| BIOGRAPHICAL |
| The remainder of the pages of this book will be devoted to biographies
of people. A history of any sort is next to worthless that does not
tell something about the people that made the history of a given period
of the country’s growth and development. What is a history?
It is a record of what men and women have done.
Aside from its natural resources and continued blessings from God, Morgan county is what the people of different generations have made it. That and nothing more. A biographical history will be laid away in the book-case and kept by the children generation after generation because it contains their family history. It contains the names of father, mother, brothers, sisters and neighbors. The book is a good family record and furnishes much valuable information that will always be valuable. These biographical sketches are correct if they were given correctly by the person written about. The matter is all direct from them and does not come second-hand or by heresay. |
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| E. K. BUCK |
| E. K. BUCK -- Emanuel K. Buck, present county clerk, lives in
Versailles where he owns property. He was born at Tousburg, Ohio, September
6, 1860. He is the son of Dr. Henry Buck who also lives in Versailles
at the advanced age of 92 years and is still able to walk briskly up town.
Dr. Henry Buck, the father of this sketch, was born in Millerstown,
Pa., Feb. 8, 1915. His wife, Rebecca Buck, was born in Ashland county,
Ohio, December 30, 1828. E. K. Buck came with his father’s family
from Salem, Ohio, to Morgan county in 1875. Emanuel’s brothers and
sisters are as follows: Mellie, age56, John W., age 54; Charles W.,
age 51; W. H., age 49; George, age 45; Valinda E., age 44; Carrie, age
42; Viola M., age 38. The father of this sketch has been a physician all
of his live. In politics he has always been a leading, thinking Republican
and the son Emanuel is like his father in these matters. Emanuel
got his education in the country district schools. He is a
Charter member of the Gravois camp M.W. of A. He was married
in Linn Creek, Mo., May 3, 1891 to S. Elizabeth McComis who is still living.
Their children are: Glady M., age 15; Helen, age 12; Bernice, age 10. E.
K. Buck is the present county clerk of Morgan county. He was elected
in the fall of 1906 for a term of four years. His Democratic opponent
was Prof. Wray Witten, the present county school commissioner. Mr.
Buck’s majority over Mr. Witten was 282 votes.
Mr. Buck has spent the most of his live in the mercantile business. He clerked several years in Linn Creek for a business house. He clerked for business houses in Osage Iron Works, Gravois Mill, and Versailles. In the year 1901 he was in the mercantile business for himself at Gravois Mill and was burned out that year after which he moved to Versailles and formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, W. N. Gilson, in the mercantile business. In a few months Gilson bought Mr. Buck’s interest when the latter accepted a position with A. Popper which position he held till he was elected county clerk. |
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J. W. MILLS
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| J. W. Mills is the present postmaster of Versailles. He was born
eight miles west of Versailles, August 8, 1865. His father was William
A. Mills and he was born in Ohio, June 22, 1829; his mother’s maiden name
was Sarah Munholland, and she was born in Ohio, March 15, 1837. William
A. Mills came to Morgan county in 1859 and Miss Sarah came in 1844.
William A. Mills died August 28, 1885, and his wife died June 17, 1890.
William A. Mills was a distinguished Captain in the Union army during the
Civil War and was generally known over this part of the state as Captain
Mills. He was a leader and organizer of the Republican party in Morgan
county when that party was greatly in need of a leader. He was county
and circuit clerk in 1886. He was postmaster of Versailles four years
prior to his death.
James W. Mills, the only living member of this family, was educated in the public schools of Versailles. He was a postal clerk on the railroad several years. For several years he has been a member of the I.O.O.F., having joined at Tipton but later brought his membership to Versailles. He is one of the chief promoters in the erection of the large new Odd Fellow building that is just completed at this time (July 1,?. October 9, 1887, he was married to Miss Grace Tooley, daughter of William P. Tooley. They were married in Tipton. Mr. Mills lived in Tipton from 1883 to 1890 when he moved back to Versailles. In 189 he was the Republican nominee for collector of Morgan county. His Democratic opponent was C. C. Hardy Jr., who was elected by a small majority. He was appointed postmaster at Versailles, July 15, 1897 by President McKinley and is still postmaster. Mr. Mills has been chariman of the county Republican Central committee for several years by Dr. H. N. Lutman, the present chariman. Mr. Mills has done much efficient work for the Reptilian party in the county and congressional district. He has been sent by his party as a delegate to various state conventions, and district conventions as a representative of his party. Mr. and Mrs. Mills are the parents of the following children: Harry T., born November 7, 1888, James Neville, born May 2, 1900. Mr. Mills owns a nice home and much other valuable property in Versailles. |
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WESLEY C. THOMAS
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| Mr. Thomas is the present circuit clerk and recorder of Morgan
county. He is serving the first year of his second term. He
was first elected in the fall of 1902 and served the people so faithfully
that he was re-elected over his Democratic opponent, Dr. T. R. Bridges,
in 1906. In his first election he defeated James
B. Spurlock. Mr. Thomas was born in Cooper county, about three and a half miles northwest of Tipton, May 13, 1871. His father, Allen Thomas, was born Feb. 22, 1840, near Bloomfield, Calloway county, Mo., and his mother, Angeline Thomas, was born April 12, 1845, near Russellville, Cole county, Mo. W. C. Thomas, the subject of this sketch, moved from a farm, in north Cooper county, in December, 1996, to Syracuse, Morgan county, where he bought a durgstore and was soon appointed postmaster at that place, which position he held till he moved to Versailles in 1902, following his election as circuit clerk and recorder. Wesley’s parents now live in Kansas City, Mo. Wesley has six brothers and sisters, as follows: A. J., J. W., Elizabeth, Nancy C., Augustus and Arthur. Wesley’s father was a farmer the first 40 years of his life and has since been engaged in the real estate business. Wesley was educated in he public schools of Tipton where the Thomas family lived for many years. He has been a member of the Modern Woodmen of America for eight years. He has been a member of the Odd Fellows four years. February 11, 1892, he was married to Martha F. Bayne. To this union seven children were born as follows: Joseph Ray, aged 14; Chas. Morgan, aged 12; Wesley Earl, aged 10; Everett F., aged 7; Mabel M., aged 5; Lucile E., aged 3; and Harvey A., aged two months. Wesley Thomas has always been an industrious worker and public spirited. As a public official he has met the expectations of the people. He owns property in Versailles and this is his home. He is a good and faithful worker in the Republican party of which he has always been a worthy member. |
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| Mr. Burns lives on a farm near Versailles. He was born
here near Versailles September 3, 1862.
His father was Peter R. Burns whose name appears in this history quite frequently as one of the early settlers and main citizens of his time. Peter r. Burns was born in Virginia in 1818, while his wife, Margaret Evans, was born in Morgan county. Peter R. Burns moved from Virginia when quite young to the state of Ohio and came to Morgan county from Ohio in the year 1840. From that time till the time of his death in 1889 he was a leading figure in all public enterprises and was a leading organizer and supporter of the Republican party in this county. His wife died in 1874. The following children were born to Peter R. Burns and wife: James, George, Benjamin, Mary, Robert, Sarah, John and Alfred. The following are dead: Daniel, William Peter R. Elizabeth and Myrta. Peter R. Burns was a farmer. He held the following county offices: Assessor, sheriff and collector, county and circuit clerk, and representative. The dates of his holding these offices will be found in other places in this history. Alfred W. Burns, the subject of this sketch, was educated in the Versailles public school. He has been a member of the I.O.O.F. lodge for ten years. On September 22, 1887, he was married to Miss Nettie Moore, daughter of Uncle John Moore. To this union have been born the following children: Ross, 17 years old; Robert, 14 years old, Mae, 11 years old; Vera, 8 years old; James M., 2 years old. Alfred’s family is all living and they are prosperously and happily living on their beautiful farm a mile northeast of Versailles. In 1898 Mr. Burns was elected to the office of county collector and after serving two years and was re-elected and severed two years more making four years in all. Afterward he was a candidate for county clerk and was defeated by Dr. J. T. Beale. |
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ISAAC MELVIN SCHANNEP
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| The subject of this sketch lives in Versailles where he has lived
for years. He was born near this city October 15, 1877. He is the son of
Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Schannep who live two miles northwest of this city.
The father was born in Ohio and his mother, whose maiden name was Catherine
Lynch, was born in Wilmington, Delaware. The parents came to Missouri during
the civil war. There were nine children in the Schannep family, two of
whom are dead. The living are Mrs. Telena Estes, of Denver, Colorado; Mrs.
Jemima Felton, of Denver; Mrs. Lucy Miller, of Shawnee, Okla.; Joseph Schannep,
of Versailles; Lex Schannep, of Denver; Susana Pennington, of Morgan
county; John Schannep and I. M. Schannep, of Versailles.
Melvin, about whom we are writing, was raised on his father’s farm and was educated in the Versailles High school. After reaching his majority he clerked for several years in the M. Joachimi general merchandise establishment where he was recognized as one of the best clerks in the city. He had thought some of teaching school but abandoned that idea and took up the study of law and after burning much midnight oil he found himself qualified to pass the examination for admission to the bar. He was admitted after a rigid examination and his practiced some but has never branched out into the practice in the sense that he has been a hunter of business. He is a member of Episcopal church, having become a member in __. He is a member of Versailles lodge, 117 A.F.&A.M., joined in 1900. He is also a member of the K. of P. lodge of Versailles in which he is K. of R.&S. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. March 12, 1902, he was married to Mary D. Bahney. Two children now bless this home. They are: Maxine Elizabeth, four years old, and Dwight Bahney, one year old. Besides being an attorney-at-law, Mr. Schannep is deputy circuit clerk and recorder for W. C. Thomas, which position he has held since Mr. Thomas first went into office four years ago, and a position he held with circuit clerk J. Loan Enloe part of that gentleman’s administration between the years of 1894 and 1898. Mr. Schannep has been secretary of the Rep ublican county central committee for years and has always been an active party worker. He has never held public office nor has asked for any. |
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| Mr. Allison was born near Florence October 8, 1875. He w as raised
in the same neighborhood and
lived there till 1907 when he moved to Waverly, Mo., where he bought a system of telephone lines and now operates them at that place. His father’s name was Robert Allison and he was born March 1, 1843. His mother’s maiden name was Emoline Cramer and she was born November 4, 1854. His father and mother were both born in Morgan county. Both are now dead, his father having died in north Morgan Decemberand never held public office. James was educated in the district public schools and in the Warrensburg state normal. He is a leading member of the Baptist church, having been superintendent of the Sunday school at Bethlehem several years and otherwise a church leader. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. March 21, 1900, he wasmarried to Lillie S Decker who is still living. Two children bless the home. The oldest is Leo Jewel who was born April 11, 1901; the second is Erma Emoline, born October 12, 1903. Mr. Allison was raised on the farm and lived there till he moved to Waverly this year (1907). He went to the Warrensburg normal school a term or two where he qualified himself to teach school. He taught several terms in Morgan county and was pronounced one of the best teachers in the county. His services as teacher always commanded the best salaries paid to any teacher and his services as teacher were called for in many districts. Although a young man he was so highly respected and liked among the people who knew him for that his friends prevailed upon him, against his will, to run for office and after considerable persuasion he concluded to ask for the nomination for county clerk in the year 1906. The Republican party being safely in the majority in the county, there was a hot contest for all the places on the ticket, resulting in Mr. Allison’s defeat for the nomination, by only two or three votes, by E. K. Buck, an old time party worker. The county has lost a good and useful citizen by Mr. Allison’s leaving it. |
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| HARVEY EDWARDS NEVILLE |
| Mr. Neville lives in Versailles, Missouri, and is the present
probate judge of the county. He was born October 25, 1849, in Barren county, Kentucky. His father, Carroll Neville, was born in Barren county, Kentucky in the year 1816; his mother, whose maiden name was Eliza Edwards, was born in Barren county, Kentucky, in the year 1820. In the fall of 1850 Carroll Neville and family left Kentucky with the intention of going to Kansas but stopped in Illinois where they spent one season, after which they left Illinois for Missouri, where they spent a few months in Cole county. After this sojourn the family moved to Moniteau county in 1851 and lived till 1856 when they moved to Miller county where they lived till 1868 when they moved back to Moniteau county and after a residence there of two years moved in 1870, to Ozark Christian county, Missouri. Mrs. Carroll Neville died in Miller county infour sisters and three brothers, all of whom lived to be grown. Only one sister is now (1907) living; all of the brothers are living. Carroll Neviille was a Baptist preacher and once represented Miller county in the state legislature. Harvey E. Neville was educated in the public schools and in the Warrensburg state normal school. He taught school from 1874 to 1882. His fields of work in this capacity were in Moniteau, Miller and Morgan counties. He helped organize the Miller County Exchange Bank at Olean and was for several years its vice-president. For ten years he was interested in and conducted a lumber business at Olean. He is a member of the Baptist church and is a member of the I.O.O.F. Judge Neville has been twice married. He was first married to Ida Morris, in 1880. She died in 1901 and afterwards he married Anna Rutherford, of Versailles, who is now living. Judge Neville is the father of no children. He represented Miler county in the state legislature in 1897 and ‘98. He is a lawyer. Mr. Neville was elected probate judge of Morgan county in 192, served four years and was re-elected in 1906 for another four years. His present term of office expires January 1, 1911. He is a Republican in politics and takes an active part in the campaigns of his party. |
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