The Cousin Collector

J. W. Moorman, a substantial farmer of Camden Township, was born in Bedford County, Va., on November 30, 1843. He is the son of James M. and Mary G. (McDaniel) Moorman, both of whom were born in Bedford County, Va., the former on December 2, 1812, and the latter on August 15, 1817. The father was a farmer by vocation. He died on March 30, 1875. The mother now resides at Osborne, De Kalb Co., Mo. The paternal grandfather was John A. Moorman. J. W. was reared in Roanoke County, Va., going to New London, Campbell Co., Va., in 1859, and during boyhood he clerked in a store. He attended the schools of Roanoke County, Va., securing a good education. In 1861 he entered the Confederate army, joining Company D, Forty-second Regiment Virginia Infantry. He was captured at Spottsylvania Court House, and confined fourteen months in Fort Delaware. At the . . . [Yes! There’s more!]

Mr. Geo. M. Miller died at his home in DeKalb county, at 12 o’clock yesterday. Mr. Miller was born in Buffalo, New York, was 50 years and 2 days old at the time of his death, and for many years has been a prominent and esteemed citizen of DeKalb county. The deceased leaves one son and three daughters, all of whom are married.

St. Joseph Morning Herald, 25 Jan 1873

Submitted by Monica Schirmer Eshelman

Thomas H. Matthis is the son of Littleton and Letha J. (Todd) Matthis. The father was born in Virginia on August 14, 1811, and is the son of Thomas Matthis. He removed with his parents to Lawrence County, Ind., when but two years of age. He engaged in farming until 1834, when he went to Fort Leavenworth, and enlisted in the regular army, with which he served for three years. Upon his discharge he was married in Clinton County, Mo., and located in Andrew County, where he engaged in farming for fourteen years. He next located in De Kalb County, where he has since resided. He has been married three times, and is now a widower. He has raised nine out of ten children born to him. He is one of the oldest settlers of De Kalb County, and is respected and esteemed by his neighbors. The mother was born . . . [Yes! There’s more!]

Col. O. G. MacDonald, a resident of Stewartsville, was born in Center County, Penn., in 1824. In 1841 he went to Ohio, taking all of his worldly effects under his arm. In 1847 he located in Plattsburg, Mo., where he engaged in the mercantile business, but in 1859 came to Stewartsville, bringing his stock of goods with him. He was the first public administrator appointed in Clinton County, and was postmaster in Plattsburg three years. He also served as deputy sheriff of Clinton County for several years. In 1862 he enlisted in the Missouri State Militia, and was twice commissioned captain, once major, and lastly lieutenant-colonel of the Eighty-seventh Enrolled Missouri Militia. He remained in the service until November, 1864. He was then appointed station agent at Stewartsville for the Hannibal & Joseph Railroad, afterward taking the local land agency for the same road, which position he holds at present. . . . [Yes! There’s more!]

George Kelley, a prominent citizen of De Kalb County, was born in North Carolina about 1821. He is the youngest son of a family of twelve children born to Edwin and Sarah (Herbin) Kelley, both natives of North Carolina. The father spent his life at agricultural pursuits, and at the time of his death lived in Andrew County. The mother died in Clinton County. George’s educational advantages were very meager. In 1839 he came to Missouri, locating for a short time in Andrew County; he then moved to Clinton County, where he lived until 1846, when he returned to Andrew County. In 1850 he went to California, and spent two years very profitably at mining, but again returned to Andrew County. In 1865 he went to Oregon, where he raised three crops, then moved into California and raised one crop. In December, 1872, he moved to De Kalb County, locating . . . [Yes! There’s more!]

William U. B. Jones, a prominent farmer of Colfax Township, was born in Philadelphia, Loudon Co., Tenn., September 19, 1836. (At this time Philadelphia belonged to Monroe County.) He is the eldest of seven children born to Jesse F. and Clarsie H. (Cleveland) Jones. They were of English-Welsh and English descent, and natives of Bedford and Monroe Counties, Tenn., respectively. After their marriage in 1832 they settled in Philadelphia, where the father engaged in the mercantile business about fifteen years. In 1840 they removed to Bradley County, and located on a farm near Charleston, but fifteen years later removed back to Monroe County, and settled in Sweetwater Valley, and continued to till the soil until their deaths, the father’s occurring on December 31, 1868, in his sixty-second year, and the mother’s in 1874, in her sixtieth year. Mr. Jones’ ancestors, on both sides, came from North Carolina to Tennessee at . . . [Yes! There’s more!]

Ira Lee Farris (13 January 1864 – 19 June 1929) buried in Union Chapel Cemetery with Lulu Clark Farris, his wife, daughter of Isaac Clark and Jerusha Cave Clark, buried in the Clarksdale Cemetery.

Submitter: Julie Corken Zimmer

Miss Kate Huyett, a young lady well known in this city, died yesterday in Maysville, DeKalb county, of hemorrhage of the lungs.

St. Joseph Morning Herald, 8 Nov 1872, p. 4 Submitted by Monica Schirmer Eshelman

William Hudson, a time-honored farmer of Adams Township, was born in Wythe County, Va., on July 14, 1823. He is the son of Thomas and Nancy (Johnson) Hudson. The former was of English, and the latter of Irish descent, and both natives of Botetourt County, Va. They removed to Blount County, Tenn., in 1830, and ten years later immigrated to Missouri, and settled in Ray County, where the mother died soon after. The father died in 1846 in De Kalb County. He was an oldtime Whig. William was reared on the farm, and secured a practical education in his youth, which has since been improved by much reading and study. At seventeen years of age he came with his parents to Missouri, and in the fall of 1840 located in De Kalb County, where he has since resided, except two years that he spent in Gentry County. In the early . . . [Yes! There’s more!]

James Hill (deceased) was one of the leading farmers of Camden Township. He was born in Carroll County, Ohio, in 1827, and was the son of John Hill. In the spring of 1866 he immigrated to Missouri, and settled in Platte County, where he remained until the fall of 1880. He then removed to De Kalb County, and located near the village of Amity. He was a very successful farmer, and left an estate of more than $8,000. About 1853 he was united in marriage with Rachel M. Shull, who was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, in 1834. She was the daughter of Jacob Shull. She died on September 20, 1883. The father died on April 21, 1886. Both parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and were pious, Christian people, respected and esteemed by all who knew them. To them four children were born as follows: J. . . . [Yes! There’s more!]

Joel C. Herring, a good farmer of Sheridan Township, was born in Buchanan County, Mo., on November 6, 1843. He is the son of Creed and Eliza (Board) Herring, both natives of Kentucky, the former born in 1810, and the latter in 1820. They were married in Shelby County, Ky., about 1835, after which they immigrated to Missouri, and engaged in agricultural pursuits in Buchanan County, where the father died August 4, 1885. The mother is still living in that county. The father was a successful farmer, and in politics, a Democrat. He was a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. The mother is a member of that church. Joel C. is the fourth of seven children. He grew to manhood on his father’s farm, and received a common-school education. His whole life has been devoted to farming and stock raising. On September 29, 1870, he was united in marriage . . . [Yes! There’s more!]

Harbert W. Haynes, an attorney at law in Stewartsville, De Kalb Co., Mo., was born in Russell County, Ky., May 14, 1821. He is the son of John and Elizabeth (Harlem) Haynes, the former a native of Virginia, the latter of Kentucky. They lived in Russell County, Ky., at the time of their death. Harbert W. was reared on the farm, and at the age of eighteen his father apprenticed him to a cabinet-maker at Danville, Ky., for three years for his board and clothes. At the expiration of the three years, he engaged in business for himself in Russell County, Ky. In 1848 he engaged in house-joining and carpentering, continuing until 1853, at which time he went to Carthage, Tenn. After spending four years at that place, he removed to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, were he remained until the, spring of 1858, when he came to Stewartsville, Mo., and followed . . . [Yes! There’s more!]

John B. Harper, a prominent citizen of De Kalb County, was born in Ohio in 1841. He is the son of John and Elizabeth Harper, both natives of Pennsylvania. They removed to Missouri, where they lived at the time of their death. The mother was burned to death by the explosion of a coal oil lamp in 1885. Both parents were members of the Christian Church. John B. removed to Caldwell County, Mo., in 1866, and in 1879 came to De Kalb County, and located where he now resides. His farm contains 640 acres of good land. The farm is well improved, and upon it, in a desirable location, is a large residence. He pays considerable attention to raising and dealing in stock. In 1859 he was united in marriage with Sophia Clay. Seven children have been born to them, only one of whom is living, a daughter, named Nellie . . . [Yes! There’s more!]