John R. Ford

As printed in 1881

JOHN R. FORD, was born at Danville, Ky., May 8, 1801. He is the son of Charles and Elizabeth Ford, natives of Virginia. His father died when he was but 11 years old. He was raised by his mother, who never again married, receiving his education at Danville. He remained there until 18 years old. He then went to Natchez and engaged in raising cotton. He lived there until 1835, being married Dec. 1, 1831, to Caroline, daughter of Col. Jas. Foster, who died in 1833. They had nine children, six sons and three daughters, all living at this time except one son, who was killed during the war. His name was John R., Jr., being 23 years old at the time he enlisted. He received a gun-shot wound near Corinth, from which he died. There were two other sons in the confederate army, one of whom, James Foster, was severely wounded at Gettysburg, from which he recovered. Charles W., the youngest, enlisted in '63, being at the time only 16 years old, serving under Gen. Shelby. On leaving Natchez, Mr. Ford returned to Danville, and engaged in farming until 1858. He then moved to Pettis county, Mo., and there settled. He was living there at the time the war broke out. Before the close of the war Mr. Ford removed to Lexington, and remained three years with his son-in-law, the Rev. L. G. Barbour, who was president of the Elizabeth AuU college, and now of Central university, of Richmond, Ky. In '65 Mr. Ford bought the homestead of Gen. Shields. They have one married daughter still residing in Lexington — Carrie, wife of Xenophon Ryland; also one in St. Louis, wife of E. L. Breding. Mr. Ford and wife are both members of the Presbyterian church, and have lived together in married state for over half a century. Politically Mr. Ford is a life-long democrat of Andrew Jackson school, and cast his first presidential vote for that old battle-scarred hero.

As printed in History of Lafayette County, Mo., carefully written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of its townships, cities, towns and villages, together with a (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.