George B. Blanchard

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

Our subject was born in Lewis County, Mo., near Monticello, August 4, 1839, and for over fifty years has been an eye-witness of the growth and progress of the State. His father, Hiram A., was a native of Wheeling, Ya., and was born in 1812. His grandfather was a native of England, and was married in the Old Country, and located in Virginia, where he worked as a carpenter, and afterward removed to Missouri, where he died. In later years he became a speculator and was successful, dealing in real estate in Wheeling and, becoming prosperous, loaned out money. His son, Hiram A., was married in Virginia, removed to Ohio, remained there a short time, and then located in Lewis County, Mo., in 1837. Here he farmer and then engaged in the merchandise business and finally, in 1849, he located in Marion County, and again engaged in farming and general business. In 1868, he sold out and settled on a farm near Waverly, LaFayette County, and resides there now, over a full four-score years of age. In politics, he has ever been a Democrat, and, in religious belief, he is a Methodist of the good old kind.

The mother of our subject was Amanda. Stephens, who was born in Stephensburg, Va., a daughter of Joseph Stephens, a large farmer in the Old Dominion. She died in Waverly, leaving eight children, of a family of nine. George B., the eldest, was reared in Marion County from 1849, and thereattended the common schools, and at fifteen years of age entered Central College, at Fayette, Howard County, Mo., studying there four years; he then taught school two terms, after which he engaged in farming. In 1860, he bought a farm of three hundred and twenty acres near New London, Ralls County, and engaged in general agriculture for two succeeding years, and in 1865 came to Saline County, (hand Pass Township, and bought a farm of two hundred and eighty acres, and improved it. In 1879, he started in the lumber business in Marshall, near the depot of the Chicago & Alton, and successfully continued in the lumber interest ten years. He also conducted his farm until 1891, when he sold it.

In 1886, Mr. Blanchard bought his present place, one hundred and forty acres, and has farmer it ever since. He also owns forty acres east of the city, besides various houses and lots. In 1883, he built a handsome and commodious residence on the corner of Arrow and Elm Streets, one of the finest and most substantial improvements in the neighborhood. Our subject owns some of the finest thoroughbred horses raised in the State. He gives his especial attention to the Ilambletonian and Mambrino stock. He was the owner of "Don Pedro," a bay stallion, time 2.36. His death was a great loss, as he was an invaluable animal. He also has"Loomis," sired by "Brown Wilkes," time 2.2 If, a three-year-old brown stallion; and "Gainbait," a bay stallion, two j'ears old, sired by "Gaumalion," and he by "Gambetta Wilkes." "Hard Pine," five years old, is another of his stud. Mi. Blanchard raised the brother, "G. B.," with a record of 2.20, one of the fastest horses ever produced in the county, and which brought his owner a good price. "Marshall Maid," record 2.23+, "Tornado," and other valuable horses are house in the capacious and well-built barns on the farm, which adjoins the city and is highly improved. Specially noticeable among theother horses are the fully, "Bon Ton," two years old, by "Wilton;" also the fully "Rozze," two years old, by "Patronage," two of the finest bred horses in tue county. There are in the stables from eighty to one hundred hear! of handsome horses, beside some thoroughbred cattle. Mr. Blanchard married in Warsaw,Ky., May 17, 1865, Miss Emmeline Payne,a native of that State, born in Georgetown, Scott County. She was the daughter of the Hon. Newton Payne, an ex-member of theState Legislature. Mr. and Mrs. Blanchard are the parents of eleven children, of win mi ten survive: Estelle is a graduate of the Elizabeth Aull Seminary, of Lexington; Frank, a graduate of the High School, is a stockman and represents a commission house; Marcus is at home and attends Normal College; Hiram is at home; Oliver, Sallie, Bowman, Emma, May. and Tom complete the list of the living; George, a beloved son, is lately deceased. The entire family, sons and daughters, occupy a prominent i n i t i < > 1 1 in Marshall and are important factors in the social life of the city. Our subject was a Director in the County Fair Association, has served as Alderman, and was a School Director in Grand Pass, and in official duty has been earnest, able and efficient. He is a member of the Stallion Trotting Horse Association and a thorough business man. He is a Trustee of the Southern Methodist Episcopal Church, and has long been a valued member of the same. He is a Democrat and lends his influence to the support of the ticket.

T OSEPH McKIM BARKS, editor of the Blackburn Record, is a young man who is making a success in the editorial field in this ) county, lie is a man of ability, the son of a minister who is still doing efficient work in his chosen line. Mr. Barks was born in Benton County, Mo.. February 1*, 1860. His father,. Joseph V. Barks, is a native of Delaware County, Ohio, where he was born September 17, 1*17. His grandfather, Solomon Barks, was a Pennsylvanian by birth, while his great-grandfather was a native of Germany. The grandfather emigrated to Ohio, where he died.

The Rev. Joseph V. Barks is a graduate of Marietta (Ohio) College, and taught school for the purpose of earning means to defray his expenses through college. He took up theological studies in Lane Seminary, completed his theological education in Massachusetts, and entered the ministry in 1 848, being an Old-school Presbyterian.

In October, 1849, Rev. Mr. Barks married and came to Warsaw, Benton County, this State, where he began his work as a minister, lie has always preached in Missouri, has tilled many pulpits, and is still engaged in his chosen work. His wife was Miss Diana Bancroft, of Granville. Licking County. Ohio, and her parents were members of a colony which came from Granville, Mass., in the early days and settled in Ohio. Her father was a soldier in the War of 1812, and became a prominent man of Licking County. Ohio, being Associate Judge in that county for several years. He died in 1871, at the age of ninety-two. Mrs. Larks' mother is now in her seventy-third year.

Joseph McKiui was the fourth of seven children, four of whom are living. He received his preliminary education in the common district schools, and afterward spent about two years in Westminster College, Fulton. Mo. He was reared on the farm, where he remained until he reached his majority, and foi several years afterward, managing the estate for his father.

In 1889 Mr. Barks came to Blackburn and associated himself with L. G. King, establishing the Blackburn Record. Six months later, he purchased Mr. King's interest, and since then has conducted the work alone. The paper is a seven-column folio, and is Democratic in politics. It follows that Mr. Barks is a I democrat, and. as we have said, he is a man of ability, and gives promise of still greater power, lie is a member of the Presbyterian Church, being a Hilling Elder. Beside his editorial work on the Record, Mr. Barks is associated with Dr. Thomas M. Bridges in the publication of the ('order Gazette.

The editorial pen is a power in the country, and if wielded right may be a means of great good and advancement. It lias given to posterity the beliefs of some of our Strongest and dearest minds, and is destined in the future to shape, to a large extent, the character of the masses. With this in mind, it behooves every controller of a paper to see that its pages are of benefit to the readers of them, and Mr. Barks' friends are confident that such is and will always be his aim.

,T NSoN 15. DAMS, the popular engineer on the Chicago & Alton, Kansas-City Division, has been connected with the Chicago & Alton Railroad ever since June 13, 1866, and there is but one man who has been longer in the employ of the road as an engineer than he. An enterprising and upright citizen, an expert in his line of business, and a genial and courteous gentleman, our subject has a host of true friends and well-wishes. Mr. Davis was born in Med way. Mass., April 13, 1847. His paternal grandfather was a miller of the soil in Maine, and an honest, hard-working man and excellent citizen.

The father of our subject was born in Townsend, Mass., February 5, 1818, his father having removed to the old Bay State and there settled in early days. A. B. Davis, Sr., was reared in his native place, and having attained to manhood became a stage-driver, and started an express and coach line from Medway to Boston, which he controlled and managed for several years. He died of typhoid fever in the year 1857. His estimable wife, Harriet Amanda, was born in Medway, Mass., June 28, 1820, a daughter of Ashel Barber, who was born in 1796, and was a cutter of sole leather. His wife, Harriet Haven, was born in Leicester, Mass., in 179G.

Mrs. A. B. Davis now resides in Foxborough, and of her seven children but three are living; of these our subject is the second. His mother reared the family in Medway, and there Anson attended the district school, and at the very early age of thirteen years began life for himself by serving an apprenticeship to a machinist in Boston. He remained learning his trade two years, and then entered upon railroad work. Mr. Davis first began life on the rails as a fireman on the New York iv- New England Railroad, formerly the New York & Boston Air Line. lie spent eighteen months there, and then engaged with the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore about eighteen months as a fireman; then, in 1866, came to Illinois, and found employment with the Chicago & Alton, with headquarters at Bloomington, Ill.

Upon October 10, 1869, our subject began his successful career as an engineer, and has since continued in this employment. In running on the Philadelphia, Wilmington A Baltimore Railroad, he was injured somewhat on the head in making a running switch. Mr. Davis was engaged on the Chicago Division until 1879. In 1880, he was transferred to the Kansas City Division, and then located in Slater. Since 1879 Mr. Davis has been a passenger engineer, and in all that time has been very fortunate, never having had a serious accident. Since 1883 he has run the same engine, No. 224, and is much attached to the powerful machine that obey the touch of his hand. Mr. Davis is a charter member of the Slater Building and Loan Association. He owns an attractive home in Northeast Slater, and the handsome house, with its well-kept grounds, is much admired.

Mr. Davis was married in Roodhouse, in 1885, to Mrs. Elizabeth (Ilartwick) Sinclair, who was born in Jersey ville, Ill., and is a daughter of James Hartwick, who was a brickmaker there. He was a very early settler in the State, and became an extensive farmer and stockman. He died in Jerseyville, aged seventy-four. He was a member of the New-school Presbyterian Church, and was a sincere, Christian man. His wife, Eliza Skillman, was born in Somerset County, N. J., and was a daughter of an Englishman. The mother of Mrs. Davis resides in Carrollton, Ill., and is eighty-three years old. The wife of our subject is the third in a family of seven children. Her eldest brother, Uriah, was in the Ninth Illinois Cavalry, and remained in the service until the close of the war. He lives near Raymond. Mrs. Davis has been twice married. Her first husband was Alex Sinclair, a farmer, and a native of the State of Illinois. He died there and left three children: Ella, Mrs.

Mclvcr, who resides in Roodhouse, Ill.; Emma, now Mrs. Grant, of Kansas City; and Dena, who is Mrs. Noel, of Slater.

Our subject bas received the honor of being one of the Aldermen of the city, and has also hern a delegate to different conventions, and is, in political affiliations, a stanch Democrat. He is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, in which latter he has been Chief. He is likewise a Knight of Pythias, and Past Chancellor in that order, and is a member of the Grand Lodge, K. P., and has been a delegate for two years to St. Louis and St. Joe. Mrs. Davis is a member of the Pythian Sisters of Slater, of which she is the manager. Mr. Davis is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and, together with his estimable wife, is among the earnest supporters of the organization. Efficient in his daily and dangerous duties, Mr. Davis is esteemed by all his fellow-townsmen, and has the spotless record of an honorable and upright life.

iMMi

As printed in Portrait and biographical record of Lafayette and Saline counties, Missouri : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all (1893). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.