John Henry served in the army. He was a scout in Co. H. Stone Co. Home Guards. 1861 he was elected County Judge of Stone Co. but never served that term because he was away in the War. He served two terms later.

John Henry grew up on Crane Creek and married Elizabeth Wright in 1848 . She was the daughter of Arron Wright and Nancy Pritchard Wright . Arron died in Tenn. Before he could move to Missouri. After John and Elizabeth were married they lived on William and Jane’s homestead after William and Jane had moved to Texas. John and Elizabeth lived in the old log cabin on top of the hill above Crane Creek. I’m not sure how long they lived there before John built a new house in 1871. John hauled the lumber from Kimberling City by horse and wagon, which must have took a lot of time. The lumber was the finest pine, tight grained and very few knots so the house was built very sturdy. It is only in the last few years that it has began to fall in. This house was lovely inside and out. I remember as a small child  after John and Elizabeth had died my Mom took me in this house and it was still in good shape. My grandmother Elizabeth must have liked Blue for she had coal oil lamps that pulled down from the ceiling to light that were White with Blue flowers on them. Her walls had some wall paper on them that was white with little blue flowers. The fire place was trimmed with Blue. There were two big rooms and a porch that went the length of the house where they could set and visit with their company. There was a beautiful wash stand setting in the house by the fire place.

John must have been particular and wanted things just right. My Grandfather Thomas built a house on his Grandfather William’s homestead, that John had bought for him in his name. Thomas built his house too close to or over the line and John made him move it over a few feet after it was built.

John and Elizabeth had six children The first were named David and Nancy they both died young. They are most likely buried in the Anderson Cemetery. But they have no markings. There are many unmarked field stones and unmarked graves in that cemetery, and I know for sure that many stones have been removed since it was my job to lead the goats there to eat sprouts when I was a child.

Then they had Thomas Benton, Adam and Martha Ann. The last one was not named, probably stillborn.

I have been told that John in his later years would often relive his past as a scout and watch the woods for soldiers hiding, coming to attack.  In the early days of the War there were 12,000 confederate soldiers camped on Crane Creek. They said that the Bushwhackers would come through and camp near John Henrys place but never bothered anyone. My cousin Loyd was still picking up lead balls from the camp before he died and had quite a collection. John Henry had a large cow horn that he used to call hired hands in from the field to dinner. My cousin Onus Anderson in Aurora has this horn.

John and Elizabeth are buried in the Anderson Cemetery on the old homestead down in the horse shoe bend of Crane Creek, This is where I grew  up and  still have very strong ties to these beautiful hills of home, with their cool streams running through the hills. I thank God that I had the privilege to grow up on this farm It help me to set some values for my life and  appreciate  my family background. They put a lot of work in making it the place that it is. Those were the days when a man's word or handshake was  good as gold.