William F. Cavaness of Texas County, Missouri

William F. Cavaness, farmer, is a son of Edward and Lovie J. (Craven) Cavaness, who were born in Virginia and North Carolina, respectively. The father was taken to North Carolina when four years of age, and was there reared to manhood and married. His wife died about 1840, and he afterward married Mary A. Johnson, with whom he came to Texas County, Mo., in 1856, and here spent the remainder of his days, dying in 1865. His widow still survives him. Their family consisted of eight children, and six children were born to his first marriage. William F. Cavaness is the third child born to the first union, and was born in Randolph County, N. C., August 4, 1833, and received no schooling in his early days. He worked on his father's farm until twenty-one years of age, and then began working for himself, hiring out by the month for a year, since which time he has been engaged in farming for himself, and now owns about 783 acres of land, with about 100 acres under cultivation, all of which has been acquired by his own exertions. In 1853 he was married to Miss Martha J. Ward, a native of North Carolina, and two years later moved to Texas County, Mo. His wife died in 1857, and in 1859 he espoused Sarah Brown, a native of Randolph County, N. C. Thomas M. and Mary E. are the children born to his first union, and Alexander W., William E., Andrew D., Martha M., Alfred O. and Lorenzo are the children of his second union. Mr. Cavaness is a Republican politically, and a Mason, and he and wife are members of the Baptist Church. In 1863 he enlisted in the Sixth Provisional Regiment, United States Army, and served seven months, holding the office of fifth duty-sergeant.