ANDREW J. RIFFE.

The gentleman whose name heads this article is a native of Casey county, Kentucky. He is the son of John and Mary Riffe, and was born on the 6th day of April, 1828. His parents removed to Missouri and settled in Ray county when he was eleven years of age, and he was educated and grew up in this county. In the month of April, 1850, in company with five other young men from the same vicinity, he went, with the hope of bettering his fortunes, to the gold mines of the far west. After spending six months in a tedious overland trip, suffering great hardships, and running the gauntlet of hostile bands of Indians, he and his companions arrived in California. Mr. Riffe remained in California and other parts of the west, until July, 1851, and then returned to his home in Ray county. He owns an excellent farm of two hundred and forty acres, about one hundred and sixty acres in cultivation, forty acres in pasture, and the remainder woodland. His farm is under good substantial fences, well watered and in a fine state of productiveness. It lies conveniently near good schools, churches and markets. Mr. Riffe was married February 6, 1854, to Miss Angeline Dorton, a native of the state of Kentucky. They became the parents of eight children, only three of whom are now living: Charles, Lizzie and Archie. Mr. Rifle and his wife are active members of the Christian Church. He is a prosperous farmer and a valuable and influential citizen.

ETHBERT M. ENDSLEY.

Ethbert M. Endsley was born in Ray county, Missouri, June 18, 1834. He is the son of John and Hannah Endsley. His father first came to this county about the year 1819. The subject of this sketch lived on his father's farm until the spring of 1852, when he went to California, and engaged there in mining and other pursuits during about five years, returning to this county in 1857. Having been occupied so long (nearly six months), in going to California overland, he chose the ocean route on the return trip, sailing from San Francisco to the Isthmus of Panama, and returning home from there by boat. In 1864, Mr. Endsley went to Salt Lake City, Utah, and thence to Montana Territory, where he engaged for about a year in freighting with teams, after which he came back again to this county, and has lived here ever since. Mr. Endsley owns a good stock farm of four hundred and eighty-three acres, about ninety acres of tillable land, and the balance in pasture and woodlands. He is largely engaged in raising the best breeds of live stock, and pays particular attention to Short-horn cattle. His farm is handsomely improved, and well arranged and conducted. It bears a thrifty and prosperous appearance. Mr. Endsley has been twice married. First, December 27, 1857,

in this county, to Miss Eliza M. Vance, a native of the state of North Carolina. They became the parents of nine children, seven of whom are now living, viz: Amanda, Alice B., Ethbert M., John N., Everett, Fanny, Eliza M. Mrs. Endsley died in the month of June, 1873, and he was again married, September 15, 1875, to Mariah L. Owens, a native of Ray county, Missouri. Both Mr. Endsley and his wife are leading members of the Christian Church. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity, of the Grange and of the Farmers' Club. He is a highly esteemed citizen, and a valuable member of the community.

ZAZA D. RALPH.

Zaza D. Ralph is a native of Ray county, Missouri. He was born November 27, 1830. He received his education and grew up to manhood's estate in his native county. In 1864, he went to the great west and spent seven months on the plains, returning again to this county. He was married December 24, 1850, to Miss Martha A. Simpson, a native of Virginia, born February 1, 1836. They became the parents of seven children: Mary, born December 12, 1851; Jessie B., born July 20, 1854; Ella, born August 7, 1857; Lucy A., born November 10, 1860; Fanny A., born March 1, 1864; Zula D., born August 6, 1866; Laura L., born June 5, 1869. Mr. Ralph owns a fine farm of six hundred and forty acres, six hundred acres enclosed by good fences and about four hundred acres in cultivation. This farm is handsomely improved and well stocked with the best breeds of horses, mules, cattle, hogs and sheep. He pays particulár attention to raising fine cattle and has made that branch of his business very successful and profitable. He is also engaged in buying and selling live stock. Mr. Ralph and his wife with their eldest daughter are members of the Christian Church. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Grange. Mr. Ralph is a prosperous farmer and stock dealer and influential citizen, and a man highly respected and esteemed in the community.

RICHARD. W. BATES.

The subject of this sketch was born in Ray county, Missouri, February 14, 1847. His parents were William and Zerilda Bates. His father is a native of Virginia, he came from that state to Ray county, in the year 1835, and is yet living here in his sixty-seventh year. His mother (Zerilda) was born in the state of Kentucky. Our subject remained at home, with his parents, working on the farm in summer, and attending such schools as he could have access to, in the winter, until he attained his majority. Richard W. Bates was married in the month of January, 1871, by Rev. Mr. Newland, of the M. E. Church, to Miss Mary Miller. She lived only about eighteen months after marriage, and

her early demise was much lamented by a large circle of friends and relatives. Mr. Bates was again married March 22, 1877, by Rev. J. M. Wheeler, of the Baptist Church, to Miss P. Gaut, daughter of Joshua R. and Winnie A. Gaut, natives of the state of North Carolina. She was born in Ray county, Missouri, March 18, 1846. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bates, named, Sallie, date of birth, October 30, 1871. Mr. Bates owns one hundred and fifty-four acres of good land, one hundred and fifteen acres under cultivation, the rest growing timber of good quality. He is also engaged, to a considerable extent, in raising and feeding live stock. Mr. Bates is a practical, successful farmer, and a good citizen.

REV. WILLIAM C. GARRETT.

William C. Garrett was born in Pulaski county, Kentucky, April 23, 1823, and continued to live there, with his parents, until he was fifteen of age. years The family then emigrated from Kentucky to Jackson county, Missouri, where they lived during one summer, and then removed to Buchanan county, Missouri. Mr. Garrett was married on the 20th day of February, 1840, by Reverend Benjamin Riley, of the Christian Church, to Miss Milly Kerns, who was born in Russell county, Kentucky, January 13, 1821. Five children have been born to bless this union. Their names, with dates of birth, follow: James M., born May 25, 1841; John W., born May 2, 1843; Sarah J., born March 26, 1845; Mary A., born June 1, 1849; William F., born October 26, 1857. In the year 1845 our subject moved to Andrew county, Missouri, where he lived three years, and then went to DeKalb county, Missouri, and remained there until 1854, when he removed to Henry county, Missouri. From there he went to Jefferson county, Kansas, and thence, after a time, to Pottawattamie county, Kansas, where he lived until 1874, and then came to Ray county, Missouri, where he located permanently, and has since resided. Mr. Garrett has been an active minister of the Regular Baptist Church for more than thirty-eight years. In the discharge of his ministerial labors he has traveled thousands of miles, and often been subjected to great hardships. Often he was compelled to walk long distances-sometimes as far as sixty miles-to keep an appointment that had been made for him to preach. His life has been that of the pioneer preacher, and he has wrought well and faithfully in the vineyard where the Master assigned him work. He is a very successful preacher, and is universally respected and revered by the members of his flock.

DR. H. B. HAMILTON.

Henry B. Hamilton was born in Lincoln county, Kentucky, July 18, 1822. His parents, Thomas and Rachel Hamilton, were also natives of Kentucky, and immigrated from that state to Ray county, Missouri, when Henry was about ten years old. After completing the course of study taught in the schools of his adopted county, our subject returned to Kentucky and entered the medical department of Transylvania University, and graduated from that institution of learning in 1847. He returned to Ray county and commenced the practice of his chosen profession, and has continued it ever since with abundant success. Dr. Hamilton was married May 8, 1849, to Miss Elizabeth R. Craig, by Rev. John Walker of the Christian Union Church, in Ray county, Missouri. Mrs. Hamilton is the daughter of John and Susannah Craig. She was born December 25, 1833. Her father was a native of the state of Pennsylvania, her mother of North Carolina. Dr. and Mrs. Hamilton became the parents of two children: Charles L., born October 22, 1858; Claude C., born April 17, 1866. Dr. Hamilton was engaged in merchandising in company with J. R. Green, at Hainesvill, in Clinton county, Missouri, from 1853 to 1857. He then occupied and improved a tract of land which he had entered in Caldwell county, Missouri. This farm he exchanged for a stock of goods and engaged in merchandising again for about a year, at Kingston, Caldwell county, and then came to Richmond and engaged in the same business for the space of one year. He then returned to his farm where he has ever since lived, occupied in attending to the duties of his large practice. His son Charles L., graduated from the St. Louis Medical College in the spring of 1880, and is now associated with his father in the practice of medicine. Both father and son belong to the allopathic school of medicine.

J. O. KILLGROVE.

James O. Killgrove was born in Carroll county, Arkansas, June 6, 1846. His parents were John H. and Lucinda C. Killgrove, natives of North Carolina. Our subject continued to live at home with his parents, until the commencement of the civil war. He enlisted in company A, second Arkansas volunteer cavalry, which was assigned to service in Arkansas and Missouri, against the army of the Confederate General Price. He was discharged May 17, 1865, at St. Louis. His father had removed to he Perry county, Illinois, during his term of service in the army, and hither went, after being discharged, to join the family. After living in Illinois for three years, he went back to Arkansas, and was there married, in Johnson county, to Miss Mary A. Barnett, June 9, 1872, by Rev. Mr. Canada, of the M. E. Church. Mrs. Killgrove was born January 30, 1847. She is the daughter of Josephus and Jane R. Barnett, natives of

the state of Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Killgrove became the parents of five children: Ellsworth L., born March 16, 1873; T. E., born January 21, 1875; Winona A., born January 28, 1877; Osborne E., born January 28, 1879. Ellsworth died August 19, 1874. In 1873 he immigrated to the state of Texas, where he lived for more than two years, and then returned to Ray county, Missouri, and has since lived here. Mr. Killgrove owns a neat, nicely improved farm, and is doing a thriving business. He is highly regarded by all of the community in which he lives, and is a valuable and influential citizen.

ISSA H. NATION.

Is the son of W. K. and Nancy Nation. He was born in Daviess county, Missouri, January 31, 1851. His father was a native of Kentucky, and his mother of Missouri. Our subject left home at the age of nineteen years, and going to Polk county, Missouri, engaged in herding stock there, for about eighteen months, and then returned to Daviess county. Mr. Nation was married February 11, 1877, to Miss Maria McGhee, the daughter of William and Orlatha McGhee. She was born May 30, 1853. The issue of this marriage has been three children, two of whom are now living: Lorenzo, born February 11, 1878; George R., born March 14, 1881. The principal occupation of our subject has always been farming, though he has engaged at carpentering also, at different times during life. Both Mr. Nation and his wife are leading members of the Missionary Baptist Church at Rockfall. He is a thrifty, enterprising and successful farmer and good citizen.

THOMAS S. VAUGHN.

Is a native of Lincoln county, Kentucky, and was born April, 1822. His parents were Newman and Precia Vaughn, natives of the state of North Carolina. When Thomas was fifteen years of age, his parents moved to Bond county, Illinois, and resided there until 1846, when our subject returned to Kentucky. and remained there three years, and then went to California. From that state he traveled for about six years, going to the Sandwich Islands, in the Pacific Ocean, and to other places of interest. Returning once more to his native state, he remained there for a short time, and then removed to Illinois for a time. From Illinois he came to Ray county, Missouri, and located where he now lives, and pursued the avocation of cabinet-making for about fifteen years. Since that time he has been engaged in the business of farming. In the month of April, 1857, Mr. Vaughn was married to Miss Sarah A. McCullum, daughter of Williamson and Mary J. McCullum, natives of Tennessee. The marriage ceremony was performed by Reverend Samuel P. Johnson, of the Christian Church. The result of this union has been five children,