Mrs. Frances M. Daley was born in
     Mississippi County, Mo., in 1849, and is a daughter  of  Benjamin  and
     Sarah (Holman) Hall, natives of Union County, Ky. They were reared and
     married in  their  native  county,  and  in  1843  came  to  Southeast
     Missouri, and located in  Mississippi  County,  where  they  afterward
     resided. Mr. Hall died on November 15, 1868, and Mrs. Hall February 8,
     1872. He was a Mason. The last  named  was  first  married  to  Albert
     Caldwell, by whom she had four children: Julia A., of Texas; Maria, of
     Tennessee; Amanda, of Mississippi County,  Mo.,  and  Jane,  deceased,
     aged thirty-eight years. To Mr. and Mrs. Hall's marriage were born six
     children: Elizabeth (deceased), Frances M., William  G.,  benjamin  C.
     (deceased) and two (twins) that died in infancy. Frances  M.  remained
     with her parents until her marriage  on  July  23,  1867  with  Andrew
     Ramsey. Three children were born to their marriage: William  A.,  born
     on November 15, 1868: Minnie, born on October 19, 1872, and an infant,
     deceased. Mr. Ramsey died on March  10,  1872.  The  subject  of  this
     sketch afterward married Marshal Daley, who was born in Virginia,  but
     removed with his parents to Kentucky when a child. When fifteen  years
     of age, he came to Southeast Missouri, which was afterward  his  home.
     He was a member of the Baptist church, and of the  Masonic  order.  He
     died, respected by all who knew him, on  June  4,  1877.  He  had  two
     children by his first wife, and one by his last wife, Marshal, born on
     February 4, 1877. Some time after Mr. Daley's death his widow married,
     May 20, 1881, M.M. Word. One child was born of  this  union,  Richard,
     born February 13, 1882. Mr. Daley's first wife was  Martha  Ramsey,  a
     sister of Mrs. Daley's first husband.  Martha  died  on  December  14,
     1872, having borne three children, one of whom is living, Francis,  of
     Columbus, Ky. Those deceased are Cornelia Ann (Hall), who died at  the
     age of twenty-six years, and Martin L., who died  in  childhood.  Mrs.
     Daley is a member of the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  She  and  her
     family own 400 acres of good land with 365 under cultivation, of which
     240     acres     are     cultivated     by      her      and      her
     children.

Thomas  J.  Dalton  was  born  in
     Mississippi County, Mo., on May 6, 1843. His is  a  son  of  John  and
     Louisiana (Mathews) Dalton. The  former  was  born  in  Henry  County,
     Tenn., in 1809 He was a farmer, and removed to Mississippi County, and
     located on the farm now owned by Frank M. Howlett, adjoining Thomas J.
     Dalton's farm. The most of his life was spent on  that  farm,  and  he
     died there in 1850. The  mother  was  born  on  October  7,  1812,  on
     "Mathews' Prairie", Mississippi Co., Mo. She was a daughter of  Edward
     Mathews, who settled on Mathews' Prairie about 1803. Two years  later,
     in 1805, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Smith. He received a
     concession of 640  acres  of  land,  embracing  the  present  side  of
     Charleston. This land was nearly all timbered,  and  wild  animals  of
     every description were plentiful. His was the only settlement in  that
     region, with the exception of a few Indians, with whom he had to  deal
     for a few years. He erected a little log cabin with the usual puncheon
     floor and clapboard door and roof,  in  which  he  lived  for  several
     years, but by industry and economy, he had at the time of the death  a
     comfortable home and was a good circumstances. His death  occurred  on
     August 16, 1832. His wife died on February  2,  1831.  They  were  the
     parents of six children, all of whom  are  dead:  Charles,  Louisiana,
     Jackson, Edward, Caleb and Patsy. Edward Mathews was a very  prominent
     man in his day. The mother of our subject, Louisiana,  died  in  1873.
     She and her husband were the parents of  six  children,  one  of  whom
     survives, Thomas J. The ones deceased are James H. William  S.,  John,
     Elizabeth and Enos. Thomas J. was born and reared within a few hundred
     yards of where he now lives. He remained with his step-father until he
     was twenty-two years of age, when he was united in  marriage  in  1866
     with Laura J. Grigsby, and settled on the F.M. Howlett farm, on  which
     he resided for several years. In 1872 he purchased the farm  where  he
     now resides. His wife died in  January  1869,  leaving  two  children:
     Laura (living) and Lieuro (deceased). On November 4, 1860,  he  wedded
     Mary J., a daughter of Ezekiel and Kitty A. (Mason) Chapman,  both  of
     whom are dead. Mr. and Mrs. Dalton have had six children:  Edward  N.,
     Guy R., Thomas O., Walter, Elbert and an infant. The  last  three  are
     deceased. Mr. Dalton is a Mason and a member of the  I.O.O.F.  He  and
     wife     are     members     of      the      Methodist      Episcopal
     Church.

L.W.  Danforth   was   born   in
     Henderson, Ky., on June 10, 1837, and is a son of Leander F. and  Jane
     W. (Jones) Danforth, the former a native of Long Island, N.Y., and the
     latter of Virginia. The Danforth  ancestors  came  from  England.  The
     grandfather was born in the Eastern States, and immigrated to  Warrick
     County, Ind., where he died. Leander F. was reared in his native State
     but removed with his parents to Indiana at an early  day.  He  removed
     from thence to Kentucky, where he was married. He was engaged  in  the
     marble business at  Henderson,  Ky.,  and  was  a  prominent  citizen.
     Remaining there until 1859, he removed to Missouri, and located  on  a
     farm in Mississippi County, where he resided until his death in  1876.
     His widow is still living. They were the parents  of  seven  children,
     viz: L.W., A.H., L.V., Eliza, C.W., R.C. and Mollie. L.W. Danforth was
     reared in his native town, and received a  liberal  education  in  the
     common schools. He  was  connected  with  his  father  in  the  marble
     business until the latter came West. In 1862 our  subject  removed  to
     Mississippi County, Mo., and was engaged in the mercantile business at
     Charleston, in partnership with  his  brother,  A.H.  Danforth,  until
     1885, since which time he has been alone in business. In 1882  he  was
     elected to the General Assembly, and re-elected in 1884. He  has  held
     the offices of collector of the county, deputy  sheriff  and  coroner,
     and has served in the city council several terms. He has  been  school
     director for nine or ten years, and regent of the  Southeast  Missouri
     Normal at Cape Girardeau for twelve years. In 1860 he wedded  Mary  J.
     Yates, of St. Louis, by whom he has seven children living, viz: Nettie
     B., George W. (a student in the Naval School at Annapolis, since 1883,
     and formerly a page in the  House  of  Representatives,  at  Jefferson
     City), Gracie D., Augusta N.,  Henry  A.  (a  page  in  the  House  of
     Representatives, at Washington), Emma and Florence. Mrs. Danforth is a
     member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Danforth  owns  quite  a  number  of
     residences and store buildings  in  Charleston,  and  is  one  of  the
     prominent citizens of the town, and of Southeast  Missouri.  He  is  a
     Mason, a member of the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Council. In politics he
     is a Democrat.

A.H.  Danforth   was   born   in
     Henderson County, Ky., on September 12, 1842, and is a son of L.F. and
     Jane W. (Jones) Danforth [see sketch of L.W. Danforth]. The subject of
     this sketch was reared in his native State and  his  education,  which
     was begun there, was finished  at  Notre  Dame  College,  Indiana,  he
     having attended that  institution  during  1863  and  1864,  taking  a
     classical course.  He  had,  however,  removed  with  his  parents  to
     Mississippi County, Mo., when he was eighteen years of age, and  after
     finishing his  education  entered  into  the  mercantile  business  at
     Bertrand. Remaining there eighteen months he  removed  to  Charleston,
     and  began  merchandising  in  partnership  with  his  brother,   L.W.
     Danforth, continuing until 1885, when they were burned out  the  whole
     block being consumed in flames. Mr. Danforth  has  since  rebuilt  the
     block with large brick buildings, but since  his  loss  by  fire,  has
     turned his attention to the grain business, and has a large  warehouse
     on the Iron Mountain Railroad. He is also president of the  Charleston
     Bank, which was established in November, 1887. In 1869 he  was  united
     in marriage with Rebecca H. Lyon, a native of Kentucky. They have  had
     five children, three of whom died in infancy. Those living are William
     H. and Albert L. Mr. Danforth is a prominent  citizen  of  Charleston,
     and has held several of the city  offices.  He  is  a  member  of  the
     Masonic fraternity, United Workmen, K. of P., and  of  the  St.  Louis
     Commandery. He was Master of the Masonic lodge  of  Charleston  for  a
     number      of      years.       Politically       he       is       a
     Democrat.

Robert N. Davis,  an  intelligent
     and enterprising farmer of Mississippi County is a son of Tandy J. and
     Susan  (Froman)  Davis,  of  Welsh  descent.  Mr.  Davis'  forefathers
     immigrated to America from Wales, and one of  his  great  grandfathers
     was killed in the wilderness  of  Virginia,  by  the  Indians.  Thomas
     Davis, the grandfather, was one of the  pioneer  settlers  of  Lincoln
     County, Ky., and fought against the  Indians  with  Daniel  Boone.  He
     reared a family of eight children,  and  after  they  were  grown,  he
     removed  to  Hardin  County,  Ky.,  where  he   died.   The   maternal
     grandfather, Isaac Froman, was born in Bullitt County, Ky.,  in  which
     he lived and died. He raised twelve children  -  seven  daughters  and
     five sons. Tandy J. Davis was born in Lincoln County, Ky.,  March  22,
     1789 and was reared to farm life. He enlisted in the War of 1812,  but
     was not received on account  of  disability.  His  wife  was  born  in
     Bullitt County on August 31, 1812. In March 1846, he had  a  flat-boat
     built at his wood-yard, and launched it on Salt River, and brought his
     family, stock and goods down the Ohio River to Cairo,  where  he  sold
     his boat, after unloading on the Missouri side of the river.  He  had,
     in 1845, purchased 160 acres of government land in Mississippi County,
     to which he brought his family; however, he lived with William Goodin,
     until his first crop was laid by, when  he  built  him  a  little  log
     cabin. He then commenced clearing the dense forest on his land,  which
     required many years of hard labor to accomplish, but at  the  time  of
     his death, his farm of 440 acres was nearly all under cultivation.  He
     died in September 1869, from the effects of a fall, and his wife  died
     in 1855, of consumption. They had twelve children,  two  of  whom  are
     living: Elizabeth (Mrs. Lewis Martin) and Robert  N.  Those  dead  are
     Thomas F., Jane, John C.,  Eliza,  Eugene,  Tandy,  Naoma,  and  three
     infants. Four children died of wounds received, one of meningitis, and
     two of pneumonia. Both parents were members  of  the  Baptist  Church.
     Robert N. was born in Bullitt  County,  Ky.,  May  3,  1845,  and  was
     therefore about one year old, when his parents removed to  Mississippi
     County. He remained with them until their deaths, when he  bought  the
     homestead, upon which he resided until 1881, when he  removed  to  his
     present farm of 240 acres, having built his residence in 1880. In 1871
     he married Melissa Slack, who died in  1882,  having  borne  him  five
     children, two of whom are living, Laura and Frederick. Those dead  are
     Arminta V., Arthur and Luvella.  In  1884  Mr.  Davis  married  Eunice
     Goldena English, a daughter of Robert S.  and  Mary  (Eggen)  English.
     They have had one child, deceased.  Mr.  Davis  is  a  member  of  the
     Methodist     Episcopal     Church.     Mrs.      Davis      is      a
     Presbyterian.

John T. Davis, farmer  and  stock
     raiser of Mississippi County, Mo., was born  in  1852,  on  the  ridge
     where he has since lived, and is the son of Caleb and Sarah E. (Utley)
     Davis, both of whom were born  and  reared  in  Hopkins  County,  Ky.,
     coming to Southeast Missouri soon after their  marriage,  about  1840.
     They located in Wolf Island Township, Mississippi  County,  where  Mr.
     Davis died in 1855. Mrs. Davis  lived  until  January  1887.  All  the
     children born to them died while young,  except  the  subject  of  the
     sketch. After Mr. Davis' death, Mrs. Davis  married  J.L.  Summers,  a
     native of Bullitt County, Ky., who died about 1885. To this union  was
     born Susan, now the wife of George Calhoun, who resides near  John  T.
     Davis. The last named was married on February 20,  1876  to  Sarah  E.
     Barnhill, a native of Kentucky, who came to  Southeast  Missouri  when
     young with her parents, James H. and Lovinia  (Redden)  Barnhill  both
     deceased. Mr.  Davis  cultivates  about  eighty  acres  of  his  farm,
     consisting of 160 acres, and also deals largely in buying and  selling
     stock. To him and wife were born three children: William, Clinton  and
     LeRoy. William was born June 11, 1879 and died December 30, 1879. Mrs.
     Davis has one  brother  and  one  sister  living:  B.F.  Barnhill  (of
     Arkansas) and Mollie (Mrs. Charles Virgin, of Mississippi County). She
     also has four half-sisters: Rosa  (Mrs.  Charles  C.  Calhoun),  Alice
     (Mrs. James Adams), Lizzie and Lucy Barnhill , of whom  the  last  two
     reside with Mr. and Mrs. Davis.

John   T.    Dawson,    miller,
     blacksmith and wagon-maker, on  the  Mississippi  River,  seven  miles
     below Belmont, Mississippi Co., Mo., was born in Bullitt County,  Ky.,
     November 7, 1848 and is a son of Thomas Dawson, a native of  Kentucky.
     Thomas Dawson was a farmer, and married Elizabeth Cook, also a  native
     of Kentucky, of Irish descent. To  them  were  born  eleven  children,
     eight of whom  are  living,  viz:  George  W.,  Leander,  Charles  C.,
     Sylvester, Benjamin H., John T., Melcenia and Alice. Mr.  Dawson  died
     in 1865, aged fifty-five years. John T. left his parents' home when he
     was sixteen years of age. In beginning his life work, he  learned  his
     trade by serving an apprenticeship under  Samuel  Romines,  of  German
     descent. In 1880 he came to Southeast Missouri, and located  where  he
     now resides. He has a good home, which is nicely situated, a wagon and
     blacksmith shop, and a mill for grinding  corn.  He  manufactures  the
     Dawson wagon, well known throughout Southeast Missouri, and  deals  in
     agricultural implements, steel and iron.  In  fact  everything  to  be
     found in a hardware establishment is in the house of Mr. Dawson;  iron
     and steel nails, bolts, pipes, pumps,  hubs,  spokes,  felloes,  etc.,
     besides other things too numerous to mention. He is also agent for the
     Cairo Pump Company. Anyone in need of even  the  smallest  article  in
     this line can be accommodated in  this  store,  and  thus  saved  much
     annoyance, which follows purchasing away from home.  In  1875  he  was
     united in marriage with Rebecca Munfort, who was also born and  reared
     in Bullitt  County,  Ky.  Four  children  have  blessed  their  union:
     Sophronia,       Shirley,       William       B.       and        John
     W.

Robert W.  Duncan,  a  prosperous
     young citizen of  Bertrand,  Mississippi  County,  was  born  in  Pike
     county, Mo., in 1856. He is a son of Robert  W.,  Sr.,  and  Elizabeth
     Duncan, natives of Tennessee and Kentucky, respectively. The former is
     the son of Thomas Duncan, a native of Scotland, who  came  to  America
     when about eighteen years of age and settled in Pennsylvania.  He  was
     married there to a German lady, and reared a family. Robert  W.,  Sr.,
     removed to Kentucky, about 1846, where he resided until 1852, when  he
     went with an ox team to California. Remaining there about one year, he
     returned to Kentucky and in 1854 or 1855 came to Missouri, and settled
     in Pike County, in which he now resides, aged seventy-five years.  His
     wife died  in  1870,  having  borne  him  eleven  children:  Mary  Ann
     (deceased), Sarah (deceased), Margaret (deceased), Thomas  (deceased),
     Susan, Lizzie B., Robert W., Emeline, John W.,  Benjamin  and  William
     (deceased). The subject of this sketch came to Southeast  Missouri  in
     1884 and located in Bertrand. He  is  now  engaged  in  blacksmithing,
     milling and farming. In 1878 he was united in  marriage  with  Lovinia
     Tabor, who was born in St. Francois County, Mo., in 1856. She  is  the
     daughter of John and Sarah Tabor, natives of Tennessee  and  Kentucky,
     respectively. They  are  both  dead,  and  were  the  parents  of  ten
     children: John (who died in  infancy),  Margaret  (deceased),  Lizzie,
     Lovinia, Angeline, Ella, Fannie, John, William H. and Emma (deceased).
     Mr. and Mrs. Duncan are members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church
     South. They have three children: Maude, John W. and Elsie. Mr.  Duncan
     is a member of the I.O.O.F., Lodge No. 114, and the A.O.U.W. Lodge No.
     144.            Politically            he             is             a
     Republican.

Col.  H.J.  Deal,  one  of   the
     pioneers and prominent citizens of Mississippi  County,  was  born  in
     Oxford, Adams Co., Penn., December 1, 1829, and is a son of Peter  and
     Mary (Smyser)Deal, both of whom were of German descent, and natives of
     York county, Penn. The grandparents came  from  Buchelbaugh,  Germany,
     and settled in York County, Penn., in the days of William Penn.  There
     they lived and died. The grandfather, Daniel Deal  was  born  in  York
     County, Penn., as was also Jacob Smyser. Peter Deal was raised to  the
     tanner's trade in his native county, in which he  was  married,  after
     which he removed to Oxford, Adams County, where  he  lived  until  his
     death in May 1887, aged eighty-seven years. His widow is still  living
     at the age of eighty-six  years.  They  were  the  parents  of  eleven
     children, who grew to  maturity,  and  three  that  died  in  infancy:
     Martin, Israel, Jeremiah, Henry  J.,  Andrew,  Edwin,  Charles,  Sarah
     (wife of Emanuel Hull), Louisa (wife of Amos Louck), Anna M. (wife  of
     David Peters) and Elvira (wife of Henry Snell), all of whom are living
     except Israel, who was  a  minister  under  Lincoln,  to  Batavia.  He
     married Mrs. Anna Randall, the great elocutionist. The subject of this
     sketch was reared to the tanner's trade, which he  learned  under  the
     direction of his father, remaining with  him  until  he  was  nineteen
     years of age, when he (in 1849) came  west.  Stopping  at  Farmington,
     Iowa, he was employed as clerk in a grocery store  about  six  months,
     when he went to St. Louis, where he worked  at  his  trade  about  two
     years, as foreman for Mayor John Howe, for whom he also worked  during
     1853 and 1854 at Paducah, Ky., where he met his wife, whom he  married
     March 4, 1854. She is the daughter of Hardin B. and  Mary  R.  (Locke)
     Walters. In 1856 they removed to Charleston,  which  they  have  since
     made their home. He had purchased land at the land  sale  in  1854  in
     Mississippi County. He  came  to  Charleston  as  a  levee  and  ditch
     contractor, but in 1857 he took the contract for  building  the  Cairo
     & Fulton, now the iron Mountain Railroad,  which  was  the  fourth
     contract let for building railroads west  of  the  Mississippi  River,
     viz: Hannibal, St. Joe, Missouri Pacific and  Iron  Mountain.  He  had
     completed twenty-seven miles of the road, and had trains running  upon
     it, when the war broke out, and he was elected from  his  district  to
     fill the vacancy of Hon. R.A. Hatcher, who, with the Governor  of  the
     State, seceded and went south. He served in this  capacity  one  year,
     after which (in 1862) he was elected to the Senate from this district,
     and served until 1868, after which he represented  Mississippi  County
     in the Legislature for two terms. In 1862 he  was  appointed,  by  the
     Governor, colonel of the enrolled  Militia  of  seven  counties,  viz:
     Scott,  Mississippi,  New  Madrid,  Pemiscot,  Dunklin,  Stoddard  and
     Bollinger. He served in that capacity until the close of the  war.  In
     1866 he took the contract for building fifty miles of  the  St.  Louis
     and Iron Mountain Railroad, which he completed in  1867.  In  1867  he
     finished the old contract on the Cairo & Fulton Railroad to Poplar
     bluff. In 1881 he took the contract for building 110 miles of the  St.
     Louis, Arkansas & Texas Railroad, which he completed in 1882.  The
     last few years he has turned his attention  entirely  to  farming  and
     stock raising, in which he has been quite successful. He  has  now  in
     cultivation sixty acres of osier willow, used for basket making,  from
     which the first basket was made February  4,  1888,  and  two  hundred
     acres of catalpa trees, for posts.  He  has  under  cultivation  about
     2,500 acres of good land, which he mostly rents, and  also  has  about
     10,000 acres of land in forest. He was  brought  up  in  the  Lutheran
     faith, and joined that church in1847. Mrs. Deal is  a  member  of  the
     Baptist Church, and he is now also a member of the same  church.  They
     are the parents of six sons, two of whom are living. They were born as
     follows: Edwin P. in 1859, and John D. in 1870. The latter is  now  at
     the State University at Columbia. Col. Deal's life  has  been  one  of
     considerable note, and many incidents and anecdotes of his early  life
     are often related by him, which to the growing generation are amusing,
     as well as startling. He has done as much as any one man in the way of
     improvements, both privately  and  publicly,  and  his  liberality  to
     public affairs is well known.  He  has  been  a  valuable  citizen  of
     Mississippi County. Col. Deal has made several county roads, using his
     won means to pay the expense, receiving from the county  as  part  pay
     some swamp lands. He has also made several canals through this section
     of Missouri, and a great many ditches have been put through under  his
     supervision. May he live long as  one  of  Mississippi  County's  most
     honored citizens.

Edwin P. Deal,  of  the  firm  of
     H.J. Deal & Son, dealers in fine stock and real estate,  was  born
     in Charleston, Mo., on April 19, 1859. He is a son of H.J. and Melvina
     (Walters) Deal [see sketch]. Edwin P. was reared in his  native  city,
     receiving a good education in the common schools. In 1874  he  entered
     the Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg, remaining one year. In 1876 he
     received the appointment of cadet midshipman of the  Naval  School  at
     Annapolis, which position he held about three years, when his eyesight
     began of fail him, and he came home  on  sick-leave,  after  which  he
     resigned. Since 1880 he has been engaged in  farming,  and  has  dealt
     extensively in the fine stock and real estate. He owns now about 1,800
     acres of good land. In September, 1879 he was united in marriage  with
     Mary Crenshaw, a daughter of Joseph and  Martha  (Bridwell)  Crenshaw.
     Three children have been born to them: Henry,  Nellie  and  Alma.  Mr.
     Deal has held the office of city councilman for two years.  He  is  an
     energetic, active young man, possessing such qualities as predict  for
     him    a    successful     future.     Politically     he     is     a
     Democrat.

Edwin J. Deal was born  in  Adams
     County, Penn., January 24, 1863. He one of nine children born  to  the
     marriage of Jeremiah Diehl and Isabel Albright the former a native  of
     Adams County, and the latter of York County, Penn. Both parents are of
     German descent, but their ancestors immigrated to Pennsylvania  at  an
     early day. The parents are still residing on a beautiful farm in Adams
     County, Penn., about two miles west from  Gettysburg.  Their  children
     are  Worthington  (deceased),  William  A.,  M.S.,  (a   resident   of
     Charleston, Mo.), Ida (Mrs. James Ross), Anna M.,  Edwin  J.,  May  S.
     (Mrs. Frank Blocher), Laura and Amber. Edwin J. remained  on  the  old
     homestead until he reached his twenty-first  year,  and  received  his
     education at Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg. In  March,  1884,  he
     went to Charleston, Mo., and read law under  Joseph  J.  Russell,  and
     soon  after  entered  the  law  department  of  the   Missouri   State
     University, graduating from that institution in 1886. He was  admitted
     to the bar the same year, and has since practiced  his  profession  at
     Charleston, and is now, in connection with his practice, preparing  an
     abstract of land titles of Mississippi County. In  July  1886  he  was
     appointed city attorney to fill the vacancy of Harry J. Cantwell,  and
     was re-appointed in March 1887. He was appointed notary public by  the
     Governor in February, 1887. Mr. Deal is a bright energetic young  man,
     and    is     well     suited     to     the     duties     of     his
     profession.

John P. Dever was born in Lincoln
     County, Tenn., January 9,  1833,  and  is  a  son  of  Amos  and  Mary
     (Dillender) Dever, of Franch descent.  The  grandfather  Dever  was  a
     Kentuckian, and the maternal grandparents were  old  Virginians.  Amos
     Dever was a farmer by vocation, and lived and died in Lincoln  County,
     Tenn.; however, he was born in Kentucky, in which  State  he  remained
     until after his marriage. He  and  wife  were  the  parents  of  seven
     children: Nathan, Joseph, Elijah, Henry, Mary, Abijah and John L.  The
     last named was reared on a farm in his  native  State,  and  partially
     learned his trade there. His father died when he was but  seven  years
     of age, and at the age of seventeen years he  went  to  Adams  County,
     Ill., where he worked on a farm for four years, after which he went to
     Hopkins County, Ky., and remained several years,  engaged  in  various
     occupations, working on a farm, at his trade and saw-milling. In  1876
     he removed to Batesville, Ark., in  which  place  he  was  engaged  in
     blacksmithing and wagon  work  until  April  1884,  when  he  came  to
     Charleston. Since removing to the latter city he has been  engaged  in
     blacksmithing and wagon manufacturing under  the  firm  name  of  J.P.
     Dever & Sons. The two sons who are his partners are  John  L.  and
     Linn M. In 1887 Mr. Dever erected a planing mill, which he  has  since
     successfully conducted. In 1857  he  wedded  Charlotte  W.  Parent,  a
     native of Kentucky, by whom he had nine children, three  of  whom  are
     living: John L., Linn M. and May E. This wife died  in  1875,  and  in
     1876 he married Louisa Wright, a native of  Arkansas.  One  child  has
     been born to this union,  Roy  L.  Mrs.  Dever  is  a  member  of  the
     Methodist        Episcopal        Church.        He        is        a
     Mason.