The Price Families of Greene County, Missouri

JUDGE WILLIAM C. PRICE.

Williiim Cecil Price was born in Russell county, Virginia, April ist, 1816, and is the third child of Crabtree and Linny C. Price, the family being of Welsh descent. His father was a farmer, who emigrated to Greene county, Missouri, in 1836. William had the advantage of a common English education in boyhood, and at twenty years of age was sent to Knoxville college, Tennessee. On returning from college he taught school in this county, and subsequently clerked in a general merchandise store, reading law whenever he had any spare time. In 1840 he was appointed deputy sheriff of Greene county, and one year later was appointed justice of the Greene county court, filling out an unexpired term. He was admitted to the bar in 1844, practiced law till 1847, and was then elected probate judge, holding the position for two years. In 1854 Judge Price was elected to the State Senate, but resigned in 1857 to accept appointment as judge of the 27th judicial circuit. In 1859 Gov. Stewart appointed him to represent Missouri as agent at the general land office at Washington, on the subject of swamp and overflowed lands, in which service he saved several hundred thousand acres of land for his State. President Buchanan appointed Judge Price, in 1860, to fill the unexpired term of Judge Casey as U. S. treasurer, which position he held till the inauguration of Lincoln. When the civil war came on, Judge Price being Southern in all his sentiments and interests, entered the Confederate service as a private under Gen. Price, in McBride's brigade, Missouri volunteers. He was captured at Pea Ridge, taken to Alton, imprisoned eight months and then exchanged at VicksburkJ:. President Davis assigned him to the adjutant general's department, with the rank of major, and he did duty as recruiting officer in Missouri. In the spring of 1864 he resigned, and being financially ruined by the war, he began farming in Arkansas, where he remained till 1867, when he removed to St. Louis and there practiced his profession. He located at Springfield in 1869, where he has ever since continued to reside. In June, 1842, he married Miss Sarah J. Kimbrough, of Kentucky. She died in August, 1859, leaving four sons and three daughters. Judge P. was again married, August 27th, 1860, to Lydia C. Dow, daughter of Ira M. Dow, of Vermont. She was born March 15th, 1836, and educated at Fairfax, Vermont. Of the last marriage there were born three children. Judge Price takes little interest in politics of late years, preferring private life. Formerly he was connected with the M. E.

Church South, but does not now join in religious services with that body.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

BENJAMIN B. PRICE.

This gentleman is the son of the Hon. William C. Price, and was born in Springfield, Missouri, January ist, 1848. He was educated at Salisbury institute at Batesville, Arkansas and at Mountain Home, Arkansas. He studied law in St. Louis in his father's office, and at Springfield. He was admitted to the bar in February, 1873, before Judge Geiger, and was also admitted at Mountain Home, Arkansas, in 1875, and at Dallas, Texas, in 1881. He was for several years probate judge of Ozark county, Missouri. He returned to Springfield in February, 1882, and formed a law partnership with Thomas W. Kersey. December 8th, 1882, he was married to Miss A. H. Beal, of Ellis county, Texas. Mr. Price is a member of the 1. O. 0. F.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

COL. JOHN H. PRICE.

Col. Price was born in Russell county, Virginia, in July, 1822. He went to the common schools of that county until he was fourteen years of age, when his parents emigrated to Greene county, Missouri, and settled in Taylor township. His father becoming afflicted with rheumatism, the care and cultivation of the farm devolved upon John until 1843, when he commenced the study of law. His health becoming impaired he resumed active business and made several trips to Texas in 1844. In 1854 he took five hundred head of cattle to California, and returned to Missouri in 1855. At the beginning of the civil war, in 1861, he espoused the cause of the South. He was captured at the battle of Wilson's Creek and taken to St. Louis, where he was soon afterwards exchanged for Major White. He resumed service and was at the battle of ElkHorn. He was recaptured upon the 8th of March, and take to the Alton military prison, where he was confined six months and released upon the 21st of September. Again he sought the armies of the Confederacy and was in Price's raid into Missouri. At the close of the war he went to Batesville, Arkansas, and lived there two years and then returned to Missouri, and resumed control of the farm, where he has since resided. Col. Price was married in September, 1869, to Mary, daughter of Samuel and Eliza Caldwell. Their union has been best with two children. He has one of the best farms upon the James river, and is one of the most prosperous farmers in that section. Col. Price is a gentleman of the old school and has the respect and confidence of all.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

THOMAS W. PRICE.

One would find it necessary to search long and far to find a farm kept t'n better condition or managed under more up-to-date methods than that of Thomas W. Price of Taylor township, Greene county — the place on which he has spent his life. He has not only worked hard and persistently in keeping everything in its proper place, but has been a student of local conditions and has read such literature as pertains to twentieth century methods of husbandry, so that he has been enabled to reap just reward for his pains and labors from year to year.

Mr. Price was born here on July 14. 1871. He is a son of John If. and Mary (Calwell) Price. The father was born in Russell county, Virginia, July 19, 1822, and was reared there on a farm and received a common school education. The mother of our subject was born in Tazewell county. Virginia, December 17, 1830. She was brought to Missouri when. a young girl by her parents, the family locating in Greene county, where she attended school, and here she married Mr. Price in 1868 Her death occurred on the home farm in Taylor township, July 13, 1899. John H. Price was fourteen years of age when, in 1836, he immigrated with his parents from the Old Dominion to Greene county, Missouri. His father entered a farm from the government which he developed. Here John 11. Price worked amid pioneer environments, and in 1853. during the gold fever days, he and his brother drove five hundred and twenty-five head of cattle overland to California, reaching their destination with four hundred and ninety head. A loss of only thirty-five head from this large herd over the wild plains of the vast west and during a trip of some six months was indeed a remarkable feat. He was successful in his venture to the far West, and returned home in due time and turned his attention to general farming. When the Civil war came on he joined the Home Guards in

1 86 1, and was made assistant inspector general of General McBride's brigade of the Federal army, and in September, 1861, he was commissioned lieutenant-colonel for meritorious services. He had command of the post at Lebanon until October of that year. He was in command of the State Guards at Springfield when Gen. John C. Fremont marched his great army to that place, and it was against Colonel Price's men that Major Zagonyi made his famous charge in October, 1861, just west of the city. Colonel Price was captured in Taney county and for a brief period was held a prisoner at the government arsenal in St. Louis, finally being exchanged and rejoicing the army under Gen. Sterling Price at Osceola, St. Clair county. He saw considerable hard service and was an efficient and brave officer. He fought at the battle of Pea Ridge and was captured again and sent to the Union prison at Alton, Illinois, where he was held for six months. In June, 1863, he rejoined the Confederate army and was made adjutant of Colonel Cornell's Missouri regiment. In August, 1863, he was appointed inspector general of Freeman's brigade of Marmaduke's division, which position he held with honor and success until the close of the war. Returning home after his brilliant military career he resumed farming and was owner of two hundred and fifteen acres, on which he carried on general farming and stock raising in an able manner. He was well known and influential in his locality, and was a man of fine personal character. His death occurred on April 7, 1889, in Henderson, Missouri. He had but two children, namely: Mrs. Lydia Foster, who lives in Springfield, and Thomas W., of this sketch.

Thomas W. Price was reared on the home farm, where he worked hard when growing up, and he received his education in the common schools. He worked the farm for his father until the hitter's death. He has remained on the In >iikplace, which consists of one hundred and thirty-eight acres at the present time, this being his part of the original. He has kept it well improved and carefully cultivated and the buildings in good repair.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Mr. Price is a son of William and Matilda Price, and was born in Grundy county, Tennessee, September 17,1849. In 1858, his parents moved to Rockport, Arkansas. His father dying there, he and his mother moved to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1862. In 1863, when he was but fourteen years of age, he enlisted in company M, 2d Missouri artillery, and served until the end of the war. In the winter of 1865 he was put into the cavalry, and sent to the plains, where he fought Indians in many skirmishes. After the war he went to work in the Pacific Flour Mills, St. Louis, and then worked a while for the Missouri Pacific railroad. In 1872 he commenced working for the St. Louis and San Francisco railway, and has now been foreman of the paint shops of that road for eight years. Mr. Price is a member of the A.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Mr. Price was born in Grundy county, Tennessee, July 1, 1344. He came to Missouri in 1861, and soon after his arrival he enlisted in the 2d Missouri artillery and served until the close of the war. In 1866 he commenced upon an engine on the Missouri Pacific railroad, and worked upon that road until 1870. He then came on the St. L. & S. F. R. R. and fired until 1876, when he was promoted to engineer and has been running as such ever since. July 4, 1869 he was married to Miss Mary A. Maugan, of Jefferson county, Missouri. Their union has been best with three children, viz.: Mary A., Matilda J. and Eunice V. Mr. Price is a member of the following benevolent societies: Springfield Lodge, No. 218, I. O. O. F.; Pacific Division No. 88, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, and of the Locomotive Engineers Mutual Life Insurance Association.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.