John Lumpee, Jr., has for the past twenty-two years been one of the enterprising business men of Versailles, Mo., and to-day carries one of the largest stocks of general merchandise in this part of Missouri, and in addition to this is proprietor and manager of the only clothing and gents' furnishing establishment in the city, the latter bearing the name of "The Famous." During his long residence in the county he has done his full share in building up the city and county, and erected the handsome two-story brick block at a large cost. He is in every respect a self-made man, having started in business on a very small scale when he came to Versailles, but by industry and good business ability has met with remarkable success, and is now one of the wealthy citizens of the county. He was born in Cole County, near Jefferson City, in 1843, and was reared on a farm, receiving only an ordinary education in the common schools. When fifteen years of age he left the farm, and went to Jefferson City, and was engaged in clerking in a general store until 1866, when he came to Versailles, and, in connection with his father, established a general store under the firm name of John Lumpee & Son, which continued until 1884, when the father retired from business. In 1869 Mr. Lumpee was married to Miss Maggie J. Preston, a native of Ohio, by whom he has four children: John B., Neva R., Josie, and Ola D. The mother and children are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Lumpee is a Republican in politics, and has held various city offices from time to time, and is at present treasurer of the Building and Loan Association. His father, John Lumpee, Sr., was born in Hesse Cassel, Germany, in 1817, and after residing on a farm in his native land until nineteen years of age, he immigrated with his parents to America, and settled in Cole County, Mo., in 1836, where he entered forty acres of Government land, on which he located and began improving. He made this his home until 1866, when he sold out and came to Versailles, and in connection with his son engaged in general merchandising, but retired from business life in 1884. December 20, 1838, he wedded Miss Rosina M. Schuchardt, a native of Saxony, Germany, and by her became the father of six children: Theresa, now the wife of Charles Spanhorst, of Jefferson City; John, Jr.; Anna, wife of Lewis Baker, of Bolivar, Mo,; Susan, wife of Charles Beersack, of Versailles, and Nannie, widow of Henry Pennebaker, who resides with her parents.
History of Cole, Moniteau, Morgan, Benton, Miller, Maries and Osage Counties, Missouri, Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889.