DeKalb County Missouri

George W. Crenshaw, late assistant cashier of the De Kalb County Bank, at Maysville, was born in Sangamon County, Illl, on June 16, 1845. He is the twelfth of thirteen children born to William E. and Cassandra F. (Taylor) Crenshaw. The father was born in South Carolina in 1804, and was the son of William Crenshaw, who removed to Missouri, about 1810, and from there went to Illinois, where he died. The father was a farmer by vocation. He died in Sangamon County, Ill., in 1864. The mother was born in Virginia in 1811, and was the daughter of Giles Taylor, who removed from Virginia to Kentucky about 1812. She died in 1883, in St. Clair County, Ill. George W. was reared on the farm, and secured a good education in the public schools. He engaged in farming in his native State until 1883, when, in September of that year, he removed to Maysville, Mo., and took his position as assistant bank cashier. In 1871 he was united in marriage with Nora Littlepage, who was born in Mississippi, in 1853. She is the daughter of William and Mary Littlepage. They had six children. Mr. Crenshaw was a member of the Masonic lodge. He was taken suddenly ill on the morning of November 25, 1887, at his place of business, and was conveyed to his home where he died about 8 o’clock the same evening. His untimely demise was a sad blow to his family and a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

Source: History of Andrew and DeKalb Counties, Missouri (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888), p. 557.

John Dice, an enterprising farmer and stock raiser of Dallas Township, was born in York County, Penn., on September 3, 1832. He is the son of Jacob and Rebecca (Shup) Dice, who were American born, but of German descent. The ancestors took part in the Revolutionary War. The parents were married in York County, Penn., where they afterward resided about four years, the father working at the carpenter’s trade. They then came to Ohio, and settled in Sandusky County on a farm where they resided until about 1860, at which time they immigrated to Missouri, locating in De Kalb County, where the father continued in agricultural pursuits until his death in the later part of 1881, at seventy-two years of age. The mother is seventy-six years of age, and still lives in De Kalb County. John is the eldest of six children. He was reared on his father’s farm, and received a common-school education. His whole life has been given to agricultural pursuits. When a child he removed with his parents to Ohio, and in his twenty-fourth year went to Iowa, where he worked as a farm laborer three or four years. In 1856 he preempted 160 acres of land where he now lives, and complying with the laws of the State, he entered the land in 1857. In December, 1860, he wedded Miss Margaret Cownell, who was born in Pennsylvania. This was a happy union until May 1, 1877, when the wife died at thirty-six years of age. She left five children—two sons and three daughters. One grown daughter is her father’s housekeeper. Mr. Dice has been a very successful farmer, and now owns in De Kalb and Daviess Counties over 1,000 acres of land. Politically he is a Democrat.

Source: History of Andrew and DeKalb Counties, Missouri (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888), p. 558.

Daniel Coil, a citizen of Osborne, was born in Boone County, Mo., on September 28, 1819. His parents were Daniel and Elizabeth (Silver) Coil, both natives of Madison County, Ky. The father was of Irish descent. After their marriage in their native county, they settled on a farm, and in 1819 immigrated to Missouri and settled in Boone County, where the father died in 1825. The mother died in Buchanan County about eight years ago. The subject of this sketch is the third of six children. He received a common-school education, and remained on his father’s farm until about eighteen years of age, when he began business for himself as a farmer in Buchanan County. About 1838 he returned to his mother’s, and in 1845 came to De Kalb County, where he has since resided, except the years of 1850 and 1851 that he spent in California, going the overland route and returning by water. In 1843 he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Parrott, daughter of Col. Elias Parrott. They have had seven children—one son and six daughters—of whom two are dead—one son and one daughter. Mr. Coil has been a life-long Democrat. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. He is now trustee of the church, and has been steward for seventeen years. In 1872 he removed to Osborne to accommodate himself to the schools of that place.

Source: History of Andrew and DeKalb Counties, Missouri (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888), pp. 555-556.

John F. Clark, a prominent citizen and attorney of Maysville, was born in Henry County, Ind., on September 25, 1846. He is the son of William and Sarah (Abrams) Clark, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Ohio. The father was born in 1811, and was the son of Benjamin Clark, a native of Virginia. He removed from Tennessee to Indiana in 1831, and settled in Henry County, where he engaged in farming until about 1872, when he removed to Madison County, where he died in 1875. The mother was born in 1815, and is the daughter of Joseph and Rebecca Abrams, who removed from Ohio to Indiana at an early date. She is now a resident of De Kalb County, Mo., making her home with her children. John F. is the fifth of thirteen children, and was reared on the farm. His education was begun in the public schools, and finished at the Newcastle (Indiana) Academy. After completing his education, he engaged in teaching during the winter months for about thirteen years. In 1865 he immigrated to Missouri, and the same year joined an expedition against the Indians, and crossed the plains to Tougue River. He then returned to his father’s in Indiana. In April, 1867, he came to De Kalb County, and located seven miles north of Stewartsville, where, until 1874, he engaged in farming during the summer and teaching school during the winter. He was then elected as a Democrat to the office of county clerk, and removed to Maysville. He was re-elected in 1878. In 1882 he was elected to represent De Kalb County in the State Legislature, and in 1884 made an unsuccessful canvass for senator from the Fourth District. He was admitted to the bar in 1885, since which he has been practicing law, and is also engaged in the real estate abstract and loan business. In 1868 he was united in marriage with Lavina A. Brooks, who was born in Buchanan County, Mo., in 1849. She is the daughter of William B. and Parmelia Brooks. They have seven children. Mr. Clark is a member of the Masonic lodge.*

*Since the above sketch was written death has deprived De Kalb County of one of its truly representative and substantial men, Mr. Clark having died on December 17, 1887, of malarial fever. On the 18th inst. he was buried with Masonic honors.

Source: History of Andrew and DeKalb Counties, Missouri (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888), pp. 554-555.

C. L. Welden, a prominent citizen of Maysville, and junior member of the firm of Orr & Welden, general merchants, was born in Hart County, Ky., on September 29, 1851. He is the son of Washington B. and Mary M. (Highbaugh) Welden, natives of Virginia and Kentucky, respectively. The former, when seven years of age, removed to Kentucky, where he resided until 1855. In that year, with his wife, he immigrated to Harrison County, Mo., making the journey in a wagon. They are now living upon the farm which they pre-empted. Our subject remained at home until 1877, when he began clerking in a store at Edinburg, Mo. After a few months he went to Maysville, Mo., and thence to Bridgeport, Harrison County, where he was engaged in merchandising for about fourteen months. He the returned to Maysville, and clerked for Orr & Son for six months, after which he became a member of the firm, and engaged in business at McFall, Mo. At the end of thirteen months he sold his interest, and returned to Maysville. From that time until August 1883, he was disabled on account of an accidental gun shot. He then went to Caldwell County, where he conducted a store for nineteen months. At the end of that time he returned to Maysville, and on November 10, 1885, formed his present partnership. He also owns a one-half interest in a store at Weatherby, Mo., conducted under the firm name of McClure & Welden. On January 14, 1875, he was united in marriage with Lieulla Williams, who died on November 16, 1875, leaving one son. Mr. Welden chose for his second wife, Fanny, the daughter of William Orr, Sr., to whom he was married on September 11, 1879. They have two children in life, and one dead.

Source: History of Andrew and DeKalb Counties, Missouri (Chicago: Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888), pp. 590-591.