History of Callaway County Missouri

Published in 1884 by the St. Louis National Historical Company

Transcribed by Kris Breid August 2005

Chapter VI

BOURBON TOWNSHIP

Joseph, son of John Adair, of Delaware, married Sarah Long, of Kentucky, and settled in Callaway county, Missouri, in 1830. They had Lydia, John L., Samuel S., Sarah, Ann, Joseph and Andrew. Mr. Adair was accidentally killed by a horse. Lydia married Levi James, who settled in Callaway county in 1822. Their children were Sarah A., John, Eliza, and Joseph. John L. Adair married Elizabeth E. Pemberton, and they had Louisa, John, Sarah, Fanny, Catharine, Noah, Jacob, and James. Sarah Adair married Hardin Wash, who settled in Callaway county in 1830. Ann married Thomas Baker, and Joseph married Sarah Adcock. The former settled in Callaway county in 1821, and the latter in 1830. Andrew was married first to Nancy Stephens, by whom he had Lock and Elijah. After the death of his first wife, he married Louisa Booker, and they had Lulu and Louisa.

John Adcock, of England, settled in Buckingham county, Virginia, and married a Miss Carter, by whom he had John, Carter, Edward, Henry, Joseph, and Phoebe. The latter was captured by an Indian, who made her his wife. Joseph married Susan Cason, of Prince Edward county, Virginia by whom he had Phoebe, Milly, Elizabeth, Lucy, Polly, Susan, Nancy, John, Samuel, Joel, Henry, Edward, and Cason. Joel, who was born in 1792, served eleven months in the war of 1812, principally at Richmond and Norfolk. He was married in 1820 to Elizabeth Childup, and settled in Callaway county, Missouri, in 1830. His children were John H., Joseph Q., Aaron, Madison, Elizabeth, Sarah, Susan, and Drury W. Mr. Adcock lost his wife in 1872, and he died in the summer of 1876.

John Bruner was of German extraction. He settled in Clark county, Kentucky, and was married four times. His son, Stephen, married Elizabeth Strood, and settled in Boone county, Missouri, in 1820. His children were John W., James M., Mary, Jacob T., George W., Edward T., and Robert S. After Mr. Bruner’s death his widow married Stephen King, who was an early settler of Callaway county.

David Bright, of Pennsylvania, married Mary Gale, and settled in the western part of Virginia in 1785. Their children were Polly, Michael, David, Jr., Jesse and George. Polly married a Mr. Weaver, and died in Pennsylvania. Michael married Sally Price, of Virginia, by whom he had David, Samuel, Margaret, Jesse, Elizabeth, Michael, Jr., Sarah, Mary A., Jackell and Washington. Of these children he have the following history: David, Margaret, and Samuel remained in Virginia. Mary A. married Ephraim Howe, who settled in Callaway county at an early date. They had one child, Sally A., who is the widow of Thomas Wright, and lives in Columbia, Missouri. Jesse came to Missouri, and married a widow lady named Thompson, who died of cholera, while traveling on a steamboat on the Mississippi river in 1849. Elizabeth married Robert Calhoun, of Audrain county, by whom she had Robert O., Joshua J., Margaret, William, Virginia and Samuel. Michael, Jr., was born in Greenbrier county, Virginia, in 1810. He was married in 1832 to Jane McClung, and settled in Callaway county in 1837. He served as a member of the county court for eight years. Sarah married David Patterson, of Callaway county. Washington settled in Callaway county in 1838. He married Esther Rapp, of Virginia.

Jacob Coons, of Virginia, married Lettie Hemper, by whom he had Nancy, Henry, Jacob and Joseph. Nancy married Robert Evans, and died in Kentucky. Henry married Nancy Evans, and settled in Callaway county in 1836. Their children were John W., Isaac F., Joseph N., Louisiana J., Cynthia A., Nancy M., and Mary J. Mr. Coons and his wife were members of the Christian church. Jacob Coons married Jane Howe, and settled in Callaway county in 1830. Their children were Joseph W., John D., Cynthia J., Amanda, and Elizabeth. Joseph Coons married Lacretia I. Dalzell, and settled in Callaway county in 1836. They had Thomas J., William H., Joseph W., Robert, Nancy A., Isaiah and Martha.

Joseph Culbertson, was born in Pennsylvania, but removed to Bourbon county, Kentucky. He was married first to Elizabeth Martin, by whom he had Samuel, John, Joseph, Alexander, Robert, Patsey, and Polly. He was married the second time to a Miss McClannahan, by whom he had four children. Samuel, John, Robert and Polly settled in Indiana. Patsey married and removed to Ohio. Joseph was married in 1829, to Sallie A. Griffin, of Kentucky, and settled in Callaway county, Missouri, in 1832. Their children are Joseph M., James A. G., Amanda J., Rosa E., Mary A., Sarah A., William T., and Samuel A.

Adam Carter, of Virginia, married Mary A. Roberts, and they had Joseph R., Robert H., Elizabeth, William, and Creed C. Joseph and Robert remained in Virginia. Elizabeth married Gibson Goodrich, who settled in Callaway county in 1830. Their children were Martha P., Abraham C., Joseph, Edwin, Robert, Mary, Rebecca, and Elizabeth. William Carter died in Arkansas. Creed C. married Mary Clausburg in 1821, and in 1830 he settled in Callaway county. They had Thomas A., Emily J., Mary C., Nancy E., Susan E., Ann M., Phoebe E., Amanda S., and Robert C.

William Hume, of Bath county, Virginia, married Sarah Benson, and removed to Bourbon county, Kentucky. They had Brub, Jefferson, Gabriel and Joel. Gabriel married Rachel Ashbrook, of Virginia, and settled in Callaway county in 1831. He died in September, 1838, leaving a widow and eleven children, viz.: Jane, Benson, Thomas, Benjamin, Willis, Lucinda, Sarah Ann, Margaret, James and William D. The latter is now a large stock dealer, and a wealthy citizen of Callaway county. When he was married he had to borrow money to pay the parson; he also borrowed a pair of shoes to wear on that occasion.

William McClelland, of Pennsylvania, married Martha Miller, by whom he had Jane, Martha, Robert, William, Elisha and James. Robert married Elizabeth Amos, and settled in Callaway county, in 1827. His children were Mary J., Martha, John and James. James, son of William McClland, Sr., married Polly Hunt, and settled in Boone county, in 1826. His children were Elizabeth, Julia, Oliver, Mary A., James, Noah and Robert.

Robert McClanahan married Elizabeth McCluer, and they had Margaret, John, and Sophronia. Margaret married and lived in Indiana. John married Mary Griffith, of Kentucky, and settled in Callaway county, Missouri, in 1832. They had Robert, Margaret, James N., Amanda S., Nancy S., John and Samuel W. Mr. McClanahan was married the second time, to Jane Martin of Kentucky.

William Miller, of Pennsylvania, settled in Bourbon county, Kentucky, in 1778. he had Robert, Thomas, William, Motley, Jane, and two others whose names could not be obtained. Thomas married a Miss Dodd, and settled in Callaway county, in 1826. He laid off and founded the town of Millersburg. His children were James, Sally and William. Horace Miller, son of John Miller and Caroline West, of Millersburg, Kentucky, settled in Callaway county in 1834. He married Nancy Vernon, of Bourbon county, Kentucky. The other children of John Miller were John T., Alvin W., Marguery, Robert W., Joseph A., Richard S., Jemima W., and Preston A., all of whom came to Missouri except the latter. Stephen Miller, of Maryland, had ten sons and one daughter. Four of his sons came to Missouri. Their names were Philip, William, and Abraham. Philip was married twice; first to a Miss Richardson, and second to Lucy McIntire. He had twenty-one children by his two wives, and gave each a quarter section of land when they were grown. William Miller settled in St. Louis county in 1798, and removed to Callaway county and settled in Millersburg in 1831. He was such a large man that he could hardly pass through the door of a house. He was a ranger in Nathan Boone’s company in 1814. He married Jane Martin, and they had Elizabeth, David, Martin A., Allen D., Luretha, and Harriet. Elizabeth married Albert Caruth. David died in Callaway county. Martin A. was married first to Jane Miller, by whom he had ten children. After her death he married Mrs. Ramsey, whose maiden name was Sally D. Miller. Allen D. married Maria Reed, of Kentucky. Luretha married Zadoe Barnes. Harriet married J. E. Zerley. Abraham Miller settled in Callaway county in 1818. He married Polly Rule, of Kentucky, by whom he had Warden, William B., Minerva, James W., Noah W., Telemachus, Leander, Lyeurgus, Vernile, and Barton S., all of whom settled in Callaway county. Samuel Miller was a carpenter by trade. He settled in St. Louis county in 1817, where he married Polly A. Hatton. In 1819 he settled in Callaway county, and built the jail at Elizabeth in 1821. His children were William P., James E., Albert H., Wesley G., Benjamin M. (a physician), John O., Elizabeth A., Angeline, Cordelia, Catharine, and Frances. Wesley G. Miller became a distinguished Methodist minister, and professor of theology in Central College at Fayette, Mo. Samuel Miller died in 1858, and his remains were taken up in 1875 and reinterred in the cemetery at Miller’s church. They were forum to be in a perfectly sound state when the grave was opened. Mrs. Miller was living, in her 88th year, in 1874. She then resided with her youngest son on the old homestead, and took great pleasure in recounting the perils and adventures of pioneer life in Missouri. She was the first member of the Methodist Church in Callaway county, and the first class of that denomination was organized in her little cabin, sixteen by eighteen feet in size, in 1819. Preaching was held there regularly for thirty years, and her house was often filled, night and day, with people who had come to hear the gospel preached. They frequently came as far as twenty and thirty miles, and she would borrow beds from her neighbors for them to sleep upon. The men would bring their guns and dogs with them. The guns were stacked in one corner of the house, while the dogs remained outside and fought. On one occasion the dogs treed a catamount during services, which were immediately closed, so that all could go and witness the fight. The first election in Callaway county was held under a large oak tree near Mrs. Miller’s house, and she had to cook dinner for the “big men,” as she called them, while the rest sat around trees and ate gingerbread that they had brought with them.

Benjamin Robertson, of North Carolina, married a Miss Allen, and settled in Montgomery county, Kentucky. They had Polly, Jane, Margaret, Joseph, William, Benjamin and John A. Jane married Samuel Riley, of Callaway county. William, who was a physician, settled in Pike county, Missouri, and was drowned in Spencer’s Creek. John A. settled in St. Charles in 1815, where he married Nancy Kerr, and removed to Callaway county in 1819.
Samuel Truitt, of Kentucky, married Ellen Parker, and they had Thomas, William, Mary and Nancy. Thomas married Sally Kimbrough, of Kentucky, and settled in Callaway county, in 1828. His children were Nathaniel, Benjamin, Susan, Elizabeth, George, Mary, William, Sarah, John, Ellen, Martha and Thomas. William, son of Samuel Truitt, married Ellen Brannon, and settled in Boone county, Missouri. Nancy married John Catonham, who settled in Monroe county, Missouri.

MILLERSBURG

was laid out in October, 1829, by Thomas Miller, on the east-half of the east quarter of section 35, township 48, range 11. It is twelve miles east of Fulton. Christian and Baptist societies and a public school are here. Population, 200. Hogs, sheep, cattle and mules are the principal exports. Daily mail—David A. Robnett, postmaster.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY.

John Bush, shoemaker; J. C. Hulen, physician; Alonzo Miller, blacksmith; Mrs. Mary Ponir, general store; W. S. Price, justice of the peace and county court judge; D. A. Robnett, general store; J. G. Sexton, general store and notary public; M. P. Sexton, physician; G. W. Smirl, saw mill.

STEPHEN’S STORE

This town was laid out in 18--, but no plat has ever been filed. It is located on the southeast quarter of southeast quarter of section 34, township 49, range 11, and contains a population of 150. It is seventeen miles northwest of Fulton. J. W. Dean is the postmaster.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

J. W. Dean, general store; L. Eckley, sorghum manufacturer; S. G. Kelly, blacksmith; Amos Kestler, carpenter; Wm. McCowan, saloon; E. H. Peck, general store; Robinson Bros., general store.

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