Bates County Biographies
Bates County Biographies
GILBERT, David
Spruce Township - David Gilbert, an influential farmer and stock dealer, on
section 1, is a native of England, and was born August 7, 1829. His parents,
David and Harriet Gilbert, nee Tilden, were also born in England. The former
came to the United States in 1840, or 1841, and located first in Huntingdon,
Pennsylvania, where he was engaged in working in the iron mines. In 1848 he
moved to St. Louis and labored in the coal mines for four years, and in the
spring of 1852, in company with his brother and others, made a trip overland to
California, spending one year in the mines. In April, 1853, he returned and
located in Missouri, first in Cooper County, where he was married October 13,
1853, to Miss Eliza Ellen Weedin, a daughter of Benjamin Weedin, who was one of
the pioneers of that county. There they had settled in an early day and lived in
the fort during the early Indian troubles. In the fall of 1854 Mr. G. moved to
Pettis County and bought land near Smithton, being one of the early settlers of
that county. In the spring of 1857 he came to Bates County, entered land and
improved his present farm. He now has 1,238 acres, with 560 acres in his home
place, all well improved, upon which is a good house, large barn and convenient
out buildings. He also has a mill room, in which there has recently been placed
a fifteen horse power engine, with a large corn sheller and crusher, for
grinding feed for his cattle; he has one set of patent burrs for grinding meal,
and all of this machinery he put in position himself. He is quite extensively
engaged in feeding and handling cattle. Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert have six children:
Sallie J., (wife of Timothy Austin), Benjamin, Alonzo C., Dora, William T., and
Riley. They are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. (History of
Bates County, Missouri, 1883)
GILBERT, Josiah F.
Mingo Township - Josiah F. Gilbert, farmer, is a native of Pennsylvania, where
he was born October 24, 1828, his parents being Henry and Mary (Grosh) Gilbert,
both born in the Keystone State. Josiah is the eldest of a family of nine
children. When he was but three years old the family removed to Hamilton County,
Ohio, remaining there until he was in his thirteenth year, when he went to
Dayton. There he entered a drug store, and in four years he moved to Cincinnati,
and clerked in a drug store at that place ten years. In 1854 he concluded to try
farm life, and for two years lived on a farm with an uncle in Indiana. Then he
located on land on the Illinois Central Railroad, on which he continued to
reside for eight years. In the meantime he was married, August 14, 1862, to Miss
Jane Hemblin, a native of Indiana. In 1864, he returned to Ohio and took charge
of a drug store at Tippecanoe, but in two years he came to Bates County, after
having spent a season in Randolph County, Indiana. He then settled on section
17, of this township, and has since been engaged in farming. His farm consists
of 120 acres of good land, well improved, and he is giving special attention to
growth and manufacture of sorghum. Mr. G. is connected with the Lutheran Church,
his wife being a member of the Christian Church. They have ten children: William
H., John E., Polly G., George H., Mary F., Emma D., Charles F., Mertie May, Ruth
and an infant. They have also lost one child, Nora. (History of Bates County,
Missouri, 1883)
GILMORE, E.E.
Deer Creek Township - E.E. Gilmore, physician and surgeon, was born in Warren
County, Kentucky, August 19, 1839. His father, Samuel Gilmore, was a farmer by
occupation, and a native of Kentucky. E.E. was the third child in a family of
five sons and three daughters. He was reared on the home farm, receiving his
education at the Transylvania University at Lexington. In 1855, while on the
farm, he began the study of medicine and attended one course of lectures at the
Lexington University. In 1859 he removed to Missouri, and in 1860 was elected to
the office of county school commissioner, which position he held until 1861. In
April of that year he enlisted in Company F, Ninth Division Missouri State
Guards and was first lieutenant. He resigned before the battle of Wilson's
Creek, but in November, 1863, enlisted in the United States Army, where he
performed the duties of assistant surgeon until March, 1865, when he was
discharged. After this he practiced medicine in Pettis, Johnson and Barton
Counties, Missouri. In 1867 he visited Washington County, Kansas, remained there
a short time, returning the same year to Missouri, when he settled at Coleville,
Bates County, Missouri. In 1881 he came to Adrian. In 1877-8 Dr. Gilmore
attended medical lectures at Kansas City, practicing there in March, 1878. He is
a member of Crescent Hill Lodge No. 368, A.F. and A.M., and of Miama Royal Arch
Chapter, Bayard Commandery and Austin Lodge of the I.O.O.F. February 7, 1861,
the doctor was married to Miss Mary Duckett, a native of Kentucky. They have two
children living: William R. and James P. They have lost two: Samuel R. and
Elvira R. (History of Bates County, Missouri, 1883)
GOODRICK, W.W.
Grand River Township - W.W. Goodrick, farmer and stock raiser, was born in
Nicholas County, Kentucky, January 21, 1837. His father, Daniel Goodrick, was a
Virginian by birth, and early moved to Kentucky; he married Miss Cassandra
Kennedy, who was also born in that state. They were the parents of four boys and
one girl. The subject of this sketch was the second child, and when he was some
seven years of age the family removed to Indiana, where he grew to manhood and
acquired a fair common school education. When eighteen years old he came to Cass
County, Missouri, residing there nearly two years, when he went still farther
toward the setting sun, and lived in Kansas until 1866. In that year, when Bates
County was just recovering from the effects of four years of civil war, he, with
his young wife, found a home within its boundaries. His wife was formerly Miss
Sarah A. Montgomery, a native of Missouri. They were married in March, 1865, and
had but just begun to live comfortably when death entered their little home, and
on January 16, 1867, Mrs. Goodrick died, leaving a little girl, Minnie E. Mr.
Goodrick married the second time in October, 1868, Miss Ruth A. Kerr, of Ohio.
They now live on section 23, and have a farm of 640 acres, under fence and well
improved. Their house was built in 1873, at a cost of $1,400; the barn is much
better than those in general use, and cost $600. Mr. Goodrick handles about
seventy-five head of cattle, sixty head of hogs, and about fifteen horses and
mules. During General Price's raid in 1864, he joined the Kansas Militia, and
served a few weeks. He is interested in matters of education, and is usually
elected to the position of school director. He is a member of Altona Lodge, A.F.
and A.M. Mr. and Mrs. G. have an interesting family of four children living:
Charles, Nora, Ella Ann, and William W. Miss Minnie E. Goodrick, the daughter by
the first marriage, is a charming young lady of seventeen years. (History of
Bates County, Missouri, 1883)
GOSLIN, James A.
Grand River Township - James A. Goslin, physician and surgeon at Altona, was
born in Boone County, Missouri, May 1, 1840, and is the fourth in a family of
thirteen children. His father, Sylvester Goslin, was a native of Virginia, and
his mother, formerly Abigail Turner, came originally from Kentucky. The early
days of James A. were spent on a farm, and he received his education at the
State University, at Columbia. In 1861 he entered the office of John W. Roberts,
M.D., of Boone County, with whom he read medicine for one year, when he entered
the St. Louis Medical College, graduating from that institution in March, 1866.
He soon began the practice of his profession in Cooper County, where he remained
five years, and in 1870 he attended the Bellevue College Hospital, after which
he practiced in Kansas City until 1874. Then he located at Altona, and now has a
constantly increasing and satisfactory practice. He is a member of the firm of
Goslin & Wright, dealers in drugs, groceries, hardware, notions, etc., who are
doing a business of $8,000 per year. Dr. Goslin is the post master of this
place, and has been such for two years. He was married October 21, 1873, to Miss
Amanda Waskey, daughter of Alexander Waskey. She is a native of Iowa, born in
November, 1849. They have two children: Walter, born February 17, 1875, and
Stella, born February 6, 1879. The Doctor and his wife are members of the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church. (History of Bates County, Missouri, 1883)
GOSNEY, John W.
East Boone Township - John W. Gosney, farmer and blacksmith, was born in
Louisville, Kentucky, April 28, 1831, his parents being Alfred and Lucy (Haws)
Gosney, both natives of Kentucky. John W. is the sixth of ten children, all of
whom are now living. One sister, Catherine Wilson, is in Kansas City, Mary
Foster, in Carondelet; Martha Shelton, near Fort Scott; one sister and three
brothers in Indiana, and two sisters in Kentucky, with whom his mother still
lives. In 1840 Mr. Gosney came to Jefferson County, Missouri, where he remained
about three years or until 1843, then returning to Kentucky. In 1852 he went to
Indiana and worked at his trade of blacksmith. He was married at Indianapolis,
October 12, 1854, to Miss Elizabeth Cornelius, a native of Marion County,
Indiana, born December 3, 1836. She was the daughter of Benson and Deborah
Cornelius, nee Vicars. Mr. Gosney enlisted August 1, 1862, in the Seventy-ninth
Indiana Infantry, under General Crittenden. At Atlanta he was commissioned a
first lieutenant and was discharged June 7, 1865. In 1872 he came to Missouri,
and resided one year at Everett, after which in 1873, he settled in Bates
County, where he now lives. He has five children: Richard Bion, Rosa Etwell
(wife of Lewis Reynolds, of Belton, Cass County Missouri), Lillie May, Harry
Atwood and Lucy Sarah. Mr. Gosney and wife are members of the Christian Church.
In politics he is democratic. (History of Bates County, Missouri, 1883)
GOTSHALL, John
Grand River Township - John Gotshall, merchant, Altona, was born in Union
County, Pennsylvania, November 22, 1824, and is the second of a family of seven
boys and two girls. His parents, Peter and Anne (Wooling) Gotshall, were both
natives of the Keystone state. When John was a boy of eleven years the family
moved to Indiana where he grew to manhood, receiving as good an education as the
common schools could afford. When he was twenty-two years old he engaged in
farming but at the expiration of two years entered the livery business and dealt
quite extensively in horses. This business he continued in Logansport, Indiana,
until 1858, when he came to Missouri and followed the same calling in Kansas
City until 1864, then going to Cass County, near Austin. He gave his attention
to farming at which he worked for nine years and still runs the farm consisting
of 120 acres well improved. In 1873 he went to Saline County and embarked in the
mercantile business at Miami for two years, then returning to Cass he sold goods
in Austin until 1878 when he came to Altona where he now owns a good store
building, carries a general stock and does an increasing business. Mr. Gotshall
was married June 21, 1863, to Mrs. Sarah Spurgeon, a daughter of L.B. Huff and a
native of Indiana. They have two children: Oscar M. and Ada B. Mrs. Gotshall is
a member of the Baptist Church. (History of Bates County, Missouri, 1883)
GRAHAM, Jacob
Deer Creek Township - Jacob Graham, farmer, section 23, was born in Cass County,
Missouri, August 23, 1847. His father, Aquilla Graham, a native of Tennessee,
came to Cass County when a boy, and there married Miss May Wheeler, a Virginian
by birth. Jacob was reared a farmer and was educated in the common schools. He
made his home on the farm until twenty-two years of age, when he taught
penmanship in Cass and Bates Counties for five years. In 1872 he removed to
Bates County and engaged in farming. His estate now contains sixty acres, all in
cultivation and well improved. He also owns a pasture of fifty acres on Grand
River. November 15, 1871, Mr. Graham married Miss Alice Talbot. She was born in
Cass County, Missouri, January 3, 1853. They have two children living, Ella F.
and Bird. Three are deceased: Laura, William M. and an infant. (History of Bates
County, Missouri, 1883)
GRAHAM, R.S.
West Point Township - R.S. Graham, though a recent settler in Bates County, is
one of the most enterprising farmers of West Point Township, and is worthy of
more than a passing mention in this work. He was born in Washington County,
Pennsylvania, September 24, 1834. His parents, Robert and Sarah (Mitchell)
Graham, were both natives of Pennsylvania, and in 1839 moved to the new prairies
of Illinois, settling in Sangamon county, where they both died; the father in
1840 and his widow in 1881. The younger days of R.S. were spent on a farm in the
wilds of central Illinois, and when twenty-two years of age he was married to
Miss Adeline Megredy, a native of Cecil County, Maryland. He continued to reside
in Illinois until quite recently, coming to Bates County in the fall of 1881. He
secured a tract of rich land and has upon it good improvements, having erected a
comfortable residence, etc. He will soon engage in stock raising and feeding.
Mr. Graham has a family of five children: Alice, William P., John Charles, Sarah
E., and James Oliver. (History of Bates County, Missouri, 1883)
GROVES, M.L.
Mt. Pleasant Township - M.L. Groves, carpenter and contractor, is the pioneer
mechanic of Butler, having resided in this city since March 28, 1868. His
parents were Lyman M. and Minerva (Bradley) Groves, the former a native of New
York, and the latter of Vermont. He himself was born in Cuyahoga County, Ohio,
March 28, 1834. In 1847, the family moved to Summit County, Ohio, and in 1850,
to Lorain County, where he grew to manhood. He was educated in the common
schools of Ohio, and learned the carpenter's trade at Oberlin, of that state. In
the spring of 1857, he went to Iowa, locating in Dubuque County, having also
worked in Chicago and at other points. He resided in Dubuque County until coming
to Butler. Mr. Groves was married January 27, 1866, to Miss Josephine McCants, a
native of Dubuque County, Iowa, and a daughter of Elias and Mary (Whitesides)
McCants. Mr. G. has living two children: Lucy J. and Mary. (History of Bates
County, Missouri, 1883)
GROVES, William
West Boone Township - William Groves was born in Jefferson County, Virginia,
October 6, 1820, his parents being Joseph and Catherine (Staley) Groves, and of
German descent. When twelve years of age, William came to Springfield, Illinois,
and in the following year went to the mountains in the employ of the Hudson Bay
Fur Company. He has passed the greater part of his time in the West, having gone
to California in 1849, and to Colorado in 1864, and spending from one to four
years at each period. In 1868 he came to Missouri and purchased land where he
now lives. He was married, in 1845, to Miss Sarah C. Smith, a native of
Virginia. They had seven children: Frances, Matilda, Margaret, Rebecca,
Catherine, and Samuel. His eldest daughter, Frances, was married, February 2,
1862, to Gilbert L. Sayles, a native of Hillsdale County, Michigan, born
February 1, 1838. He has since lived in Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois and Missouri.
He is a carpenter by trade, and has worked at his trade in nearly all of these
states. They have six children: Minerva E. (wife of David McBride, and living in
Miami County, Kansas); Margaret Ethel, Sarah Lavina, Minnie Lee, William Jesse,
George Eli (died when two years old), Cora Ettie. Mr. Sayles has a snug little
farm of 140 acres, lying adjacent to that of his father-in-law. (History of
Bates County, Missouri, 1883)