Thomas M. Chinn

As printed in 1910

THOMAS M. CHINN.

The biographies of the representative men of a county bring to light many hidden treasures of mind, character and courage, well calculated to arouse the pride of their family and of the community, and it is a source of regret that the people are not more familiar with the personal history of such men, in the ranks of whom may be found tillers of the soil, mechanics, teachers, as well as lawyers, physicians, bankers and members of other vocations and professions. Thomas M. Chinn, who is distinctively one of the leading citizens of Washington township, Lafayette county, and an owner of nearly three hundred acres of fine land, has made his influence felt among his fellow men in many capacities, earning a name for enterprise, integrity and honor that entitles him to worthy notice in a work of the province of the volume at hand, for he is widely known as vice-president and director of the American Bank at Higginsville, Missouri, and an advisory director of the Kansas City & St. Louis Electric railroad, also as an extensive fruit grower.

Mr. Chinn was born in Shelbyville, Kentucky, March 8, 1849, he is the son of Hector A. and Harriet E. (Wells) Chinn. The subject's paternal grandfather. Col. Achilles Chinn, was born November 20, 1786, and died January 22, 1854. Thomas M. Chinn's great-uncle, ''Dick" Chinn, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was one of the most eminent lawyers of his day and generation. Col. Achilles Chinn served with distinction in the war of 1812. A relative, Raleigh Chinn, married Esther Ball, the aunt of George Washington. The Chinns are descendants of the Duke of Gloucester, with dual coronet of a greyhound, arms of Great Britain and France, through a long line of distinguished nobility. This family of Chinns is directly descended from the fourth son of Henry IV, who was the Duke of Gloucester and whose arms were France and England.

In 1859, Hector A. Chinn brought his family to Missouri, coming by rail from Shelbyville, Kentucky, to Jefferson City, Missouri, making the rest of the trip by water to Berlin, buying land in that vicinity after the war and became almost as well known here as he was in Kentucky. His death occurred in Higginsville in 1886, his wife having died near Dover in 1860. Hector A. Chinn was twice married, eight children having been born by the first union and five by the second. He served very acceptably as circuit clerk in Shelbyville, Kentucky, for a period of sixteen years. He was a man of many sterling attributes and was respected and admired by all who knew him.

Thomas M. Chinn, of this review, was reared on the home farm and early in life became familiar with all phases of agriculture and stock raising, and later in life he made a specialty of the latter, becoming, in fact, the leading livestock dealer of this county. For some time he was general livestock agent for the Chicago & Alton railroad in Missouri and part of Illinois. But he has not dealt in the livestock business for the past four years. For several years he has been extensively engaged in apple raising and is one of the best known and most successful fruit growers in this section of Missouri and he has twenty thousand trees of an excellent variety. He has one hundred and fifty acres of apple trees, which constitutes the largest orchard in the county. He had a picture of his orchard taken in 1903, which was said to be the best of its kind at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis in 1904. This picture is to be found in Dodge's geography, published by the Rand-McNally Company. Mr. Chinn raised, shipped and sold about fifty thousand bushels of apples in 1909. He makes a specialty of the Ben Davis and the Gano varieties. For the past four years he has dealt extensively in real estate, buying and selling a number of farms. He has been very successful in whatever he has undertaken, and is one of the substantial and influential men in financial circles of Lafayette county. He is the efficient and popular vice-president of the American Bank at Higginsville, as already stated, having been a director of this sound and well-patronized institution for the past twenty years.

Mr. Chinn was married on September 30, 1879, to Ottie V. Benning, the representative of one of the best old families of the state, she being the daughter of Major A. D. Benning and wife. This union resulted in the birth of two children, Bessie B., born April 15, 1884, married Dr. Joel B. Mc- Daniel, of Kansas City, Missouri, and she died six weeks after her marriage, closing a young life of much promise on October 2, 1908. The other daughter, Naomi, a young lady of culture and rare musical talent, was born July i6, 1893, and is living at home.

Relative to the death of the subject's eldest daughter, Bessie, the following appeared in a local paper:

"Died, Friday, October 2, at her home in Kansas City, of typhoid fever, Mrs. Bessie McDaniel, daughter of T. M. Chinn and wife of this place. 'Bessie,' as she was known here, was reared to womanhood in this community and no girl held a higher esteem of a host of friends than she, and no one will be greater missed. In praise of her none other than her mother could speak the words most befitting, for, indeed, Bessie was her companion, lovable and dutiful. To show her nobleness of mind above earthly things, on the first day of her illness, September 16, she wrote a message in which were placed careful instructions of her own funeral, selecting the twenty-third Psalm to be read and the songs to be sung. She was married Friday, August 14, 1908, to Doctor McDaniel, formerly of Lexington, but late of Kansas City. Only six short weeks to the very day, and thus ended those few happy days. How keenly will the husband miss her from the home into which she took sunshine and happiness for him. Over her young sister. Miss Naomi, she wielded an influence that will be felt for years to come and the memory of her beautiful life will ever be a precious heritage. The parents are bowed with grief, and it is hard to part with one so fair and full of promise, but we bow to the Divine will. Her many gentle and kindly ministrations and her unvarying cheerfulness have endeared her to a multitude. The bereaved may console themselves in that she has only preceded them a few days on the journey and will be among the innumerable throng to welcome them home. After a beautiful service conducted by Rev. Harry Haldermann of the Baptist church in Kansas City and a sympathetic and consoling prayer by Reverend Talbot, the body was taken to Higginsville for interment."

Mrs. Chinn is a member of the Christian church. Fraternally Mr. Chinn is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Orientals and the Buffaloes.

The life of Mr. Chinn has been filled with activity and usefulness, while his untiring energy and eminent ability have gained for him a conspicuous and honorable place among the leading business men of Lafayette county. In every sphere of endeavor his unpretending bearing and strict integrity have elevated him in the confidence of his fellow citizens and his influence, always powerful and salutary, is destined to continue a potential factor for substantial good to this locality, continuing a man of influence amid the busy scenes in which he has so long been a prominent and effective actor.

As printed in Young's history of Lafayette County, Missouri (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.