CHAPTER XXVII (Part 84)
BIOGRAPHICAL
Joshua Carney of White Oak township is one of the pioneers of Henry County, who has done his part in reclaiming this county from an unbroken plain and making of it one of the leading political subdivisions of the state of Missouri.
Mr. Carney was born in Pendleton County, Kentucky, April 4, 1832, a son of Thomas and Mary (Hunt) Carney, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Virginia. Joshua Carney and his mother left their Kentucky home in 1850 and went to Illinois. After spending two years in that State, they came to Missouri, settling in Scotland County. Here they remained until the Civil War broke out. Joshua Carney being a Southern man, his sympathies were with the South and he enlisted in the Confederate Army, and after about a year of active campaign in behalf of the lost cause, in which he participated in five important battles in Missouri, he returned to civil life. In 1862, he went to Platte County, where he remained four years. He then settled in Johnson County, near Holden, and in 1869 came to Henry County. He settled on a farm in White Oak township, and for forty-nine years this place has been his home, and he has added acreage from time to time until he owned five hundred thirty-five acres, half of which is owned by his son, Robert, who owns three hundred acres of the home place. This is said to be one of the most productive farms in Henry County and Mr. Carney raises large quantities of corn, wheat and oats, and he is also one of the important cattle raisers of the county. Mr. Carney now owns two hundred acres. Robert and George W. own twenty acres in partnership.
Mr. Carney was united in marriage in 1854 to Miss Margaret Cline, a daughter of Peter and Katherine Cline of Scotland County. Mrs. Carney was born in Kentucky and died in White Oak township September 10, 1910. To Joshua Carney and wife were born the following children: Mrs. Eleanor Bell Godwin, deceased; Mrs. Anna Hill, lives in Bates County; Jack S., lives at Urich, Missouri; Mrs. Sarah C. Gilbert, lives in Oklahoma; Mrs. Virginia Connor, Bates County; Dr. Ira, Blairstown, Missouri; Mary Elizabeth, resides at home; Robert Lee, at home; Emma, at home; George W., Walker township; and William L., Bates County.
Mr. Carney has observed many changes in Henry County during the forty-nine years of his residence here. When he came here, all kinds of wild game, including deer, turkey, geese and ducks, were plentiful. There were no roads and the country was un-fenced, wire fences being unheard of at that time. Transportation in the county depended upon the freighter who hauled goods from Warrensburg or Sedalia. The present towns, the most important ones of today, were mere hamlets or settlements and others were not thought of. There were no railroads in the county. He has lived to see all this change, and when he reflects on all the development and progress that has been made in the short period of less than half a century, he marvels at the wonders of the accomplishment of man. Mr. Carney has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, for over forty-five years, and it may be truthfully said of him that he is living a Christian life and is one of Henry County's most valuable citizens.
H. N. Kibbey, a prominent merchant of Clinton, Missouri, is a native of Illinois. He was born in Abington in 1869, a son of W. H. and Mary (Briggs) Kibbey, both natives of Clinton County, Ohio. W. H. Kibbey served in the 17th Ohio Infantry for three and one-half years during the Civil War. He was engaged in the mercantile business in Illinois after the war and later went to Nebraska, and in 1894 came to Clinton, Missouri, where he was engaged in the restaurant business for nine years. He died at Clinton in 1906 and his wife departed this life in 1916, and their remains were buried in the Englewood Cemetery. They were the parents of the following children: H. N., the subject of this sketch; H. W., an engineer, lives at Kearney, Nebraska; and Etta, now the wife of William Smith, Omaha, Nebraska.
H. N. Kibbey received his education in the public schools of Illinois and when a boy worked in his father's store, and when the family moved to Nebraska he went with them. In 1894, when they came to Clinton he also came here. Shortly after coming to Clinton he entered the employ of W. H. Bledsoe, who conducted a harness store on North Main street. He remained with Mr. Bledsoe for nine years, and in 1906 purchased Mr. Bledsoe's business and moved to his present location on the northeast corner of the square. In addition to the harness business, Mr. Kibbey also carries a complete stock of shoes and trunks and leather goods. In October, 1917, Mr. Kibbey sold his harness department to Bristell & VanWinkle, and since that time has devoted his attention to shoes, trunks and leather goods, and is the leading dealer in Clinton in these general lines. He is a progressive merchant and has built up an extensive trade. His policy is square dealing. He believes in the time honored precept of the mercantile business that a satisfied customer is the best advertisement.
Mr. Kibbey was united in marriage January 8, 1900, with Miss Bine Strain of Carney, Nebraska. Her mother, Mrs. Sarah Strain, now resides at Clinton, Missouri, at the age of eighty-four. Mrs. Kibbey is one of the following children born to her parents: R.C, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Edward, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Lizzie, now the wife of Herbert Sanburn, Ft. Scott, Kansas, and Bine, the wife of H. N. Kibbey. To Mr. and Mrs. Kibbey have been born two children: Fay, now the wife of W. A. Snell, Florence, Louisiana; Nannie, now the wife of Rollen Blakemore, Clinton, Missouri.
Mr. Kibbey is one of the substantial business men of Clinton, and the Kibbey family are prominent in the community.
William S. Britell, senior member of the firm of Britell and VanWinkle, the leading harness dealers of Clinton, Missouri, is a native of Illinois. He was born in Whiteside County in 1881, a son of Rufus H. and Katie M. (Trout) Britell, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of Kentucky, both now deceased. Rufus H. Britell served in the United States Navy during the Civil War and was wounded at the battle of Mobile Bay. He came to Clinton, Missouri, in 1903 and spent the remainder of his life here. He died in 1913 at the age of eighty-one years. His wife preceded him in death a number of years, having died in 1892. They were the parents of two children: William S., the subject of this sketch; and Frank L., who lives in Kansas City, Missouri.
William S. Britell was reared and educated in Henry County and followed farming until 1904. He then came to Clinton and entered the employ of W. H. Bledsoe, who conducted a harness shop, and remained with him one year. Mr. Bledsoe was then succeeded by Mr. Kibbey and Mr. Britell remained in his employ until 1917, when he and Mr. VanWinkle bought the Kibbey harness department, and have conducted this business until the present time. Mr. Britell is an experienced harness man and a skilled mechanic in that field of work.
William S. Britell was united in marriage October 19, 1904, to Lydia M. Stotts of Clinton, Missouri, daughter of John O. and Hannah (Campbell) Stotts of Clinton. The mother died in 1902 and the father now resides with Mrs. Britell. Mrs. Britell is one of a family of six children born to her parents as follows: William, Harrisonville, Missouri; Fred, Clinton, Missouri; Oscar, Harrisonville, Missouri; John, deceased; Lydia M., the wife of William S. Britell, the subject of this sketch, and Samuel, Clinton, Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Britell have been born four children: Katie, John, Lloyd and Iva May.
Mr. Britell is one of the progressive and enterprising business men of Clinton. The firm handles stock harness and also manufactures especially for their customers, as well as doing a general line of repair work. They have a prosperous business and rank among the leading business institutions of Henry County. Mr. Britell is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and also the Woodmen of the World.
J. F. Van Winkle, of the firm of Britell & Van Winkle of Clinton, is a native of Henry County. He was born in Leesville township in 1871 and is a son of M. C. and Marie J. (Biggs) VanWinkle, both natives of Illinois.
The father served in the Union Army with an Illinois regiment during the Civil War. After the war he came to Henry County, about 1870. Here he followed farming and stock raising until his death in 1880. His widow now lives in Clinton. Maria Biggs was a daughter of James R. Biggs, who settled in Henry County about the year 1870. His widow now lives in Clinton, aged eighty-nine years. There are five generations of the Biggs family now living in Henry County.
J. F. VanWinkle was reared in Henry County and educated in the public schools and was engaged in farming until 1917, when he, in partnership with W. S. Britell, purchased the Kibbey stock of harness, and since that time they have been engaged in the harness business at the Kibbey old stand.
Mr. VanWinkle has been twice married. His first wife, to whom he was married in 1893, bore the maiden name of Minnie Fowler, who was a daughter of George and Esther Fowler of Deep water, Missouri. She died in 1907, leaving the following children: Jene Clyde, La Due, Missouri; Irene, the wife of Bennie Dunning, Appleton City, Missouri; Ruth, now the wife of Jesse McGintis, Clinton, Missouri; Norma, Mary and Florence.
Mr. VanWinkle was united in marriage in 1910 with Miss Erma Johnson of Clinton, Missouri. She is a daughter of Alvin and Ruth Johnson, the former now deceased and the latter lives at Deepwater, Missouri. To Mr. and Mrs. Van Winkle have been born the following children: Darwin and Dorothy Jean, twins.
Mr. Van Winkle is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Clinton and takes a commendable interest in local affairs.
