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Biographies |
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MOGenWeb Site, Johnna Quick -- Coordinator |
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Biographies taken from A Reminiscent History of the Ozark Region, from Goodspeed Publishers. GEORGE W. PEARCY Ability, when backed by enterprising business measures and progressive ideas, will accomplish more than any other professional or commercial requirement. An illustration of this is found in the mercantile establishment owned and conducted by George W. Pearcy at Thornfield, Mo. This gentleman was born in Platte County, Mo., in 1848, but his parents, William H. and Jane (Henry) Pearcy, were born in Kentucky in 1813 and Indiana in 1818, respectively. After their marriage, which occurred in Indiana, they came to Platte County, Mo., later removed to Dallas County, and when the subject of this sketch was four or five years old they came to Ozark County, locating on a farm on Bryant’s Fork where the mother died in 1858. The father afterward removed to Benton County, Ark., and later to Johnson County, where he died in 1877, having been a farmer throughout life, and in every sense of the word a self-made man. His father, George Pearcy, was of English descent, was a music teacher by occupation, and died in Platte County, Mo. Nothing is known of the maternal grandfather. After the death of his first wife, William H. Pearcy married again, his second wife being Eliza Scrivner, by whom he had two children: Samantha and Lafayette of Laclede County. George W. Pearcy, the immediate subject of this notice, is the fifth of eight children born to his parents: John W., who died in Indian Territory in 1862; Mary A., who resided in Texas; Sarah J. (Mrs. Baker) of California; Isabella, who died in Ozark County in 1862; George W.; Winfield Scott, who died in Dallas County in 1864; Bathena, who became the wife of Elijah Jones and died in Ozark County; and William H., who resides in the Indian Territory. George W. Pearcy received a common-school education and was also an attendant of Berryville and Mountain Home Academies in Arkansas. In August, 1864, he joined Company C, Forty-sixth Missouri Infantry, with which he operated in the southwestern part of the State, participating in many skirmishes. He was honorably discharged at Springfield, March 6, 1865. After the war he finished his schooling and taught for some years in Webster and Greene Counties. In 1877 he led to the altar Miss Mary E., daughter of Samuel Turner, a native of Missouri. Mr. Pearcy was left a widower the same year of his marriage, and in 1881 married Josephine, daughter of Joseph and Sarah Lyon, the former of whom was killed at his home in Douglas County during the war, and the latter is still living. Mrs. Pearcy was born in Douglas County and has borne her husband two children. In 1877 Mr. Pearcy engaged in the mercantile business at Thornfield, and has done a very prosperous business there ever since, his annual sales at the present time amounting to $12,000. He also built and has operated a saw mill for some years, and in addition to these enterprises owns and superintends nearly 900 acres of land, a consideration portion of which he devotes to the raising of stock. He is one of the best-equipped business men in the Ozark region, is strictly self-made, for he started in life with no means whatever, and his success is due to his own excellent business qualifications, keen discernment, energy and honesty. He is the efficient postmaster at Thornfield, and has been for over seventeen years, is a notary public, and socially belongs to the I.O.O.F. He has always been a stanch Republican in politics, and cast his first presidential for Abraham Lincoln, at Buffalo, Dallas County, Mo., in 1864, while in the army and when but sixteen years old. He has never been an aspirant for political honors, but has always supported his party liberally. |
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