Nodaway County, Missouri History of 1882 Biographicals
(transcibed by Pat O'Dell: genpat@netins.net)
Thomas P. Wilson
Wilson, Thomas P., section 30, post office Clearmont. The subject of this sketch is a native of Champaign County, Ohio, where he was born January 27, 1836. He was there educated, and in 1865, he emigrated west and settled in this county. In 1869, he located where he now resides, having 125 acres of as fine land as there is in the county, part of which is under cultivation. Mr Wilson was married to Miss Mary C. Goslee, a native of Ohio, September 13, 1857. By this happy union there is one child: Florence. They are members of the M.E. Church. Mr Wilson has been clerk of this township, road master and school director for many years. During the war he enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Sixty-fourth Ohio Volunteers, and was honorably discharged in 1867. He was in many of the hardest battles of the war, among the most prominent of which was the battle of Pittsburg Landing.
[page 548] Samuel W. Puntenney, farmer and stock raiser, section 32, post office College Springs, Iowa, was born in Adams County, Ohio, May 31, 1829. He was reared and educated in his native county, and in the spring of 1855, he moved to Hancock County, Illinois, and while in that location in 1862, he enlisted in Company D, Seventy-eighth Illinois Infantry. He was mustered in September 1st as private, and mustered out in January, 1865, as second lieutenant, having participated in many important battles. After a time, he returned to Illinois, and in the fall of 1866, he became a citizen of Nodaway County, Missouri, where he has for the past few years been making a specialty of raising fine stock. He now has a farm of 166 acres, sixty-six of which are in Page County, Iowa. Mr Puntenney was married October 21, 1852, to Miss Tabitha A. McMahan. She was also born in Adams County, Ohio, July 21, 1827, and was reared, educated, and married in her native county. Mr and Mrs P. have had ten children, seven of whom are now living: Martha A. (now Mrs Whittaker), born September 16, 1853; Arminta D. (now Mrs Scott), born October 17, 1856; Ella S. (now Mrs Russell), born August 7, 1858; John L., born February 24, 1862; Samuel H., born November 23, 1864; George A., born September 20, 1866, and Francis M., born September 10, 1868. Mr and Mrs P. are members of the United Presbyterian Church.
[page 569] James Gray, section 21, post office Clearmont. Mr Gray is a native of Washington County, Pennsylvania. When at an early age he removed to Marshall County, West Virginia, where he resided until fifteen years of age. He then went to Noble County, Ohio, where he made his home for twenty-one years, following the occupation of farming. In the year 1856 he emigrated westward, and settled in Missouri. He has 180 acres of land that compares favorably with any in the county, most of which is under cultivation. He was married in 1845, to Rachel Haines, a native of Ohio. They have raised a large family of children, as follows: James D.C., Charles M., Sarah J., Isabella, Elizabeth A., Louisa, Rachel L., Dora E. and Ida E. Mr Gray has been constable of this township for three years. During the war he was a member of the state militia.
[page 587] E.M. Burch, stock dealer and shipper, is one of the most prominent of the enterprising pioneer business men of Hopkins. He was born in Monroe County, Indiana, September 17, 1845, and was there reared, spending his boyhood days on a farm and receiving the benefits of an education in the schools of the neighborhood. He immigrated westward in 1866, arriving in Nodaway County, Missouri, on the 20th of June of that year, and soon turned his attention to farming and teaching. In the spring of 1868 he purchased a stock of general merchandise at Braddyville, Page County, Iowa, and for two years followed the mercantile business, after which he engaged in the stock business at that place. Mr B. came from there to Hopkins in 1870, the town then being in its infancy, and commenced the stock business on a large scale. During the first few [page 588] years he shipped nearly all of the stock from this point, and during the winter of 1874 he shipped over eight thousand hogs, besides about seven hundred head of cattle. In 1873 he purchased a farm and commenced the feeding of cattle in connection with the shipping. This proving a profitable investment he afterwards purchased two more farms and carried on a more extensive business. Since 1877 he has not been as actively engaged in this business, on account of failing health, but has given his attention more to dealing in stock. Mr B has always devoted his attention closely to his business, and by strict honesty in his dealings has won the respect and esteem of a large circle of acquaintances. He has taken an active part and done much towards furthering the interests of the community. During the panic of 1876, when most of the stock men of the west were financially depressed, Mr Burch also lost heavily. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1867, and now holds his membership in Plum Lodge No 285 A.F. and A.M. He is also an active temperance worked, and has been a charter member of the Good Templars lodge of Hopkins since 1872.
[page 591] Jesse Caudle, farmer, section 6, post office Hopkins, is prominent among the old settlers of this district. He is a native of Ohio, and was born in Fremont County, January 31, 1808. He was there raised to manhood and educated in the district schools of that day and at the age of thirty years he emigrated to Indiana, and after a residence there of six years he removed to McLean County, Illinois, where he resided two years, and from there he removed to Jones County, Iowa, remaining three years. After this time he moved to Clayton County, and after a residence there of seven years he emigrated to this state, settling where he now resides. He has eighty acres of land that will compare favorably with any in the county, most of which is under cultivation. Mr Caudle was married in 1830 to Miss Olive Morrison. They have had eight children: Gavin, John, Alfred, Lotta, Margaret, Hiram, Olive and Susanah.
[page 593] Judge Philip Dale, of the firm of Dale & Jeffers, dealers in lumber and all kinds of building material, is one of the most enterprising citizens of Hopkins. He was born in Crawford county, Ohio, near the county seat, Bucyrus, on the 3d of August, 1832, and at the age of eight years he accompanied his parents to Iowa, where he remained for thirty-one years, engaged in farming. In 1870 he removed to California, and after spending about three months in the mountains he came to Missouri, settling in Nodaway County, where he continued to follow agricultural pursuits for four years. Mr Dale then settled in Hopkins, and in 1875 established his present business. In 1877 Mr Jeffers became associated with Mr Dale, forming the firm of [page 594] Dale & Jeffers. This firm is well known, and by principles of strict honesty in business transactions has gained an enviable reputation. The business of Dale & Jeffers at the present time is very large, amounting to $30,000 per year. In November, 1880, Mr D. was the choice of the people for the office of county judge, to which position he was elected and which he has since continued to fill with credit to all concerned. He has ever taken a deep interest in educational matters, and at present fills the position of school director of the independent school district of Hopkins. He is a member of Lodge No 333, I.O.O.F., of Hopkins, and has held all the offices within the gift of the order, and at present fills the position of treasurer. He is also a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, of Hopkins, in which lodge he has held the office of master workman for the past two years. Judge Dale is a very active worker in the cause of temperance, and is a member of Hopkins Lodge. He has always been opposed to the license law, against which he has ever voted. During the war he was elected captain of a company of Iowa State militia, and was commissioned by Governor Stone. Captain Dale was married July 8, 1857, to Miss Margaret A. Church. By this union they have four children: Freddie E., Martha E., Sarah J. and Frances M.
[page 596] John Doran, farmer and stock raiser, section 20, post office Hopkins, was born near the city of St Johns, New Brunswick, March 19, 1831. He spent his boyhood days on a farm on the banks of the St Johns River, receiving the benefits of an education in the schools of the neighborhood. In 1850 he acccompanied his parents to Marshall County, Illinois, where he resided until he came to Missouri, and since then he has given his attention principally to agricultural pursuits. He has also worked some at the carpenters' trade. When twenty-four years of age he embarked in business for himself, and made a nice farm in Illinois, which he sold in the spring of 1881, and immigrated west to Missouri, arriving in Nodaway County in March following. He then purchased his present farm of 120 acres, which is being improved, and upon it is a comfortable residence and good buildings for the accommodation of his stock. He has a fair orchard, and his place is well watered and well adapted to stock raising. Mr P. was married December 25, 1855, to Miss Sarah A. White. She was born in Marshall County, Illinois, November 11, 1838. They have seven children living: Lucy E., (now Mrs J.M. Gillfillen), William H., Phebe A., Elsie N.R., James C., Sarah A. and Beatrice C.
[page 597] W. Downing, president of the Bank of Hopkins, was born February 18, 1825, in Washington County, Indiana. His father was a native of New York State, and his mother was from Germany. The latter died while the son was about three years of age. At the age of ten years young Downing accompanied his father to Fulton County, Illinois, where he remained until about eighteen years of age. He spent his boyhood days on a farm, and by self-application obtained a fair education, although never having the privileges of attending school a day in his life. He immigrated west with a brother in 1843, and they settled in Andrew County, Missouri, being among the pioneers of that section. Savannah had only been laid off, during the year previous. Mr Downing soon commenced working out by the month, and subsequently came to Nodaway County, settling permanently about the year 1850. Here he commenced improving a farm, and has made agricultual pursuits and stock dealing his principal business since that time. During the war he served for about three months in the enrolled Missouri militia. He was engaged in the mercantile business one year at Xenia, and then came to Hopkins, when the place was in its infancy, commencing to deal in grain and stock. This he continued until he became interested in the banking business in July, 1877. In 1878 he became president of the bank, which position he still contines to occupy. His landed estate consists of some 920 acres, 240 of which lay in Kansas. Having left home at fourteen years of age bareheaded and barefooted, he has worked his own way through life, and is now numbered among the most successful and enterprising citizens of the county. Mr D. has suffered much from the effects of a serious illness at the age of eighteen, and at present is in poor health. He was married in June, 1849, to Miss Martha A. Broyles, a native of East Tennessee. She was born about the year 1819. They have reared several adopted children. Mr and Mrs D. are members of the Free Will Baptist church. Mr D. also belongs to Xenia Lodge, No 50 A.F. and A.M.
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