owned substantial property across several counties. A Republican and former Odd Fellow, he was also a Methodist, previously associated with the United Brethren Church.

Biography of Cicero T. Gass of Center Township

Cicero T. Gass, born in 1827 in Richland County, Ohio, was a notable farmer in Center Township, Dade County, Missouri. He was the son of Benjamin Gass, a War of 1812 veteran, and Elizabeth McClure. Cicero married Margaret Castor in 1863, and they had three children: James, Mary, and Charles. After moving to Missouri in 1866 and later to Kansas, Cicero settled in Dade County in 1873, where he acquired and farmed 280 acres. His grandfather, William Gass, served in the Ohio State Senate, and his great-uncle, Patrick Gass, was part of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Biography of Dr. Ferdinand Fischer of Lockwood

Dr. Ferdinand Fischer, a physician and surgeon in Lockwood, Missouri, was born on January 1, 1851, in Württemberg, Germany. He was the son of Andrew and Clara (Magold) Fischer. Dr. Fischer received a high-quality education in Germany, culminating in studies at the University of Munich. In 1866, he emigrated to America, initially teaching German in Canada for five years before studying medicine in Illinois. He graduated from the Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati in 1879. Dr. Fischer moved to Lockwood in 1882, where he established a successful medical practice. He married Maggie F. Bess in 1879, and they had four children. He was a Democrat and a member of the I.O.O.F. and Sons of Rebecca, while Mrs. Fischer was affiliated with the United Brethren Church.

Biography of James F. Finley of Center Township

James F. Finley, a respected farmer of Center Township near Greenfield, Missouri, was born on September 11, 1818, in Hopkins County, Kentucky. He was the son of William and Leah (Dobbins) Finley and the grandson of Howard Finley, who moved from North Carolina to Kentucky in 1804. James’s father, William, was a lifelong farmer, and the family moved to Arkansas when James was an infant. After his mother died in 1850, James, at age 18, began working in retail. He married Nancy Brooks in 1843, who died in 1846, and later married Mary Earll in 1849, with whom he had fourteen children. Settling in Greenfield in 1848, James acquired and developed a successful farm of 100 acres. He was a Democrat, a member of the Masonic Order, and he and his family were active in the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Biography of Martin Fidler of Washington Township

Martin Fidler, an enterprising farmer in Washington Township, Missouri, was born in 1844 in Lawrence County, Indiana. He was the son of David and Elizabeth (Williams) Fidler. David, originally from North Carolina, moved to Indiana and married Elizabeth Williams in Lawrence County. Elizabeth died in 1861, and David passed away in Dade County, Missouri, in 1884. Martin, the youngest of three children, joined the 27th Indiana Volunteer Infantry in 1861 and later served in the 4th Indiana Cavalry until the Civil War’s end, being wounded at Montgomery, Alabama. In 1870, he married Nancy Ann Parman, and they had four children. Martin eventually settled in Dade County, where he owned a 200-acre farm. He was active in stock raising and a member of the G.A.R., while his wife was part of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Biography of R. C. Divine of Sac Township

R. C. Divine, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser in Sac Township, Missouri, was born on March 28, 1846, in Monroe County, Tennessee. He was the son of W. W. and Jamima (Wartan) Divine. The family moved to Dade County, Missouri, in 1857. R. C. Divine enlisted in the Federal Army in 1864, serving in the Fifteenth Missouri Cavalry. On November 22, 1866, he married Phrana Y. Russell, with whom he had twelve children. Settling on his farm in 1871, Divine had 480 acres, with 280 under cultivation. He served as assessor for Sac Township and Dade County, and he was a member of the G.A.R. and A.O.U.W., with his family being active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Biography of James M. Divine of Greenfield

James M. Divine, sheriff of Dade County, Missouri, was born in Monroe County, Tennessee, in 1842. He was the son of Alfred and Artemissa (McNabb) Divine and the great-grandson of Thomas Divine, an Irish native and Revolutionary War soldier. James Divine, his grandfather, served in the War of 1812 and relocated to Tennessee in 1822. In 1854, James M. Divine moved to Dade County, Missouri, where Alfred Divine had settled in 1852. James M. Divine enlisted in the Union Army in 1861 and served until 1864. He married Parthina Fanning in 1863, with whom he had eight children. Elected sheriff in 1886 and re-elected in 1888, Divine was a prominent Republican figure in Dade County.

Biography of John A. Davis of Greenfield

John A. Davis, circuit clerk of Dade County, Missouri, was born in Ripley County, Indiana, in 1842. He was the son of William and Lydia (Shook) Davis and the grandson of George Davis, a Welsh immigrant and War of 1812 veteran. John A. Davis enlisted in the Union Army in 1861, serving in numerous battles before being severely wounded and discharged in 1863. He re-enlisted in 1864, sustaining another severe injury leading to amputation. Post-war, he served as sheriff of Buchanan County, Iowa, and later moved to Greenfield, Missouri, becoming circuit clerk in 1886. He was a Republican, a Mason, and a G.A.R. member. He married Ellen Long in 1869, and they had four children.