Montgomery County, MOGenWeb The USGenWeb Project

ALLEN, Charles Allen and his wife, ELIZABETH POWELL, settled in Kentucky in 1800 and came to Montgomery co., Mo., in 1823. Their children were Joseph H., David P., Charles P., Polly E., Elizabeth B., Anna A., Martha C., Tabitha W., Lucy J., and Catharine C. Mr. Allen was a carpenter by trade, and built the jail at Lewiston. His son, Joseph H., who was a physician, died at Troy, in Lincoln County. David P. was married first to ANN BOONE, by whom he had two children. After her death, he married NANCY COURTNEY, of St. Charles, and they had eight children. He died in 1874. Charles P. married ELIZA J. COURTNEY, by whom he had thirteen children. Tabitha and Catharine died before they were grown. Polly and Elizabeth married brothers named SIMPSON. Anna married WILLIAM COWHERD, and their children were Charles A., James D., William R., Catharine C., Martha E., and Elizabeth P. Charles and William died before they were grown. James married ELLA LOGAN, of Montgomery County. Martha married JOSEPH CRANE of Callaway county. Elizabeth married CHARLES BLADES of Montgomery county.

ADAMS, James Adams, of Virginia, settled in St. Louis co., Mo., in 1818. He married SALLY BROWN, and their children were Burrell, James, Polly, Sally, Elizabeth, Lucy, Rebecca, Martha, and Nancy. Burrell was a soldier in the war of 1812. He came to Missouri in 1816, with JUDGE BEVERLY TUCKER and was married in 1818 to HARRIET ALLEN, a daughter of JOHN ALLEN, who died in 1830. Mr. Adams died in Danville, Mo., during the summer of 1876 in his 82nd year. He had 8 children, William B., B. T., J. B., James B., Susan F., John A., C. C., and Sarah E. William B. is a physician, lives in Danville, and has a practice that extends for many miles over that portion of the country. He is a very intelligent man, and exercises a large influence in the affairs of the county, which he has represented in the state Legislature. He possesses a large fund of ready wit and humor, and is an entertaining conversationalist.

ANDERSON, Presley Anderson and his wife, ELIZABETH STEELE, settled in Montgomery co., Ky, in 1779. Their children were John A. S., James, William, Presley, Jr., Lucy, and Eliza. John A. S., better known as CAPTAIN JACK, was a remarkable man in his day, and is well remembered by the old citizens of Montgomery and Callaway counties. We give his history elsewhere. Presley, Jr., married EUPHEMIA JONES of Tennessee, and settled first in Warren Co., MO in 1814, from whence he removed to Montgomery county in 1817, and settled near Brush creek. He brought his family to Missouri on pack-horses, and they occupied ROBERT RAMSEY's house, near Marthasville, soon after the murder of the family of the latter. The blood was still upon the floor when they went into the house and Mrs. Anderson scoured it up before they put their furniture in. During the Indian war, Mr. Anderson served as a ranger in CAPT. HARGROVE's company in Illinois. He was a devout Methodist, and the preachers of that denomination held services in his house for many years. The names of his children were Presley, Jr., Joseph, James, William, John, Margaret, Lucy, Elizabeth, and Eliza. James Anderson married ELIZA JOURNEY, of St. Charles county, and settled on Brush creek in Montgomery county. He afterward removed to St. Louis county where he died. Eliza Anderson married JOHN DABNEY, who settled near Middletown in 1830.

ANDREWS, William Andrews of Virginia had a son, Robert who married NANCY EDMONDS and settled in Missouri in 1833. Their children were William, Samuel, Sally, Mary J., and Catharine.

ANDERSON, John Anderson, of England, had a son, John, who married LETITIA STEWART. They also had a son John, who married JANE CLARK, and they had Gustavus A., William E., Theresa J., Robert S., Eliza C., and John W. Gustavus A. graduated in medicine, and settled in Missouri in 1836. He was married first to JEMIMA E. FISHER, and after her death, to MARY A. TALBOTT, daughter of MAJOR KIT TALBOTT, of Loutre Island.

BUSH, William Bush, of Fayette co., Ky, had Benjamin, Ambrose, Levi, and Matilda. Benjamin married and settled in Illinois, on the bank of the Mississippi river, and was murdered under the following circumstances: Parties on the opposite side of the river owed him a considerable amount of money, and he went over on the ferryboat one day, to collect it. As he was returning that evening he was robbed while on the boat, and then thrown into the river. Levi and Matilda Bush both married and lived and died in Kentucky. Ambrose married NANCY DOUGLASS and settled first in Illinois, near his brother Benjamin, where he remained one year, and then, in 1818, he removed to Missouri and settled at Charrette, in Warren county. In 1818 he settled on Dry Fork of Loutre in Montgomery county. Mr. Bush was a shrewd businessman and made a fortune by trading in horses and other stock. He had a low, soft voice and gentlemanly manners, and was a general favorite with his neighbors. He died in 1873, at the advanced age of 88 years. His wife died many years previous. Their children were Greenberry, Maria, Edward D., William, and Ella. Greenberry married SARAH CUNDIFF, and they had William D., Eliza A., Nancy J., Amanda G., Caroline, Mary, Clay, Edward W., Virginia, and Susan. Mr. Bush served as sheriff and assessor of Montgomery county for several years. He was also elected to the legislature one term. Maria Bush was married first to AARON GROOM, and after his death she married WILLIAM M. WRIGHT. Edward D. married VIRGINIA MOSLEY, and died in 1863. His children were Livinia, John, Greenberry B., William T., Judith A., Lydia, Benjamin F., Emma, and Fannie.

BAKER, David Baker, son of ROBERT BAKER, of England, married MARY ANDERSON, in November, 1756, and settled in Norfolk, Va. They had Elizabeth, Mary, Benjamin, David, Robert, Sarah, Dempsey, Thomas, and James. David was born in Nov. 1763. He married JUDITH JOHNSON, and they had Sylvester, Thomas J., and John. Sylvester, who was born in 1791, married the widow of JOHN JOHNSON, whose maiden name was ELSEY WARD, and settled in Montgomery co., Mo., in 1820. His children were Judith, David W., Sylvester, Jr., William M., and John F. Capt. John Baker was born in 1795. He married LIZZIE JOHNSON and settled in Montgomery county in 1820. They had Sylvester C., Elsey A., Robert W., John J., Mary K., Judith M., Margaret E., and Dicey B. V. Capt. Baker built a water mill on Loutre creek and a rather singular circumstance happened to it one day. The mill was running at full speed with a heavy head of water on, when the wheel suddenly blocked and the machinery stopped with a jar and crash that shook the mill to its foundation. Upon examining the wheel a large catfish was found in it. The fish was taken out, a handspike run through its gills, and two tall negroes hoisted it on their shoulders and carried it to the house; and it was so long that its tail dragged on the ground. This is a considerable fish story, but it is true.

BAKER, Rev. Robert Baker came from Tennessee to Missouri at a very early date, and was one of the first Methodist preachers in Montgomery county. He organized the first church of that denomination in this county, at the house of Rev. DRURY CLANTON, who was also a Methodist preacher. His house was situated on a branch called "Pinch", about five miles southwest of Danville, and the church was organized in 1819. Baker was an old revolutionary soldier and drew a pension from the government, all of which he gave to his church and the Sunday school cause. He had two sons, Jacob and Esau, who were as much unlike each other in personal appearance as it was possible for them to be; Jacob being six feet two inches in height, while Esau measured only four feet five inches. The former settled in Callaway county, near Readesville. He had an old yellow dog that he thought a great deal of, and in order to keep him from running away, he drove a honey locust stake in the yard and tied him fast to it. The stake took root and grew to be a large tree and its branches cast a grateful shade over the yard and dwelling.

BAST, George Bast settled in Montgomery county in 1819. His father was a native of Germany, but came to American and settled in Baltimore. George was married first to SARAH CLARK, of Lexington, Ky., by whom he had Alonzo, John, George Y., and William H. Mrs. Bast died in 1816, and her husband subsequently married EMILY COURTNEY, by whom he had two children. She also died in 1823, and Mr. Bast was married the third time to ELIZABETH FORD, by whom he had three children...Sarah, Anna, and Edward. Mr. Bast was killed by the falling of a tree in Feb. 1829, and his widow married SIRENUS COX. Alonzo, the eldest son, married a Mexican lady, and lived and died in Camargo, Mexico. At his death he left a widow and several children. John married HARRIET KIBBE, by whom he had Mary, Julia, Harriet, Charles, and George. George Y., son of George Bast Sr., is a physician, and lives at New Florence. He is a prominent and influential citizen of the county, where he is widely known and respected. He was married first to LEONORA HANCOCK, and they had one son, William. After the death of his first wife he married SOPHIA JACOBS, and by her, had two sons, George and Charles. William H. Bast is a merchant at Montgomery City. He also has a store in Kansas City, Mo., and is a wealthy and influential citizen. He lives at his beautiful country residence, a short distance south of Montgomery City, and enjoys himself in the society of his family and neighbors. He was married first to EPSEY McGHEE, by whom he had William, Mary and Alonzo. After the death of his first wife, he married LOUISA GORDON, and they have one child, a daughter.

BEST, Stephen Best, of Ireland, emigrated to America many years before the revolution, and settled in Pennsylvania. His children were Isaac, Humphrey, Stephen, Jr., and Ebenezer. He also had several daughters but their names are lost. Ebenezer never married, but he educated sixty children that claimed him for their father. He was one of the celebrated horse racers of Madison co., Ky., and also indulged in chicken fighting. He once fought ten times with his chickens in one day, and gained seven of the fights, winning $1,000 each. Isaac Best and his wife came to Missouri in 1808 from Garrard co., Ky. They rode two old horses, on which they also carried their bedding, furniture, cooking utensils, etc. They settled on the bottom in Montgomery county which has since borne their name. Mr. Best, like his brother, was fond of amusement, and delighted in horse racing. When the Indian war broke out he built a fort on his farm, but had to give it up before peace was declared. The Indians became so troublesome that he was afraid to leave his family in the fort any longer, and conveyed them for greater security to Fort Clemson, on Loutre Island. The following day his fort was captured by the Indians, but they found nothing to reward them for their trouble. The names of Mr. Best's children were John, Stephen, Isaac, Jr., Humphrey, Ebenezer, Polly, Phoebe, Sally, and Peggy. John was married twice; first to his cousin, Polly, a daughter of HUMPHREY BEST, and second to SARAH QUICK, daughter of ALEXANDER QUICK. By his first wife he had Polly Catharine, and Margaret; and by his second, Stephen, John Jr., Rice, Nancy, Rhoda, and Elizabeth. Isaac Best, Jr., died when he was nineteen years of age. Stephen, Humphrey, Ebenezer, Polly, Sally, and Margaret all accompanied their father to Texas, to which state he removed a number of years ago.

BEARD, Edwin Beard and his wife, MARY BELL, of Ireland, came to America and settled in Augusta co., Va. They had William, John, David, Charles, and Samuel. The latter was a soldier in the revolutionary war, and was present at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown. He married SARAH CRAIG, of Staunton, Va., and settled first in Pennsylvania, from whence he removed to Kentucky in 1792, and to Missouri in 1827. His children were John, William, David, Samuel, Absalom, James, Mary B., Sarah L., and Elizabeth. William was a soldier in the war of 1812, under Gen. Harrison. He married ELIZABETH FINLEY, of Lincoln co., Ky., and settled in Missouri in 1830. David married MARY DeJARNETTE, and settled in Missouri in 1827. Samuel married REBECCA FISHER, and settled in Ohio. Absalom died unmarried, in New Orleans. James was married first to MARY J. LOGAN, and second to MARTHA A. BRIGGS, and settled in Missouri. Mary married GABRIEL REEDS, of Kentucky, and settled in Lincoln co., Mo. in 1830. Sarah was married first to WILLIAM C. FINLEY, and after his death, she removed to Lincoln co., Mo., where she married McKENLY HAYS. She died, and Hays married her sister, Elizabeth.

BUSBY, Matthew Busby, of Ireland, was a weaver by trade. He came to America and settled first in Delaware, from whence he removed to Bath co., Ky., at an early date. He had seven sons, one of whom, James, married NANCY LEWIS, of Delaware, by whom he had eleven children, Isaac, Rolley, John, James, Hiram, Lewis, Granville, Elizabeth, Lucretia, Amanda, and Malinda. Lewis and James settled in Missouri. The former married ELIZA McCLANNAHAN, of Ky., and settled in Missouri in 1835.

BARNES, James Barnes, of Virginia, settled in Kentucky at an early date. He had three sons, James, Jr., Noble, and John. The two latter settled in Illinois, where they lived and died. James Jr. settled in Missouri. He married SARAH CALLAWAY, daughter of FLANDERS CALLAWAY, and they had twenty-two children, sixteen of whom lived to be grown, viz.: James, John, Larkin, William, Callaway F., Flanders C., Lilborn, Volney, Andrew, Rhoda, Jemima, Minerva, Margaret, Hulda, Cynthia, and Elizabeth. Flanders C. married married OBEDIENCE GRIGG, and lives in Montgomery county. He has in his possession, a knee buckle and silk stocking that belonged to his grandfather, Daniel Boone. In his youth, Mr. Barnes was a great swimmer, and from being in the water so much he contracted inflammatory rheumatism, from which he suffers greatly in his old age.

BUNCH, David W. Bunch, of Kentucky, settled in Montgomery co., Mo., in 1826. He married ELIZABETH WRIGHT by whom he had fourteen children - Thompson H., John J., William F., Lucretia, Patsey A., Sterling L., Lewis W., Nancy D., Amanda J., Hamilton V., Eliza M., David W., Cordelia, and Elizabeth.

BERGER, Jacob Berger, of Germany, came to America and settled first in Pennsylvania, but subsequently removed and settled in Pittsylvania co., Va. His sons were William, Jacob, George, and John; and he had several daughters whose names we could not obtain. William was killed in the war of 1812, having volunteered to serve in place of his brother, George, who had been drafted, and who, being a married man, could not leave his family. George married MARY BOATRIGHT, of Virginia, by whom he had Thomas A., Jacob, Louisa J., Lucy A., William J., Appalana F., Polly, David, Elizabeth, and Mariamne. Jacob and Polly died young, in Virginia. The rest of the children came with their parents to Missouri in 1838, and settled in Montgomery county. Thomas married ELLEN STONE, of Virginia. Louisa married PLEASANT DAVIS, of Missouri. Lucy married BUCKNER JEFFERSON, of Mo., Appalana married ERASMUS McGINNIS of Mo. Elizabeth married WILLIAM ANDERSON.

BOWLES, Gideon Bowles and wife, of Dublin, Ireland, were members of the St. James Colony that settled in Goochland co., Va. Anderson Bowles, their son, married JANE THOMAS, and settled in Cumberland co., Va. Their children were Caleb, Sarah, James, Gideon, Ann, Anderson Jr., Virginia, Elizabeth, Augusta, and David. Ann and Gideon died in Virginia. The rest of the children came with their parents to Madison co., Ky., in 1806 and in 1811 they all settled in St. Louis co., Mo., where Mr. Bowles died the following year. His widow lived until 1834. Caleb, the eldest son, was Judge of the county court of St. Louis co. several terms. He was married twice, and finally settled in Saline co., where he died. Sarah married STEPHEN MADDOX, of Virginia, who settled in St. Louis co. They had fifteen children. James was a ranger in Captain Musick's Company, and was killed by the Indians at Cap-au-Gris in 1811, in his 20th year. Anderson settled in Mississippi where he died. Virginia married RICHARD RIPLEY, of St. Louis co., and died soon after. Elizabeth married RICHARD SAPINGTON and lives in Illinois, a widow. Augusta married JACILLA WELLS, who removed to Texas and died there. David the youngest son living, was arried first to JULIA MacKAY, a daughter of Capt. JAMES MacKAY, of St. Louis, by whom he had James A., Jane, Jesse, Nathan Z., Mary E., George R., John B., Julia V., Gustave, Jefferson R., and David J. Mr. Bowles settled in Montgomery county at an early date and still resides there. He is a tanner by trade, but has pursued the avocation of a farmer the greater portion of his life, and has prospered in more than an ordinary degree. After the death of his first wife he was married, in his old age, to the WIDOW GILES, of Lincoln co., and in that connection, his neighbors tell a story on him to the following effect: When he got his new wife home, he was so overjoyed that he danced about the room and waved his hat over his head in an excess of delight, when he happened to strike the lamp that was standing on the mantel, and threw it on the floor, where it was dashed to pieces. In a moment the house was on fire and it was only by the most prompt and energetic efforts that they were enabled to save it from destruction. Mr. Bowles was a great hunter during the earlier years of his residence in Montgomery county, and during one winter he killed 120 deer, three elk, and 400 raccoons, besides gathering 350 gallons of honey from the various bee trees that he found. The same year he killed the famous buck which the hunters had named General Burdine, and which had thirty-three prongs on his horns. But one day his favorite dog got hung by a grapevine in the woods, and he has not hunted much since. During the late war he was bold and fearless in the expression of his political sentiments, which were favorable to the south and on that account he suffered severely from the depredations of the militia.

BROWN, William Brown settled on Clear creek near its mouth, in 1819. He built his house under a high bluff that ran parallel with the creek, and cut his fire wood on the top of this bluff and rolled it down to the door of his house. When the wood gave out he moved his cabin to another place, and when it gave out there, he moved it again, preferring to move his house rather than haul his wood.

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Last updated 2 August 2000.