In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1895) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1829, Jackson County
From The History of Pettis County, Missouri, including an authentic history of Sedalia, other towns and townships, together with ... biographical sketches .. (1882), Portrait and biographical record of Johnson and Pettis counties, Missouri ; containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biogr (1895)
W. H. FLESHER, M. D.
Dr. Flesher was born in the year 1829 in Jackson County, Va., where he passed his childhood in acquiring a good preparatory education. His thorough medical education was obtained at two of the most noted colleges in this country. He attended the Louisville Medical Seminary, now the Louisville Medical College, first, graduating in 1850. He afterwards received the benefit of lectures at the Cincinnati Eclectic Medical College from 1854 to 1855. The eminent Dr. Jno. King, author'of the American Dispensatory, was then a professor in that excellent institution. Dr. Flesher practiced medicine for several years both in Virginia and Ohio, crossing the Ohio River to Great Bend. He was married March 2, 1852, to Miss Mary Parr, a native of Marietta, Ohio, the marriage having taken place in Meigs County, Ohio. Seven children are the offspring of this union, one of whom, Irwin W., was born in Virginia; two, Rosa and Lucy E., in Ohio; and four in Illinois, Minnie, Cora, Mamie and Nellie. The Dr. practiced his profession several years in Meigs County O., returning in 1860 to Worth's Bottom, Va., where he resided until the breaking out of hostilities in 1861. He then entered the U. S. army as assistant surgeon in the Eleventh Virginia Volunteer Infantry, Col. D. Frost commanding. He was connected with it but a brief time, however, for he was detached for recruiting service, and was rapidly promoted from the rank of First Lieutenant to that of Captain, and from the latter to the rank of Major, having recruited the battalion known as the Third Virginia Cavalry, whose head-quarters were at Parkersburg, W. Va. Major Flesher was next assigned to the Third Regiment of West Virginia Cavalry, which was annexed to Gen. Avery's command, and participated with him in his operations in and around Harper's Ferr Soon after this regiment was reorganized, and attached to Gen. Geo. A. Custer's command. He followed Sheridan, the dashing and brilliant cavalry officer, in all his campaigns in the Valley of Virginia, and May. Flesher's command led the charge at the battle of Cedar Run, one of the most brilliant on record. His regiment was mustered out at Washington at the close of hostiHties. Dr. Flesher went thence direct to Olney, Ill., with his family, where he resumed the practice of his profession, doing quite a prosperous business for thirteen years. In 1878 he came to Sedalia, and established a practice in that city and the surrounding country which he held until April 10, 1879, when he located in the town of Green Ridge, where he now has an extensive business and enjoys the confidence of all the good people for miles around in his integrity and thorough medical skill.
As printed in The History of Pettis County, Missouri, including an authentic history of Sedalia, other towns and townships, together with ... biographical sketches .. (1882). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
ILLIAM H. FLESHER, M. D., a pioneer physician of Green Ridge, is also serving as Mayor of that thriving little city. His personal popularity is shown by the fact that he has officiated in this honored position for the past ten years, and during that time has discharged every duty devolving upon him with great fidelity and to the satisfaction of the public.
Our subject was born in the Old Dominion June 12, 1829, and is the eldest now living in a family of ten children born to Andrew and Anna (Hughes) Flesher, both of whom were also Virginians by birth. Thejresided in their eastern home until advanced in years, when they were induced to live with their youngest son, Americus, then a resident of Illinois, at who.se home they passed to their final reward.
William H., of this sketch, passed his early years in attendance at the common schools of Virginia, and also aided greatly in the work on the farm. Upon attaining his majority, however, he decided to follow a professional life, and in order that he might study under the best of preceptors he went to Meigs County, Ohio, and entered the office of Dr. Jeremiah Ackley. When fully prepared to attend lectures he became a student in the Louisville (Ky.) University, but just one month prior to being graduated was compelled to leave school on account of having been.stricken with erysipelas fever. He later received his diploma, however, from the university.
On the outbreak of the Civil War our subject became a member of the Eleventh Virginia Infantry, and with his regiment was sent to Parkersburg, Va., where he was made Assistant Surgeon. Soon after entering upon his duties in this capacity he received a telegram from the Governor of Virginia, who desired him to recruit a battalion for the Third Regiment ot Virginia Cavalry. The Doctor was reluctant to do this, but being shown that it was his duty, he obeyed and was commissioned Captain of Company H. In 1863 he was promoted to be Commander of four companies of the Third Battalion and served as such until the close of the war. He was in active service all this time, participating in more than forty battles and skirmishes. While a great many of his men were either captured or wounded, he fortunately escaped injury, although on one occasion his entire command was captured, but was fortunately recaptured by the Seventh Michigan Regiment.
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The Doctor was married, in 1852, to Miss Mary C, daughter of Jesse and Malinda (Sheets) Parr, both of whom were born in the Buckeye State and were of Welsh and German descent, respectively. Their union was blessed by the birth of nine children, two of whom are deceased. Those living are Irwin D., a prominent citizen of Cheyenne, Wyo.; Rosa, who is the wife of H. M. McBride, and lives in Rich Hill., Mo.; Lucy, now Mrs. Charles D. Rayburn, of this county; Minnie, the wife of George Hollenbeck, who is President of the Green Ridge Bank; Mamie, whose husband, E. E. Durand, is Cashier in the above bank; Cora B. and Nellie, at home with their parents. The Doctor, together with his wife and two daughters, is a member of the Christian Church. The former has been cotmected with that religious body since 1855, and in Green Ridge and vicinity his name is a synonym for charity and love.
Socially our subject belongs to Illinois Lodge No. 362, A. F. & A. M., also Green Ridge Lodge No. 300, I. O. O. F. He has been Past Grand of that order and is now serving as Secretary of the lodge. The Doctor is a stanch Republican in politics and an active worker in the ranks of that party. In the early days his father was a Whig and on that ticket was elected many times to the Virginia State Legislature. In 1881 our subject was nominated and elected to the Mayoralty of Green Ridge by a large majority. He is very enthusiastic in the improvement of the city and has set on foot many enterprises which have been of great benefit to it. His home is one of the most beautiful and attractive in the city, and by the judicious investment of his money he has acquired a valuable property.
ODFREID MACK was one of the worthy l_ German- American Qjtjzey of Johnson Coun- j ty. His death occurred on his old farm on section 24, township 46, range 25, where his widow and youngest son are still living. For nearly a quarter of a centurjhis interests were identified with the development and progress of this county, and he put up one of the first houses erected in Warrensburg. He was well known and popular all through this section of the county, and until he became an invalid was a very active and energetic man.
A native of Wurtemberg, Germany, Mr. Mack was born October 27, 1813. He was a son of John and Rosina Mack, natives of the same province, and life-long agriculturists. The father for a number of years was extensively engaged in hauling freight over the Alps, and in transporting merchandise to various points. He died in
1 841, and his wife's demise occurred twenty-one years later. They were the parents of eighteen children, eight of whom grew to maturity, namely: John, Mary, Fredericka, Frederick, Margaret, Johanna, Caroline and Godfreid.
In 1842, while engaged in running a farm in his native land, our subject was married to Barbara Deere, who was born January 9, 182 1. Her parents were Godfrey and Elizabeth C. (Luke) Deere, both natives of Germany, and the former a farmer and wagon-maker. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Mack continued to live on the farm owned by our subject's father until 1856, when they set sail for America. On the journey West they stopped at Dayton, Ohio, where Mr. Mack obtained a position in the asylum as a stationary engineer. This position he held for five or six years, when he moved to Columbia City Whitley County, Ind., buying a farm in that vicinity-. At the end of four years he sold out and moved to Warrensburg, in this county.
In 1870 our subject rented land near the city just mentioned, and for a period of seven years raised vegetables for the local trade. For the following four years he lived on another rented farm, and then, moving to a tract of land near Montserrat, cultivated the place for six years. In 1887 the family moved to the farm of two hundred acres which is now carried on by Jacob J., a son of our subject, who is an enterprising young agriculturist. The homestead is well improved with good buildings and comprises two hundred acres within its boundaries. For fifteen years prior to his demise, Godfreid Mack was in very poor health, and death came to him as a release. In politics he was a Democrat, and in everything which concerned the public welfare he was always ready to do his share.
John, the eldest son of Godfreid Mack and wite, married a Miss Harmon and is now living in Kansas; Frederick, the second son, is now in St. Louis, and the lady who bears his name was formerly Anna Beanerman. George, of Portland, Oregon, and a Police Commissioner of that city, married Mollie Abraham. Jacob J., born in 1852, married Ollie Williams, by whom he has two children: Sammy, born October 7, 1888, and
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
As printed in Portrait and biographical record of Johnson and Pettis counties, Missouri ; containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties, together with biogr (1895). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1882. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.