CHAPTER XXVII (Part 7)
BIOGRAPHICAL
Dr. L. M. Klutz of Clinton, Missouri, is the pioneer veterinary surgeon of Henry County, and the first regularly graduated veterinary surgeon to practice in this section of Missouri. He was born near Gold Hill, North Carolina, February 22, 1855, and is a son of Tobias and Elizabeth (Peck) Klutz, both natives of Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and descendants of old Southern stock. The Klutz family settled in North Carolina in Colonial days and probably came from Pennsylvania to North Carolina.
Tobias Klutz resided in his native State until the Civil War broke out, when he enlisted in the Confederate Army. He was wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness, from the effect of which he died shortly afterwards in a Confederate Army hospital at Richmond, Virginia. His wife spent her life in North Carolina, where she died in 1883 at the age of sixty-seven. They were the parents of seven children, four of whom are living, as follows: John D., Gold Hill, North Carolina; Mrs. Margaret Nussman, Salisbury, North Carolina; George L., Gold Hill, North Carolina, and Dr. L. M., the subject of this sketch. Paul, Jerry, Josephine, Rose Ann are deceased.
Doctor Klutz was reared and educated in North Carolina. In 1887 he went to Chicago, and entered the Chicago Veterinary College, and was graduated from that institution March 21, 1889, with a degree of Doctor of Veterinary Surgery. He immediately came to Henry County and engaged in the practice of his profession, which he has followed ever since. When he came here, he was the only graduate veterinary surgeon, not only in Henry County, but over a vast stretch of country, including adjoining counties, and his practice extended into St. Clair, Johnson, Cass, Bates, Vernon, and other counties in western Missouri. Dr. Klutz has conducted a well-equipped veterinary hospital in Clinton for over twenty years. It is located at 510 Bodine avenue. He has ever been a close student of the science of his profession, and has been a part of the development of the science of veterinary surgery, which has made such marked progress during the last quarter of a century. He was one of the organizers of the Missouri State Veterinary and Medical Association which was organized in 1892. He bears the distinction of being the first president of that organization, and as a tribute to his great worth in the profession, he was elected an honorary member for life of the Missouri State Veterinary and Medical Association in 1913.
Doctor Klutz was united in marriage with Miss Adella McKinney, a native of Clinton, Henry County, a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Ryan) McKinney, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Indiana. They were early settlers in Henry County and are now deceased, and their remains rest in Englewood Cemetery.
To Doctor and Mrs. Klutz have been born the following children: Mary Elizabeth, a graduate of the Clinton High School, now a teacher in the Deepwater public schools, resides at home; Harry Lawson, a graduate of the Clinton High School, at home; Lee McKinney, a student in the Clinton High School; Mabel Irene, Paul Jerry, and Margaret Adella, all students in the Clinton grade schools.
Doctor Klutz is a Democrat, although he is inclined to take an independent view of politics. He holds membership in the Woodmen of the World, and belongs to the Presbyterian church.
George Samuel Poague, now deceased, was a worthy pioneer of this section of Missouri. He was born in Ashland, Kentucky, February 6, 1827, a son of Thomas Hoge Poague and Nancy Allen (Frame) Poague. The former was a native of Augusta County, Virginia. He was born near Staunton, February 4, 1792, and died at Victoria, Texas, May 31, 1841. He was an extensive land owner and also owned and operated an iron furnace. Thomas Hoge Poague was a son of Maj. George and Ann Allen Poague, the latter being a daughter of Capt. James Allen, of Virginia.
Maj. George Poague was born in Augusta County, Virginia, March 28, 1754; he died September 16, 1821. He qualified as captain of the Augusta County Militia June 20, 1781 (Chaukly, Vol. I, page 221). He was in active service. (See Pensions Declarations of William Green, Chaukly, Vol. II, page 495; Edward Stuart, Chaukly, same; and Ralph Wonless, same Vol., page 498.) Maj. George Poague was a son of John and Mary Crawford Poague. John Poague was born in Ireland about 172G, married June 3, 1751, and died in Augusta County, Virginia, in 1789. He qualified as captain of a troop of horse, August 19, 1752, qualified as justice of "the Augusta County Court November 23, 1762, and regularly thereafter until after the close of the Revolutionary War, including the dates, August 20, 1776 (Chaukly's Abstracts, Vol. I, page 196) and November 19, 1779 (Chaukly, Vol. I, page 2) and he qualified as high sheriff of Augusta County March 17, 1778 (Chaukly, Vol. I, page 196) and was elected Burgess of the Virginia Legislature in 1776 (Chaukly, Vol. I, pages 504-6) and also qualified as surveyor.
John Poague's parents were Robert and Elizabeth Poague, who settled near Staunton, Virginia, about 1737. They had nine children when they settled there, and one son was born afterwards.
Nancy Allen Frame, mother of George Samuel Poague, was a daughter of Captain Samuel and Nancy (Allen) Frame. Nancy Allen was a daughter of Captain James and Margaret Allen, who had two sons and eight daughters, and lived in Augusta County, Virginia. Captain James Allen had two brothers, John, who was a lieutenant under Washington, and was killed at the time Braddock was defeated in 1754, and Hugh Allen, who was a lieutenant under Gen. Andrew Lewis and was killed at the Battle of Point Pleasant in 1754. Capt. James Allen and his brothers came from Ireland and settled in Augusta County, Virginia. He was one of the first elders of the historic old stone church, which was erected on Middle River, near Staunton.
George Samuel Poague was reared to manhood in Ashland, Kentucky, and received his education there. In early life he engaged in the mercantile business, and in 1858 he came to Missouri, and first settled in Johnson County, near Warrensburg. Two years later he removed to Benton County, and purchased a farm, part of which was in Benton and part in Henry County, and here spent the remainder of his life. He was a staunch Democrat, and a man highly respected by all who knew him. He did not serve in the Civil War on account of physical disabilities. He died December 13, 1882.
July 25, 1853, George Samuel Poague and Eliza Christena Kellar were united in marriage at Louisa, Kentucky. She was born at Barboursville. West Virginia (then Virginia), September 28, 1833, and died at her home in Clinton, Missouri, September 12, 1913. She was a daughter of John Louis, and Hannah (Miller) Kellar, natives of Germany, and early settlers in Missouri.
To George Samuel and Eliza Christena (Kellar) Poague were born the following children: John Thomas, retired, Clinton, Missouri; George Madison, farmer, Jerico Springs, Missouri; Frederick Gary, Greeley, Colorado; Emma Eugenia, died at the age of two years; Dr. Samuel Allen, a sketch of whom appears in this volume; Henry Fewel, a sketch of whom also appears in this volume; Hattie Adelaide, the wife of Lawrence Grotty, a locomotive engineer on the Kansas Gity, Glinton and Springfield railway; William Rhea, merchant, Glinton; and Thomas, who is an adopted son, named Thomas Gude, but took the name of Poague, and is in the employ of the Glinton Waterworks.
Henry F. Poague, successfully engaged in the active practice of law in Clinton since 1893, and recognized as one of the forceful and resourceful members of the Henry County Bar, was born in Benton County, Missouri, March 17, 1868, a son of George Samuel and Eliza G. (Kellar) Poague. The father was born in Ashland, Kentucky, February 6, 1827, and was a son of Thomas Poague and Nancy Allen (Frame) Poague. The former was born February 4, 1792, and the latter on the 2nd of January, 1801. Both were natives of Kentucky and Thomas H. Poague was the ninth in order of birth in a family of thirteen children.
The great-great-grandfather of our subject was John Poague, who was a native of Ireland and settled in Virginia in 1737, his last days being spent in Augusta County, that State, where he departed this life in 1789. The children of John and Mary Poague were as follows: Robert, born in Augusta County, Virginia, in 1752, married his second cousin, Mary Hopkins, on the 17th of June, 1782, and died near Ashland, Kentucky, in 1810. Maj. George Poague was born in Augusta county, Virginia, March 28, 1754.
He married Ann Allen, daughter of Capt. James Allen, the wedding being celebrated in 1774. He qualified as captain of the Augusta County, Virginia, Militia, and was in active service. He died near Ashland, Kentucky, September 16, 1821.
Col. William Poague, the third of the family, was born in Augusta County, Virginia, February 17, 1756, married Margaret Davis and died in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, December 7, 1830.
John Poague was born in Augusta County, Virginia, December 23, 1757, married his second cousin, Rebecca Hopkins, and died in his native State in 1827.
Col. James Poague, born in Augusta county, Virginia, March 17, 1760, was married March 19, 1787, to his cousin, Mary Woods, and died at Ripley, Ohio, April 19, 1820.
Elizabeth, born in Augusta County, Virginia, became the wife of Rev. Moses Hoge, D. D., on the 23rd of August, 1783, and passed away in Virginia in 1802.
Rev. Thomas Poague, born in Augusta County, Virginia, married Laura Watkins in 1792 and passed away in the Old Dominion in the same year.
Ann, born in Augusta County, became the wife of Andrew Kinkead and died in Kentucky.
Thomas Hoge Poage, as previously stated, was the ninth of thirteen children born unto Maj. George and Ann (Allen) Poague. He was forty-nine years of age when he passed away May 31, 1841. His wife, Nancy Allen (Frame) Poague, long survived him and died July 13, 1889. Thomas H. Poague became an extensive landowner, planter and slave-owner, operating plantations near Ashland, Kentucky. He also had large tracts of land in Texas and to his plantations there took many of his negroes because of the agitation in Virginia against slavery. While on a trip of inspection to his plantations in the Lone Star State he became ill of yellow fever and died there.
Unto him and his wife were born eight children: Margaret Ann, who was born July 30, 1821, died in infancy.
Agnes Virginia, born October 7, 1824, resides on a large plantation near Carlisle, Kentucky. She is the widow of William Shanklin, who was a banker and extensive landowner of that locality.
George Samuel was the third in order of birth.
Hugh Calvin, born June 16, 1829, died in 1900.
Isabel Jane, born August 12, 1831, died at the age of two and one-half years.
Thomas C., born August 4, 1834, died December 15, 1877.
Rebecca Crawford, born August 7, 1836, became the wife of R. C. Wilson and is now a widow living in Carlisle, Kentucky.
John William, born February 9, 1840, died July 9, 1868.
George Samuel Poague spent the days of his boyhood and youth in Kentucky and in 1858 came to Missouri, residing for a year upon a farm in Lafayette County. He then removed to a farm near Warrensburg, where he continued for about a year, after which he took up his abode in Benton County, Missouri, where he became a landowner and where he resided until his death, which occurred December 13, 1882.
In early life, he had engaged in merchandising in Ashland, Kentucky, but his store was destroyed by fire and, though he still owned considerable land, he had little ready money. Having heard much of the opportunities to be enjoyed in Missouri, it was this that decided him to come to this State, and as the years passed he retrieved his lost possessions and became one of the substantial citizens of Benton County. His life was an active and useful one and his many sterling traits of character gained for him the highest regard of all with whom he was brought in contact. He lived in consistent harmony with his profession as a member of the Baptist church and his example is one well worthy of emulation. His political allegiance was given to the Democratic party and he took an active interest in State and county affairs, supporting all the measures which he deemed beneficial to the community.
On the 25th of July, 1853, he married Miss Eliza Keller, who was born September 28, 1833, in Barboursville, West Virginia. She was the eldest of ten children, whose parents were Louis and Hannah (Miller) Keller, both of whom were natives of Germany, but were brought to America in childhood by their parents.
The father was a mechanic and in early life was engaged in making shoes for horses and mules and also manufacturing horseshoe nails. The business grew to large proportions, until he was operating a number of shops and employing a number of men. He ranked among the prominent representatives of industrial activity in the community in which he made his home. John Thomas, born July 30, 1854, married Evelyn Harvey and is now living retired in Clinton. George Madison, born October 31, 1856, married Miss Laura Oaks and is a landowner and capitalist of Jerico Springs, Cedar County, Missouri. Frederick Cary, born April 20, 1859, married Fannie Wilsin and resides on the old homestead in Benton County.
Emma Eugenia, born March 25, 1861, died September 26, 1862.
Samuel Allen, born May 10, 1865, married Ethel Baugh, and is a practicing physician, surgeon and druggist of Clinton, Missouri. Henry Fewell is the sixth in order of birth. Hattie Adelaide, born November 11, 1871, was married January 3, 1910, to Lawrence Crotty, who is a railroad man and one of the prosperous and valued citizens of Clinton. William Rhea, born March 29, 1873, married Ethel Shobe and is associated with his brother. Dr. Poague, in the drug and general mercantile business in Clinton. Mr. and Mrs. George S. Poague also reared an adopted son, who was taken into the family when six years of age. He resides with W. R. Poague at the old home in Clinton and from early boyhood has been in the employ of the Clinton Water & Gas Company, his long connection therewith indicating his fidelity as well as his ability.
Henry F. Poague devoted his youth largely to the acquirement of an education until he reached the age of sixteen years, when he began farming. He continued upon the farm until twenty-one years of age and in his business affairs he met with substantial success. He began in the stock business when he owned but one little bay mare, but he continued trading and buying. He would purchase cows and hogs and when twenty-one years of age he had accumulated twenty-one hundred dollars in this business. He then sold out and left the farm, for, realizing the value of education, he desired to enjoy better opportunities along that line. He went to the University of Missouri and was graduated from the law department in June, 1892.
He then returned to the farm and again turned to the stock business, but his friends and neighbors began to seek his professional services, and after a year he returned to Clinton and opened a law office, since which time he has been engaged continuously in practice. Something of his ability along professional lines is indicated in the fact that he has four times been called to fill the office of county prosecuting attorney. He is very careful and systematic in the preparation of his cases and is seldom, if ever, at fault in the application of a legal principle.
The court records, therefore, show that he has won many notable verdicts and indicate that he is well qualified to solve the intricate and complex problems of the law. When he was elected prosecuting attorney, Henry County owed over six hundred thousand dollars of principal and interest in bonded indebtedness and was not paying any of the principal of the debt. He began figuring the levies and on the 1st of April in each year would carefully figure the finances of the county and pay all the money on the public debt, except enough to meet the current expenses, until the taxes would be collected in the fall. The assessment of 1913, when collected, will pay every dollar of the public indebtedness owed by the county. Moreover, during this time, there had been two hundred and fifty-three steel bridges built in Henry County at a cost of one hundred and eighty-five thousand dollars, and in addition, the wooden bridges and culverts have been built; the county jail has been repaired to the amount of several thousand dollars; and the county farm buildings were rebuilt - and all paid for.
He was a very careful man in his administrations and established for himself a reputation throughout the State of Missouri as being a "criminal cost saver." It is believed by the various officers in the State that he could handle more cases with better success and less criminal costs than any man holding the position; he was brief and vigorous in his prosecutions, but believed in tempering justice with mercy. He had many political combats, but the people stood close to him and he would come out successful. And his official record stands as a monument for economical principles and successful financial management to the citizens and taxpayers.
In August, 1896, Mr. Poague was united in marriage to Miss Hattie Haysler, who was born in Clinton, Missouri, and is a daughter of Charles H. and Elizabeth (Humbrock) Haysler, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Cole County, Missouri. The father became an extensive dealer in harness, saddlery and sporting goods in Clinton, where he arrived in early manhood, winning recognition there as one of the leading and enterprising business men. He passed away in Clinton, where Mrs. Haysler still resides. In politics he was a Democrat and his religious faith was that of the Christian Church, to the teachings of which he was ever loyal. Mr. and Mrs. Poague became the parents of two children, Haysler A. and Vashti H., both at home.
In addition to a comfortable residence, Mr. Poague owns other valuable property. He is prominent in the Masonic fraternity, having taken the degrees of lodge, chapter and council, and he also belongs to the Modern Woodmen, the Woodmen of the World, the Knights and Ladies of Security, the Fraternal Aid, the Homesteaders, the Yeomen and the Mystic Workers. His time is practically given to his profession, with just enough leisure for public duties and private interests that will constitute an even balance to his professional activity. In a calling where advancement must depend entirely upon individual merit he has made steady progress and that he remains a close and discriminating student of his profession indicates that he will continue at the front.
