Biography of Capt. Richard Wommack (1804 - 1880 )
The Troy Herald, Vol. II (Troy, Lincoln County, MO)  May 13, 1876.

"Recollections of Captain Richard WOMMACK"

Capt. Richard WOMMACK was born in Halifax County, VA in 1804.  When two years old his father went to Tennessee and settled near Nashville.  In a few years he moved to Sumner County, TN and shortly afterward to Smith County,TN where he died.  Brice HAMMACK, who had married the Captain's sister and came to this county in 1820, and Jos. SITTON, whom came here in 1817, returned to TN in 1823 on a visit.  They gave such flattering accounts of the new country that the Captain and his brother Hiram were eager to go at once.  It was some time before his mother could be persuaded to leave her home in TN for then the wilderness.  She finally consented and the party consisting of those named above and Brice BURROUGHS and Malcom SMITH, started on the 3rd of October 1823.  They passed through Troy, MO on Sunday the 22nd of October 1823, and camped at Levi BROWN'S spring.  Joseph SITTOB [sic], a great gallant, and noted even to the last days of his life for the extreme fondness for the society of young and handsome ladies, went on about a mile further, accompanied by BURROUGHS, to the house of Alembe WILLIAMS Sr. to see his pretty daughter, Sallie.  WILLIAMS lived on the place now owned by William FASSE--the old Jas. TRAIL farm.  His cabin stood across the road northwest from the old TRAIL house (from which Mr. FASSE has just moved into a new one), almost under the hill and very near the spring.  WILLIAMS probably moved to this place shortly after the war of 1812, during which he and his family were in the fort at this place.  The records throw no light upon this point, but show that Alembe WILLIAMS deeded the place, which contained 50 acres, being a part of the 400 arpents survey of Robert GREEN, to George GUINN, September 10, 1824, the consideration being two hundred dollars; GUINN conveyed it to John H. MONROE by deed of gift, July 17, 1827, and Richard WOMMACK, as sheriff, sold it to James TRAIL for twenty seven dollars, April 1, 1844.  What became of Alembe WILLIAMS, we do not at present know.
     Capt. WOMMACK settled on a tract now belonging to the heirs of the late James F. MOORE, built a cabin and cleared six acres of ground.  He can identify the exact spot, but without a plat does not recollect which section it was on.   More than likely it was in section three, possibly on the line of two, township fifty, range two west.  Here he remained two years, and in 1826 he went over to the STOUT settlement, near his father-in-law Mr. SMILEY, he having married his first wife August 18, 1825.  Shortly afterwards he returned to the forks of the Cuivre, built another cabin and cleared another six acres of ground just east of where he first settled.       

History of Lincoln County, Missouri (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1888) pp. 635-636.

Richard WOMMACK was born in Halifax County, Va., in 1804, and when two years old was taken to Tennessee. In 1823 he came with his mother to Lincoln County, and two years later he married Miss Cynthia SMILEY, who bore him three children.   After her death he married, in 1831, Mrs. Elizabeth GILMORE, nee HAMMOND, and by her became the father of seven children, two sons and five daughters.  She was a native of Kentucky but came to this State in early womanhood, and had one child by a previous marriage.  She died in her sixty-fifth year. The father then chose for his third wife Mrs. Fanny MORRIS.   He was a man of superior ability, and one of influence in his county.  He was chosen to represent Lincoln County in the Legislature during the following years: 1848, 1856, 1858, 1862 and 1866, served as sheriff four terms, and as assessor two terms.   He died in his seventy-sixth year. 

(See also Photograph of Captain Richard Wommack)

File submitted to HERITAGE PAGES of LINCOLN COUNTY, MISSOURI by Tina Wells, 24 May 2001.  Link change or update: 29 May 2001

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