CHAPTER XXVII (Part 51)
BIOGRAPHICAL
David Barth, a progressive young farmer and stockman of White Oak township, is a native of Henry County, and a descendant of pioneer parents. He was born in White Oak township on the place where he now resides, September 16, 1897, and is a son of John Barth, a Henry County pioneer.
John Barth, now deceased, was an early settler in Henry County, and one of its successful citizens. He was a native of Germany and settled in White Oak Township, Henry County, in 1868. He bought some land here for six dollars per acre, and paid fourteen dollars for other land. He bought considerable land and at the time of his death was one of the largest land owners in the county. He gave to each of his fourteen children, one hundred sixty acres of land, and besides his real estate holdings he was the owner of over thirty thousand dollars worth of personal property. John Barth's success in life was the result of industry, coupled with keen foresight and business ability.
When he was a boy he worked for fourteen cents per day, and his early life's experience taught him the value of a dollar. He was one of the promoters of the town of Urich and contributed land for the railroad there. He was twice married. Five children were born to his first marriage and ten to his second. He died June 6, 1917, and his second wife, who bore the maiden name of Sophia Rombold, died May 26, 1911. Sophia Rombold was born July 3, 1858, at Logansport, Ind., and was a daughter of David and Frances Rombold, natives of Wittenberg, Germany, who moved to Henry County in 1867. His first wife bore the maiden name of Lebold.
David Barth, who resides on the old home place with his sisters, Josie and Tressie, owns one hundred eighty acres. He carries on a stockraising extensively and keeps registered Herford cattle and big bone Poland China hogs, and is one of the extensive breeders of registered hogs in Henry County. He is also interested in the breeding of Shropshire sheep.
David Barth was reared on the place which he now owns, and he takes an active interest in everything pertaining to modern agricultural methods. While he was reared a practical farmer, he also regards the science as one involving a broad field of experiment and research, and the future agricultural industry of this country becomes more and more dependent upon the type of men of whom David Barth is a representative.
William J. Miller, Sr - The success which has come to William J. Miller, Sr., of Windsor, Missouri, during his thirty-two years of residence in this section of the State, could only have been attained by hard work, close application to the business at hand, and excellent financial management of the highest order. Mr. Miller is one of the most successful agriculturists and stockmen of Missouri, and all of his achievements date from his beginning as a poor man fifty-two years ago. There is considerable satisfaction in recording a story of the life of an individual who has accomplished, through his own efforts, the tasks which have been completed with honest effort, such as has been done by Mr. Miller. Not only has he made a success of his own life in a material sense and risen to the front rank of citizenship, but he has reared a splendid family of sons and daughters whom he has started in life with farms of considerable size with the handicap of poverty removed. William J. Miller, Sr., was born in Clark County, Ohio, February 17, 1843, and is the son of Jacob and Sarah (Ruby) Miller.
Jacob Miller, the father, was a native of York County, Pennsylvania, and was a cooper by trade, following this occupation for a number of years, but eventually becoming a farmer in Pennsylvania and Ohio, dying in the latter State. His wife and mother of the subject of this review died in 1845. Of the four children born to Jacob and Sarah Miller, two are living, Jacob, of Fairfield, Greene County, Ohio, born January 1, 1838; and William J. Miller of this review. The Millers are of Pennsylvania-Dutch descent, and Mrs. Miller was a daughter of English ancestry.
William J. Miller was reared to farm life and remained at home with his father until he attained the age of twenty-one years. He began his own career at that time. His first work was in making rails and cutting cord wood in order to earn money enough to "go west," an ambition which had always possessed him. In 1866, he began his own career in Morgan County, Illinois. During the first three years of his residence in Illinois he worked as a farm hand, and performed any honest labor which was obtainable in order to earn money. After his marriage, he engaged in farming on his own account and eventually, by the exercise of energy, industry and the strictest economy, became owner of 160 acres of land in Illinois. Land was still cheap in western Missouri in 1886, and the price of farm land in Illinois was on the upward rise.
Mr. Miller deemed it expedient to dispose of his Illinois farm and came to southern Johnson County, Missouri, where he traded his 160 acres and invested in a large tract of 714 acres, the "Jim Wall tract," which he transformed into an extensive stock farm. He became a well-known breeder of pure-blood Poland China hogs and specialized in shorthorn and high-grade cattle on a large scale. He brought with him a drove of pure-blood Poland China hogs and achieved a reputation as a hog breeder. He also brought to Missouri a pure-blood male shorthorn, bringing three carloads of live stock in all. He sold many males from this shorthorn herd leader. Success came to him from the start in Johnson County and he increased his land holdings to a large extent, becoming one of the largest individual land owners in this section of Missouri, owning at one time 1,600 acres in Missouri. Mr. Miller also bred fine horses, having been the owner of the noted stallion, "Kentucky Prince," and the Norman Percheron stallion, "Major House." The fame of his live stock was countrywide and his adherence to the plan of breeding thoroughbred live stock made his fortune or assisted materially in doing so. Mr. Miller has owned land in Missouri, Texas and Oklahoma aggregating 5,126 acres, and he continued actively in the live stock business until his retirement to a home in Windsor in 1897.
Mr. Miller has given each of his eight children farms ranging in size from 160 to 190 acres of land, and has invested heavily in town property in Windsor, being one of the largest real estate owners of the city. He is vice-president of the Farmers Bank of Windsor in addition to his other activities and connections. He was one of the first land owners to lease a portion of his land to the Bowen Coal Mining Company for mining purposes. This lease covered 740 acres, 100 acres of which was the coal-bearing land mined by the Bowens. Much of the land which Mr. Miller deeded to his children has been found to be underlaid with coal. On the Lee land is a large deposit of coal. Under the Jackson's farm is a splendid deposit of coal.
In 1869, William J. Miller, Sr., and Miss Mary Cox of Illinois were united in marriage. Mrs. Mary (Cox) Miller died on November 17, 1888. She was the daughter of Charles and Francena (Phillips) Cox, the former of whom was a native of Kentucky, and the latter a native of Ohio.
Eight children were born to William J. and Mary Miller, as follows: Charles W., residing on the Miller home place; Spencer Lee, who is farming a part of the home farm; Cena V., wife of George. H. Jackson, Windsor, Missouri. A fine vein of coal has been found on their land. Mrs. Lizzie R. Brown, a widow living at Windsor, owning 190 acres; Mary E., the wife of Rev. W. W. Wilson, MoKane, Missouri; William J., Jr., a farmer living in Windsor township; Viola P., wife of W. R. Wooldridge, farmer and mule dealer, Windsor, Missouri; Miss Daisy I. Miller resides with her parents.
Each of Mr. Miller's children received a good school education, the three eldest daughters being graduates of the Lexington Academy. The second marriage of Mr. Miller was in December, 1900, with Miss Emma Brooks, a native of Illinois.
A Democrat in his political affiliations, Mr. Miller has never aspired for political preferment, his life having been too busy for aught except casting his vote at election time. He is a member of the Baptist Church and is considered as a leading and exemplary citizen of Windsor and Henry County.
Dr. T. Albert Blackmore. M. D - As a learned and competent physician, who has kept pace with the great developments in the science and art of healing. Dr. J. Albert Blackmore holds a place in the front rank of the medical profession in Henry County. During the years which he has been practicing in the city of Windsor, he has endeared himself to the people, and has made a distinct and unqualified success. Dr. Blackmore was born in Lincoln County, Missouri, January 18, 1873, and is the son of Thomas and Rebecca (Evans) Blackmore.
Thomas Blackmore was the son of a Missouri pioneer, Samuel Blackmore, who first settled in this State in the late twenties, coming to Missouri from his native State, Kentucky. Thomas Blackmore was born in Lincoln County, Missouri, October 20, 1840, and followed farming and stock raising during his entire life. His wife, Rebecca Evans, prior to her marriage, was born near Shelbyville, Kentucky, left an orphan in infancy and came to Missouri when young. Thomas Blackmore was a soldier in the Civil War, having enlisted in a Union volunteer regiment at Calhoun, Illinois, and served for about seven months, receiving an honorable discharge from the service on account of sick disability incurred while on duty. Soon after his discharge, he returned to Missouri and settled on a farm in Lincoln County where he remained until his death, in 1886, peacefully and industriously engaged in tilling his acreage.
Six children were born to Thomas and Rebecca (Evans) Blackmore as follows: Two sisters died in infancy; Mrs. Elizabeth Avery, Troy, Missouri; Belle, Troy, Missouri; Mrs. Ida Martin, Canada; and T. Albert, subject of this review.
The care of this family devolved upon the widowed mother, after the death of Thomas Blackmore, when J. Albert was thirteen years of age. The situation naturally called for his assistance in the farm work and keeping the family together and he faithfully did his part in helping his mother. He attended the district schools and remained upon the home farm until he attained his majority. He then entered Buchanan College, at Troy, Missouri, and pursued a classical course in preparation for the study of medicine which he undertook in the St. Louis College of Medicine, graduating in 1898. Doctor Blackmore began the practice of his profession at Olney, Missouri, and remained there seven and a half years, then located in Windsor, where he has won a high place for himself not only in the ranks of his profession but as a citizen whose worth is recognized. Aside from his practice Doctor Blackmore is interested in various enterprises, locally and in Oklahoma and Arkansas.
November 1, 1900, Dr. T. Albert Blackmore and Miss Lenora Thurman, the daughter of Thomas and Minnie (Powell) Thurman of Troy, Missouri, were united in marriage. Thomas Thurman was a native of Lincoln County, Missouri, who followed farming until he located in Troy, Missouri, where he engaged in the real estate business and also served as city marshal of Troy. Four children have been born to Doctor and Mrs. Blackmore, as follows: Thomas Ernest, born April 20, 1904; Thurman Evans, born December 12, 1905; Albert Hamilton, born September 20, 1908; and Charles Powell, born October 18, 1913.
The Democratic party and Democratic principles of government have always had the warm support of Doctor Blackmore, who served as coroner of Lincoln County, Missouri, for two years. Doctor Blackmore is president of the Henry County Medical Society, and is a member of the Missouri State Medical Association, and the American Medical Association.
He is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, and the Modern Woodmen of America. Dr. Blackmore was commissioned a captain in the Officers' Medical Reserve Corps of the National Army on August 8, 1918.
