Johnson County, Missouri Genealogy Trails

Wm. J. Mayes, the well-known and highly respected mayor of Warrensburg, was born May 7, 1847, in Warrensburg township, just east of Pertle Springs, in Johnson county, Missouri. He is the son of John B. and Martha A. (Gillum) Mayes. John B. Mayes was born December 22, 1821, in Green county, Kentucky. He was the son of John and Nancy (Berry) Mayes, who came from Kentucky to Missouri in 1834, and after a year spent in Lafayette county settled in Warrensburg, where he conducted a hotel and operated a carding machine. Later he removed to Montserrat township, Johnson county.

John Mayes was born in Pennsylvania and with his parents moved to Virginia, and later to Kentucky. In March, 1834, John and Nancy Mayes came to Missouri to make their home in the then thinly settled West. Both are now interred in the family cemetery near Montserrat.

John B. Mayes came to Missouri with his parents in 1834. January 14, 1844, he was united in marriage with Martha A. Gillum in Grover township and to this union was born Wm. J., the subject of this review. John B. Mayes was reared on the farm and his entire life was devoted to farming and stock raising in Montserrat township, where he also for many years conducted a general store. He was justice of the peace in Montserrat township from 1850 to 1861 and county judge for twelve years, taking the office in 1871. He died June 12, 1905, at Montserrat and his widow now resides in Kansas City, Missouri, with her youngest daughter, Mrs. Minnie Gott. Mrs. Mayes was ninety years of age June 22, 1917.

Wm. J. Mayes attended the public schools of Johnson county. At the age of fourteen years he began life for himself, working as a hired hand on a farm. The Mayes family moved to Illinois in 1863. They returned to Missouri in 1865. Prior to 1872, Wm. J. Mayes was employed as cowboy in Texas and New Mexico.

In 1872, Wm. J. Mayes and Anna J. Lee, daughter of Dr. J. L. Lee of Montserrat township, and a pioneer physician of Johnson county, were united in marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Mayes are the parents of the following children: Mrs. Eula G. Lyons, Birmingham, Alabama; Finis E., who lives on the grandfather's farm in Montserrat township; Roy B., who is a farmer living in Montserrat township; Elta Lee, at home; Wm. Ray, who is a farmer in Montserrat township; and John Jesse, who is employed as bookkeeper at Knob Noster for the Knob Noster Brick Plant.

Mr. Mayes was elected mayor of Warrensburg in April, 1913. He was re-elected in 1915 and again in 1917 and is now serving his third term in office. He has always known Ewing Cockrell, the author of this volume. In addition to the manifold duties of his office, Mr. Mayes devotes some attention to his splendid farm of fifteen hundred acres in Montserrat township. He is one of the most successful farmers and stockmen of Johnson county and has been an extensive stockman all his life. At present he has two hundred head of young cattle on his farm, which is one of the best in the state.

Mr. Mayes is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Warrensburg Lodge Number 673. He is a director of the Commercial Bank of Warrensburg. of which he was one of the organizers, and he is president of the Home Telephone Company. He is also president of the Knob Noster Brick and Tile Company. He is a man of unusual activity and has never taken a vacation in his life. He is a quiet, unassuming man, public-spirited and one of the leading business men of the county.
"History of Johnson County, Missouri" by Ewing Cockrell, 1918 - Submitted by Karen Hammer -2009

Rev. William Ray Dobyns; D. D. Bearing a name long familiar in religious and educational affairs, Rev. William Ray Dobyns is one of the foremost Presbyterians in the United States, and since 1899 has been pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of St. Joseph.
William Ray Dobyns was born at Columbus, Johnson County, Missouri, May 17, 1861. His parents were Benjamin Franklin and Margaret Ruth (Morrow) Dobyns. His father, long a well known physician in Missouri, was of French Huguenot descent, while the ancestry on the mother's side was Scotch-Irish. The maternal great-grandfather, John Ray, was a member of the territorial legislature of Missouri, and Ray. county was named in his honor. The maternal grandfather, Rev. Robert D. Morrow, D. D., organized the First Presbyterian church in the Platte Purchase of Northwest Missouri. In the field of education of the deaf, a brother of Mr. Dobyns has long had a conspicuous service. This is John Robert Dobyns, LL. D., who since 1881 has been superintendent of the Mississippi State Institution for the Deaf.
William Ray Dobyns received his collegiate education in the Westminster College at Fulton, and in 1889 was graduated Bachelor of Divinity from the McCormick Theological Seminary of Chicago. In 1901 Westminster College conferred upon him the degree of D. D. His ordination as a Presbyterian minister occurred in 1889, and his active service has been continuous since that date. Dr. Dobyns was the organizer and the first pastor of Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Chicago.
During 1890-91 he was financial secretary for Westminster College. His first long service as a pastor was in charge of the First Presbyterian church at Marshall, Missouri, from 1891 to 1899, and that pastorate was followed by his induction as pastor of the First Presbyterian church of St. Joseph. This is one of the largest congregations in the Presbyterian denomination in Northwest Missouri, and Dr. Dobyns has proved both a popular and efficient administrator of his pastorate.
Many duties have called him outside of his immediate church. Dr. Dobyns was a member of the council of the World's Presbyterian Alliance at the Liverpool, England, Meeting in 1904. He has since 1909 been chairman of the Executive Committee of the Young Men's Christian Association of Missouri; was for twelve years, from 1899 to 1911, chairman of the Home Mission Work in Missouri; is founder and president of the Board of Trustees of the "School of the Ozarks," at Forsyth, Missouri; since its foundation in 1897, he has been trustee of the Presbyterian Theological Seminary at Louisville, Kentucky; is a trustee of Westminster College at Fulton, and a man who stands deservedly high in both church and civic circles.
In politics Dr. Dobyns is a Cleveland democrat. He belongs to the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, is a thirty-second degree Mason, having taken both the York and Scottish Rites, and his local affiliations are: Trilumia Lodge Xo. 205, A. F. & A. M., at Marshall, Missouri, of which he is a past master; past high priest of Saline Chapter No. 74, R. A. M., at Marshall; past eminent commander of Missouri Commandery, No. 36, at Marshall, Missouri, Knights Templar; a member of the Hugh de Payens Commandery Xo. 51, K. T., at St. Joseph: and belongs to all the Scottish Rite bodies including St. Joseph Consistory No. 4. A. A. S. R.
Dr. Dobyns was married June 19, 1889, to Miss Mary Triplette Buckland, a daughter of ex-Senator Thomas A. Buckland of St. Louis. They have one daughter, Mary Ray Dobyns.
[A History of Northwest Missouri, Volume 2; edited by Walter Williams; Publ. 1918; Donated and Transcribed by Andrea Stawski Pack]

Marcus Youngs, president of the Citizens Bank of Warrensburg, is a native of Missouri. He was born in 1856 in Lafayette county, son of Edgar and Mary (Mock) Youngs. Edgar Youngs was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1828, the son of Joseph L. Youngs. Joseph L. Youngs and his son moved from New Jersey to St. Louis, Missouri, about 1846. A few years later, they moved to Lafayette county, where the son, Edgar, purchased a farm in 1851. His father moved to Topeka, Kansas, about 1860, and there his death occurred. Mary (Mock) Youngs was a native of North Carolina. The marriage of Edgar Youngs and Mary Mock occurred in Lafayette county about 1851 and to this union were born nine children: George, Fayetteville, Missouri: William E., deceased; Marcus, subject of this review: Mrs. Emma Foster, deceased; Mrs. Mollie Greer, Higginsville, Missouri; Theodore. Sharp,
Nevada: Mrs. Annie Parker, Warrensburg; Mrs. Mattie Houston, deceased: and Mrs. Fannie Purnell. Higginsville, Missouri. Edgar Youngs died on his farm in
Lafayette county in 1910 and his remains were interred in Oak Grove cemetery in Johnson county.
Marcus Youngs attended the public schools of Lafayette county, the State University at Columbia, Missouri, and Spalding's Commercial College at Kansas City, Missouri. Until he was twenty-one years of age he followed farming as his vocation. In 1877 Mr. Youngs came to Warrensburg as bookkeeper for the old Johnson County Savings Bank and remained in their employ for eleven years. When the Citizens Bank was organized in 1888 Mr. Youngs was elected vice-president and he has been with the bank continuously since that time. Mr. Youngs was largely instrumental in the organization of the bank.

The Citizens Bank of Warrensburg. Missouri, was organized October 18, 1888, with a capital stock of twenty-five thousand dollars. The first officers were: J. T. Cheatham. president; Marcus Youngs, vice-president; O. S. Wadell, cashier; J. T. Cheatham. Dr. C. W. Robinson, W. H. Hartman. J. A. Stewart, O. S. Wadell, Marcus Young,. G. A. Lobban, J. D. Eads, and E. N. Johnson, directors. March 22, 1911, the capital stock was increased by a cash dividend of seventy-five thousand dollars, making the capital stock one hundred thousand dollars, the present capital stock. The bank has a surplus of twenty-five thousand dollars and undivided profits amounting to twenty-three thousand dollars. The Citizens Bank has paid seventy-eight thousand dollars in cash dividends since its organization. The deposits at the time of this writing amount to four hundred twenty-five thousand dollars. The present officials are: Marcus Youngs, president: T. E. Cheatham, vice-president: W. H. Cheatham, second vice-president: J. V. Murray, cashier: A. Lee Smiser, assistant cashier: J. A. Stewart, G. A. Lobban, T. E. Cheatham, W. H. Cheatham, W. D. Faulkner, J. V. Murray, and Marcus Youngs, directors. The Citizens Bank gives special attention to farmers and stockmen. Of the original officers of the bank three have died: J. T. Cheatham. W. B. Drummond, and O. S. Wadell.

Marcus Youngs has been closely identified with the business and financial interests of Johnson county for forty years and there is perhaps no better informed man in the county on all matters relative to finance. The noteworthy success of the Citizens Bank has been largely due to his excellent judgment, keen foresight, and marked executive ability.
"History of Johnson County, Missouri" by Ewing Cockrell, 1918 - Submitted by Karen Hammer -2009


 

E. N. Warnick, hardware merchant, of the E. N. Warnick & Son Hardware Company of Warrensburg, was born seven miles south of Warrensburg, September 24, 1866, son of R. N. Warnick and Amanda (Oglesby) Warnick. R. N. Warnick was born in Tennessee in 1824. He came to Johnson county with his parents in 1834 and they settled seven miles south of Warrensburg. Amanda (Oglesby) Warnick was a native of Missouri. R. N. Warnick served as probate judge of Johnson county from 1886 to 1894. He died in Warrensburg in 1895 and his remains were interred in Shiloh cemetery. His wife died at Warrensburg in 1891. R. N. and Amanda Warnick were the parents of the following children: Mrs. Susan F. Woodford, deceased; S. F. Warnick, a farmer near Warrensburg; E. N. Warnick, subject of this review; and Mrs. R. L. Denton, wife of R. L. Denton, a wholesale grocer at Parsons, Kansas.

E. N. Warnick received his education in the schools of Johnson county and the State Normal School of Warrensburg. He attended the State Normal School two years. Mr. Warnick began life for himself in 1891, but for five years prior to that time he clerked in the hardware store of G. K. Christopher, of Warrensburg. E. N. Warnick's store was first located on the corner of Holden and First streets. In 1899 he moved to his present location. He began business with a capital of four thousand dollars. At present Mr. Warnick carries a stock valued at fifteen thousand dollars. He handles a complete line of hardware and also has the agency for Buick automobiles.

In 1891, E. N. Warnick was united in marriage with Emma J. Whittaker, daughter of Joseph Whittaker, who came to Johnson county from Illinois about 1868. Emma J. (Whittaker) Warnick was born in Johnson county. Her parents are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Warnick are the parents of the following children: Raymond N., who is in partnership with his father; Mabel, the wife of Clayton Bruce who is associated with Mr. Warnick and son in the hardware business; and Robert E., a Junior student in the Warrensburg High School.

Mr. Warnick is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is highly respected among the business men of Johnson county and he and Mrs. Warnick have a wide circle of friends.
"History of Johnson County, Missouri" by Ewing Cockrell, 1918 - Submitted by Karen Hammer -2009


 

F. L. Mayes, president of the Commercial Bank of Warrensburg, was born near Montserrat, Johnson county, April 25, 1873, son of A. S. Mayes and Nancy J. (Rothwell) Mayes, natives of Johnson county. A. S. Mayes was the son of John Mayes, a native of Pennsylvania. The father of John Mayes was a native of Ireland who immigrated to America and settled at an early day in Pennsylvania and there his son, John, was born December 19, 1791. The Mayes family moved from Pennsylvania to Virginia and later to Kentucky and in the sunny southland John Mayes grew to manhood. December 19, 1817 he was united in marriage with Nancy H. Berry in Green county, Kentucky, and to this union was born A. S. Mayes, the father of the subject of this review. A. S. Mayes was born in Johnson county, Missouri in 1844. John and Nancy H. (Berry) Mayes came from Kentucky to Missouri in 1835 and for a short time lived in Lafayette county. John Mayes entered government land near Montserrat to which place he moved and which he improved, making of the land a splendid farm. The Mayes family settled at Montserrat before Johnson county was organized. In 1838, leaving the farm, John Mayes built and operated the first wool carding machine in Warrensburg. He also kept the first hotel for two years. He returned then to the farm and there resided, a quiet, unobtrusive, peace loving citizen. Throughout the Civil war he remained upon his farm. He had united with the Presbyterian church at the age of eighteen and in 1843 joined the Cumberland Presbyterian church. John Mayes was a charter member of the Bethel congregation and was instrumental in the building of Mary's chapel, which was first located two miles northeast of Montserrat and later moved to Montserrat. His death occurred March 4, 1881 when he was eighty-nine years of age and his remains were interred in the family cemetery near Montserrat. John Mayes was one of the honored pioneers of Johnson county, who spent almost a half century assisting in its growth and upbuilding.

A. S. Mayes, father of the subject of this review, was reared on the farm near Montserrat. His life was devoted to agricultural pursuits and he was one of the best known and most highly respected farmers and stockmen of Johnson county. His home was in Montserrat township. He was united in marriage with Nancy J. Rothwell, daughter of James C. Rothwell, of Grover township, who came from Virginia to Missouri. Nancy J. Rothwell was born in Johnson county in 1850. To A. S. and Nancy Mayes were born the following children: F. L., subject of this sketch; Mrs. Stella Jones, Warrensburg; James C, Montserrat; Mrs. Wallace Werner, Kansas City, Missouri; and Charles S., Montserrat. In 1890 the mother died. A. S. Mayes was united in marriage with Mattie B. Rothwell, a sister of the deceased wife, and to this union were born two children, Nellie and Edwin A., who reside in Warrensburg with their mother. The father died at the age of nearly seventy-one years and is interred in the family cemetery near Montserrat.

F. L. Mayes, the subject of this sketch, spent the days of his boyhood on his father's farm in Montserrat township assisting his father with the work and attending the district school. He was given good educational advantages and he made the most of his opportunities. He attended the State Normal School at Warrensburg and Gem City Business College at Quincy, Illinois, graduating from the latter institution in the class of 1892. In 1897 F. L. Mayes and Margaret L. Fryer, daughter of Judge R. T. Fryer, of Johnson county, were united in marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Mayes are the parents of two children: Harland F., a graduate of the Warrensburg High School in the class of 1917; and Margaret Frances.

From 1893 to 1897, F. L. Mayes served as deputy county collector of Johnson county. In 1897 the Commercial Bank of Warrensburg was organized and Mr. Mayes has been connected with that institution since its organization, serving as cashier until January, 1917 when he was elected president.

The Commercial Bank of Warrensburg was organized September 1, 1897, with the following officers : W. L. Hedges, president; A. S. Mayes, vice-president; F. L. Mayes, cashier; W. L. Hedges, A. S. Mayes, F. L. Mayes, Isaac Markward, George W. Houts, James H. Parker, and J. D. Eads, directors and with a capital stock of twenty-five thousand dollars. At the time of the organization the bank was located at 122 West Pine street. In 1900, J. D. Eads accepted the position of cashier with the Peoples Bank and W. S. Clark was elected to fill the vacancy on the board of directors. The present officers are: F. L. Mayes, president; W. L. Hedges, vice-president; W. S. Clark, second vice-president; H. F. Berkley, cashier; A. H. Gilkeson, assistant cashier; F. L. Mayes. W. L. Hedges, W. S. Clark, H. F. Berkley, James H. Parker. George W. Houts. and W. J. Mayes, directors. James H. Parker, W. L. Hedges, F. L. Mayes, and George W. Houts have been on the board since the organization of the bank in 1897. The present capital stock of this splendidly and carefully managed bank is fifty thousand dollars with a surplus of fifty thousand and deposits of three hundred eighty thousand dollars at the time of this writing. The bank purchased their present building in 1912 and remodeled it. They still own the original bank building on West Pine street. The Commercial Bank of Warrensburg is and has always been conducted along conservative lines and all business exceedingly well managed. Mr. Mayes has reasons to be proud of the institution whose success has been in a large measure due to his tireless efforts and efficient management.
"History of Johnson County, Missouri" by Ewing Cockrell, 1918 - Submitted by Karen Hammer -2009


 

Melville P. Moody was born in Warrensburg in 1854. His father, W. B. Moody, was born in Kentucky, his family coming to Missouri when he was four years of age. He was a pioneer citizen of Warrensburg and figured largely in its growth and business life. Mr. Moody's mother was a daughter of Major Anderson of Henry county who was also a native of Kentucky, his family having immigrated to that state with Daniel Boone, so Mr. Moody comes of American pioneer stock.

Mr. Moody received a common school education and began his business life as one of the firm of W. B. Moody & Son. Upon the failure of the firm caused by the panic of 1873. Mr. Moody secured a position with the St. Louis house of the American Baptist Publication Society, of Philadelphia and served it for twenty years as assistant and manager of its St. Louis and Dallas, Texas houses. He left this society to take charge of a charitable tuberculosis sanatorium venture at Alamogordo. New Mexico. The institution being destroyed by fire, he returned to Warrensburg and served upon the "Star" until the consolidation of that paper with the "Journal-Democrat." In 1913 Mr. Moody started the "Johnson County Democrat."

Mr. Moody has all his life had a predeliction for newspaper work and as a side line has served several papers as correspondent, reporter and miscellaneous writer, his specialty being semi-humorous paragraphing and verse.

Mr. Moody was married in early manhood to Miss Nancy Floyd, of Illinois and they have two children: W. B. Moody, a successful merchant of Greeley, Colorado; and Mrs. Frank A. Plumer, of Seattle, Washington.

In 1915 Mr. Moody was appointed Circuit Clerk of Johnson county by Governor Major to fill vacancy and in 1917, he was appointed by Governor Gardner, as one of the inspectors of the State Food and Drug: Commission-for a term of four years.
"History of Johnson County, Missouri" by Ewing Cockrell, 1918 - Submitted by Karen Hammer -2009

 

William E. Crissey, a member of the board of directors of the American Trust Company of Warrensburg, Missouri, has been actively identified with the business and commercial interests of Warrensburg for the past fifty-two years. Mr. Crissey was born February 27, 1840, in New York. He is the son of Theodore and Lydia Ann (Abbot) Crissey, natives of Connecticut. Theodore Crissey was born in 1812, a direct descendant of the Crisseys, who settled in the colony of Connecticut in 1635. The Crissey family is of English lineage. Two brothers, William and Mighill Crissey, emigrated from England and came to America in the early days of colonization, locating in Massachusetts and Connecticut colonies. From these two brothers the Crisseys in America have descended. Lydia Ann (Abbot) Crissey was born in February, 1819, in Fairfield county, Connecticut. To Theodore and Lydia Ann Crissey were born the following children: Edward S., a sketch and water color artist, who died in 1860 at the age of twenty-two years; William E., the subject of this review; Theodoret W., Midland, Michigan; and Samuel N. and Mary, twins, deceased. Theodore Crissey moved from Connecticut to Michigan in 1845 and settled near Battle Creek, where his death
occurred December 12, 1867, at the age of fifty-five years.

William E. Crissey received his education in the schools of Michigan. At the age of twenty-one he enlisted in the Civil War, serving in Company H, Second Missouri cavalry. Mr. Crissey enlisted at Battle Creek, Michigan, when the second call for volunteers came and served throughout the war. His regiment operated in Missouri and Arkansas, taking a prominent part in the battles of Little Fobi River, in northern Missouri, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Jenkins' Ferry, Arkansas, besides engaging in numerous skirmishes. William E. Crissey was associated with John D. Haskell in the quartermaster's department, having been placed in charge of one department. During all his service in the war, Mr. Crissey was wounded but once. July 18, 1862, le was shot in the thigh, but as it was merely a flesh wound, Mr. Crissey has not been handicapped seriously by it in his later life. In 1864, William E. Crissey was mustered out and honorably discharged at St. Louis, Missouri.

For some time after receiving his discharge, Mr. Crissey resided in Little Rock, Arkansas. When the war closed, he came to Johnson county, Missouri, and October 5, 1865, located in Warrensburg, where he entered the mercantile business. He was thus engaged until 1870, when he entered the abstract and title business. When Mr. Crissey came to Warrensburg in 1865, the present Market, street was a corn field and stump-covered land. A hedge ran north and south through the site of the Lobban buildings to Grover street and thence along the south side of that street. The present well-kept Normal grounds were then covered with timber.

May 1, 1866, William E. Crissey was united in marriage with Mary E. Doty, the daughter of Daniel C. and Mary E. Doty, of Battle Creek, Michigan. Mary E. (Doty) Crissey was a lineal descendant of one of the Pilgrims, who landed on Plymouth Rock, December 16, 1620. William E. and Mary E. Crissey were the parents of six children: William M., who died in infancy; Maud D., who died at the age of twenty-eight years; Leila May, who died in infancy; Nellie D., the wife of Charles W. McCaskill, who is a Methodist Episcopal minister now of University Place, near Lincoln, Nebraska; Mary Eliza, who died in the fall of 1910; and Ethel D., who resides at home with her father. May 1, 1916, Mr. and Mrs. Crissey celebrated their golden wedding anniversary and in October of the same year the death of Mrs. Crissey occurred. She and Mr. Crissey had been companions and copartners for more than fifty years.

William E. Crissey was a member of the city council of Warrensburg, Missouri in 1882 and 1883. He was a member of the school board for twelve years, from 1887 until 1899, and for many years was the president of the board. The Johnson County Trust Company was organized in 1908 and at the time of organization Mr. Crissey was elected member of the board of directors. In December, 1913, the company was reorganized as the American Trust Company and Mr. Crissey was elected as director, a position he now occupies. Though he has long passed the three score years and ten, William E. Crissey is active and alert, still giving the same thoughtful, conscientious care and attention to business duties, working in his office every day, as he was want twenty-five years ago.

Politically, Mr. Crissey is and has always been affiliated with the Republican party, which, upon numerous occasions has honored him with nominations.
Mr. Crissey is a thinker and reader. He sums up life In the following lines:

"The faint light of the morning of life scarce dawns upon us ere its mid-day sun bids us assume its cares and while we turn to obey the command, the lengthening shadows tell us the
day is ending and with the sinking sun, we step into another existence with little or nothing done for this."
 "History of Johnson County, Missouri" by Ewing Cockrell, 1918 - Submitted by Karen Hammer -2009

 

Charles G. Goodnight, registrar of deeds of Johnson county, was born December 8, 1869 on his father's farm near Montserrat. He is the son of George G. Goodnight and Sarah E. (Campbell) Goodnight. George G. Goodnight is a native of Kentucky. He was born December 26, 1841 in Frankfort, and when he was eight years of age came to Johnson county with his father, Thomas Goodnight, who located near Knob Noster in 1849, where he entered land from the government. Thomas Goodnight died on his farm near Knob Noster and his remains were interred in Thompson cemetery. Sarah E. (Campbell) Goodnight was born in Johnson county in 1843, the daughter of Squire Campbell, an honored and beloved pioneer of Warrensburg township. To George G. and Sarah E. Goodnight were born the following children: Lulu, who died in infancy; Thomas C., manager of the Star Theater of Warrensburg; Chas. G., subject of this review; William M., a well-known farmer and stockman, Montserrat township; Mrs. Mamie E. Williamson, Oxnard, California; Mrs. Alma P. Craig, Sedalia, Missouri; and Mrs. Zella Stormout, Centralia, Missouri.

George G. Goodnight and wife are still living upon the farm near Montserrat which he purchased in 1865. This farm originally included five hundred acres in sections 36, 47, and 25 but Mr. Goodnight has divided a part of it among his children and now owns three hundred seventeen acres. At the time of this writing he is seventy-five years of age and still as active as many men twenty years his junior. He is engaged in farming and stock raising and attends to the feeding of all the cattle. Mrs. Goodnight is as alert as her husband, physically and mentally, and both are enjoying good health.

Charles G. Goodnight attended the public schools of Johnson county and the State Normal School of Warrensburg. He was in attendance at the State Normal two years, 1889 to 1891. He returned to the farm and for twenty-two years operated a steam threshing outfit in connection with his work on the farm. Mr. Goodnight was elected registrar of deeds of Johnson county in the fall of 1914 and is now serving his first term in office.

October 6, 1904, Charles G. Goodnight was united in marriage with Fannie M. Gallaher, daughter of George T. Gallaher, ex-county surveyor of Johnson county. Mr. Gallaher was county surveyor for twelve years. His death occurred in 1913 and his last resting place is at Knob Noster. His widow, Mary C. (Knaus) Gallaher, makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Goodnight. To Charles G. and Fannie Goodnight have been born the following children: John G., Charles G., George R., and Mary Elizabeth. The Goodnight family has always been held in the highest esteem in Johnson county.
"History of Johnson County, Missouri" by Ewing Cockrell, 1918 - Submitted by Karen Hammer -2009


 

M. D. Aber, a prominent attorney of Warrensburg, is a member of a pioneer family of Johnson county. He was born in Ashland county, Ohio, April 22, 1867, son of David and Eliza (Shoup) Aber. David Aber was born in Carroll county, Ohio, January 9, 1843. He came to Knob Noster, Missouri, in the spring of 1869 and located on a prairie farm, four miles southeast of Knob Noster. The Aber family lived on this farm until 1883 when they moved to Warrensburg in order that the children might have better school facilities. Eliza (Shoup) Aber was born in Pennsylvania in September, 1842, daughter of Henry Shoup, who was a pioneer of Johnson county. Henry Shoup died March 12, 1875 at Knob Noster. To David and Eliza Aber were born eight children: M. D., the subject of this review; William H., the widely known physician of Aullville, Missouri; David A., a carpenter and contractor, Warrensburg; Samuel W., farmer, Warrensburg township; Leah, lives with her parents; Mrs. Alma Whitten, Jackson county, Missouri; James F., a teacher at Buckley, Missouri; and John H., died in infancy. Mrs. Aber, the mother of the subject of this review, is still enjoying excellent health. She is the only survivor of a family of twelve children.

David Aber enlisted in the Civil War with Company K, Eighty-second Ohio Infantry in 1861. He enlisted in Ashland county, Ohio, and was mustered out at Indianapolis, Indiana in 1865, having been in the service nearly four years. At the battle of Gettysburg he was shot through the body and for six months was confined in an army hospital. When he had recovered sufficiently he returned to his company and served throughout the remainder of the war. David Aber now lives in Warrensburg and, though he has passed the seventy-fourth milestone, he is more active than many younger men.

M. D. Aber received his early education in the country school. He is a graduate of the Warrensburg State Normal, class of 1888, and of De Pauw University, Greencastle, Indiana, class of 1894. After leaving the university, Mr. Aber was employed as court reporter, from 1894 to1897. He was admitted to the bar and has been practicing law at Warrensburg since that time. For more than three years he was assistant superintendent in the State Insurance Department under the administration of Governors Hadley and Major.

November 17, 1897, M. D. Aber and Mary Wright were united in marriage at Marion, Indiana. The friendship which culminated in marriage began at De Pauw University where both were students. Mary (Wright) Aber is a daughter of Jesse D. and Caroline (Sears) Wright, of Marion, Indiana. Mrs. Wright died September 4, 1905. Mr. Wright still makes his home in Marion. To M. D. and Mary (Wright) Aber have been born two daughters: Caroline and Mary Wright, both students in the Warrensburg State Normal.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Aber trace their lineage back to colonial ancestors. James Aber, an ancestor of M. D. Aber, came to America from Scotland in 1750 and settled at Morristown, New Jersey on a land grant which his father had procured from King George. Paul Sears, an ancestor of Mary (Wright) Aber emigrated from England to France and from France to Virginia about 1730 or 1735.

During the grasshopper devastation of 1874 the Aber family were living in Washington township. The grasshoppers left just enough corn in the Aber field to fill a wagon bed. It is impossible for words to depict the havoc wrought by the destroyers or the suffering caused by their raid. By means of a letter written to his father in Ohio, David Aber was instrumental in aiding many of the needy settlers in that never-to-be-forgotten spring of 1875. The letter was received by his father who immediately secured donations from members of his church by reading the message to them. The letter pictured so clearly the wretched condition of the stricken settlers that when the call for help was read at the church a substantial sum was raised and forwarded to David Aber, who purchased flour and other necessities and saw that it was wisely and properly distributed.

Politically, M. D. Aber is a liberal Democrat, one who stands firmly for principles which seem to him to be right. He is a strong supporter of President Wilson. Mr. Aber has a broad perspective of life and it is a pleasure to discuss leading issues with him and to obtain his viewpoint on current events. He has marked ability as an attorney, possessing a splendidly trained legal mind and keen reasoning powers, and he is regarded highly by members of the legal fraternity. M. D. Aber stands high among the best lawyers of the state of Missouri. He has been affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons for twenty-three years. He is a member of the Knights Templar, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and the Protestant Episcopal church. He is one of the vestry of his church.
"History of Johnson County, Missouri" by Ewing Cockrell, 1918 - Submitted by Karen Hammer -2009

 

Robert L. Howard, county treasurer of Johnson county, was born in Kingsville township, June 9, 1869, the son of J. P. and Ruthie E. (Lundy) Howard. J. P. Howard was born January 16, 1842 on the same section of land in Kingsville township, Johnson county where his son, Robert L., was born twenty-seven years later. J. P. Howard is the son of Joseph Howard, who was born in 1816 in Surry county, North Carolina. He came to Johnson county in 1837 and settled in Kingsville township where he entered land from the government. Joseph Howard was the owner at one time of more than thirteen hundred acres of land. He frequently saw prairie land in Madison and Kingsville townships sell for twelve and a half cents an acre. He operated a tread grist mill in the early days and later a steam mill for sawing and grinding which cost him more than eleven thousand dollars. His wife, the mother of J. P., died when her baby son was but six weeks old. The child was reared by his uncle, David Edwards, in Johnson and Bates counties and in Kansas City, Missouri.

J. P. Howard was the youngest of three children left motherless by the death of Mrs. Howard in 1842, the other two being as follow: Miriam, who was reared to maturity, married W. P. Gibson, and is now deceased; and Jordan J., deceased. Joseph Howard was later united in marriage with Amanda Simcox and to them were born eight children, of whom Frank is the only one surviving. Frank Howard resides at Fort Scott, Kansas. After the death of Amanda (Simcox) Howard, Joseph Howard was united in marriage with Lydia Tillbury. Her death occurred about 1889. Joseph Howard died on his farm in Kingsville township in 1908 and his last resting place is in the family cemetery on the home place.

After the Civil War, J. P. Howard, father of the subject of this review, returned to Kingsville township, Johnson county in 1866 and he has lived on the home place since that time. In 1867 he was united in marriage with Ruthie E. Lundy, who was born and reared in Jackson township, Johnson county on the place now owned by her son, Robert L. J. P. and Ruthie E. Howard were the parents of the following children: Robert L., the subject of this review; a daughter, died in infancy; Emmet M., farming the home place with his father; Mrs. Minnie M. Ferguson, wife of Newland Ferguson of Jackson township; and Mrs. Grace M. Karr, wife of Ralph Karr of Jackson township. Mrs. Howard died in 1907 and is interred in the Howard cemetery. Mr. Howard still follows farming and stock raising on the home place in Kingsville township where he lives with his son, Emmet M.

Robert L. Howard received his primary education in the public schools of Johnson county. He attended Odessa College and completed his schooling in the Warrensburg State Normal, which he attended one year. After leaving school he returned to the farm and was engaged in the pursuits of agriculture until his appointment as deputy county clerk under Theodore Hyatt. In November, 1916 Robert L. Howard was elected treasurer of Johnson county and he is now serving with satisfaction to his constituents. Mr. Howard possesses a pleasing personality and genial manners which make for him countless friends.

In 1895, Robert L. Howard and Maude M. Kinney were united in marriage. Maude M. (Kinney) Howard is the daughter of John R. Kinney, of Polk township, Cass county. Her mother died when Mrs. Howard was but a child. Mr. Kinney is at present in Tennessee. To Robert L. and Maude M. Howard has been born one daughter, Ruth L., who is a graduate of the Warrensburg High School, class of 1917 and is now a student in the State Normal School, Warrensburg.
"History of Johnson County, Missouri" by Ewing Cockrell, 1918 - Submitted by Karen Hammer -2009

C. L. Gillilan, secretary of the American Trust Company, Warrensburg, is a native of Johnson county and a member of a prominent pioneer family of Columbus township where he was born January 2, 1880, the son of John M. and Rachel Ruth (Kelly) Gillilan. John M-. Gillilan was born June 16, 1837 in West Virginia, the son of George Gillilan, with whom he came to Missouri. John M. Gillilan was fifteen years of age when he came to Missouri with his father in 1852 and located on the farm in Columbus township, Johnson county, where twenty-eight years later his son, C. L., the subject of this review, was born. George Gilillan died shortly after coming West and his remains were interred in Mt. Tabor cemetery in Lafayette county. This cemetery is one of the oldest in Missouri and was laid out by John McNeel, an uncle of C. L. Gillilan. Rachel Ruth (Kelly) Gillilan was born March 1, 1842 in Columbus township, Johnson county within two and a half miles of her present home. She is the daughter of Captain John Kelly, who received his title while in service in the Mormon war. His wife's maiden name was Ray and Ray county, Missouri was named in honor of her father. Both parents of Mrs. Gillilan are now deceased and their remains were buried in the Kelly cemetery on the old homestead in Columbus township. To John M. and Rachel Ruth Gillilan were born the following children: Mrs. Martha Grinstead, wife of W. D. Grinstead, who resides near Holden, Missouri; W. P., deceased; Mrs. Anna F. Van Meter, wife of Joseph A. Van Meter of Odessa, Missouri; Mrs. Lydia C. Violet, who was the wife of Harry Violet, who is now deceased, and she resides at Fayetteville; J. G., Columbus; R. R., Odessa, Missouri; Beatrice, Centerview; Mrs. Gertrude Anderson, wife of Leonard Anderson of Odessa, Missouri; C. L., the subject of this sketch; Ethel, Centerview; C. G., Centerview; and W. R., deceased. John M. Gillilan is a well-known and highly respected farmer and stockman of Columbus township. He was eighty years of age June 16, 1917. For sixty-five years he has lived in Johnson county and he has nobly done his part in aiding the development of his township and county.

C. L. Gillilan attended the public schools of Johnson county. His boyhood was spent on the farm and until he was twenty-one years of age he was engaged in the pursuits of agriculture. In 1902 he was appointed deputy assessor and served under T. J. Summers for seven years. In the election of 1908 C. L. Gillilan was elected county assessor of Johnson county and in 1912 was reelected, his term of office expiring June 1, 1917. Mr. Gillilan has been elected secretary of the American Trust Company of Warrensburg, a position which he now holds. He is unmarried.

The American Trust Company of Warrensburg was organized in 1908 and was known as the Johnson County Trust Company. In 1913 the Johnson County Trust Company consolidated with the American Bank and the name was changed to American Trust Company. The present capital stock is fifty thousand dollars with a surplus fund of twenty-five thousand dollars. The deposits on March 5, 1917 amounted to two hundred forty thousand dollars. The present officials of the bank are: C. A. Harrison, president;
George W. Lemmon, vice-president; C. L. Gillilan, secretary and treasurer; W. E. Crissey, general manager; R. L. Campbell, P. D. Fitch, C. A. Shepard, T. H. Doolin, T. B. Montgomery, C. J. Rucker, Nick M. Bradley, and Wm. Shockey, directors. The American Trust Company is one of the best managed and soundest financial institutions in Johnson county.
"History of Johnson County, Missouri" by Ewing Cockrell, 1918 - Submitted by Karen Hammer -2009

 

E. F. Tracy, presiding judge of Johnson county, Missouri, was born in Lafayette county, Missouri, November 23, 1855. He is the son of William F. and Sarah L. (Atkinson) Tracy, natives of Kentucky. William F. Tracy was born November 22, 1827, in Montgomery county near Mt. Sterling. He was the son of Noland Tracy, who came to Missouri in 1835 or. 1836, when his son, William F., was about eight years of age, and settled on a farm in Lafayette county, near the present Johnson county line. Noland Tracy resided on his farm in Lafayette county the remainder of his life. His son, William F., was reared on his father's farm and when he had attained maturity purchased a farm near his father's place, on Davis creek. Sarah L. (Atkinson) Tracy was born in Kentucky in 1825. William F. and Sarah L. Tracy were the parents of four children: E. F., the subject of this review; Anna C, who married Monroe Fox, now deceased, and she is now the wife of Alfred Bishop, of Odessa, Missouri, where they are at present residing although their home is near Mt. Tabor; Theodore, who died in infancy; and one child, who died in infancy. In 1899, William F. Tracy died at the age of seventy-two years. Interment was made in the cemetery at Mt. Tabor. He was followed in death by his wife in 1900. She was seventy-four years of age. Her remains were also interred in the Mt. Tabor cemetery.

E. F. Tracy received his education in the public schools of Lafayette county, Missouri. He was reared on the farm and practically all his life has been engaged in agricultural pursuits. Until he had attained his majority he was employed in farming in Lafayette county. When he became of age he moved to Johnson county and located in Hazel Hill township, where he purchased a farm, after he had farmed the place for three years, and lived on that place for twenty-five years. This farm comprised two hundred twenty acres and upon it Judge Tracy raised cattle and hogs, following the business of feeding and shipping, in which he has ever since been engaged, and while he lives in Warrens-burg he continues to direct the operation of the place. For the past ten years he has handled mules. He now owns four hundred ninety acres of land in Hazel Hill township, Johnson county.

In 1905 Judge Tracy moved from his farm to Warrensburg, where he purchased property at 208 Broad street. He has since rebuilt the home. He was elected judge of the county court in 1910 and re-elected in 1914, and is the presiding judge at the present time. Judge Tracy is a man of marked ability and he has filled the office of county judge with great credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. During his incumbency, he has given special attention to culverts, bridges, and roads and as a result a fine system of permanent roads will be covering Johnson county. Judge Tracy is very careful in the expenditure of money. The county is at the present time spending about seventy thousand dollars annually on roads. A bonus is given to the district which raises the half, or fifty per cent, of the required sum, by township or private donations.

October 28, 1879, E. F. Tracy and Mary L. Redford were united in marriage. Mary L. (Redford) Tracy is the daughter of A. J. and Margaret E. (Harrison) Redford. A. J. Redford was born in 1827 in North Carolina. He came to Missouri when a boy and located in Moniteau county. He later moved to Johnson county, where he settled temporarily in Hazel Hill township. About 1870 he moved to Warrensburg. A. J. Redford was a prominent and influential stockman in the early days, his sales and purchases covering all Johnson county. He drove stock to Sedalia, Missouri, and shipped them from that place. He was also an early-day teamster, working between Warrensburg and Lexington. Margaret E. (Harrison) Redford was born in Alabama. Mr. and Mrs. Redford were the parents of the following children: J. E., who resides in Hazel Hill township; Mrs. Phoebe A. Frost, Warrensburg, Missouri; Mrs. E. F. Tracy, wife of the subject of this review; Mrs. E. N. Johnson, Warrensburg, Missouri; Mrs. N. M. Naylor, Springfield, Missouri; and W. O.. who resides in Hazel Hill township. In 1911, A. J. Redford died and his remains were interred in the cemetery at Warrensburg. Three years later he was followed in death by his wife, her death occurring in 1914, and she was also buried in the Warrensburg cemetery.
Judge Tracy is of pioneer lineage. His maternal grandfather, John Atkinson, came to Missouri in a "prairie schooner," and settled in Johnson county in the early thirties. The "schooner" traveled the Warrensburg-Lexington road.
"History of Johnson County, Missouri" by Ewing Cockrell, 1918 - Submitted by Karen Hammer -2009

BACK
Johnson County, Missouri Genealogy Trails
 © 2010 by Genealogy Trails  -  All Rights Reserved - With full rights reserved for original submitters.