CHAPTER XXVII (Part 87)
BIOGRAPHICAL
James A. Dunn - In the death of James A. Dunn, which occurred September 4, 1911, Big Creek township and Henry County lost one of its valued pioneer citizens. He was a native Missourian, born in Cooper County, December 24, 1843, a son of Nathan E. and Julia (Ogle) Dunn, natives of Missouri, and pioneers of this State. They came to this State in 1835 and in 1853, settled in Henry County, entering land from the Government, south of where Urich now stands. Here Nathan E. Dunn and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of four children: James A., whose name introduces this review; Mrs. Mary Clary, who now resides in White Oak township; Newton, who also resides in White Oak township, and Mrs. Margaret Armstrong, now deceased.
James A. Dunn received his education in such schools as the new country afforded after the family settled in Henry County, and his early life was spent much as that of the average boy in those days in western Missouri. When the Civil War broke out, he joined the Confederate Army in May, 1861, becoming a member of Colonel Lewis' regiment, which was attached to the army of General Sterling Price. He participated in the Battle of Lexington and the battles of Pea Ridge, Helena, Arkansas; Pleasant Hill, Louisiana; Mansfield and Jenkins Ferry, besides numerous other engagements and skirmishes. He was never wounded nor taken prisoner throughout his military career, although he received a severe shock from the explosion of a shell at the Battle of Helena. He was a good soldier and made a good military record.
At the close of the war Mr. Dunn returned to Henry County, and in 1870, bought his first land, which consisted of forty acres. He engaged in farming and stock raising and met with more than ordinary success. He added more land from time to time and at his death, was the owner of six hundred fifty acres of well-improved and valuable land. He was known as a successful stockman.
On September 14, 1887, James A. Dunn and Miss Jemima H. Herrington were married, and the following children were born to this union: William E., Urich, Missouri; Georgia, deceased; Nathan J., whose present address is unknown; and Eliza M. Mr. Dunn's first wife died and he was later united in marriage with Miss Martha J. Tarter, a daughter of Calvin and Sarah (Lancaster) Tarter, natives of Kentucky, and early settlers in Henry County, locating here in 1868, in Big Creek township.
They were the parents of the following children: Martha J., who married James A. Dunn, the subject of this sketch; William E., who lives in Marion County, Illinois; Lucy Ann, deceased; Nancy, deceased; Mary Frances, married William Brown, Shawnee township; Sarah Elizabeth, married William Norcross, Shawnee township; and Alice, married George Dunham, Huntingdale, Shawnee township.
To James A. and Martha J. Dunn were born the following children: Ida Jemima, married Edward Jagerman, Big Creek township; Stella Ella, married Harvey Coe, Hollow, Oklahoma; Tina, married Grady L. Swarts, Big Creek township; Grady C., married Grace Buchanan, and lives in Big Creek township; Ola L. married Virginia Murphy, and lives on the home place; Tempel, Mabel, and John O., residing at home with their mother.
James A. Dunn was a member of the Masonic Lodge and belonged to the Methodist Church, South. He was one of the honored pioneers of Henry County, and the Dunn family are highly respected members of the community, and valued citizens of Henry County.
M. R. Mohler of Maurine, Big Creek township, belongs to a Henry County pioneer family. He is a native of Ohio, born in Darke County, October 17, 1856, a son of J. S. and Mary H. (Moore) Mohler, both natives of Ohio. The father came to Missouri in 1868, and after spending about a year at Knobnoster, Johnson County, he came to Henry County and settled in Big Creek township, where he and the brother bought eight hundred acres of land at sixteen dollars per acre. He lived in Henry County for several years, when he went to Kansas and died at Quinter in 1911. His wife died in 1912. They were the parents of the following children: Nancy, married D. W. Benezette, and is now deceased; M. R., the subject of this sketch; Samuel R., Montrose, Missouri; Joseph, Quinter, Kansas; Maggie, married Daniel Hendricks, Montrose, Missouri; Katherine, married O. F. Johnson, Kansas City, Missouri; Becky, married Dr. J. M. Eisenbise, Quinter, Kansas, and John, Preston, Nebraska.
M. R. Mohler was educated in the public schools of Big Creek township, his principal teacher being J. 0. Overby of Urich. Mr. Mohler remained on the home farm until 1886. He then clerked in a store for a time at Industry, and later clerked in a store at Hartwell, and while there served as postmaster and was manager of a co-operative store.
He then was employed in Clinton for a time, and in 1893, went to Norris and engaged in business for himself and conducted a store there for seven years, and was postmaster while there also. He then located at Maurine, where he lived for seven years. He then went to Blairstown and engaged in the mercantile business and in 1911, engaged in farming, to which he devoted the next three years. In 1913, he engaged in the mercantile business at Maurine, where he has since conducted a general store.
Mr. Mohler was married in November, 1877, to Miss Amanda J. Rader, a daughter of Gideon and Mary J. (Reeder) Rader of Big Creek township. Both her parents are now deceased. They were the parents of the following children: John, lives in Texas; James, Lees Summit, Missouri; Mrs. Emma Wilcoxon, Eldorado Springs, Missouri; Mrs. Addie Pitts, Flemington, Missouri; Mrs. Eva Goodbar, Archie, Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Mohler have been born two children, Griffie E., a Pullman conductor on the Southern Pacific railroad, and J. O
., a farmer in Bogard township. Mr. Mohler is a member of the Woodmen of the World and a representative citizen of Henry County.
William G. Martin, a prominent pioneer and stockman of White Oak township, ranks as one of the leading citizens of Henry County. He was born in Jefferson County, Iowa, June 9, 1864, and is a son of Claudias B. and Ann Eliza Martin, both natives of Virginia. Claudias B. Martin with his family located in Henry County, Missouri, in 1866. He settled on a farm and was engaged in farming and stock raising until the time of his death in 1873. His wife died in 1917. They were the parents of the following children: James N., who now resides in California; Mrs. Margaret Cornet, Ozark, Arkansas; Hamilton, died at the age of twelve; Edden H.; Mrs. Virginia Jennings, who resides in California; Claudius B., California; Joseph F., deceased; William G., the subject of this sketch, and Ruth E., deceased.
William G. Martin received his education in the public schools, attending school at the Hickory Grove district. He recalls that his first teacher was William R. Owens, and that the old school house was equipped with hand-made benches, made of native walnut. The old school building of the pioneer days stood on the site of the present modern school building at Hickory Grove. After reaching maturity William G. Martin remained on the home farm with his mother until he was thirty-three years of age. In 1911, he bought out the interest of the other heirs and thus became the owner of his father's old homestead, which is located six miles southeast of Urich in White Oak township. The place consists of eighty acres and while Mr. Martin is not one of the large land owners of Henry County he owns enough of land for modern-day conditions, and no doubt the intensified farming of the future will require the ownership and operation of much less than eighty acres for each individual to get the best results from the soil. The day of what has been well termed "agricultural locusts" is rapidly passing. The West has come to recognize that less land, better tilled, means more than the loose methods of the past in undertaking to cultivate large acreage.
Mr. Martin was united in marriage in 1897 with Miss Dora E. Sevier, a daughter of George and Mary (Dunn) Sevier, pioneers of White Oak township. To Mr. and Mrs. Martin have been born the following children: Ray Paul, now a student in the Electric College at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Ruth E., the wife of William Harbstreet of White Oak township, Henry County.
Mr. Martin takes an active interest in local political and civic affairs, and stands ever ready and willing to co-operate with any movement for the social betterment and up-building of White Oak township and Henry County. He has served as a member of the local school board and he and Mrs. Martin are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Martin family stand high in the community in which they live and are prominent.
William W. Johnston, president of the Farmers Bank of Blairstown, was born at Dayton, Cass County, Missouri, February 2, 1865. He is the son of George and Nancy (Hendon) Johnston. George Johnston, his father, was born in Kentucky and migrated from his native State to Cass County, Missouri, in the forties. He resided in Cass County until 1872, at which time he went to Cedar County, Missouri. In his later years, he removed to a home in California and died at Long Beach in 1908. George and Nancy Johnston were parents of the following children: Anna Lynn, deceased; LeRoy L. Johnston, Pleasant View, Cedar County, Missouri; W. W., subject of this sketch; Samuel, living in Idaho; Mrs. Nettie Phipps, Long Beach, California; Mrs. George Folk, Stockton, Missouri.
W. W. Johnston was educated in Cedar County, attending the Pleasant View school house when Charles Stewart was the teacher. When fifteen years old he left home to adventure upon unknown paths, as he says: "All I had when I left the home was a straw hat and a pair of overalls." He came to Big Creek township, Henry County, and worked as a farm hand for Pleasant Webster for a wage of $12 per month. For a period of ten years he worked as farm laborer in this vicinity and in the meantime purchased his first farm of eighty acres and later purchased a farm consisting of 105 acres from Doctor Noble of Urich. Mr. Johnston has succeeded during the years that have passed and has accumulated a splendid farm of 455 acres, and other land. He owns Kansas City property, consisting of a six apartment flat and a five room cottage and a gents furnishing store located in Jamestown, Missouri; also a considerable amount of personal property, all of which property is clear and free from debt.
The Johnston residence is located four miles southwest of Blairstown and the place upon which it is situated was purchased in 1910. There are two sets of improvements upon the Johnston land, all of which are kept in a good state of repair. Mr. Johnston is an extensive stockman and feeder of live stock and specializes in white face Hereford cattle, of which breed he has forty-five head of high grade stock on his place. His herd leader is a pure bred registered male. He also has forty Hereford calves. One hundred head of well-fed cattle has been the yearly output of the Johnston farm, and he also ships about a carload of Poland China hogs annually. The farm is well-watered and finely adapted for stock raising.
Mr. Johnston was married on January 11, 1893, to Margaret J. Lotspiech, a daughter of John and Caroline Lotspiech of Bogard township. John Lotspiech was a soldier in the Confederate Army and located in Bogard township after the close of the war. He married Caroline Potts of Big Creek township, who came to Henry County with her parents, Absalom and Susan (Wall) Potts, natives of North Carolina. The Potts family came to this county in 1839 and were among the earliest of the pioneer settlers of Big Creek township. The father of Mrs. Susan (Wall) Potts entered several thousand acres of Government land here and owned over one hundred slaves which he brought from the plantation in North Carolina.
Mr. Johnston is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and is one of the leaders of the Democratic party in Henry County. For the past four years, he has been central committeeman for Bogard township. He was one of the organizers and a charter member of the Farmers Bank of Blairstown and has served as president of this flourishing bank since its first organization.
