CHAPTER XXVII (Part 119)
BIOGRAPHICAL
Albert L. Levy - The opportunities of the farmers of Henry County are the outgrowth of the privations and struggles of the pioneer men and women who came in the early days of the county's history. The farmer is reaping today where the pioneer labored and sowed. Albert L. Levy was born February 15, 1870, in Fairview township, Henry County, the son of Thomas J. and Frances (Dunning) Levy, who were natives of Illinois and Kentucky, respectively. Thomas J. Levy was born in 1834 in Illinois and with his parents, Franklin and Nancy A. Levy, who were natives of Illinois, came to Clinton township, Henry County, in the very early days of the incoming settlers to Henry County. Thomas Levy received his education amongst the pioneer surroundings and conditions, helping in the building of the home and reclaiming the wild land to cultivated fertility. He married Nancy Dunning, who was born in Caldwell County, Kentucky, and came with her parents, Henry and Nancy (McFarland) Dunning, to Henry County in 1848. She was the mother of two children, Harry, deceased, and Albert L., of this sketch. She passed away in 1876.
Thomas J. Levy, after leaving his son Albert L. with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dunning, went to New Mexico and later to Arizona, where he was interested in mining and also farming. He died in 1902.
Albert Levy was educated in the district schools and cared for by his grandparents, who are now deceased. He has farmed for many years, purchasing a farm in Clinton township in 1914 and disposing of the same in 1918.
The marriage of Albert Levy and Susan Ann Moyer took place March 9, 1891. Mrs. Susan Levy was born on the farm in Clinton township where she and her husband now reside. Her parents are John and Catherine (Rhodes) Moyer. A more complete history of the Moyer family will be found in the sketch of Jacob Moyer. Mr. and Mrs. Levy have one child, Pearl Frances, born in 1904, and is attending the Deepwater High School.
Mr. Levy is a Democrat and is a member of the Baptist Church. He belongs to the Masonic Lodge.
Walter Stewart, a progressive young farmer of Davis township, who is operating one hundred sixty acres of land owned by his father, Orrin Stewart, is a native son of Henry County. He was born September 1, 1886, in Davis township, Henry County, the son of Orrin and Althena (Miller) Stewart, who for the past fifty years, have made their home in Henry County. Orrin Stewart was born in Juniata, Blair County, Pennsylvania, in 1835. During the Civil War, he served in the Union Army and participated in some of the most important battles of the war. When the war ended, he received an honorable discharge and returned to Logansport, Indiana, where he remained until 1867. He came to Henry County, Missouri, that year and for a time taught school and later engaged in farming. He owns two hundred ninety-one acres of land in Davis and Honey Creek townships, which for many years, he farmed. His sons have relieved him of all responsibility and are now renting the place.
Orrin Stewart now lives with his son, Walter, and is hale and hearty in spite of his three score and ten years. Orrin Stewart and Althena (Miller) Stewart are the parents of four children, as follows: Jennie, wife of A. T. Lloyd of Davis township; Harvey H., Davis township; William M., Davis township, and Walter, the subject of this sketch. The mother died August 25, 1900.
Walter Stewart received his education in the district schools and has always helped his father on the farm. As the cares and burdens became too heavy, he finally relieved his father of responsibility and is now renting one hundred sixty acres of his father's estate.
February 22, 1908, Walter Stewart married Johannah Natter and four children have been born to them, as follows: Glen, Emery C, Cliiford W. and Clarence. Mrs. Stewart was born in Davis township, Henry County, a daughter of Joe and Mary (Grobe) Natter, who are well-known and successful farmers of Davis township.
Mr. Stewart is one of the young farmers who are stepping into the places of their elders and he is successfully conducting his farming operations, laying the foundations for a better and bigger opportunity for the children growing around his fireside. He is one of the progressive young men of Pettis County.
John C. Rice, late of Davis township, was one of the best known of the pioneer citizens of Henry County and was born in Kentucky in 1838 and died in 1894. He was a son of John C. and Abigail (Coleman) Rice, of North Carolina ancestry. The Rice family were pioneers in Kentucky and John C. Rice resided in his native State with his parents until 1854, when his parents went to Kansas and were there during the border warfare days. The elder Rice entered land in Kansas as did John C. Rice, but he was too young to obtain title to the land. The family became dissatisfied and started to make the return trip to Kentucky. While on the homeward journey the father of John C. Rice died at Sibley, Missouri, at the home of General Mosby. After his father's death, John C. Rice refused to return to Kentucky and came to Henry County, where he entered forty acres of land in Davis township, finally purchasing one hundred sixty acres and residing thereon with his mother and sister. Civil War breaking out and times being bad it became unsafe to remain in the neighborhood, and his mother and sister went to Warrensburg, Mr. Rice himself joining the 1st Iowa Cavalry Regiment. He served four years in the Union Army and was stationed at Little Rock and Arkansas points during his term of service. He was accidentally injured and suffered from fever, being placed in the hospital at Little Rock. After his recovery he became a nurse in the hospital and remained there until he was mustered out of the service in 1865. He returned home and rented a farm from Captain Denny, near Calhoun, for one year. He then came back to his farm and erected a cabin, which is still standing.
John C. Rice was married in 1868 to Lucetta Jane Walker, who was born in 1841 in North Carolina and is a daughter of Dr. William and Elizabeth (Van Hoy) Walker, natives of North Carolina who migrated to Missouri in 1852. Doctor Walker settled in Walker township, Henry County, and was the first pioneer to build a home out on the unbroken prairie away from the streams and timber tracts. For forty years, he practiced medicine. When Mrs. Rice came to Henry County with her parents, the only homes in the near vicinity were those of Col. John Van Hoy, Selathiel Stone, Doctor Gates and Uncle Billy Gates. These homes were located on the edge of timber. School was held in a log cabin for a three months' term during the summer season. The only church in the neighborhood was the Adobe Church, in which services were held by Doctor Jones, an old line Presbyterian minister. The settlers went to Cook's Mill on Grand River in order to have their grist ground.
The following children were born to John C. and Lucetta Jane Rice: Hugh, died at the age of three years; Clyde A.; Eva May, wife of John Warner, residing on the home farm, mother of two children, Myrtle and Sylvia.
John C. Rice was a Republican and an elder of the Presbyterian Church. He was a supporter of the Grange and was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. Mr. Rice was one of the best posted and best read men of his day. Being a constant student and reader, who was also a deep thinker, he wrote upon many subjects and the members of his family prize very highly the many literary productions which were accumulated during his life time.
Clyde A. Rice, who is residing in the old home of his parents, is one of the best known of the young generation of farmers in Henry County. He was born on March 2, 1870, and received his education in the district school and the old Clinton Academy. Mr. Rice is a Democrat and has held various township offices including those of tax collector and constable. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church and the Woodmen of the World and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge No. 772. Mr. Rice is secretary of the La Due Grain and Supply Company of La Due, Missouri.
December 20, 1893, Clyde A. Rice and Estella Coates were married. To this marriage have been born four children: Edna, wife of Brady Morgan, mother of two children, Helen Louise and Hazel Lorene, Montrose, Missouri; Howard C., Bernard, and Ruby, at home. Mrs. Estella (Coates) Rice was born in Bear Creek township, March 9, 1871, and is a daughter of William S. and Nancy (Pinkston) Coates, natives of Kentucky. Mrs. Nancy (Pinkston) Coates was born in Kentucky, November 12, 1835, and is the daughter of Basil and Elizabeth (Noland) Pinkston, who came from their native State of Kentucky to Missouri in 1839 and settled in Rives County, now Henry, near Calhoun. Other pioneers who came to this section about the same time were John A. Pigg, Archie Legg, Colonel Squires, and Uncle Isom Pinkston. Mrs. Coates recalls that the only schools were subscription schools. By a first marriage with William S. Gutridge, who died in 1860, Mrs. Coates had two children, James Henry and John William, deceased. By her second marriage, there were two children, Mrs. Olive May Davis, living in Canada, and Mrs. Clyde A. Rice. When the Pinkston family came to this section, they drove across country with ox teams.
Robert D. Ming of Davis township is one of the best known and most successful of the younger generation of farmers and stockmen of Henry County. Mr. Ming was born on March 5, 1880, on the Ming home place in Davis township and is the son of William F. Ming, who came to Henry County, Missouri, from Franklin County in 1879. (See sketch.)
Robert D. Ming was educated in the district school of his vicinity and studied for two years at the Missouri Valley College, Marshall, Missouri, after which he completed a course in the Sedalia Business College. He chose agriculture and stock raising as his life vocation and was given 200 acres outright by his father as his share of the family estate. He has increased his acreage to a total of 390 acres, which is one of the best improved farms in this section. The buildings on the Ming place are in first-class condition and the farm is equipped with a concrete silo having a capacity of 150 tons of silage. Mr. Ming is essentially a stock man and devotes his attention principally to the breeding and feeding of cattle and hogs for the markets.
September 25, 1908, Mr. Ming was united in marriage with Miss Stella Keeler, who was born in Illinois, a daughter of Orville L. (deceased) and Elizabeth A. Keeler, who formerly resided in Henry County. Mr. Keeler died at Lowrie City and Mrs. Keeler now makes her home in Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Ming have children as follows: Morris Milton, born August, 1909; and William Orville, who died at the age of two years.
Mr. Ming is a Democrat and is one of the recognized leaders of his party in Henry County. He has served as school trustee and at the present time, is township committeeman for Davis township. He is a director and vice-president of the bank of La Due, Missouri. He and Mrs. Ming are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Mt. Carmel.
William F. Ming - The Ming family is one of the old and prominent pioneer families of Missouri, a worthy representative of which family is William F. Ming, now living retired in Clinton, Missouri. Mr. Ming was born at Gray's Summit, Franklin County, Missouri, February 1, 1850. He is the son of James M. and Jemima (Osborn) Ming, natives of Virginia.
James M. Ming was born in 1826 and died in 1911. He was a son of Woolrich Ming, a native of Virginia, who migrated to Franklin County, Missouri, during the early thirties and settled in that county. James M. Ming was here reared to young manhood and became a merchant and farmer. During his early life, he went to Montana and took out a wagon or trainload of merchandise which he disposed of in Virginia City, during the early sixties. After remaining there for two years, he returned to Franklin County and became prominently identified with Franklin County affairs. He was successful as a merchant and became a large land owner.
He was elected county judge in Franklin County and served as a member of the county court at a time when the county was sued for the amount of railroad bonds issued some years before. Mainly through his efforts, a compromise was effected with the bond holders and a settlement obtained which satisfied all parties concerned and saved the county a vast amount of litigation and expense. He traded merchandise for land in Henry County which he gave outright to his sons. Besides his business at Gray's Summit, he established a wholesale business at St. Louis and conducted a successful business in the city while continuing to make his home in Franklin County. He was father of ten children, the following of whom were reared to maturity: William F., subject of this review; E. D., a resident of Franklin County; Clara, wife of Dr. A. H. May, Washington, Missouri; Fannie, deceased wife of Doctor Wallace; Emmet, deceased, formerly lived in Henry County, later going to Oklahoma.
After attending the common schools of his native county, William F. Ming studied for two years in St. Louis University. He then took up farming and stock raising as a life vocation. Coming to Henry County in 1879, he took charge of a tract of land in Davis township in partnership with his brother. Later his brother, E. D. Ming, moved back to Franklin County, and William F. bought his brother's interest in the farm. He increased his holdings to 800 acres and resided on the farm until 1906, at which time, he made his home in Clinton. Mr. Ming improved his land from raw prairie and was very successful as a stock raiser and feeder, producing large herds of cattle for the markets each year.
On January 3, 1878, William F. Ming and Miss Celeste Jeffries were united in marriage. The following children were born of this marriage: Robert D., now living on the home place in Davis township; Carrie, at home with her parents; Dr. Charles Morris Ming, a physician now undergoing special training at Cornell University for service in the National Army as surgeon. The mother of the foregoing children was born October 2, 1854, in Franklin County, Missouri, the daughter of Charles and Alvira (Adams) Jeffries, natives of Virginia, who were early settlers of Franklin County. Charles Jeffries died at his home in that county in 1872. Mr. Ming is a Democrat. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South and is fraternally affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Woodmen of the World.
George W. Cruce - The late George W. Cruce was one of the oldest pioneer settlers of Henry County. Mr. Cruce was born September 11, 1829, in Crittendon County, Kentucky, and died March 26, 1912, at his home in Clinton, Missouri. He was the son of James and Nancy (Harrison) Cruce, who spent all of their lives in Kentucky. George W. Cruce made his first trip to Missouri in 1854, and after viewing the country with the intention of settling in the western part of the State, he returned home. After a stay of two years in Kentucky, he came to Henry County and purchased his farm in Davis township. Two years after coming to this county, he was married to Miss Frances G. Hester. Three children were born of this marriage: Ella, died at the age of five years; George Cruce, born 1860, resides with his mother in Clinton; Marshall R., born 1863, resides in Nevada, Missouri.
Mr. and Mrs. Cruce improved a splendid tract of 400 acres of land in the northwest corner of Davis township and resided there until 1898, when they retired to a home in Clinton. In 1880, they removed to Whitesboro, Texas, so as to be with their son who was engaged in business in that city. They resided in Texas for eleven years and then returned to Clinton.
Mrs. Frances G. (Hester) Cruce was born May 22, 1838, in Tennessee, the daughter of Thomas and Mary E. (Baynum) Hester, natives of Virginia, who were pioneer settlers of Kentucky and who came to Missouri as early as 1840 and made a settlement in St. Clair County. Thomas Hester died in St. Clair County in 1841 and his widow then came to Henry County and lived here with her children. During the Civil War period, the family removed to Kentucky, where they remained for a short time, and then came back to Missouri and made their home in Warrensburg for four years. After the war, they came to Henry County. Mr. and Mrs. Cruce accompanied them to Kentucky, where Mrs. Cruce's youngest son was born. Her daughter, Mary E. Cruce, died in Crittendon County, Kentucky. There were fourteen children in the Hester family, eight of whom were reared: Anthony N., Robert, Thomas, Martha B., Mary A., Juliet, Eliza, and Frances G. (Cruce) the only surviving member of the family.
George Cruce, who makes his home with his mother in Clinton, has been a successful farmer and has been married and is father of six children: George G., living in Canada; Robert J., lives in Montana; Mrs. Ella Clairy, lives near Urich, Missouri; James G., who is cultivating the Cruce home place; Mrs. Mary F. Hedland lives in Warrensburg; Paul lives in Clinton. Mrs. Frances G. Cruce has eleven great-grandchildren. For the past sixty-four years, she has been a member of the Christian Church and active in religious works. She is the only living charter member of the Clinton Christian Church.
Mrs. Cruce recalls the early pioneer days spent in St. Clair County and that the settlers went to mill at what was known as Captain Lena's Mill on Sac River. They went to market by ox-team to Osceola, at that time, a landing port for the boats which came up the Osage River. Mrs. Hester owned a number of slaves, seventeen in all, who did all the work of the farm and were very devoted to their mistress. All of the children were well-educated and received every advantage possible to give them during those early days. They were prosperous and happy until the war broke out, eventually causing Mrs. Hester to lose all of her slaves and the family fortunes were considerably weakened.
George W. Cruce was a Democrat and was one of the leaders of his party in Henry County for a number of years. He was a self-educated man and was highly intelligent. For over twenty years, he served as justice of the peace for Davis township. He was a member of the Christian Church and while a resident of Whitesboro, Texas, he served as deacon of the church. For over sixty-two years, he was a Mason and took an active interest in the affairs of this order.
