CHAPTER XXVII (Part 48)
BIOGRAPHICAL
Herman P. Faris, the subject of this sketch, first saw the light of day December 25, 1858, on a farm just out of Belfontaine, Ohio, being the seventh child of Samuel Davies and Sarah (Plumer) Faris.
In the fall of 1859, the family removed to a farm near Lawrence, Kansas, where through an unfortunate investment the small patrimony was lost and from that time until Herman reached his maturity, it was a struggle with the family to keep the wolf from the door. Also as a further handicap, the entire second year of the young life was spent in serious illness, more than once the doctor thinking life was extinct.
Also the country being new, the main product seemed to be that of malaria, or as it was commonly called "chills and fever," from which ailment Herman suffered regularly each spring and fall until past nineteen years of age. He first entered school at seven years in Lecompton, the former capitol of the State. One of his very early vivid recollections was seeing the smoke from the fire created by Quantrell and his band when they sacked the "Yankee" town of Lawrence. In 1867, the family removed to Clinton, Missouri, "trekking" the entire distance in the old fashioned prairie schooners from Lecompton, Kansas. In the new home Herman attended school spasmodically as his health would permit, until January, 1872, when he entered a printing ofl^ce as "devil."
In January, 1873, the paper for which he was working ran against financial shoals and was closed out under mortgage. This left him free to again enter school for the remaining three months of that winter's term. In July 1873, he entered the real estate, loan and abstract office of Brinkerhoff & Smith, being in the same office until April, 1878, when he was offered a better position, so resigned. The latter end of the year he went to Colorado, where in a few months' time he obtained a degree of health to which he had all his life been a stranger, and from that day to the present time, has had a remarkably healthy career, doing work that few physical natures could have stood up under. After a year's absence from the office, Mr. Brinkerhoff, the then proprietor, induced the young man to return, which he did in April, 1879, and accepted the position of chief clerk. In 1882, Mr. Brinkerhoff removed to Carthage and Herman purchased an interest in the business and became a partner in the firm of Brinkerhoff and Faris. In 1887, the business was incorporated under the name of the Brinkerhoff-Faris Trust & Savings Company, and Mr. Faris was elected to the position of Secretary-Treasurer, and became practically the manager of the business. In 1889, Mr. Brinkerhoff desiring to retire, Mr. John H. Lucas, the renowned lawyer of Osceola and Kansas City, Missouri, in connection with Mr. Faris, purchased the Brinkerhoff stock and Mr. Lucas was elected president. Mr. Faris therefore has continued in the active management of the business of that institution ever since, it being now over forty-five years since he first entered the office.
Mr. Faris has not permitted the business to absorb all of his time and energies, but he has devoted much of both, to the advancement of the Prohibition cause, of which he is justly regarded as the "nestor" in the State of Missouri. He had also a national reputation, and has for many years been treasurer of the Prohibition National Committee. Has twice been the nominee of the Prohibition party as Governor of his State and is very happy at this time over the result of his labors and those of his comrades.
In April, 1889, he was married at Trinidad, Colorado, to Miss Adda Winters, the only daughter of Rev. Jacob R. Winters and wife. To this union were born five children, three girls who grew to maturity, and are still living. Two sons having died in infancy. After nearly thirty years of happy married life, such as few people are blessed with, Mrs. Faris went home in June, 1909. In February, 1911, Mr. Faris was again married to Mrs. Sallie A. Lewis, of Dallas, Texas.
Mr. Faris has been identified with all the business, religious and philanthropic movements of his home town and State, since early manhood and no event of moment looking toward the betterment of the town has been put over without his active support. He has been actively connected with all the recent war drives, as one of the "four minute men," "campaign manager," etc., etc. Although now past sixty years of age, he is an active and full of "pep" as the average forty-year old.
Hon. Ross E. Feaster, Representative in the Missouri State Legislature from Henry County, and successful attorney of Windsor, was born at Fort Lyon, Benton County, Missouri, October 1, 1880. He is the son of Dr. J. F. and Mary E. (Hopkirk) Feaster, now residents of Columbia, Missouri.
Dr. J. F. Feaster is a native of Maries County, Missouri. The grandparents of Ross E. Eeaster on the paternal side were natives of Pennsylvania; on the maternal side they were natives of Scotland. Dr. J .F. Feaster began the practice of medicine in Benton County, in 1876, and practiced in that county until 1885 when he located at Windsor, where he practiced his profession successfully for twenty-five years. In 1910, he retired from the active practice of his profession and removed to Columbia, Missouri, primarily for the purpose of affording his children the advantages of an university education. To Dr. J. F. and Mary E. Feaster were born ten children of whom Ross E. Feaster is the second in order of birth.
Ross E. Feaster was educated in the Windsor public schools and after receiving such education as was afforded by the Windsor schools, he entered Missouri University at Columbia, graduating therefrom with the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1902. During that same year, he located in Windsor and began the practice of his profession. He is one of the leaders of the bar in Henry County and has taken a prominent place in the business activities of the county. Mr. Feaster was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Windsor and is vice-president of this prosperous financial institution.
On August 22, 1904, Ross E. Feaster and Miss Grace A. Denton were united in marriage. To this union have been born two children: Ruth, born September 5, 1905; Lucille, born June 26, 1911. Mrs. Grace A. Feaster was born in Johnson County, Missouri, the daughter of Rev. John S. and Mary (Medley) Denton, who now resides at Columbia, Missouri.
For years, Ross E. Feaster has been one of the real leaders of the Democratic party in Henry County and has held several positions of political preferment. He served as a member of and president of the Windsor city council and also filled the post of city attorney. In 1914, he was elected a member of the State Legislature from Henry County and was re-elected in 1916. While a member of the State Assembly he served on the committees of criminal jurisprudence, appropriations, university and school of mines. On August 6, 1918, Mr. Feaster was nominated for State Senator of this district by the Democratic party.
Mr. and Mrs. Feaster are active members of the Baptist Church, and Mr. Feaster is the teacher of the Men's Bible Class of the Baptist Sunday school. He is president of the local Red Cross chapter and has been very active in the work of this organization, and in pushing the various war activities in which the people of Windsor and vicinity have been patriotically engaged. He is affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and the Eastern Star lodges.
Roy K. Palmer, cashier of the Citizens Bank of Windsor, Missouri, was born in Fulton, Missouri, July 29, 1876, and is the son of William W. and Lillie M. (Knox) Palmer who were parents of ten children, nine of whom are living, Roy being the eldest of the family.
Rev. William W. Palmer was born in Henry County February 22, 1848, and departed this life in January, 1916. He was the son of Drury Palmer, a native of Kentucky who came to Henry County, Missouri, in the early forties, and entered Government land in Windsor and Tebo townships, the Palmer homestead being the third oldest homestead in Henry County. During the Civil War, Drury Palmer was taken from his home and shot down in cold blood in his own orchard by "bushwhackers," on account of his sympathies with the Southern States.
William W. Palmer was a well educated man, having been educated for the ministry in Westminster College, sectarian institution supported by the Presbyterian Church. He preached the gospel for several years, and also taught in the district and town schools for some years. He served two terms as superintendent of public instruction of Henry County and at the time of his death, he was manager of the Leeton Lumber Company at Leeton, Missouri. Mrs. Lillie M. (Knox) Palmer was born in Henry County, on a farm near Calhoun, in 1856, and is now residing at Leeton, Missouri.
Roy K. Palmer was educated in the public schools and was reared upon the farm until nineteen years old. He then entered the employ of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway Company as depot agent and telegrapher at Windsor. In 1910, he purchased the cashier's interest in the Farmers Bank at Walker, Missouri, and had charge of this bank until 1915. He then disposed of his banking interests in Walker and became cashier of the Citizens Bank of Windsor.
August 17, 1901, Roy K. Palmer was united in marriage with Miss Minnie P. Wright, who was born in Jefferson City, Missouri. Four children have been born of this union: Lillian Lucille, Irvin Walker, Roy Lyle, and Howard Benson.
Mr. Palmer has been one of the active leaders of the Democratic party in Vernon County and served his party as committeeman from his township and city while a resident of that county. He is a member and elder of the Windsor Presbyterian Church and is active in religious works.
He is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Eastern Star and the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. Palmer is a member of the school board and is active in the cause of education. As a banker, he has been very successful and occupies a high rank among the banking fraternity of Henry County and western Missouri, and is chairman of the Henry County Bankers Association. As a citizen, he is in the first ranks of those who do things and are continually trying to advance the best interests of their home city and county.
