Biographies
Biographical Sketches
D-F
From Goodspeed's 1889 History of Camden County
S. E. Darnell, general merchant and postmaster at Climax Springs, Mo.,
was born in Ohio in 1844, and is a son of Samuel and Nancy (Logan)
Darnell, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively, the former's
birth occurring in 1820. He moved from his native State to Ohio when
a boy, and in 1869 located in Camden county, Mo., where he was engaged
in carpentering and millwrighting. His parents, Samuel and Hannah
(Tibbs) Darnell, were Virginians, and became early residents of Ohio,
where they spent the remainder of their days, the father being engaged
in carpentering and boat building. The maternal grandparents, Moses
and Jane (Brookhaw) Logan, were born in Ireland and Ohio, respectively.
The former crossed the ocean and settled in Ohio, where he was engaged
in farming until his death. S. E. Darnell, whose name heads this
sketch, is one of seven children, six now living, whose names are as
follows: John, Anna (Lane), Richard, Caroline (Carter), Lewis Darnell
and S. E. The latter spent his early life in his native State, and
at the age of twenty-four embarked on the sea of life for himself, and
in 1882 moved to Camden county, Mo., and a year later to Climax Springs
where he established his present general mercantile business, which
stock is valued at about $2,000. For the first six months he was in
partnership with George Blevins, but has since been sole proprietor,
and has managed the business alone. He is a Democrat in politics, and
since 1888 has been postmaster of the town. In 1874 he wedded Miss
Anna Griesel, who was born in Germany in 1856, and is a daughter of
George and Catherine (Leidheiser) Griesel, who were also Germans and
came to America in 1861, settling in Camden county. Their children are
as follows: Anna (Darnell), Adam, William, George, Louisa, Matilda,
Sophia, Antulp and Della. Mr. and Mrs. Darnell are the parents of the
following children: Mr. and Mrs. Darnell are the parents of the follow-
ing children: Ardella, Emma, James, Cora and Everett. Mr. Darnell is a
Mason.
S. J. Davis, blacksmith at Linn Creek, was born in St. Francois county,
Mo., October 28, 1832, and is the son of Severe and Sarah (Parrick)
Davis, natives of Kentucky and North Carolina, respectively. The father
immigrated with his family to St. Francois county, Mo., at an early day
and there died. He was a successful farmer. In about 1844 the widow
and family immigrated to Camden county, and located on the Little Nian-
gua River. There were plenty of Indian camps, and the place was very
wild. The mother was afterward married to Benjamin Shumate, and they
moved to Laclede county, Mo., where she died. Of the six children born
to her first marriage S. J. Davis is the only one now living. He was
about twelve years of age when he came to this county, and here he was
reared on the farm. At the age of seventeen he was apprenticed to
learn the blacksmith trade, which he learned at Buffalo, remaining
about six years. In 1849 he came to Camden county, and located at
Mack's Creek, where he carried on the business for himself. In 1861
he came to Linn Creek, where he has since conducted the business alone.
He is also an undertaker, and manufactures coffins and furniture. In
1861 he enlisted in the State Militia, and for about three years was
company blacksmith. He was married in 1847 to Miss Mary Sharp, by whom
he has one child, deceased. His second marriage was in 1854, to Miss
Margaret Johnson, who bore him two children, one living, Cornelia. His
third marriage was to Miss Catherine Johnson, by whom he had four
children, one living, John W. His present wife is Miss Elizabeth
Skinner, by whom he has four children: Sarah, Belle, Mattie and Tea.
Mr. and Mrs. Davis are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church; he
is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the I. O. O. F. and Agricultural
Wheel. He has held the office of justice of the peace for some four
years.
Henry Debery, farmer, was born in Carroll county, Ohio, December 5,
1847, being a son of Thomas and Emma (Johnson) Debery, who were born
in Maryland and New Jersey, respectively. They both became residents
of Ohio when very young, and were reared and married in Carroll county.
When about eighteen years of age the father was crippled by falling
from an apple tree, and he afterward learned the shoemaker's trade,
following this occupation until he came to Missouri in 1861. He then
resided on the farm in Glaize township until his death, in 1875, at the
age of sixty-six years. He was a member of the Presbyterian church
while residing in Ohio, but after coming to Missouri united with the
Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he was an active member. He was
also an active politician, and a strong Union man during the war, and
furnished the Government with valuable information regarding the people
and country. His wife is still living, and resides on the home farm in
Camden county. Their eight children are named as follows: Henry, Alex-
ander, John, George; Mary, wife of D. R. Miller; Albert, Isaac and
Thomas C. Henry Debery attained his majority in Camden county, and
received a fair education in the common schools. At the early age of
sixteen years he enlisted in the Second Missouri Light Artillery, at
Lebanon, Battery K, serving mostly at St. Louis and along the Mississ-
ippi River. In 1865 his company was transferred to the plains in
Montana to fight the Indians, and he participated in the battle fought
on Powder River in Montana, which lasted about fifteen days. During
this siege the troops suffered severely from hunger, and were finally
obliged to eat their own horses and mules to keep from starving to
death. From this point they returned to St. Louis and were disbanded.
Mr. Debery farmed the home place for two years, but since his marriage
which occurred in 1867, he has been engaged in farming for himself, and
has been a resident of his present farm since 1878. He has held the
office of county assessor since 1886, having also held a number of
minor offices. His wife, whose maiden name was Samantha Shaha, was
born in Ohio, and when a child was brought to Missouri by her parents,
Jackson and Elizabeth Shaha, who were also natives of the "Buckeye
State." Mrs. Debery is the eldest of their eight children, and is the
mother of the following children: Ella; Effie, wife of Joseph Evans;
Charles, Vallie, Emma, Lilburn, Virgil, Atha and Montez. Mr. Debery
is a stanch Republican in politics, a member of the G. A. R. Post of
Montreal, the A. O. U. W., and he and wife are members of the Methodist
Episcopal Church.
James N. B. Dodson was born in Camden county, Mo., in 1852, being a son
of Benjamin D. and Joannah (Sprout) Dodson, who were born in Alabama
and Kentucky, respectively, and were among the early settlers of Camden
county. (For history of grandparents see sketch of Dr. William M. Dod-
son.) James N. B. Dodson, our subject, was reared on a farm near where
he now lives, but received only limited early educational advantages,
as the schools of his day were few and far between, and were of an
inferior kind. He afterward took a one year's course at the Richland
Institute, and at the age of nineteen years embarked in business for
himself, and for about eight months was engaged in selling goods at
Marshfield, but his health became badly impaired, owing to confinement
to the house, and he then came home and remained with his parents until
they moved to a place near Richland, in 1874. In 1887 he came to his
present place of abode, where he has a good farm well under cultivation
and is considered by all as one of the progressive farmers of the coun-
ty. In 1880 he was elected to represent Camden county in the State
Legislature, and served with distinction for two years. He has also
been a delegate to the State convention several different times, and
has ever been a strong supporter of Democratic principles. He contri-
butes freely to churches, schools and all worthy public enterprises,
and is a member of the A. F. & A. M. In February, 1883, he was married
to Miss Lola M. Stroud, in Benton county, Ark. She was born in
Laclede county, but was reared in Benton county, being a daughter of
A. B. and Mary I. Stroud, who were born in Tennessee, and came to
Arkansas previous to their marriage. The father was a Union man, and
came to Laclede county, Missouri, during the war, but he and wife are
now residing in Jasper county, Mo. Mrs. Dodson is the fourth of their
seven children, and she and Mr. Dodson are the parents of two children,
Lola M. and Joan Z., and are members of the Christian church.
Dr. William M. Dodson is one of the oldest settlers of Auglaize
Township, Camden County, Mo., and was born in Tennessee January 11, 1811,
being a son of James and Lucy (Davis) Dodson, who were born in Virginia
and Tennessee, respectively, the former's birth occurring about 1772,
and his death on the 23rd of December, 1832. When he was about eleven
years old he removed to Tennessee with his parents, and located in what
is now Sevier county. Here he grew to manhood on a farm, and after his
marriage, in 1804, he became a disciple of Esculapius, and eventually
became an eminent physician. From East Tennessee he moved to Middle
Tennessee, and located on a branch of Duck River, where he erected a
very fine grist mill, and resided here about eight years. He next took
up his abode in Jackson county, Ala., thence about seven years later,
to Jefferson county, Tenn., and from there to Hawkins county, and fin-
ally to Boone county, Mo. He died in Camden county, while on his way
with his family to Springfield, but left his wife and children in fair-
ly good circumstances, he having been the owner of a number of slaves
and considerable real estate. The mother was born in 1787, and died
November 8, 1847, both she and her husband having been consistent
members of the Baptist church. Five of their ten children are living
at the present time: William M., Dr. James N. B., Lucy (Estes), Zilpha
(Brockman), and Benjamin D., a farmer and merchant of Richland. James
N. B. was the first clerk of Camden county, and is now living, retired
from active business life, in Nevada, Mo. Dr. William M. Dodson was
almost a man grown when he came to Missouri, and his education was
acquired in the common schools of Alabama and Hawkins county, Tenn. He
began the study of medicine after coming to Missouri, being under the
instruction of his father, and after the latter's death continued his
medical studies under his brother James, taking a course of lectures at
Lexington, Ky., in the winter of 1836-37. He commenced practicing in
the summer of the latter year, at Glaize City, Mo., continuing there
until 1847, when he moved to his present location, where he has pract-
iced the healing art, off and on, up to the present time. He was the
only physician in the county for many years, and as he was very
successful, his practice extended over a circuit of forty-five miles.
February 21, 1843, he was married to Mrs. Mildred E. Bagerly, a native
of North Carolina, born in 1817. She and her first husband came to
Missouri in 1840, and here the latter died in 1842, after which his
widow came to Camden county, to take the boat for Kentucky, but here
met and married Dr. Dodson, by whom she is the mother of two children:
Lucy E., the widow of Dr. J. W. Armstrong, and Penelope, wife of Josiah
Traw. Dr. and Mrs. Dodson are active workers in the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South, of which he has been a member since 1845, and is now
a deacon, and he has always kept his home well supplied with church and
medical journals, and has kept thoroughly up with the times. He is a
Democrat in politics, and although he has often been urged to run for
office, he has invariably refused. During the late war he was appointed
chaplain of a company in the Confederate States army, but resigned
on account of ill health, and joined his family in Texas, whither he
had moved them in 1861. They returned to Missouri in July, 1866, where
they have since made their home.
Benjamin W. Earnest, a progressive farmer of Camden county, Mo., was
born in Morgan county, of the same state, in 1854, and is a son of Amos
and Mary (Wilson) Earnest, who were born in Tennessee in 1812 and 1818,
and died in Morgan county, Mo., whither they had moved in 1839, in 1870
and 1869, respectively. The father was a farmer and blacksmith, and
after leaving his native state resided for a time in Indiana. Their
children are as follows: Addie (Cooper), Isaac, Jerusha J. (Allender),
B. W. and John M. Benjamin W. Earnest resided in Morgan county until
seventeen years of age, then engaged in farming for himself. He has
been a resident of Camden county since 1882, and owns a tract of land
consisting of 450 acres, with about 80 acres under cultivation. He is
a Republican in politics, and cast his first presidential vote for
Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876. He and family attend the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South. His wife, whose maiden name was Mollie Roe, and
whom he married in 1881, was born in Cooper county, Mo., in 1862, and
is the mother of two children: Maggie and Henry. Her parents, Samuel
and Zerilda (Lee) Roe, were born in Maryland and Missouri, respectively.
The father was taken to Cooper county, Mo., when about five years
of age (1821) and there he was engaged in farming and blacksmithing.
He was justice of the peace of the county for fifteen years, and has
been postmaster of Proctor, Mo., for the past six years. The following
are their children: Lizzie (Greene), Samuel, Kelly, William, Mollie
(Earnest) and James.
James C. Earp. Among the farmers of Camden county, Mo., whose efforts
have been attended with a goodly degree of success may be mentioned Mr.
Earp, who was born in Miller County, September 21, 1843. His parents,
John C. and Mary (Record) Earp, were born in Tennessee and Illinois,
respectively, the former immigrating with his father, Josiah Earp, to
Miller county, Mo., at an early day. After residing in this county for
a number of years he came to Camden county in 1856, and here died on
the 16th of January, 1870. His widow and five of his six children are
still living. Grandfather Earp was born in Ireland, and when quite
young came to the United States, locating first in Tennessee, but died
in Hickory county, Mo. He was a lieutenant in the War of 1812. James
C. Earp's brothers' and sisters' names are as follows: Josiah (who was
killed in the late war), John C., William L., Mary A. (wife of Monroe
Stevens), Narcissus J. (wife of W. J. Miller). The subject of this
sketch was reared on farms in Hickory and Camden counties, and resided
on the old homestead until December, 1881, when he located on his present
farm. His home farm consists of 600 acres, with 125 acres under
cultivation, besides which he owns two other tracts, each consisting of
146 acres, which are well adapted to raising stock. In 1870 he was
married to Miss Sarah Kelly, by whom he has seven children: Olive M.,
Annie S., Thompson J., Carrie M., John M., Fannie J. and Virgil. Mr.
and Mrs. Earp are members of the Christian church.
Andrew Estes, a farmer of Adair township, Camden county, was born in
that county in 1843, and is a son of John G. and Lucy (Dodson) Estes.
John G. Estes was born in Alabama in 1809. He was a farmer by occupation,
and when young moved to Missouri, where he met and married Lucy
Dodson, a native of North Carolina, who was born in 1816. Of the ten
children born to them, five are now living, viz.: Mary G. Smith, Susan
Russell, Zilpha Foster, Penelope Gibson and Andrew Estes. Elizabeth
Chitwood and Lucy Simpson (deceased) were married and reared families
before their deaths. The paternal grandparents of our subject were
Andrew and Mary (Gibson) Estes, natives of South Carolina, who removed
from their native state to Tennessee, and in 1832 to Boone county,
Mo., subsequently settling in Camden county. The maternal grandparents
of Andrew Estes were James and Lucy (Davis) Dodson, who immigrated to
Missouri from Tennessee. James Dodson was a physician, and Mrs. Dodson
was a relative of Jefferson Davis. John G. Estes, father of our subject,
died in 1862; his widow is still living in Camden county. Andrew
Estes spent his early life in attending the common schools of his
native county, and at the age of nineteen began life for himself as a
farmer of the same county. July 4, 1861 he enlisted in the Confederate
army, Company A, Sixteenth Missouri Cavalry, under command of Colonel
Johnson and Capt. Charles Hawthorne. He participated in the battles
of Springfield, Lexington, Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove, and was taken
prisoner near Fayetteville, Ark., in 1863; he was confined at the
latter place three weeks, and was then taken to Springfield, Mo., where
he remained until March, 1863, when he enlisted in the United States
army, Company D, Eleventh Missouri Cavalry, Col. William D. Woods,
Capt. Holstein, and served until discharged in August, 1865. In 1867
Mr. Estes married Mary Foster, who was born in Camden county, Mo., in
1847, and is the daughter of Williamson and Nancy (Brown) Foster,
natives of Kentucky, whose four living children are James, Thomas,
Leonard and Mary. Jonas Brown, maternal grandfather of Mrs. Estes,
served in the War of 1812; his wife was Mary (Hart) Brown. Mr. and
Mrs. Estes are the parents of nine children, viz.: Elizabeth, Nancy P.,
Martha E., Jenora, John W., Lucy A., Ethel and Eltha (twins) and
Andrew A. Mr. Estes bought his present home in 1873; he owns 120 acres
of good bottom land, of which forty acres are under cultivation. In
politics he is a Democrat.
Joshua Farmer, of Camden county, Mo., was born in Montgomery county,
Va., April 13, 1837, and is a son of John and Christina (Bishop) Farmer
who were born in Virginia, and there made their home for many years,
but immigrated with the paternal grandfather, Joseph, to Missouri, in
1838, locating in Cole county, but died in Miller county. They exper-
ienced many dangers and privations in their trip westward, and had
considerable difficulty in crossing the mountains, which were at that
time infested by numerous gangs of cut-throats and robbers, but were
piloted safely through by a man by the name of John Gausley, who did
not know the meaning of fear. John Farmer, the father of Joshua Farmer
came to Missouri at the same time, and entered a tract of land in Cole
county, ten miles south of Jefferson City, and here resided until 1851,
when he moved to Fremont county, Iowa, and at the end of four years to
Andrew county, Mo., but finally located on the Osage river, near Linn
Creek, where he purchased a farm and remained until the war broke out,
at which time he moved North. At the close of hostilities he returned
to Missouri, and died at Linn Creek. His wife died in 1873. Two of
their nine children are living: Joshua and Joseph M. The former was
an infant when brought to Missouri, and until seventeen years of age
resided in Cole county. In 1861 he enlisted in Company B, Second
Battalion, but at the end of six months the company was disbanded, and
Mr. Farmer enlisted in the Ninth Missouri Cavalry, and from July 13,
1863 to July 13, 1865, served with this company, and fought bush-
whackers in Northern Missouri. In 1869 he purchased his present farm
on the Osage river, consisting of 300 acres, and is now considered one
of the prosperous farmers and stock men of the county. In 1860 he
wedded Miss Zeruviah A. Roberts, who died in 1871, having borne four
children, who are all deceased: Mary Francis, Joseph William and two
infants. In 1871 he married his second wife, Miss Fannie L. Edwards,
who died August 23, 1874 leaving one child, Margaret J. Mr. Farmer's
third wife, Indiana A. Farmer, whom he married in 1874, has borne
seven children, five living. The names of those deceased were James
Edward and William E. Mr. and Mrs. Farmer are members of the Christian
Church, and he belongs to the I. O. O. F.
Dr. T. J. Feaster, a successful druggist at Climax Springs, Camden Co.,
Mo., was born in Benton county, Mo., October 12, 1861, and is one of
five surviving members of a family of six children born to the marriage
of E. S. Feaster and Deborah (Cobb) Feaster, who were born in Tennessee
and South Carolina, in 1827 and 1825, respectively. They moved from
their native states to Benton county, Mo., about fifty years ago (1839)
and here are now residing, having followed the occupation of farming
throughout life. In 1861 the father enlisted in the Confederate army,
and served under Gen. Price throughout the war, participating in all
the battles in which that general was engaged. He was wounded at
Wilson's Creek, and was confined in the hospital for three months, and
surrendered at Shreveport. His father was born in Tenn., and his wifes
parents were natives of North Carolina. His children are as follows:
Mary (Bailey), George, W. A., Elizabeth (Brown), deceased; Dr. T. J.
and Emma (Nowell). Dr. T. J. Feaster made his home in Benton county
until nineteen years of age, then entering the Morrisville Collegiate
Institute, which institution he attended during 1880-81. He was then
engaged in "teaching the young idea" for about five terms, and also
read medicine under Dr. T. J. Sheldon, of Quincy, Hickory Co., Mo., and
in 1887 attended the medical department of the University of Kansas
City, Mo., graduating in February, 1888, after which he began practicing
his profession at Climax Springs; he has gained the confidence and
esteem of the public, and has acquired an extensive practice. He is a
member of the Masonic fraternity and is a Democrat, casting his first
vote for Grover Cleveland in 1884.
J. W. Francisco is a prosperous farmer and general merchant of Spring
Valley, Mo., and was born in Saline county, Mo., in 1849, his parents
being J. G. and Sarah (Wood) Francisco, both natives of Kentucky. The
former's birth occurred in 1812, and his death in Missouri, in October,
1888, his wife dying in 1880. They became residents of Saline county,
Mo., in 1837, and there followed the occupation of farming, and reared
their family of four children: Sophia L. (Ross), Anna J. (Martin),
Mollie E. (Martin), and J. W. The latter was reared in his native
county, and at the age of twenty years engaged in farming for himself,
and was married in 1867 to Miss Fanny Martin, who was born in Clark
county, Ky., in 1846. Her parents, Samuel T. and Eliza (Jones) Martin,
were also born there, and moved to Missouri about 1850, where they
reared their eleven children: G. Thomas, Samuel D., Charles, Frank,
Fannie (Francisco), Bettie (Yantis), Mary (Francisco), Kate (Garvin),
Helen (Moberly), Anna (Parks) and Hester. Mr. and Mrs. Francisco are
the parents of the following children: George T., Woodie E., Anna J.,
John S., Mary E. and Murray C. Mr. Francisco owns 160 acres of valu-
able land, with forty acres under cultivation, and his mercantile stock
is valued at $1,500. He and family attend the Presbyterian church, and
he is a Democrat. His paternal grandparents, John and Julia (Lewis)
Francisco, were born in Virginia in 1760 and 1780, and died in Missouri
in 1844 and 1859, respectively. They moved from Virginia to Kentucky,
thence to Missouri in 1837, and were there engaged in farming. The
grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary War at the age of six-
teen, and was at the battle of Cowpens. He was colonel of a regiment
in the War of 1812, and received one severe wound during his service.
The maternal grandparents, Thomas and Sarah Wood, were also Virginians,
and at an early day moved to Danville, Ky., where they owned a hotel,
and he was judge of Mercer county court.