CHAPTER XXVII (Part 122)
BIOGRAPHICAL
George H. Dehn, owner of a splendid farm of 240 acres in Clinton township upon which he has resided since December 25, 1911, is an industrious and successful Henry County farmer and stockman. Mr. Dehn was born in St. Clair County, Iowa, April 21, 1868. He is the son of Peter and Susannah (Meuse) Dehn, the former of whom was a native of Darmstadt, and the latter of whom was born in Luxembourg, Germany. Each accompanied their parents to America when young, and after their marriage in Illinois they moved to Iowa. In July of 1868 they located in Henry County, Missouri, and settled upon a farm six miles west of Clinton in Honey Creek township. Peter Dehn built up a splendid farm and was engaged in farming pursuits until his death in April, 1910, at the age of 86 years. His wife, Susannah, died in December, 1910, at the age of 76 years. They were parents of the following children: Katie lives at Ash Grove, Missouri; John, an extensive farmer living about one mile west of Clinton; Daniel lives in Fields Creek township; Mrs. Lizzie Duer, lives in Clinton; Annie died at the age of 19 years; Mrs. Mary Myers resides at Ash Grove, Missouri; Mrs. Susan Loyd lives on a farm in Clinton township; George H., subject of this sketch; Mrs. Rosa Batschelet, La Due, Missouri; Mrs. Emma Keck, Fields Creek township.
George H. Dehn remained with his parents until he attained the age of twenty-five years. He then married and cultivated his father's farm from 1893 to 1907. He then purchased his present farm of 200 acres. Mr. Dehn was married in 1898 to Miss Retta Albin, who was born in Illinois the daughter of William D. Albin.
To George H. and Retta Dehn have been born two children: Jesse, born November 5, 1896, and Mary, born June 4, 1899. Mr. Dehn is independent in his political views. He usually votes for the candidates who seem to him to be best fitted to give the best service to the people. He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
Edgar A. Ross - One of the neatest and best-kept farmsteads in Fairview township is that of Edgar A. Ross, which consists of 120 acres, just enough to keep one energetic farmer busily employed the year round. This farm is well improved with a good residence, and a silo to supplement the feeding of live stock in winter.
Edgar A. Ross was born November 11, 1862, in Wisconsin, the son of George H. and Carolina (Wilson) Ross, the former of whom was a native of Vermont and the latter a native of Michigan. George H. Ross was the son of Arad and Hannah (Batchelor) Ross, both of whom were natives of Vermont and descended from old New England families. Mrs. Caroline (Wilson) Ross was the daughter of Solomon and Harriet (Robinson) Robinson, who lived to great ages. It is an actuality that Edgar A. Ross recalls seeing both of his grandfathers and grandmothers and his great-grandfather and his great-grandmother in one room of his father's home in Wisconsin. Few men are given to see so many generations of one family, and that family his own people. Edgar A. Ross is the oldest of nine children born to his parents as follows: Edgar A.; Albert, and Frank, deceased; David lives in Iowa; Jesse lives in Iowa; Mrs. Annie Lanning resides in Canada; Clare lives in Washington; Ernest lives in North Dakota; Mrs. Grace Brooks lives in Iowa.
George H. Ross left Wisconsin in 1867 and settled in Hardin County, Iowa, where he became well to do. During the Civil War, he served as volunteer in the 48th Wisconsin Infantry, for one year. He is now living comfortably in Hardin County, Iowa, after a successful career. Mrs. Caroline Ross was born in 1838 and departed this life in 1895. Longevity is one of the characteristics of the members of the Ross family, the grandfather of Edgar A. Ross having lived to attain the great age of 97 years.
Edgar A. Ross was reared and educated in Wisconsin and Hardin County, Iowa. His parents were in poor circumstances and his life has been made up largely of hard work and grinding toil until of late years.
When the family located in Iowa, George H. Ross had but three horses and $50 in money. He earned money enough to provide sustenance for his family by quarrying rock at 75 cents per cord and for a long time, the family subsisted on corn which cost them $1.25 per bushel. In time, Mr. Ross prospered as Hardin County was developed and he became owner of 320 acres of rich Hardin County corn land valued at $250 an acre. Being the oldest of the family, Edgar A. Ross bore a great part of the burden of supporting the family during the lean years when times were hard. All of the other children of the family received a good education.
When Edgar A. Ross had attained the age of twenty-one years (1883), he went to Wisconsin, there married and resided in that State until 1890. He was engaged in railroad work and held the position of section foreman and had charge of a gravel train. In 1890, he returned to Iowa and purchased a farm. On account of poor health engendered by the severe winter weather of his home county in Iowa, he sold out his Iowa farm in 1903 and came to Missouri and purchased his farm in Fairview township. Mr. Ross has never regretted the change and states that Henry County is a far healthier section in which to live and a much easier place in which to make a living and accumulate a sufficiency of this world's goods than in Iowa, where land is much higher in price and consequently harder to obtain. He is well content with his location and would not swap farms with one of his relatives in Iowa if compelled to reside there.
Mr. Ross was married in 1888 to Miss Phoebe Ann Smith, who was born in Vermont, the daughter of Aaron and Amarillas (Reck) Smith. No children have been born of this marriage, but Mr. and Mrs. Ross have reared five adopted children, all of whom were orphans whom they took when young and raised to upright manhood and womanhood, namely: Grace, wife of John Robbins, Fairview township; Benjamin, operating a creamery at Lincoln, Nebraska; Miss Myrtle Speck, now in Oklahoma; and Myrtle, at home.
Mr. Ross is a Republican. He is affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and is one of the leading and substantial citizens of the Deepwater neighborhood, who is intelligent, well read and popular with all who know him.
James Bryant, a progressive and enterprising farmer and stockman of Bethlehem township, proprietor of a splendidly improved farm of 240 acres, is a native of New Jersey. He was born February 22, 1864, and is the son of Henry and Martha (Long) Bryant, both of whom were born and reared in England, immigrated to the United States, settled in New Jersey, resided in that State until 1865, and then moved westward to Illinois. Two years' residence in Illinois were sufficient, however, and they came to western Missouri, settling in Henry County in 1867. Mr. Bryant purchased a farm near the city of Clinton and resided there during the remainder of his days. He died in 1910. Mrs. Martha Bryant departed this life in March, 1917. Henry and Martha Bryant were parents of eight children, six of whom are living: George, a resident of California; Mrs. Eliza Briggs, Kansas; James, subject of this sketch; Mrs. Florence Matter, Garden City, Missouri; Mrs. Martha Dando, Kansas City, Missouri; Henry lives at Hutchinson, Kansas.
James Bryant was reared to manhood on the home place, which he now owns, and has the distinction of having lived for a period of forty years in the same house. He began his own career when twenty-one years of age, renting land for three years, after which he invested his savings in forty acres, and began farming on his own account on his own land after marriage. By hard work, and good financial management, he has attained to a position of competence.
October 19, 1890, James Bryant and Miss Delia P. Wright were united in marriage. They have two adopted children: Ellis, aged nineteen years, and Wilma, aged fourteen years. Ellis Bryant was born August 14, 1899, and enlisted in the National Army at Sedalia, Missouri, in August, 1917, pursued the regular course of training at Camp Doniphan and is now on the western battle front in France. He is a member of Company D, 140th United States Infantry.
Mrs. Delia P. (Wright) Bryant was born October 21, 1869, in northern Missouri, and is the daughter of Richard and Susie (Green) Wright, natives of old Missouri, and who located permanently in Henry County in 1872. The Wright home was located three miles east of Clinton where Mr. Wright died in 1874. Mrs. Wright died at the Bryant home in 1911.
The following children were born to Richard and Susie Wright: Mrs. Rebecca Reid, Bethlehem township; Mrs. Ella Harrison, Colorado; Jonah Wright, Bethlehem township; Mrs. Delia Bryant, of this review; Mrs. Betty Brown, living in Montana.
Mr. Bryant is a Republican and he and Mrs. Wright are members of the Christian Church. They are worthy people who are well liked and highly respected in their neighborhood.
James Baker - Residing on his eighty-acre farm east of Leesville, almost in the heart of the timbered country which lies adjacent to the village, is James Baker, for years, the "Blacksmith of Leesville." Mr. Baker is a native of Missouri and was born in Monroe County, August 31, 1844, the son of William and Ruth (Standiford) Baker, natives of Kentucky and Missouri, respectively.
William Baker was a cabinet maker by trade, whose parents were pioneers of Monroe County. He settled at White Sulphur Springs, St. Clair County, Missouri, in 1845, and in 1861, came to Leesville, where he plied his trade of skilled cabinet maker until after the Civil War, when he located on a farm and followed agricultural pursuits until his death. He was father of four children: W. P., Mary, and Francis, deceased; James, subject of this sketch, is the only survivor of the family. The mother of these children departed this life in 1849. After her death, some time later, William Baker married Elizabeth Goff, and to this marriage were born children as follows: Louisa, deceased; John M., Garden City, Missouri; Thomas, Henry, and George, deceased; Mrs. Sarah Carlton, Colorado; Mrs. Nora Acock, Benton County, Missouri.
On August 26, 1864, James Baker enlisted in Company A, 45th Missouri Infantry, and served for six months in Missouri.
In 1873, Mr. Baker was married to Miss Margaret A. Hay, born in 1854, in Osage County, Missouri, the daughter of Benjamin and Jane Hay, who removed to Iowa in 1854 and resided in that territory until 1858, when they returned to Missouri, but later went again to Iowa in 1866. Mr. and Mrs. Baker are parents of three children: Mrs. Attelia Province, living near Warsaw, Benton County, Missouri; Lincoln, operates the Baker blacksmith and wagon shop in Leesville; George is at home with his parents. Mrs. Province has borne children as follows: Jacob died at the age of fourteen years; Florence and Elva, who died at the age of six years. Lincoln Baker has three children living. One died in infancy. The others are: Frieda, Norene and Olive.
James Baker established a blacksmith shop and wagon shop in Leesville in 1865, which has become one of the old landmarks in eastern Henry County. He plied his trade for a period of thirty-five years and then retired to his farm, turning over the management of the shop to his son. He is living serenely content and well taken care of by his faithful and competent wife, who is one of the most intelligent and capable women in the county, as well as being a splendid cook and housekeeper.
He is a Republican and he and Mrs. Baker are members of the Christian church. He is a member of Dan McCook Post, Grand Army of the Republic. The Baker home is a pleasant one and hospitality is the keynote of the home life of the Bakers.
