Biography of William R. Bowles of Greenfield

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

William R. Bowles, born in 1857 in Greenfield, Missouri, was an attorney and editor of the Dade County Advocate. He was the son of Dr. Samuel B. Bowles and Elizabeth J. (Vaughan) Bowles. Dr. Bowles, originally from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, was a physician who settled in Greenfield in 1851. William R. Bowles was admitted to the bar in 1880 and practiced law for six years before becoming the editor of the Advocate in 1887. A Democrat, he actively supported his party through his editorial work. He married Cora Kimber in 1885, and they had two children, Samuel O. and John Herchel. Bowles was a member of several Masonic organizations.

Biography of Orlando H. Barker of Lockwood Township

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

Ex-Judge Orlando H. Barker, born in Delaware County, Ohio, in 1843, was a prominent farmer and Jersey cattle breeder in Lockwood Township. Son of Daniel B. and Rebecca (McCoy) Barker, he served in the Union Army during the Civil War, achieving the rank of first lieutenant. Post-war, he studied law and was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1868. Barker moved to Greenfield, Missouri, where he practiced law and served as probate judge. In 1883, he transitioned to farming near Lockwood. Married to Alma Mills, they had six children. He was a Republican, an I.O.O.F. member, and affiliated with the G.A.R. and Presbyterian Church.

Biography of Dr. Charles Aaron Badgley of Greenfield

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

Dr. Charles Aaron Badgley, born in 1854 in Auglaize County, Ohio, was a prominent dentist in Greenfield, Missouri. He was the son of George and Martha (Watkins) Badgley, and grandson of George and Rebecca (Eddy) Badgley. His great-great-great-grandfather, George Badgley, emigrated from England around 1740. Dr. Badgley studied dentistry in Illinois and began his practice in Greenfield in 1879. He married Georgia M. McDowell and had four children. He was a respected member of the community, the only dentist in Dade County, and active in the Presbyterian Church and Republican politics.

Biography of William Allison of Smith Township

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

William Allison, born in Bedford County, Tennessee, in 1824, was a farmer and stock-raiser in Smith Township, Missouri. He was the son of James and Sarah (Lee) Allison. The family moved to Ray County, Missouri, in 1830 and later settled near Greenfield in Dade County, becoming some of the first white settlers in the area. William served in the Mexican-American War and spent several years mining in California, Idaho, and Montana. Returning to Dade County in 1870, he farmed 160 acres. He married Mary Ann Taylor in 1867 and had four children. Allison was a Democrat and a member of the Baptist Church.

Biography of Thomas Nathaniel Garten of Union Township

Thomas Nathaniel Garten wife, Sarah Jane Garten

Sarah Jane Garten, residing in Union Township, Nodaway County, Missouri, was the widow of Thomas Nathaniel Garten. Thomas was born in Virginia in 1828 and passed away on April 19, 1884, at the age of 56. He married Sarah Jane Simonson in Daviess County, Indiana. They later moved to Nodaway County, where Thomas purchased and improved a 100-acre farm. The couple had six children: Winfield Scott, Charles Cornelius Sigel, Edward Seward, Cora Effie, Alta Emma, and Cordelia. After Thomas’s death, Sarah and their son Charles continued to manage and expand the farm successfully.

Biography of Lewis E. Rogers of Polk Township

Plat Map of Nodoway County Missouri 1910

Lewis E. Rogers, born April 12, 1877, in Polk Township, Nodaway County, Missouri, was a successful farmer and stock raiser. He resided on the farm where he was born, originally settled by his parents, Francis E. Rogers and Grizell Hogue, in the early 1870s. The Rogers family developed the farm and maintained a strong local reputation. Lewis married May Crouse on February 11, 1896, and they had four children: Lester E., Oral E., Yesta, and Elsie A. Active in local politics as a Republican, Lewis was also a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Woodmen of the World.

Biography of Thomas Henry Roach of Polk Township

Plat Map of Nodoway County Missouri 1910

Thomas Henry Roach, born November 16, 1853, in Dubuque County, Iowa, was a successful farmer and stock raiser in Polk Township, Nodaway County, Missouri. His parents were Richard Roach, a native of Ireland and a “forty-niner,” and Julia Malone, originally from New York of Irish descent. The family moved to Missouri in 1865. Thomas settled in Nodaway County in 1872 and built a prosperous 300-acre farm. On January 1, 1877, he married Martha Neal, and they had five children: Charles H., Julia, Nellie, Maud, and Golda. Thomas was active in educational affairs and served as road overseer and school board member.

Biography of Charles W. Stafford of Polk Township

Plat Map of Nodoway County Missouri 1910

Charles W. Stafford, born July 15, 1872, in Polk Township, Nodaway County, Missouri, was a prominent young farmer and energetic citizen. He was the son of John L. and Sarah (Pruden) Stafford. Charles grew up on the family farm and married Edith Blanche Lawson on March 30, 1893. They had four children: Ernest, Mildred M., Lyonel M., and Hugh M. (deceased). Active in Republican politics and community affairs, Stafford was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and various fraternal organizations. He managed a successful 160-acre farm in Nodaway County.

Biography of Samuel Scowden of Maryville

Plat Map of Nodoway County Missouri 1910

Samuel Scowden, born July 12, 1849, in Adams County, Ohio, was a prominent citizen of Nodaway County, Missouri. After moving to Nodaway County in 1874, he settled near Gaynor City, Independence Township, and expanded his farm to 160 acres. Scowden married twice: first to Elizabeth Barks, who died after three years, and later to Phoebe Jane Lowery, with whom he had two children. Active in the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Masonic Lodge, Scowden retired to Maryville in 1904. He was known for his commitment to farming, community service, and education.

Biography of Theodore Blatter of Maryville

Plat Map of Nodoway County Missouri 1910

Theodore Blatter, born March 23, 1849, in Baden, Germany, became a leading German-American citizen of Nodaway County, Missouri. Immigrating to the U.S. in 1869, he initially settled in Illinois before moving to Maryville in 1872. Blatter established a successful butcher business and invested in local real estate, including a notable block on North Main Street and a 22-acre property in Maryville. Married to Elizabeth Wittauer in 1875, they had four children: Anna, B.F., Willie, and Anthony. A Democrat and devout Catholic, Blatter is remembered for his community contributions and business integrity.