George Paulding of Texas County, Missouri

George Paulding, farmer, was born in Allegheny County, Penn., January 7, 1821, and is a son of John W. and Alice (Cassilly) Paulding, the former being born at Fishkill, N. Y. His boyhood days were spent on a farm, but he afterward learned the hatter’s trade, which occupation he followed until 1842, having immigrated to St. Louis, Mo., in 1828, in which city he resided until 1852, when he went to Portland, Ore., where all news of him was lost until 1887, when a notice of his death appeared in a newspaper. His wife was of Irish descent, and died when her only child, George, was a small boy. Mr. Paulding afterward married Ann Dillon, of St. Louis, who was also of Irish lineage, and by whom he became the father of four children: John H., Hiram, Walter and Joseph. The grandfather, John Paulding, was born in New York, and was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and was one of the three men, Isaac Van Wert and David Williams being the other two, to capture the British spy, Maj. Andre, for which service he was awarded a medal. He was of German descent, and a farmer by occupation. George Paulding, the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, was seven years old when he came to St. Louis, but a year later when to Belleville, Ill., where he attended school until he was thirteen years of age, then returned to St. Louis and remained four years, working at the hatter’s trade. In 1838 he settled in Texas County, Mo., and since that time has followed farming for a living. He was one of the first settlers of the region, the country at that time being in a very wild and unsettled state, deer, bear, elk and other wild animals roaming the woods at will. There were no churches or schools, and religious services were conducted at the homes of the settlers. In February, 1842, Mr. Paulding wedded Miss Julia A. Turpin, who was born and reared in Arkansas, the following being the children born to their union: John M., William W., Alfred D., Adaline and Isabella. James F., Benjamin, George and Mary are deceased. The mother of these children died in December, 1866, after which Mr. Paulding wedded Mrs. Margaret A. (Cabble) Roberts, a native of Tennessee. Three of their five children are living: Henry, Lizzie, Agnes (living), and Ellen and Joseph (deceased). Mr. Paulding is a wealthy farmer and prominent citizen of the county, and has faithfully filled the offices of assessor, surveyor and presiding and probate judge of Texas County, being elected to these offices on the Democratic ticket. He is a charter member of the I. O. O. F., and he and wife are members of the Christian Church.