CHAPTER XXVII (Part 89)
BIOGRAPHICAL
Agrippa Valentine Clary, a prominent pioneer of White Oak township, was born in Overton County, Tennessee, July 12, 1851. He is a son of John H. and Lavina (Sevier) Clary, both natives of Tennessee.
John H. Clary came to Henry County, Missouri, in November, 1860, and settled in Walker township, Henry County, and spent the remainder of his life in Missouri. He lived for many years in Walker township, and later moved to the southwestern part of the State. He died near Joplin at the age of eighty-four years. His wife preceded him in death several years. She died at Rich Hill, aged sixty-three years. John H. and Lavina (Sevier) Clary were the parents of the following children: Agrippa Valentine, the subject of this sketch; William R., Wenatche, Washington; Mrs. Martha Gragg, deceased; Mrs. Mary Tinsley, deceased; George W., Diamond, Missouri; Catherine, deceased; John, deceased; James, deceased, and Nannie Bales, deceased.
A. V. Clary was educated in the public schools of Walker township, a Mrs. Cummings being his first teacher. The school house which he attended was one of the pioneer log buildings, and he had an opportunity to experience the beginning of public schools in Minnesota. Mr. Clary remained on the home farm until 1874 when he engaged in farming for himself on the place where he now lives. He owns ninety acres, five miles south of Urich, and carries on both general farming and stock raising and is one of the successful men of White Oak township.
Mr. Clary was united in marriage with Mary Frances (Dunn) Sevier, a daughter of J. N. and Zulima (Ogle) Dunn of White Oak township. Mr. and Mrs. Dunn were pioneers of White Oak township, coming from Kentucky to Cooper County, Missouri, in a very early day, and came from Cooper County to Henry County in 1853. Mrs. Clary was born in Cooper County October 8, 1847. Mr. and Mrs. Dunn were the parents of the following children: Thomas, deceased; Mrs. Nancy Elizabeth Blevins; Daniel Luther, deceased; James A., a sketch of whom appears in this volume; Mrs. Margaret E. Armstrong; Mary Frances, the wife of Agrippa Valentine Clary, the subject of this sketch; Jasper Newton, who lives at Urich, Missouri. To Agrippa Valentine Clary and wife have been born the following children: George Ernest, who lives on the home place; Ola A., a farmer in Walker township; and John E., the present treasurer of Henry County. Mrs. Clary was first married to George A. Sevier and to that union were born the following children: James W., a sketch of whom appears in this volume; Rosa E., married W. R. Williams, and she is now deceased; Dora E., married W. G. Martin, a sketch of whom appears in this volume, and Elwood F., a farmer of White Oak township, a sketch of whom appears in this volume.
Mr. Clary has a vivid recollection of the pioneer conditions as they existed in Henry County over fifty years ago. He recalls many of the pioneers who lived here when he came, and has observed the many changes that have gradually taken place in the county since his boyhood days to the present time. He is a Democrat. Mr. and Mrs. Clary are members of the Urich Presbyterian Church.
Robert W. Allen - Upon the old Allen homestead in Tebo township, in Henry County, there have been born and reared three generations of the Allen family, since the land was first entered in 1835 by George J. Allen, father of Robert W. Allen, the subject of this review. Robert W. Allen was born on this farm September 2, 1850, and is the son of George J. and Esther (Mitchell) Allen, who were parents of eight children: Mrs. Susan M. Hodges, deceased; William M. and Ann E., deceased; Belle J., Windsor, Missouri; James, deceased, twin brother of Belle J., died in the Confederate Army during the Civil War; George J., living in Montana; Emma, widow of J. W. Huston, Windsor; Robert W., youngest of the family.
George J. Allen was born in Washington County, east Tennessee, April 5, 1809, and died in Henry County March 5, 1850. In 1835, he came to Henry County from Tennessee and settled in Tebo township, where he improved a splendid property and which later passed to his son, Robert W. Allen, and is now being tilled by Robert L. Allen, son of Robert W. Mrs. Esther (Mitchell) Allen was born in Tennessee May 17, 1815, and died February 13, 1853. After the death of their parents, the eight Allen children all remained on the farm, the oldest children taking the responsibility of the rearing of the younger and every child grew to upright and worthy manhood and womanhood.
Robert W. Allen remained on the home farm of the family and tilled his acreage, consisting of 290 acres, until his retirement to a home in Windsor in 1911. He came into possession of the Allen homestead through the gradual purchase of the interests of the heirs and built it up into a splendid property.
October 9, 1879, Robert W. Allen and Miss Sallie M. Sutherland were united in marriage. Mrs. Sallie M. Allen was born in St. Clair County, Missouri, the daughter of Uriah and Margaret Jane (Harris) Sutherland. To this marriage have been born two children: Clara, wife of Rev. O. L. Byrns, Golden City, Missouri, mother of one child, Margaret; Robert L., who is managing the old home place of the family in Tebo township, a graduate of the Kansas City Veterinary College, and who combines the practice of his profession with farming pursuits, married Myrtle Bell and has one child, Robert Bell Allen.
Mr. Allen has always been a Democrat, politically, and is a member of the Presbyterian church. In addition to his land interests, he is a stockholder of the First National Bank of Windsor and owns stock in the Peoples Bank of Calhoun, Missouri. Mr. Allen is one of the highly valued and substantial and enterprising citizens of Windsor and Henry County.
Dr. Robert L. Allen, veterinarian and farmer, Tebo township, Henry County, was born on the farm where he now resides June 28, 1882, and is the son of Robert W. Allen, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume.
Robert L. Allen was educated in district school number nine and the Windsor High School, from which he graduated in 1900. In 1902, he entered the Kansas City Veterinary College and graduated therefrom in 1905. He began the active practice of his profession in 1905 and for a year, he was engaged in the service of the Government, being stationed at South Omaha, Nebraska. In 1906, he located at Columbia, Missouri, and practiced his profession in the State veterinarian's department for two years, all of which broad experience tended to develop his powers and render him more proficient in the practice of his profession and to broaden his knowledge of the diseases of animals. In 1907, he located in Windsor and soon built up a lucrative practice. In 1909, he settled upon the Allen home place in section 12 of Tebo township. Doctor Allen is a well known breeder of Hereford cattle and is farming 400 acres of land, being owner of 120 acres in Tebo township. He is continuing his successful practice which he carries on with his farming operations.
On April 4, 1909, Doctor Allen was married to Miss Myrtle Bell, who was born in Pettis County, Missouri, the daughter of John H. and Mary H. (McDaniel) Bell, the former of whom was a native of Illinois and the latter of Missouri, and are now living on a farm in Pettis County.
Mr. and Mrs. Allen have one child, Robert Bell Allen, born August 21, 1910. Mrs. Myrtle Allen is a graduate of the Windsor High School and taught school for a number of years in Windsor and Weatherford, Oklahoma, and Clinton, Missouri, the greater part of her teaching experience having been in graded schools.
Doctor Allen is a member of the Missouri State Veterinarian Association and the Missouri Valley Veterinarian Association. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church.
George H. Henny, a prosperous farmer and stock raiser of White Oak township, belongs to a Henry County pioneer family. Mr. Henny is a native of Ohio. He was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, in 1880, and is a son of Rudolph and Elizabeth (Goodman) Henny. Rudolph Henny was an early settler in White Oak township, and after coming here, was engaged in farming and stock raising and spent the remainder of his life in this township. He died in 1902, and his widow now resides in Bogard township.
They were the parents of the following children: Charles, now resides in Denver, Colorado; Elmer, lives on the home place in Bogard township, with his mother; George H., the subject of this sketch; Clara Ellen, resides at home, and Clarence Ray in Bogard township. George H. Henny was reared on the home farm in Walker township, and remained at home with his parents until he was twenty-five years of age. Later, he purchased his present farm of one hundred fifty-two acres. It is a valuable farm and located about one-fourth of a mile south of Lucas. Mr. Henny has recently built a seven-room bungalow of modern design and his other farm buildings are in thorough keeping with his high-class residence. His land is fertile and productive and has the advantage of being well watered.
Mr. Henny was united in marriage February 8, 1911, with Miss Ida M. Barth, a daughter of John and Sophia (Rombold) Barth. More extensive mention is made of the Barth family in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Henny have one son, Oren Clifford. Mr. Henny takes an active interest in local public affairs and is now a member of the school board of his district. He is one of the substantial and progressive citizens of Henry County.
W. S. Ward, a well-to-do and progressive farmer and stockman of Big Creek township, is a native of Indiana. He was born in Boone County, February 19, 1868, and is a son of Lafayette and Malissa A. (Waugh) Ward, natives of Indiana. The Ward family came to Henry County in 1869, when W. S. was about one year old. They settled about two miles east of where Blairstown now stands. Here the father engaged in farming until the time of his death in 1882. His widow married Abraham Crites, who is now deceased, and she lives at Blairstown.
To Lafayette and Malissa (Waugh) Ward, were born the following children: W.S., the subject of this sketch; Charles E., deceased; Omer, deceased; O.L., Salesville, Montana; O.T., Big Creek township;. and Ernest, who resides on the home place in Big Creek township.
W. S. Ward was reared on the home farm in Big Creek township and received his education in the rural schools of Henry County. He remained at home with his parents until he was twenty-two years of age. He then went to Johnson County, Missouri, where he was engaged in farming for four years, when he returned to Henry County and engaged in farming and stock raising in Big Creek township. He bought his present farm in 1902 and since then has added many improvements, making of it one of the attractive and valuable places of this township. Mr. Ward is a modern farmer and stockman, as the neat and well-kept appearance of his farm indicates.
In 1889, W. S. Ward was united in marriage with Miss Katie R. Shelton, a daughter of C. D. and Emma (Ray) Shelton of Chilhowee, Johnson County, Missouri. Mrs. Ward was born in Illinois and her parents are also natives of that State. C. D. and Emma Ray Shelton are the parents of the following children: Katie R., the wife of W. S. Ward; James M., Kansas City, Missouri; W. A., Bozeman, Montana; Mrs. Mary Coe, Ft. Worth, Texas; C. N., Big Creek township; Mrs. Pearl Wright, Sedalia, Missouri; and Mrs. Alice Killingsworth, Walnut Grove, Missouri.
To W. S. Ward and wife have been born the following children: Otto, born in 1890, enlisted in the United States Army September 20, 1917, and is now in the service in France, having gone there with the 88th Division in March, 1918; Francis P., born 1891, was educated in the Big Creek Consolidated High School and graduated at the University of Missouri. He then accepted a position as teacher of science in the high school at Litchfield, Illinois, for two years, filling the position of principal the last half of the second year. He entered the United States Army July 6, 1918, and is now stationed at the Central Officers' Training School, Camp Zachary Taylor, Louisville, Kentucky. Blanche, born 1895, a graduate of the Big Creek Consolidated High School, who resides at home with her parents.
W. S. Ward is one of the substantial men of Big Creek township and all the members of the Ward family are prominent in Henry County.
