WILLIAM J. SMITH.

This gentleman was born in Carroll county, Missouri, on the 10th day of September, 1829. His grandfather, on the maternal side, Mr. Barnes was a native of Germany, who settled, at an early day, in Boonslick, Virginia, and lived there during the war of American independence. Mr. Barnes was the brother-in-law of Daniel Boone, the great Kentucky pioneer. The father of the subject of this sketch, George Smith, was a farmer of Carroll county, Missouri. He was accidentally drowned while on a bee hunt in Livingston county. William J. Smith was educated in the schools of his native county, and at the age of twenty-one years commenced teaming in the town of Dewitt, and followed that business for ten years. In September, 1850, he was married to Miss Minerva Smith, daughter of Mr. Moses Smith, of Carroll county. Though this lady haḍ the same name, she was not connected by blood relationship to Mr. Smith. He removed to Tarrant county, Texas, in the autumn of 1853, and farmed there for about four years, and then came back to Dewitt. Soon after his return, in 1858, his wife died, and he was married again to Mrs. N. A. Adkins, a widow. Mr. Smith is the father of four children, whose mother was his first wife. Three of them are living and married. months after his second marriage, Mr. Smith removed to Ray county, and bought the farm upon which he lives. It now includes two hundred and twenty-seven acres of rich and productive land. Mr. Smith's favorite occupation is dealing in live stock, but his health has been so poor of late, as to prevent his engaging in that business. He is a successful farmer and a sharp, shrewd and experienced trader. He is also a good neighbor and a valuable citizen.

JOSEPH B. PERRY.

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Was born in Shelby county, Indiana, on the 12th day of January, 1842. His parents removed to Edgar county, Illinois, when he was but four years old, and there he received his education and lived until the commencement of the civil war. He enlisted August 24, 1861, in company H, 29th Illinois infantry, and was engaged in the battles of Fort Donelson, Shiloh and Holly Springs. At the last named battle he was taken prisoner and paroled on the field. He was again captured by the enemy at Woodville, Mississippi, and confined in prison, first at Meridian, Mississippi, and then again at Mobile, Alabama. After spending six months in the military prisons at the above mentioned places, he made his escape, and again joining his command, was sent to Texas, and remained there until he was discharged about the 1st of December, 1865. He at once returned to Edgar county, Illinois, and remained there until January, 1867, and then went back to his native state of Indiana, and lived there until the

year 1869. In the month of August, 1869, he came to Missouri, and located in Ray county, upon the farm where he now resides, section twelve, township fifty-four, range twenty-six. This place consists of two hundred and sixty acres of excellent farming land, well stocked and improved, a neat, comfortable dwelling, and a thrifty young orchard. Mr. Perry was married on the 27th of December, 1867, to Miss Sarah E. Tindall, a native of Shelby county, Indiana. They have five children, named as follows, viz.: Oren E., Eunice E., Ida May, Everett E., and Joseph B. Both Mr. and Mrs. Perry are consistent members of the M. E. Church.

MIFFLIN B. WEEKS.

Was born in the state of North Carolina in the year 1821. His father having died while our subject was in infancy, he was taken to be raised by an uncle. When he was ten years old his uncle removed with him to the state of Illinois, and a year later to Patrick county, Virginia. Here our subject lived until he was grown. Being an orphan, he was compelled at an early age to work for his own subsistance, and, in consequence, his advantages for obtaining an education were very meager. In 1843 he removed to Floyd county, and, after spending two years there, to Mercer county, where he made his home for thirteen years. Mr. Weeks was married on the 15th day of May, 1840, to Miss Eurah, a native of the state of Virginia, born and raised in the region of the Blue Ridge mountains. They are the parents of seven children living and one dead. The names of those living are: Martha E., John H., Nancy C., Louisa J., Benjamin G., Charles M., and Joseph A. The name of the child they lost by death was William J. Mr. Weeks came to Missouri in 1859, landing at Lexington, March 7, and located in Ray county, where he has since lived constantly, except during five years spent in Caldwell county, Missouri. He located on his present farm, section 2, township 54, range 26, in June, 1880. Mrs. Weeks is a member of the Christian Church, and was formerly a member of the regular Baptist Church for the space of thirty-five years. Mr. Weeks is an industrious, thrifty farmer, and a valuable aid to the development of the material wealth of his adopted county.

Jacob A. Weeks, youngest son of Mifflin B. Weeks, was born in Ray county, Missouri, October 15, 1864. He is a very industrious and exemplary young man, and well thought of by all who know him. He is at present living on the farm with his parents.

JOHN C. SHRUM.

This gentleman was born in Caldwell county, Missouri, on the 6th day of April, 1846, and received his education and grew up there. In the spring of 1872, he bought a new prairie farm, in sight of his birth place, just across the county line, in Ray. This place he fenced and improved by building a comfortable house. He has, in all, two hundred acres of excellent farming land, all under fence, except twenty acres of woodland. Eighty acres of this place are in Ray, the remainder in Caldwell county, Its products are corn, oats, and grass. Mr. Shrum is engaged, quite extensively, in raising cattle. He has been a life-long farmer and stock-raiser. The father of our subject, Mr. John L. Shrum, came to this county, at a very early day, from North Carolina. He subsequently spent about four years in Illinois, and on his return from that state to Missouri, brought with him a reaping machine, said to have been the first introduced in Ray county. During the late civil war, Mr. Shrum was enrolled in the state militia, but was not in active service at any time. He was married, on the 18th day of August, 1867, to Miss Caroline McBee, a native of Ray county, and daughter of James and Elizabeth McBee. They are the parents of six children, five of whom are now living: Carrie E., John L., Ida May, Samuel L., Dennis N. (now dead), and Mary C. Mrs. Shrum is a worthy member of the M. E. Church. Mr. Shrum is an enterprising, successful farmer, and a good citizen.

COL. CHARLES B. KAVANAUGH.

This distinguished soldier and farmer was born at Booneville, in Cooper county, Missouri, in the year 1822, and has always lived in the counties of Cooper, Lafayette, Carroll and Ray, respectively. He was reared to farming, and has nearly all his life pursued that avocation or the kindred one of raising and dealing in cattle and other live stock. As a notable exception to this course of life may be mentioned the fact of his having been a merchant at Lexington, Missouri, from the year 1851 until the commencement of the civil war, the space of about ten years. On the 14th of December, 1861, Mr. Kavanaugh left Lexington, Missouri, with a full company of recruits, for the southern army. In camp, midway between Osceola and Springfield, the company was organized, and Mr. Kavanaugh elected captain. Soon after they joined General Sterling Price's command, and went into winter quarters. After the battle of Pea Ridge, the regiment to which Captain Kavanaugh's company belonged was reorganized, and he received the appointment to command it with the commission of colonel in the C. S. A. His competitor for this position was Jo. O. Shelby, afterwards general. Colonel Kavanaugh's regiment was ordered, under command of Brigadier General Green, to Mem

phis, and on the march participated with General Beauregards's command in the battle of Corinth, Mississippi. He was, subsequently, engaged in the battles of Little Rock, Dardanelle, and assisted in the capture of a Federal gunboat on White river. Colonel Kavanaugh served with much distinction and great bravery throughout the war. He was greatly beloved and honored by the soldiers of his command. His regiment was often under fire in the thickest part of the fight, and Colonel Kavanaugh repeatedly had his horse killed from under him while charging the enemy's guns at the head of his command. During the last year of the war he suffered much from sickness, and, although all communication with his home had long been cut off, his wife finally heard of his illness, and, after making her way through the Union lines, and being detained about three weeks at Little Rock, joined her husband, and remained with him during the continuance of the war. To Mrs. Kavanaugh's tender, careful nursing during his illness, her husband, in all probability, owes the preservation of his life. At the close of the war, Colonel Kavanaugh was discharged from the army at Austin, Texas, and the winter following returned home to Missouri. Everything, in the way of property, he had possessed, was lost by the war. In his devotion to the cause he thought just, all had been sacrificed. A friend kindly furnished him with the necessary means, and the colonel began dealing in Texas cattle, and soon recuperated his financial condition. In 1866, he moved to Carroll county, Missouri, and engaged in farming there for about five years, and in 1871, came to Ray county and commenced improving his present place, on the prairie, in section nineteen, township fifty-four, range twenty-six. This is a fine farm of five hundred and sixty acres of excellent farming land, well improved, with good buildings, and inclosed by stone, plank and rail fences. Upon the farm are two thrifty young orchards of apple, peach and other fruit trees. Colonel Kavanaugh continues to pay special attention to the raising and feeding of cattle. He is a leading member of the Christian Church, and of the Wakanda Grange, P. of H. Colonel Kavanaugh was also a soldier in the war with Mexico. He served during the entire war, and was sergeant in company B, Colonel A. W. Doniphan's regiment, 1st Missouri cavalry. The principal battles in which he was engaged were Brazito and Sacramento, though he participated in several minor engagements. Colonel Kavanaugh has been twice married. First in 1850, to Miss Eliza James. The issue of this union was one daughter, Fanny C., now the wife of P. M. Grove, and living at Los Angelos, California. Mrs. Kavanaugh died in 1852, and the colonel was subsequently married to Miss Mary A. Rea, daughter of Judge Edmond Rea. She is a native of Virginia, but came to Missouri when a child. They became the parents of nine children, named as follows, viz: Edmond R., Charles A., Archie W., Lee Davis, Mary P., Genevieve S., Katie Dixie, Joseph

Baxter and Robert C.

Colonel Kavanaugh is one of the best, most prom

inent and influential citizens of Ray county.

JACOB HUSKISSON.

Jacob Huskisson was born in east Tennessee on the 8th day of January, 1839, and lived there until he was fourteen years of age. His father was a blacksmith, and he taught that trade to his son. In 1853 our subject went to Bradley county, and was engaged there working at his trade, until he was seventeen years of age, and then went to Alabama, and followed farming until 1861. He then returned to east Tennessee, and farmed in his native state for about two years longer. In the year 1863, he enlisted in company B, Eighth regiment, Tennesse cavalry Union volunteers, and was engaged in the fight at Knoxville, Tennessee, and in other battles. He was discharged at the close of the war, at Knoxville. He at once returned to his home, and resumed work at his trade, and continued it there until 1869, when he came to Richmond, Ray county, Missouri. Here he engaged in farming, for about four years, and then, after going to Carroll county, and remaining there one year, he moved to Girard, Illinois, and worked at his trade there for two years. Returning to Carroll county, Missouri, he followed blacksmithing there for about two years, and then in the month of August, 1880, came again to Ray county, and settling at Tinney's grove, opened a blacksmith shop and has continued there working at his trade till the present time, April, 1881. Mr. Huskisson was married in the year 1868, to Miss Rhoda Wilson, a native of Tennessee. They have six children, named, respectively: Emmett, Jacob, Elizabeth, John, William and George. Mr. and Mrs. Huskisson are both members of the Missionary Baptist Church.

WILLIAM RUSSELL.

The subject of this sketch is a native of Washington county, Virginia. He was born on the 1st day of March, 1813. Left his native county in childhood, on the removal of his parents to Marion county, Tennessee, and lived there until he attained his majority. He was reared on a farm, and received fair educational advantages. In the autumn of 1838 he came to Ray county, Missouri, and located near Millville. Here he was occupied in farming until 1858, when he removed to Knoxville, and engaged for a number of years in mercantile business there. In the spring of 1868 he removed to Russellville, and has since resided in that place, where he has a residence, store building, and several other lots. Mr. Russell has held various offices of trust in Ray county. He was first elected, in 1846, to the office of constable, and served in that capacity, for six years. He was elected justice of the peace in 1852, and has held the office, almost uninterruptedly for nearly thirty years, and in all his admin