RICHARD W. BABCOCK
Living in a picturesque country and surrounded by pleasant neighbors, our subject pursues the calling of a farmer
with a degree of success that proves his knowledge of the business. His fine farm is located on section 17, township
54 north, range 29 west. Our subject is the son of Prentis Babcock, a native of Stonington, Conn., born December
31, 1799, and Thankful Babcock, who was born in New London County, Conn. The grandfathers of our subject were
military men, the paternal grandfather engaging in the Revolutionary War, and the maternal in the War of 1812,
participating in the battle of Stonington. Mrs. Thankful Babcock is still living, and makes her home with our
subject. After the war, Prentis Babcock removed to Chenango County, N. Y., where for twenty years he engaged in
farming. In 1841 he came to Missouri, locating in this township, where he entered and bought land, and industriously
endeavored to make a pleasant home. Before he accomplished much more than a partial clearing of the land, death
called him away. His children are all deceased excepting our subject. They were Paul, Leonard, Esther and Urania.
Before passing to the sketch of our immediate subject, the biographer pauses to more particularly mention the
excellent mother, to whose example and training her son owes much of his success. Her years now number eighty-seven,
she having been born July 15, 1805. She is the daughter of Ludwig and Mary (Davis) Babcock. Her grandfathers
Davis and Babcock were both in the Revolutionary War, and in her own life, as the faithful wife of a pioneer physician
and farmer, both in New York and Missouri, and she has had many and varied experiences. These are most interesting
and reveal to some extent the hardships of a pioneer life on the frontier. After the death of Mr. Babcock she
married Samuel Prior, and of that union two children were born, William and Beverly, deceased.
Our subject was born December 31, 1837, in Chenango County, N. Y., about four years before his father removed to
this State. Here he grew to manhood, meanwhile obtaining his education in the common schools of Ray County. In
1881, in Missouri, he married Mrs. Mary Stockwell, a daughter of Isaac Tomlinson, who had come to this State from
Virginia about the year 1855. Three children have been born of the marriage, one of whom, Harriet, is still living,
and now attends school. The two others passed away in infancy, Louisa being but two years of age, and little Leonard
only ten months. At this place Mr. Babcock has resided during almost all of his life. In March, 1862, he became
a soldier, entering Company C, Sixth Missouri State Cavalry, U. S. A., and was in the service three years, being
mostly confined to border warfare.
Our subject has a fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres, which is well improved and under a fine state of
cultivation. Here he engages in general farming and stock-raising, keeping a first-class variety of stock. Mr.
Babcock belongs to Lorenzo Cooper Post No. 81, G. A. R., at Lathrop, Mo. Politically, he is a Republican, bravely
upholding the party's principles on all occasions. In 1859 he made an unsuccessful trip to the gold regions at
Pike's Peak, after which he returned, satisfied with his old Missouri home.
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD of Clay, Ray, Carroll, Chariton and Linn Counties, Missouri: Page 368
J. ED. BAIRD, M. D
Dr. J. Ed. Baird, who since 1911 has engaged in the practice of medicine in Excelsior Springs, was born in Ray
county, Missouri , September 21, 1880, a son of Jesse and Rachel (Rowland) Baird, the former a native of Tennessee
, while the latter was born in Missouri . The father came to this state about 1870 and was married in Ray county
where he settled and turned his attention to farming. He died in 1881 during the infancy of his son Dr. Baird.
The mother, however, is still living on the farm where the Doctor was born.
To the public school system of his native county J. Ed. Baird is indebted for the early educational advantages
which he enjoyed. He afterward attended the Northwestern State Normal School of Oklahoma and was graduated therefrom
with the class of 1903. He then entered the University Medical College at Kansas City and completed his course
in 1908, winning the M. D. degree. He at once began practice in Oklahoma , where he remained from 1908 until 1911,
when he came to Excelsior Springs where he has since followed his profession most successfully. His ability is
acknowledged by all who have been his patients aq4 it is well known that at all times he keeps in touch with the
trend of modern professional thought and progress, his study, research and investigation proving strong elements
in his growing ability.
On the 3d of September, 1908, Dr. Baird was married in Oklahoma , to Miss Garnett M. Kendall, a native of Iowa
whose father is a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church. To Dr. and Mrs. Baird have been born three children:
Jack, Bill and Mary Garnett.
Dr. Baird is fond of a game of golf and is seen upon the links when professional duties permit. His political support
is given to the democratic party and fraternally he is connected with the Masons as a member of the lodge, chapter,
commandery and Mystic Shrine. He served two terms as president of the Excelsior Springs Commercial Club. During
the World war he took a very active part in upholding the interests of the government and was captain of the Medical
Corps attached to General Hospital , No. 14, and is captain in the Medical Reserve Corps, United States army. He
is always keenly interested in the welfare and progress of his city and state where his ancestors have lived for
many decades. His grandfather removed to Ray county, Missouri , in 1818, becoming one of the pioneers and was active
in all matters pertaining to shaping the early history of the state. His name is associated with many stories that
have to do with the hardships and trials which the first settlers experienced and with the work of progress and
improvement as the years have gone on. The same spirit of devotion to community and commonwealth was shown by his
father and is manifest in the life of Dr. Baird. He is a most progressive citizen and this quality is manifest
most strongly in his professional duties. He is a man of broad sympathy and kindly purpose and these have been
contributing elements to the success which he has won in medical and surgical practice.
(Source: Centennial History of Missouri, One Hundred Years in the Union, 1820-1921, Vol. V, Published 1921)
Submitted by Linda Rodriquez
A.M. BATES
A. M. BATES. In the business and civic activities of Excelsior Springs during the past twenty years A. M. Bates
has performed a more than ordinary successful and influential part. Mr. Bates came to the city a young man without
capital, embarked in merchandising, laid the foundation for a business career, and is now one of the leading real
estate men of Northwest Missouri. His administration as mayor of Excelsior Springs is remembered gratefully by
the citizens, and as executive of the city he inaugurated many improvements which have helped to increase the fair
fame of Excelsior Springs.
Mr. Bates represents one of the old families in Clay County. The family has lived here through three generations,
the first having come as pioneers, the second having carried on the development through the later decades of the
last century, and Mr. Bates himself represents the third, and his position in the community adds to the reputation
for progressiveness and enterprise which have long characterized the name.
A. M. Bates was born in Washington Township of Clay County, June 12, 1876. He was a son of Charles F. Bates, who
was born in Ray County, Missouri, October 30, 1845, and is now living on his homestead two and a half miles north
of Excelsior Springs. Charles F. Bates was a son of William and Serilda (Nowland) Bates, the former of Virginia
and the latter of Tennessee, who came as early settlers into Ray County, where the former died in 1884 at the age
of sixty-five, while the grandmother is now living at Excelsior Springs at the advanced age of ninety years. Charles
F. Bates married Elizabeth Miller. She was born in Ray County, three miles northeast of Excelsior Springs, March
24, 1849, and is still living. Her parents were William Andrew and Sallie (McKee) Miller, the former of North Carolina
and the latter of Kentucky. They came to Ray County about the same time as the Bates family. Charles F. Bates and
wife were the parents of ten children, all of whom are living as follows: Robert L., of Excelsior Springs; A. M.
and Ava E., twins, the latter the wife of Freeman Furman, of Excelsior Springs; L. E., of Excelsior Springs; Lucy,
at home; Sallie Shoemaker, a widow living at Excelsior Springs; William, of Excelsior Springs; Ella, at home; and
Frank, of Oklahoma. Charles F. Bates grew up in Ray County, was married there, and then moved to a farm five miles
north of Excelsior Springs, and in 1873 came to his present location, which is the old Miller homestead. That home
has been occupied by the family for more than forty years, and was originally entered directly from the Government
by the great-grandfather of A. M. Bates, Frederick Miller, who died on the farm in May, 1872, at the age of seventy-eight.
A. M. Bates grew up on a farm, received his early education in the country schools, and lived at home until twenty-one.
With money supplied him by this grandfather Bates, he then came to Excelsior Springs and made his first business
venture in the purchase of a meat market , which he conducted for some time, and thus paved the way for a larger
career. He and his brother R. L. Bates then bought a grocery store, and conducted a successful partnership for
six years, at the end of which time the brother acquired the entire stock. Since 1900 Mr. Bates has been successfully
engaged in the real estate business. He has platted and sold three additions of Excelsior Springs, and also owns
a large amount of farm land in both Kansas and Oklahoma, and operates a large stock feeding farm in Oklahoma. Mr.
Bates was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Excelsior Springs, served as its first president,
and is still a member of its board of directors.
In 1898 Mr. Bates was first elected to the office of mayor of Excelsior Springs, served for two years, and after
that term was in office as alderman for four years. In 1912 Mr. Bates was again choice of the citizens for the
office of mayor, and has led the city government and cooperating associations of citizens in the movement for the
making of Excelsior Springs a greater and better city. His service as mayor was concluded in the spring of 1914.
Mr. Bates is affiliated with the Masonic Order, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America,
the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In politics he has always allied himself
with the democratic party.
On January 16, 1895, he married Sarabe McGlathlin, who was born at Brookfield, Missouri, in 1871, a daughter of
John and Irene (Crisfield) McGlathlin, who came to Excelsior Springs in 1881, where her father was in the monument
business and later real estate dealer. He died July 8, 1914, at the age of seventy-eight, while her mother passed
away in 1906. To the marriage of Mr. Bates and wife have been born four children: Grace, Eugene, Harry and Donald.
History of Northwest Missouri Volume III Page 1399
Burgess, Henry C.
Henry C. Burgess was born in Independence, Jackson county, Missouri, in 1845. In 1859, he, with his parents moved
to Johnson county, Missouri, where they remained until in 1863, when they removed to Richmond, Ray county. Mr.
Burgess, in his youth, learned the wagon maker's trade, working at the business with his father, until the latter's
death in 1878, when he and his brother, Thomas J. Burgess, took charge of the shop and business, and have since,
as before, had an extensive trade. He, in partnership with his brother, does a general blacksmithing and wagon
making business. They also repair wagons, buggies and farm implements, as well as manufacture both, wagons and
buggies. They are superior workmen, and their work is equal in every particular to that made in eastern shops.
They employ generally, from five to eight workmen. The subject of this sketch is a son of Thomas N., who was born
in Madison county, Kentucky, about the year 1812, and died in Richmond, Missouri, in 1878. His mother's maiden
name was Couchman; she, also, was a native of Kentucky, and was born in 1815; died in 1874. The shop and residence
of his brother, T.M. Burgess, were destroyed by the cyclone of June 1, 1878. Two of the family died from injuries
received, and five others were seriously wounded. The house, shop and contents were utterly destroyed. The brothers,
however, nothing daunted, began anew after the disaster, and have succeeded admirably. Henry C. Burgess is a member
of the Christian Church, and also of the Knights of Honor. He is an industrious, energetic, and worthy gentleman,
and fully merits the success he has achieved, as well as the esteem in which he is held by his fellow-townsmen.
Ray County History 1881
Burgess, Isaac L.
Isaac L. Burgess was born in 1844 in Independence, Jackson county, Missouri. He is a brother of H. C., and T. J.
Burgess. In 1855, he moved with his parents to Johnson county, Missouri. He learned the trade of wagon-maker under
his father, who was a skilled workman. In 1861, he enlisted in company G, 1st Missouri cavalry, Colonel Gordon's
regiment of General Joe O. Shelby's brigade, Confederate army, and served until the fall of 1864. He fought bravely
and well, taking part in the following engagements: Carthage, Springfield, Prairie Grove, Helena, Franklin and
Nashville, Tennessee. After returning home from the army, he went to the Rocky Mountains and spent one year there,
and again returned to ray county, and engaged in farming, which he continued for two years; after which he resumed
his trade in Richmond, Missouri, and has followed it ever since. He is an excellent workman and has a large trade;
the people liberally patronizing him because of his industry, energy and superior workmanship. Mr. Burgess is a
member of the order of Knights of Honor. He is a worthy gentleman, prompt to meet every engagement reliable, honest,
and honorable. January 10, 1869, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Walker, an intelligent, amiable lady,
of Ray county, Missouri. They have two children, Charles F., born February 11, 1871, and Lulu, born February 17,
1874.
Ray County History 1881
Burgess, Thomas J.
The subject of this sketch is a brother of Henry C. Burgess. He was born in 1860, in Jackson county, Missouri.
His parents moved to Richmond, Ray county, in the fall of 1863, and here Mr. Burgess has ever since resided. He
was educated at Richmond College. When about thirteen years of age he commenced to learn blacksmith, working under
different persons, till the death of his father, when he and his brother succeeded to the business, which is fully
described in connection with the biographical sketch of Henry C. Burgess. Mr. Burgess is yet quite young, but he
is a skilled artisan, and being intelligent, prudent and persevering, his future is full of promise.
Ray County History 1881 |
