CHAPTER XXVII (Part 56)
BIOGRAPHICAL
Hon. William Henry Davis - The late William Henry Davis, journalist, farmer and legislator, was a useful and worthy citizen who did well his allotted work in behalf of his fellow citizens during the long period of his residence in Henry County. The community in which he made his home for many years was benefited; his county and State were the better for his existence. It is meet, therefore, that this memorial biography be presented in the annals of the great county which he assisted in developing.
William Henry Davis was born in Allegheny County, Maryland, November 23, 1841. He was the son of John and Alice (Robinette) Davis, who with their family came from Maryland to Lexington, Missouri, in 1852, John Davis, Jr., father of William H. Davis, a prominent attorney, was a grandson of John Davis, a civil engineer, who planned and supervised the water systems at Philadelphia, built the Cumberland Pike and also planned the east wing of the Capitol building at Washington, D.C. W. H. Davis was reared to young manhood at Lexington, Missouri, and received his higher education at the Masonic College of that city. He learned the printer's trade at Lexington in the office of the Lexington Union and was editor of a newspaper at the age of eighteen years.
After the Civil War, he located in Warrensburg, Missouri, and established the Journal, now the Journal-Democrat. In 1869, he removed to Clinton, Henry County, and purchased the Henry County Democrat from the La Due Brothers, and conducted this paper until 1874, when he sold a half interest to William T. Thornton, afterwards appointed Governor of New Mexico by President Cleveland. In 1876, Mr. Davis sold this paper to Lingle and Mitchell. He then returned to Warrensburg and published the Journal-Democrat for a year or so, and then located in Marshall, Missouri, where he published the Saline County Democrat for two years. In 1878, he removed to his farm in Windsor township and became a successful farmer and stock raiser, following this vocation for the remainder of his life.
In 1878, Mr. Davis was married in Pettis County, Missouri, to Miss Alice Garton, who bore him the following children: Walter G., an attorney-at-law, Windsor; J. Piper, a civil engineer, assistant State highway engineer, Jefferson City; and W. Dalton, farming on the Davis home place. Mrs. Alice (Garton) Davis was born September 16, 1854, in Pettis County, the daughter of Edwin S. and Angeline (Hill) Garton, natives of Virginia, who were pioneers in Pettis County, locating in that county in 1839 and entering a tract of Government land on which they created a homestead. Mr. Garton became a large land owner and was well-to-do.
He died in 1893 at the age of seventy-four years. Mrs. Garton died in 1861, aged fifty-one years. Mrs. Davis is the youngest of five children born to her parents, the others being: Marcellus, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Monroe, deceased; Mortimer, Colorado; Mrs. Maryetta De Jarnett, Pettis County, near Sedalia. The Davis homestead in Windsor township consists of over 300 acres of fertile land well improved. This farm is now being cultivated by William Dalton Davis. William Henry Davis died December 18, 1912.
Mr. Davis was a Democrat and took a prominent and active part in political affairs in Henry County for many years. He was twice elected to represent Henry County in the State Legislature and served as a member of the thirty-sixth and thirty-seventh General Assemblies with distinction and honor to himself and his constituents. He was a member of the Methodist Church, South, for over twenty-five years and served on the board of trustees of his church. In the death of Mr. Davis, the community and Henry County lost one of its best and most loyal citizens, a man who stood high in the estimation of the people, of rugged honesty, strict integrity, of fine attainments; he was a man whom friends universally respected and admired. He was a devoted husband and father, kind and loving. Henry County was bettered by having William Henry Davis as a citizen.
Oglesby Love Young - Longevity and large families are the most striking attributes of the Young family of Missouri. Besides being a son of parents to whom were born a large family of thirteen children, Oglesby Love Young, retired farmer of Windsor, Missouri, has also reared a large family of eleven children. In addition to this, he has accumulated a splendid farm and sufficient of this world's goods to maintain him in peace and comfort for the remainder of his days.
Oglesby Love Young was born in St. Charles County, Missouri, September 17, 1835, the son of Oglesby and Jane (Love) Young, to whom were born thirteen children, only three of whom survive. Oglesby Young was a native of Virginia and settled in St. Charles County, Missouri, as early as 1833. His farm was located fifty-two miles west of St. Louis and he spent the remainder of his days on the place which he developed from a wilderness, dying at the ripe old age of eighty-eight years. Mrs. Jane Young was born in Kentucky and died in 1861 at the age of forty-eight years.
O. L. Young, subject of this sketch, began his active career as an ox driver on the construction of the Wabash railway through St. Charles County. For several months, he was employed in railroad construction work. He enlisted in 1862 as a member of the Missouri State Militia and saw six months' active service within the borders of the State. He then followed farming in St. Charles County until 1881, when he came to Henry County and settled on bottom land three and a half miles southwest of Windsor in Windsor township. Mr. Young purchased a total of 360 acres upon which he placed splendid improvements. In 1914, he purchased another farm and now owns 273 acres of well improved land. During his active years, Mr. Young was an extensive corn and tobacco grower and raised considerable live stock. December 20, 1917, Mr. Young purchased a home in Windsor where he is now residing.
March 4, 1862, O. L. Young and Charlotte V. Bird were united in marriage. Mrs. Charlotte Young was born in St. Charles County, Missouri, June 2, 1840. She and Mr. Young were sweethearts from their boyhood and girlhood days. She was reared along the right of way of the Wabash railroad and could hear her future husband yelling at the oxen he was driving when he was doing his first gainful labor on his own account. Twelve children have blessed this marriage: Fannie, widow of Robert Finley, Sedalia, Missouri; Mary Nettie, wife of George Huston, Colorado; Arthur E., Prior, Oklahoma; Marshall, Globe, Arizona; William, Salt Lake, Utah; John L., living on the Young home place in Windsor township; Sallie, wife of Clint Nicholas, Stevens, Missouri; Mattie, wife of Doctor Butler, a veterinarian at Montrose, Missouri; Anna, wife of Joseph G. Burchman, Windsor township; Stella, wife of Joseph Martin, Stevens, Missouri; Charlie, Globe, Arizona; one child died in infancy.
Mr. and Mrs. Young have a total of thirty-five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Mr. Young has long been allied with the Democratic party, but during his life time he has taken no more than a good citizen's interest in political matters. He and Mrs. Young are members of the Methodist Church and are looked upon as two of the most highly respected citizens of Windsor and Henry County.
George B. Carle, proprietor of a well improved farm of 126 acres in sections 4 and 5 of Windsor township, was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, May 30, 1840, and is the son of Moses and Eliza (Bunker) Carle, who were parents of six children.
Moses Carle was born and reared in Pennsylvania and after his marriage in Fayette County he moved to Ohio and lived in that State until 1872. He then made the long trip westward and settled in Henry County near Windsor, where he spent the remainder of his days in profitable farming and stock raising. He was born December 7, 1814, and died June 7, 1894. Of the six children born to Moses and Eliza Carle, George B. Carle is the eldest, the others being: Sarah, deceased; Minerva, who is keeping house for her brother on the home place; Mrs. Mary F. Neal, deceased; Bertha J., deceased; James A., a farmer near Clinton, Missouri. The late Mrs. Mary F. Neal left two children: Albert, who lives at New Carlisle, Ohio, and Hervey Neal, who is mayor of La Forte, Texas. Mrs. Eliza Carle was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, July 16, 1816, and departed this life January 29, 1899. The home place of the Carles was willed to the five surviving children upon the death of the father. It is now owned by the three survivors and has been under the management of George B. Carle for several years. The Carles are of Scotch-Irish descent on the paternal side and on the mother's side they are of Welsh ancestry. The Carle farm has recently been sold.
May 30, 1918, and Mr. Carle and his sister are now living in Windsor, Missouri.
W. H. Whitlow - The Whitlow family is one of the oldest of the worthy pioneer families of Henry County and members of this well-known family have lived in this county and taken an active part in its affairs since 1854, when Andrew Whitlow, father of W. H. Whitlow, of this review, left his old home in Kentucky and came to found a new home in the wilderness which was then Henry County. He entered Government land and lived on his farm created with his own hands until death claimed him.
Andrew Whitlow was born in Kentucky, April 10, 1813, and died at his home in Henry County April 3, 1901. He came to Henry County in 1854, entered land, built a log cabin, which was later replaced by a good residence, reared a splendid family and did well his part as a pioneer in developing this county. He was married to Mary Jane Hall, a native of Kentucky, born in 1828, and departed this life December 20, 1900. To them were born children as follows: Cornelius, deceased; Judy Belle, wife of J. R. Burris, living in Texas; Mrs. Matilda Ann Woods, Oregon; Mrs. Narcissus Cole, a resident of Oregon; W. H., of this sketch; Mrs. Alice Rudd, a widow, living in New Mexico; Mrs. Laura Hutchinson, lives in Henry county; Mrs. Etta Ballard, Washington.
Andrew K. Whitlow's first wife was a Miss Harvey, who bore him three children: R. W., of Boonville, Cooper County, Missouri; Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, Cooper County, Missouri; and P. W. Whitlow, deceased, died in Texas while on a visit.
W. H. Whitlow was educated in Coal district school and remained at home with his parents until attaining the age of twenty-six years. In 1885, he purchased eighty acres of land from his father and began farming. He now owns 280 acres. The home farm of the Whitlows, where he was born January 7, 1860, is situated one mile south and a half mile west of Coal. Mr. Whitlow moved to his present home farm in 1886, erected the pretty cottage home which graces the premises, and has had the satisfaction of placing all of the improvements on his farm. He has prospered as the result of diligence, energetic accomplishment, and good financial management and is now rated as one of the most substantial and best-known residents of his township, where he has long been one of the leaders.
In 1886, Mr. Whitlow was married to Miss Amanda Davis, who was born in Illinois, February 22, 1864, the daughter of Frank E. Davis, who was twice married, the stepmother of Mrs. Whitlow being Piney M. Davis. The Davis family came to Henry County in 1869. Both parents of Mrs. Whitelow died in this county. Her brother. Wells R. Davis, resides on the home place.
The children born to W. H. and Amanda Whitlow are: Olney Hall Whitlow, born January 25, 1890; and Davis King, a bright lad, born December 17, 1905.
Mr. and Mrs. Whitlow are members of the Good Hope Baptist Church and take an active interest in religious affairs, Mr. Whitlow having served in the capacity of treasurer of this church for several years. He is a Democrat and is considered one of the best citizens of Henry County, intelligent, sociable and well informed on public affairs. He takes a keen interest in his home county.
