Dade County Archives - Page 6 of 7

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

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 James F. Finley of Center Township Read More »

Biography of Martin Fidler of Washington Township

Dade County

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 Martin Fidler of Washington Township Read More »

Biography of R. C. Divine of Sac Township

Dade County

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 R. C. Divine of Sac Township Read More »

Biography of James M. Divine of Greenfield

Dade County

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 James M. Divine of Greenfield Read More »

Biography of John A. Davis of Greenfield

Dade County

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.

Biography of John A. Davis of Greenfield Read More »

Biography of W. J. Davis of Lockwood

Dade County

W. J. Davis, born in Saratoga County, New York, in 1835, was the proprietor of the Evergreen Stock Farm in Lockwood, Missouri. Since 1884, he bred and dealt in Clydesdale horses, maintaining a highly regarded collection of blooded animals. Previously, he bred fine Jacks and Norman horses, winning numerous awards at Southwest Missouri fairs. A pioneer in thoroughbred cattle breeding, Davis moved to Missouri in 1869, becoming a leading farmer. He played a key role in developing Lockwood, contributing significantly to local infrastructure. Davis was also a member of the I.O.O.F and Lamar Encampment No. 99.

Biography of W. J. Davis of Lockwood Read More »

Biography of John L. Daugherty of Dadeville

Dade County

John L. Daugherty, a notable educator in Dadeville, Missouri, was born on January 22, 1858, in Tazewell County, Virginia. His parents, George G. and Mary (Gillispie) Daugherty, were both Virginians. George, a tailor of Irish descent, moved the family to Missouri in 1870, eventually settling in Dade County in 1876. John, the eldest of five children, began teaching in Dade County at nineteen and taught sixteen terms, including one year in Dadeville. In 1882, he married Flora Wheeler, with whom he had a respected presence in the community. They were both members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

Biography of John L. Daugherty of Dadeville Read More »

Biography of Robert M. Crutcher of Arcola

Dade County

Dr. Robert M. Crutcher, a prominent physician and surgeon in Arcola, Missouri, was born on April 7, 1848, in Middle Tennessee. He is the son of William H. and Charity (Evans) Crutcher. After graduating from the University of Nashville’s medical department in 1874, he moved to Cane Hill, Missouri, before settling in Arcola in 1879. He married Mary V. Rountree in 1874, and they had six children, five of whom survived. Dr. Crutcher is a member of the Garrett Lodge of Free Masons and the Christian Church, where he serves as an elder and Sunday school superintendent. He is a Democrat.

Biography of Robert M. Crutcher of Arcola Read More »

Biography of Robert Cowan of Dadeville

Dade County

Robert Cowan, a farmer and stock-raiser near Dadeville, Missouri, was born in 1827 in Sullivan County, Tennessee. He was the son of William R. and Nancy (Sursong) Cowan. In 1848, he married Mary J. McConnel, who died in 1850, leaving one child, William R. Cowan. In 1851, he married Margaret E. Haley, with whom he had six children. Robert moved to Missouri in 1844, settling on a 320-acre farm. He served in the Sixteenth Regiment Missouri Cavalry during the Civil War and was a county judge of Dade County. He transitioned from the Republican to the Democratic party in 1884.

Biography of Robert Cowan of Dadeville Read More »

Biography of John R. Clopton of Dadeville

Dade County

John R. Clopton, a merchant and mail contractor in Dadeville, Missouri, was born on January 22, 1852, in Dade County. He married Martha A. Gaunt on July 19, 1874, and they had six children: Walter T., Carter E., Charles R., Franklin E., Elizabeth J., and John H. John is the son of R. G. and Elizabeth (Fanning) Clopton and the grandson of Gui and Mary (Bryant) Clopton. His grandfather Gui Clopton, born in North Carolina, moved to Missouri in 1825. John has been involved in various land and business ventures, including a six-year mail route contract ending in 1891.

Biography of John R. Clopton of Dadeville Read More »