SEBRON S. YOUNG.

This gentleman was born in Ray county, Missouri, on the 8th day of February, 1829, about two miles from the present town of Morton. Soon after his birth his father entered a large tract of land, something over eleven hundred acres, eight miles north of the town of Richmond, and moved upon it. Mr. Young received his education in the log schoolhouses of that primitive time in the manner common with the sons of farmers. He spent about sixteen years on the farm with his father, and then went to Richmond and began clerking in the dry goods store of J. S. Lightner. He remained in this position about three years, and then, in 1849, he went with a party of gold hunters to California. He lived in California only about a year, and then returned home to Ray county. His father and Isaiah Mansur formed apartnership about this time, and began selling goods at Millville, and he was employed as clerk in their store. At this business he continued for about three years, and until the death of his father, when he gave his attention to farming, and this has been his principal occupation ever since. He has taught school some during the winter in connection with his farming. Mr. Young was married on the 16th of November, 1851, at Millville, to Miss Catherine C. Rainwater, daughter of Rev. Moses F. Rainwater, now of St. Louis. They became the parents of ten children, all but one of whom still live. ber of the order of Free Masons, and both himself and Mrs. Young belong to the M. E. Church South, at Millville. In 1862 he took the contract for carrying the mails between Richmond and Utica, which was, on account of the war troubles, a perilous undertaking, but Mr. Young accomplished the task, and discharged every duty in a manner highly satisfactory to the officials of the national postal service. Since the war Mr. Young has given his undivided attention to farming, and is to-day a prosperous business man and a useful citizen.

JOHN TAYLOR YOUNG.

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Although the gentleman whose name heads this page has been dead for nearly twenty-seven years, the part that he so well performed in the early settlement and improvement of the county, justly claims a place in her history. John Taylor Young was born in Fayette county, Kentucky, January 12, 1800, and lived in his native state until he was about twentyseven years of age, when he resolved to seek a home in Missouri, at that time comparatively a new state. He first came to Independence, in Jackson county, and remained there for about a year, when he removed to the Ray county bottom, and entering a small body of land, improved it and established his home, for a short time, upon it, In 1829, he removed about eight miles north of Richmond to a tract of about eleven hundred and

sixty acres of land which he had acquired by entry and purchase. Here, after greatly improving his farm, Mr. Young continued to reside until the time of his death. He was married on the 10th day of May, 1828, to Miss Louisa, daughter of John Sneed, Esq., of Clay county. Eight children were born to them, but only four are now living: Sebron, Ambrose, Eliza, wife of H. C. Kell, and Warren, who lives with his family on the old homestead. Mr. Young was, for a number of years prior to his death, a consistent and worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He died on the 7th of August, 1854, loved and honored by his children, and respected by his neighbors and friends.

MARION M. CRITHFIELD.

Is a native of Tennessee, born in Claiborne county, on the 8th day of August, 1827. His father, Joshua Crithfield, removed to Ray county, Missouri, in the year 1844, and settled on a farm about three miles west of Millville. Mr. Crithfield received only limited opportunities for obtaining an education, being compelled, as soon as he was large enough, to work upon the farm. When the storm of civil war broke over the land Mr. Crithfield left home to espouse the cause of the land of his birth. He enlisted in the 11th Missouri regiment of Confederate infantry, and fought throughout the entire war. After peace was declared he returned to his old home in Ray county. In the month of February, 1870, Mr. Crithfield was married to Miss Lizzie J. Hanna. Three children were born from this union, only one of whom, a bright little girl of eight years, named Ruth Ezzado, now lives. Immediately after his marriage Mr. Crithfield removed with his bride to a place he had purchased, one mile from Millville, and here he has made his home ever since. Mrs. Crithfield lived only five years after her marriage, dying May 12, 1875, and Mr. Crithfield has never married again. His sister, Mrs. Schooler, lives with and keeps house for him. She and her brother are both members of the M. E. Church South. Mr. Crithfield, like many another of Ray's best citizens, has, by his own efforts and industry, acquired a good home, and everything necessary to spending his life in comfort, and with 'the esteem and respect of his neighbors.

NATHAN H. SCHOOLER.

A prominent farmer and old settler of this county. Was born in Bedford county, Tennessee, on the 31st day of March, 1828. Eight years afterward his father, Nathan H. Schooler, Sr., emigrated from Tennessee to Missouri, locating on a farm one mile and a half west of Millville, Ray county. Upon this farm our subject spent the time until the year 1850, when, fired by the gold excitement, he went to California. Here and in

Oregon, together, he spent about two years, and then returned to his father's farm in Ray county, where he lived until the death of his father, which occurred in the month of July, 1854. In November, of the same year, Mr. Schooler was united in marriage with Miss Sarah, daughter of Henry F. Graham, Esq., of Ray county. The issue of this marriage was four children: Luther Scott, Altie, Addie, and Ella. The last named died in infancy. The others are yet living, and all of them are married. Mrs. Schooler died on the 17th of July, 1861, and the war being then in progress, Mr. Schooler determined to drown the poignancy of his grief for her loss in the activity and excitement of the soldier's life. He joined the Confederate army, and remained in the war until its close, receiving a wound, the effects of which he still feels at times. After the surrender of the southern forces Mr. Schooler returned to Ray county, and resumed the management of his, farm. Mr. Schooler is a member of the order of Patrons of Husbandry, and also a Good Templar. He continues to reside upon and superintend operations upon his farm, which he has finely improved and stocked with everything necessary to successful farming. He enjoys the esteem and respect of his neighbors, and is a good citizen, and an honorable, upright gentleman.

WARREN YOUNG.

Warren Young is the youngest living son of John T. Young, a pioneer settler of Ray county, whose biography is given upon another page of this work. He was born in Ray county, Missouri, on the 22d day of September, 1838, and received such an education as the schools of the times afforded. He early began work on his father's large farm, about eight miles north of Richmond, and has been all his life engaged in the same occupation. Mr. Young was married November 26, 1865, to Miss Harriet, daughter of Mr. William Foushee, now a resident of Richmond. The issue of this marriage was seven children, all of whom are now, April, 1881, living. Mr. Young's mother, now quite old, resides with her son on the old homestead, which he inherited from his father's estate. Mr. Young has been in every way successful in the management of his business affairs, and is doing a good work for the advancement and improvement of the agricultural interests of the grand old county of Ray.

ROBERT A. WOOD.

The subject of this sketch is a Kentuckian. He was born in Woodford county on the 26th day of September, 1821. His father was Edward B. Wood, an extensive farmer and slave owner, who had emigrated from Virginia to Kentucky. He acquired his education in the schools of his native state. His father died while he was a small boy, and after his death our subject resided upon the plantation, assisting his mother in its

management until her death in 1836. Then when but seventeen years of age, with the consent of his guardian and his relatives who were interested, he rented the homestead from the other heirs, and began its management for himself. When he attained his majority, Mr. Wood purchased several of the interests of his brothers and sisters, and thus gained control of the estate and greatly improved and beautified his home. Mr. Wood inherited a number of slaves from his father's estate, and purchased others whom he brought with him when he came to Missouri, and of course lost them, with the exception of a few who died, and some sold under the amnesty proclamation of 1863. Mr. Wood was married on the 15th day of October, 1844, to Miss Sarah A., daughter of James L. Keas, Esq., of Clark county, Kentucky. Twelve children were born of this marriage, five sons and seven daughters, all now living. Four daughters and two sons are married, and Mr. Wood is the happy grandfather of some twelve children, the issue of their marriages. In the spring of 1852, Mr. Wood came to Missouri on a visit and prospecting tour, and he was so well pleased with what he saw of the country, especially of Ray county, that on his return to Kentucky he closed up his business there, and the following summer removed with his family and slaves to this county. He rented land when he first came while looking around for a suitable and available place to buy. His wife's health failing she grew dissatisfied and despondent, and longed for a return to the old Kentucky home, and Mr. Wood after having been but about a year here, returned to Kentucky. But his heart was fixed upon making his home in Missouri, and in the autumn following his return to Kentucky, Mrs. Wood having recovered her wonted health and strength, Mr. Wood came again with his family to Ray county, and purchased the farm upon which he has ever since resided. This farm approaches within less than a mile of Millville on the west, and comprises five hundred and eighty acres, all inone body, of as fine, fertile, rolling upland as can be found any where else in the county. Since losing his slaves, Mr. Wood has turned his attention chiefly to stockraising, and has converted his farm mostly into pasture lands. Mr. Wood is assisted in the management and direction of his large estate by his eldest son, James E., a well educated and intelligent young gentleman. Mr. Wood made a trip to the state of Texas, in 1879, on business connected with some land which his brother, Edward B., formerly a soldier of the Mexican war, now a prominent lawyer of Kentucky, possessed there. Both Mr. and Mrs. Woods were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, before leaving Kentucky, and although they have never transferred their membership to any church here, they still cling firmly to the tenets of that denomination. Mr. Wood is one of the largest and most successful farmers and stock raisers in the county. Untiring industry and

energy, unimpeachable honesty and veracity, boundless hospitality and generosity, have characterized his life and made the name of John A. Wood to be honored among his fellow men.

JACOB STANLEY.

Jacob Stanley was born in Campbell county, East Tennessee, September 15, 1806, and was educated in the schools of that state. His occupation has always been farming. Mr. Stanley was married in his native state, in his twenty-fifth year, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Moad, Esq., a near neighbor of Mr. Stanley's father. Soon after his marriage, our subject, in company with his father and father-in-law's families, removed to Ray county, Missouri, first stopping during the summer about two miles west of Richmond. Then he removed to a small farm two miles southwest of Millville. He has since greatly improved and extended his place by entry and purchase, until it now numbers some five hundred land twenty acres. Upon this farm Mr. Stanley lived until the day of his death, June 22, 1879. Eleven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Stanley, six sons and five daughters, who are all living except one son, the eldest, and two daughters; and all but Thomas M. and Henry J. are married. Thomas M., the elder of the unmarried sons, has the management of the old homestead, and lives upon it with his mother. Mr. Stanley, at the time of his death, had been twenty-two years a consistent member of the M. E. Church South. He was a kind-hearted man, a good neighbor, and an upright, fair-minded, honest man.

JOHN S. FLOURNOY.

Well and prominently known throughout Ray county. Is of ScotchIrish descent, his ancestors having emigrated from Scotland to America at a very early day. His father, James Flournoy, was a native of Mercer county, Kentucky, and a large farmer and slave-owner of that state. John S. Flournoy was born in Washington county, Kentucky, April 25, 1823. The foundation of his education was laid in the common schools of his father's neighborhood, though he afterwards received the advantages of the more extended course taught at St. Mary's College, a Catholic institutition of Marion county. Mr. Flournoy's mind was early trained to receive the Protestant faith and religion, and he imbibed no Casholic doctrines from his attendance upon their school. Mr. Flournoy's mother, whose maiden name was Martha O. Halloway, was a native of Jessamine county, Kentucky. She had been, at the time of her death, a devout Methodist for half a century. This excellent lady, who lived to the advanced age of eighty years, always exercised the greatest care in the intellectual and moral training of her children. To this early training of his mother, John S. Flournoy is indebted for the foundation of that ster