CHAPTER XXVII (Part 2)
BIOGRAPHICAL
Peyton A. Parks - The name of Parks figures prominently in connection with the history of the courts in Henry County and Peyton A. Parks is today one of the distinguished members of the bar of Henry County.
He was born in this county, August 22, 1855, a son of James and Mary (Allen) Parks. His paternal grandfather was one of Missouri's honored pioneer settlers and laid out and founded the city of Clinton. He was licensed to practice law in Kentucky in 1823 and became one of the early and prominent members of the Missouri bar, displaying notable ability in the trial of cases and the handling of important litigated interests entrusted to his care. The name of Parks has for eighty years been closely associated with the history of Henry County and has ever been a synonym for progressiveness and public-spirited citizenship. James Parks, father of Peyton A. Parks, was born near Stanford, Lincoln County, Kentucky, October 23, 1827. In early life he devoted his attention to farming and school teaching. He accompanied his parents on their removal to Cooper County, Missouri, in 1827, and to Henry County in 1834 so that he here practically spent his entire life. In 1860, he was elected county assessor and made a creditable record in that capacity. Subsequently other official honors were conferred upon him. He became circuit clerk and recorder of deeds and while thus engaged his interest in the law led him to take up the study of the principles of jurisprudence and he was admitted to the bar. He then entered upon active practice as a member of the firm of R. Allen & Company and following the withdrawal of Mr. Allen, Judge Gantt joined Mr. Parks in a partnership, and with the addition of a third member, William T. Thornton, the firm style of Parks, Thornton & Gantt was assumed. That relation continued until Mr. Thornton was appointed governor of the territory of New Mexico by President Cleveland, and Judge Gantt went upon the circuit bench. Mr. Parks was joined by his son Peyton in 1880 and they continued together in the practice of law until the father retired because of old age. He was probate judge for twenty years and was long accounted one of the foremost members of the bar in his section of the State. He held to the highest ideals of the profession and the thoroughness and care with which he prepared his cases and the clearness, force and logic with which he presented his cause before the courts made him notably successful. He died June 26, 1904, honored and respected by all who knew him. For about three years he had survived his wife, who passed away July 2, 1901.
Peyton A. Parks was the only son in a family of six children. He attended both public and private schools of Clinton and when twenty years of age began teaching, remaining as principal of the Montrose schools for three and a half years. In the meantime he took up the study of law, to which he devoted his leisure hours, and following his admission to the bar he entered upon active practice in connection with his father. He has since continued as a general practitioner and devotes his entire time to his professional duties. Four generations of the Parks family have been connected with the legal profession in Clinton, for Peyton A. Parks is now associated with his only son, James A. They have one of the best equipped and most complete law offices to be found outside of the large cities. They occupy a suite of rooms in a two-story building which they erected. The lower floor is divided into two large general offices, separated only by a broad archway and grille work. In the rear of these are the private offices. The walls are lined with long cases filled with works on law. The upper floor consists of one large room, richly carpeted, and at each end of the room is a long council table. In this room, the four walls are completely lined with continuous shelves of books rising from the floor to more than three-fourths the height of the wall. Above the cases on one side of the room, are enlarged pictures of the father and grandfather of Peyton A. Parks and also of his maternal grandfather, while the other four walls are adorned with pictures of well known statesmen and eminent men. With the contents of an extensive library, Peyton A. Parks is largely familiar. He is a constant student of the law and seems never at a loss for principle or precedent to cite in proof of the correctness of his position.
On the twenty-first of September, 1882, Mr. Parks was married to Miss Mary E. Gathright, who was born in Callaway County, Missouri, a daughter of James and Hester E. (Shackleford) Gathright, both of whom were natives of Virginia and at an early day went to Callaway County.
The father engaged in farming, but afterward turned his attention to merchandising in Henry County, although death soon terminated his business career in the latter county. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Parks was born a son, James A., whose natal day was October 13, 1883. He is now associated with his father in law practice. He married Miss Lizzie Wallis, and they have one child, Frances, born August 16, 1913.
James A. Parks devotes his entire time to his professional duties. Both father and son are members of the Masonic fraternity and hold membership with the Modern Woodmen and with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. Peyton A. Parks as well as the junior member gives his political allegiance the Democratic party and always keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day. He was county school commissioner when engaged in teaching from 1879 to 1881 and also a member of the State tax commission under Governor Dockery. Both father and son have been very active in all patriotic lines and war activities. The former has been and is vice-chairman of the Red Cross in Henry County, speaking and organizing on that line. For the past twenty-six years, or from 1892, Mr. Parks has been chairman of the sixth congressional committee. Mr. Peyton Parks and his wife are members of the Baptist Church and their social position is one of well deserved prominence. Theirs is a hospitable home and its good cheer is enjoyed by a constantly increasing circle of friends.
A lifelong resident of Henry County, Peyton A. Parks has made an honorable record, following in the footsteps of father and grandfather and carrying on the work which was instituted by them in behalf of city and county. No history of this section would be considered complete without extended mention of the Parks family, so active have they been in support of all that pertains to the welfare, progress and improvement of this section of the State.
J. W. Penland, one of Henry County's most successful men and a member of a pioneer family of this section of Missouri, is a native of Tennessee. He was born in Cox County, Tennessee, August 23, 1843, a son of Aaron and Catherine (Phillips) Penland, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of South Carolina. Aaron Penland came to Missouri with his family in 1871, and settled in Henry County on the Grand River, west of Clinton. Here he followed farming during the remainder of his life. He died in 1885, and his wife departed this life in 1893. They were the parents of six children, as follows: S. K., Clinton, Missouri; J. W. the subject of this sketch; Jane, now Mrs. Bryant, Galena, Kansas; Edna Langley, now deceased; Mrs. Maggie Stephens, Galena, Kansas, and A. G., deceased.
In early life, J. W. Penland worked by the month as a farm laborer. When he came to Henry County he had saved about $1,000, and he deposited $600 of that in a bank which failed a short time afterward. He then went to work on the construction of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railroad and when the road began to be operated he took charge of the Grand River pumping station, which furnished water to the tank there to supply the locomotives with water. At first the water was pumped by hand, which task Mr. Penland performed with the assistance of an other man. Later improved machinery was installed, which consisted of horse power. This continued to be the method of pumping until the water tank was removed to Deepwater, where a steam pump was installed. Mr. Penland was in the employ of the railroad company eleven years in all.
Early in life, Mr. Penland realized the earning power of money and while in the employ of the railroad company he not only purchased two hundred acres of land, but loaned considerable money, and during his entire business career in Henry County has loaned large sums of money. He was engaged in farming for ten years and in 1894 came to Clinton, where he has since made his home, and during that time has carried on an extensive loan business. During his time he has owned a great deal of land in Henry County and has bought and sold several hundred acres in the course of his various transactions. He is one of Henry County's substantial citizens and has accumulated a comfortable fortune. He has invested $14,000 in Liberty Bonds.
Mr. Penland was united in marriage in 1881 to Miss Anna Potter, a native of Indiana. She departed this life January 12, 1912. No children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Penland. Mr. Penland has been a lifelong Democrat and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has seen much of the development of Henry County and in its up-building has contributed his part. He is public spirited and has ever co-operated with any movement for the betterment of Clinton and Henry County. W. T. Runner, the well-known and popular sheriff of Henry County, is a native of Illinois. He was born in Peru, Illinois, November 20, 1865, and is a son of William and Helen (Epperson) Runner, the former a native of that part of Virginia which is now West Virginia and the latter of Missouri.
The Runner family were early settlers in western Missouri. Michael Runner, grandfather of Sheriff Runner, settled in Post Oak township, Johnson County, on Mineral Creek several years prior to the Civil War. He was a Virginian and came to this State with his family and followed farming in Johnson County until his death. He was a victim of bushwhackers during the days of the border war. He was an old man at the time when the Civil War broke out, and on account of his advanced age, he believed that he would be unharmed and remained on his place, but subsequent events proved that he was mistaken, for his blood-thirsty assassins were no respecters of gray hairs. They murdered him the next day after they had murdered his son, Isaac, who was a cripple, having lost a leg in an accident some years previous. The father and son were killed while they with the assistance of their women folks were preparing for the burial of an uncle of Sheriff Runner, a brother of his father, whom the bushwhackers had previously killed. After murdering the three members of the family, the marauders robbed the house of everything of value and took the horses with them. Sheriff Runner's grandmother spent her life on the old home place in Johnson County, which is still owned by her descendants.
William Runner, father of Sheriff Runner, went to Illinois, where he remained during the Civil War and at its close returned to Johnson County, where he was successfully engaged in farming and stock raising during the remainder of his life. He died January 26, 1892. His wife departed this life November 15, 1903. She was born in Pettis County, and her parents were early settlers in that section of Missouri. They were Kentuckians.
Sheriff Runner is one of a family of six children born to his parents as follows: James, Joplin, Missouri; W. T., the subject of this sketch; Walter, Memphis, Tennessee; Joseph, died at the age of twenty-one years; Leota, now the wife of Thomas Garnett, a railroad contractor residing at Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Maud, the wife of J. B. Thompson, Lake Charles, Louisiana.
W. T. Runner was reared to manhood in Johnson County, Missouri, and received his education in the public schools. He followed farming there until 1889, when he came to Henry County and bought a farm in Shawnee township. Here he was engaged in farming and stock raising until 1916, when he was elected sheriff of Henry County, and since that time has resided in Clinton and devoted himself to the duties of that office. He is a capable and conscientious public official and has a broad acquaintance in Henry County and friends without number. He has a valuable farm of 160 acres in Shawnee township which he has rented since he assumed the duties of the office of sheriff. Sheriff Runner is a Democrat and has been identified with that party since boyhood.
In 1887, W. T. Runner was united in marriage with Miss Blanche Cameron, a native of Henry County, and a daughter of James Cameron, a Henry County pioneer, now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Runner have been born three children: Rolla, now a member of the One Hundred Twenty-ninth Field Artillery, National Army, in service on the western front in France; Glenn, and Earl, who reside at home. Mrs. Blanche Runner, mother of the foregoing children, died in 1907. Mr. Runner married Mrs. Carrie Cochrane, a widow, in 1909. Mrs. Carrie Runner has one daughter by a former marriage, Jessie, at home.
Sheriff Runner is a member of the Masonic Lodge and the Baptist Church.
