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highly respected and esteemed, as his official position testifies. He owns a fine, fertile farm, comprising three hundred and ten acres of the best land in the county, abundantly stocked and equipped, and is well fixed to end his days in comfort, and at peace with all mankind.

JOSEPH B. HINES.

Joseph B. Hines, a native of Ray county, Missouri, was born September 27, 1828. After finishing his education at the Richmond Academy, he began teaching school in which profession he continued until 1850He was united in marriage to Miss Jemima E. Hutchinson, of Lafayette county, Missouri, in November, 1847. Two children, Mary I. and John, were born to Mrs. Hines. With them and their mother, Mr. Hines started to California in the height of the gold excitement of 1850. On their toilsome, tedious march across the plains, Mrs. Hines and both the children were seized with that dread disease, cholera, and the husband and father, powerless to aid them, and almost frantic with grief, watched them all die before him. Burying their remains, near Fort Laramie, Mr. Hines pursued his journey westward. He spent three years mining on the Pacific slope. In California, November 25, 1851, he was again married to Eleanor Sharp, by whom he has six children living: John S., William T., Joseph P., Olivia F., Gustavus A., and Viola S. Mr. Hines returned from the west in the spring of 1853, and engaged in farming, where he now resides, a beautiful place, well improved, four miles northwest of Richmond. At the breaking out of the civil war, he enlisted in company B, Major Cummins' regiment, C. S. A., where he served about three months as forage master. At the expiration of that time a reorganization was held at Springfield, and Mr. Hines entered the service, as commissary of the regiment, which position he held until after the battle of Pea Ridge, in March, 1862, when he went to Carrollton, Arkansas, as recruiting officer for General Raines. Here he was given the alternative of imprisonment at Alton, or "protection papers." He chose the latter, and at once returned home. Shortly afterwards, he left again, going to Iowa, where he taught school for about a year. At the close of the term he came back home, and has ever since been a resident of Ray county, engaged in farming and teaching. For the last few years he has devoted a great deal of attention to the nursery business, having now, on his farm, a fine young nursery of ten thousand good trees, of the best varieties. Mr. H. has taught school, at intervals, ever since he was eighteen years old. He has just closed a term with great satisfaction to all the patrons. He is a prominent member of the Masonic order, and also became a member and took an active interest in the inauguration and organization of the order of Patrons of Husbandry. Mr. Hines has, indeed, had a varied and eventful career, and passed through many rough

ordeals, but he appears to have come out of them all unscathed, and is to-day successful in business, and highly respected by all who know him.

JOHN V. JOHNSON.

Was born February 14, 1846. He lived in Effington county, Illinois, until he attained his majority. Then seven years in DeWitt county, same state. In 1862 he came to Missouri and found a temporary home in Caldwell county. The same year he enlisted in the Union army for three months. After his return from the army he located in Ray county, Missouri, where he has since lived. He was married February 3d, 1876, to Miss Lydia A. Dey, a native of Ray connty. They have two children: Elihu and Lewis. Mr. Johnson's business is mining.

WILLIAM D. PAINTER.

A native of Todd county, Kentucky. Was born August 21, 1849, and came to Ray county, Missouri, in 1879. Prior to 1872 he was engaged in farming, since then he has given his attention to coal mining. He has been married three times. First, in 1865, February 8, to Amanda James, of Bates county, Missouri. They had one child: Rebecca Ellen. Second, February 3, 1868, to Dialter Nelson, of Clay county, Missouri. Third, July 6, 1871, to Martha E. Sullards, of Andrew county, Missouri. The last Mrs. Painter became the mother of four children, of whom but one, Mary Francis, is living.

W. F. LANCASTER.

William F. Lancaster was born in Mercer county, Kentucky, in August, 1827, and was educated there. When he left school he was apprenticed for two years to a carpenter in Cincinnati, Ohio. Went with his parents, after finishing his apprenticeship, to Van Buren county, Iowa, and lived there fifteen years, following carpentering for a while, then saw-milling, and afterward farming. He came to Ray county, Missouri, in 1865, having purchased land here the year previous. His farm at that time was in a poor state of cultivation, had only an inferior log house upon it, and no other improvements worthy of mention. By his industry and prudent economy Mr. Lancaster is now surrounded by all the comforts and improvements enjoyed by any of his neighbors, a fine commodious residence, a farge, roomy and substantial barn, which is an object of admiration to all who see it, and an excellent orchard, while the entire place has an air of business thrift and enterprise. Mr. Lancaster was not himself engaged in either army during the rebellion, but had three brothers on the Union side. One of these died in prison, another at Memphis, and the third, surviving the war, returned home. Wm. F. Lancaster has been

twice married. First, in 1854, to Miss Jane Smith, of Iowa. The issue of this marriage was four children, two of whom, James Rolla and Vesta Iowa, yet live. His second wife was Miss Jennie McDowel, of Ray county. By her he has two children: Charlie C., and Eddie E. Mr. Lancaster did the most of the work with his own hands in the construction of the buildings upon his farm. He is a good carpenter, a practical, successful farmer, an estimable neighbor and a good citizen.

DAVID W. KELL.

The gentleman whose name heads this sketch was born in Madison county, Illinois, July 29, 1844. He was educated at Shurtleff College, in the city of Alton. His father was conducting a hardware store there, and when young Kell had finished his collegiate course he found employment in that business. He was afterwards, in the year 1863, engaged in railroading, and later, found employment on a steamboat. He emigrated to California in 1865, and while there was occupied with farming. He returned home in 1867, and in 1869, visited Ray county, Missouri, and remained during the summer. After his return home he continued the cultivation of his farm. In 1874, he left Illinois, and established his home in Ray county, and here he has ever since resided. Mr. Kell was married to Miss Louise Clarke, of Ray county, Missouri, in the month of December, 1870. She proved a most excellent wife, and devoted mother. Three children were born to them: Edward C., Reuben L. and Ella M., who were early deprived, by death, of their mother's loving care. Mrs. Kell died in October, 1878. She was very popular, and highly esteemed for her amiable character. Her untimely death was deeply mourned by her many friends and relatives. Mr. Kell has a fine farm of two hundred acres, with a handsome and comfortable residence. He is a good citizen, and a reliable, honest, upright man.

S. O. MASON.

Samuel O. Mason was born on the 31st day of May, 1835, in Mason county, Kentucky. His parents immigrated to Missouri when he was very young, and settled for a time in Lafayette county. Here he received his education, and, after leaving school, devoted himself to farming. He enlisted from Lafayette county, with General Jo Shelby, and served for some time in the Confederate army. He was discharged at Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He returned to Missouri, and began farming in Ray county. Mr. Mason was married on the 23d day of September, 1856, to Miss Georgia Ann Delaney, a resident of Lexington, Lafayette county, Missouri, but born in Kentucky. Of this union eight children were born, six of whom, Robert, Ida, Flora, A., Byron, and Georgia, still live. Two,

who were younger, died in infancy. Mr. Mason was called upon to suffer the loss of his excellent wife, and the children to mourn the absence of a loving, tender mother's care. Mrs. Mason died August 9, 1878, and the sunshine went out of that once happy home. Mr. Mason has traveled considerably over different states of the Union, but has seen no section of the country he likes better than old Ray. He has a fine large farm, in excellent condition, a handsome residence, and a commodious and conviently arranged barn. He deals extensively in live-stock, and is constantly grazing or feeding stock for market. He is to-day the possessor of a handsome competency, and has the pleasant reflection as he enjoys it, that it is all the result of his own industry.

ROBERT W. MASON.

This gentleman is a Missourian. He was born in Lafayette county, on the 12th day of June, 1857, and was educated there and in Ray county. His parents removed with him to the latter county in 1865, where he has ever since been engaged in his favorite occupation, farming. He was married on the 18th day of November, 1879, to Miss Lillie J. Slusher, daughter of a prominent farmer of Lafayette county, Missouri. R. W. Mason is the eldest son of Mr. Samuel O. Mason, a native of Kentucky. Mr. Mason owns an excellent farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres in Richmond township, in an unsurpassed condition in point of productiveness, a fine, commodious residence, and other improvements and conveniences of modern kind. He is an industrious, progressive, and successful young farmer, and is universally liked for his good-natured hospitality, so freely dispensed to friend or stranger. He counts his friends by the score. With the advantages he now possesses, and his wellestablished habits of industry and economy, Mr. Mason cannot fail of attaining great wealth long before he is an old man.

J. R. HUNT.

James R. Hunt was born three miles from the town of Richmond, Ray county, Missouri, on the 29th day of June, 1829. Richmond, was at that time, a straggling village. His parents were natives of the state of Kentucky, and came to Ray county among the pioneer settlers. In the acquirement of his education he received the advantages of such schools as were accessible to him at that early day. He has always been a farmer, that being his chosen vocation. He did not engage in the civil war. Spent some time in 1865 on the plains of the great west. He was married on the 6th day of June, 1852, to Miss Anna E. Morris, daughter of Washington Morris, Esq., an old settler and prominent citizen of Ray county. The issue of their union was fourteen children; ten of whom, Sallie, Isabelle, Francis Marion, Edward S., Cordia, George W., Kate,

Emma, Ella and Ollie, are now living. Mr. Hunt's mother, who lives with him, though seventy-three years of age, retains a strong active memory and is in excellect health. This estimable old lady remembers vividly many interesting anecdotes and incidents connected with pioneer life in the county. Mr. Hunt owns a valuable farm, well stocked and improved, and is in a highly prosperous condition. He is quite extensively engaged in breeding and handling fine sheep. He is a practical, successful farmer, an obliging neighbor, and a highly respected citizen in his community.

GEORGE S. EWING.

A native of Howard county, Missouri, and was born January 19, 1832. His parents removed to Ray county when he was very young, and here, together with some schooling in Kentucky, he received his education. He was occupied with farming until the beginning of the great civil war, when he espoused the cause of the south and enlisted for the war under General Sterling Price. He was engaged at the battles of Corinth, Springfield, Iuka, Franklin, New Hope Church, and other lesser engagements. Was discharged at Jackson, Mississippi, in the spring of 1865, and returning to Ray county, Missouri, resumed his farming. Mr. Ewing was married in the month of June, 1852, to Miss Lydia A. Tisdale, of Ray county. They became the parents of five children, living: William W., Robert S., Joseph, Jackson and Thomas. In religion, Mr. Ewing is a Baptist, a consistent and devoted Christian and a good man.

REV. N. B. PEELER.

This gentleman, whose life's history we now have the pleasure of presenting to his many friends and admirers, was born in Howard county, Missouri, on the 21st of April, A. D. 1832. He was educated at Bethany College, West Virginia, graduating in 1858. He was fortunate in receiving instructions, counsel and admonition from that distinguished divine, Alexander Campbell, the founder of the Christian Church. In 1859, he went to Kentucky and spent eight years there, preaching and teaching school in the counties of Woodford, Fayette and Henry. Returning again to Howard county, Missouri, he continued the work of a minister and teacher for four years. He moved to Richmond, Ray county, in 1871, and organized and taught the public school in that place for one year. From August, 1872, to December, 1873, he was pastor of the Christian Church at Carrollton, Missouri; from that time until 1875 of the church at Richmond, Missouri; preaching, also, at different points in the county. Subsequently he removed to the farm upon which he now lives, and which he conducts in connection with his teaching and ministerial labors. Mr. Peeler was married on the 10th day of November, 1865, to

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