Joseph R. Shelley,  a  farmer
     and stock raiser of Shelley's Ridge, Mississippi Co., Mo., was born in
     Gibson County, Tenn., in 1837. His parents, Joseph and Susan  (Graham)
     Shelley, were both natives of Middle Tennessee, born in 1801 and  1804
     respectively . The settlement of the  Graham  family  Tennessee  dates
     back to the Revolutionary War, when the great-grandfather removed from
     New York to that State.  Joseph  Shelley's  parents  were  from  North
     Carolina. In early life Joseph was engaged in hat  manufacturing,  but
     afterward followed farming as a vocation. When of middle age he was  a
     minister in the Baptist Church. In 1851 he removed with his family  to
     Mississippi  County,  Mo.,  locating  on  Shelley's  Ridge,  where  he
     remained one year, and started with his  family  to  Texas,  but  upon
     reaching Alexander, on Red River,  he  was  taken  sick.  Turning  his
     course back to Mississippi County, he died before he reached home  (in
     1853). To him and wife were born twelve children,  five  of  whom  are
     living: Sarah, Ellen, Nancy, John, James  and  Ellen  (named  for  her
     older sister who  died  before  her).  The  mother  died  in  1878  in
     Arkansas, while living with her youngest daughter, Arbelle. Joseph  R.
     remained at home, assisting on the farm,  until  he  was  twenty-eight
     years old. His mother went to Arkansas in 1860, and he served  in  the
     Confederate army about one year. In 1865 he  removed  to  his  present
     location, and in 1866 married Elizabeth  Childers,  who  was  born  on
     September 1, 846. She is a daughter of  Jackson  and  Martha  (Reesor)
     Childers, natives of Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  respectively.  When  a
     young man, Mr. Childers went with his parents  to  Indiana,  in  which
     State he grew to manhood, removing from thence  to  Kentucky.  He  was
     married April 15, 1839, and remained in Kentucky about ten  years.  In
     1854 he removed to Southeast Missouri, where he died on  February  15,
     1877. Mrs. Childers is still living.  To  them  were  born  Elizabeth,
     George,  Thomas  (deceased),  Frances   (Mrs.   Hass   Moss),   Wilson
     (deceased), Drucilla (deceased),  Reedie  (Mrs.  Frank  Childers)  and
     Parnelia (deceased). Mr. and Mrs. Shelley have no children,  but  they
     are rearing three orphans, Eliza, Adar and Thomas, children of  Thomas
     and Rebecca (Thurman) Childers, who died  on  November  3,  1883,  and
     January 16, 1884, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Shelley have been members
     of the Christian Church for fourteen years. He  is  a  member  of  the
     I.O.O.F.          and          of           the           Agricultural
     Wheel.

William Sherman was  born  in
     Jefferson County, Ky., on March 15, 1826, and is the only survivor  of
     nine children born to the marriage of Charles R. Sherman and Julia  A.
     Porter, both of  whom  were  natives  of  Maryland.  The  grandfather,
     Charles Sherman, was a Methodist  minister,  and  lived  in  Jefferson
     County, Ky., at the time of  his  death.  Charles  R.  Sherman  was  a
     turnpike contractor in early life, and  built  several  of  the  pikes
     leading out of the city of Louisville, in which city he was a resident
     for several years. In 1840 he,  with  his  family,  took  the  steamer
     "Georgia," and came up the  river  to  Price's  Landing.  Arriving  on
     February 20, 1840, he removed his family to Mathews' Prairie, where he
     located, having previously purchased 300  acres  of  unimproved  land,
     upon which he had built a good two-story farm house, considered one of
     the best in this portion of Missouri at that day. He soon had the farm
     under cultivation. Although the prairie was the most  thickly  settled
     portion of this part of the  State,  the  inhabitants  were  few.  Mr.
     Sherman resided on his farm until his death in the fall of  1843.  His
     widow died in 1866. Four of their children  died  in  Louisville,  and
     four in Mississippi County; one besides William lived to be married  -
     Susan - who was married to Dr. Jesse S. Bledsoe. William was  fourteen
     years of age when his parents removed to Mississippi County,  previous
     to which he had lived in Louisville. After the death of his father, he
     remained on the farm with his mother until his marriage in 1851,  with
     Sallie, daughter of James Smith, a pioneer of Mississippi County. Upon
     the death of his wife, in 1860, he removed back with his  mother,  and
     remained until her death. He and wife had four children, of  whom  but
     one is living: Henry E. Those deceased are Dr.  James  S.,  Julia  and
     Susie. From February 1874 to 1877, he was a resident of  Columbia,  to
     which place he removed to educate his children. His two sons graduated
     at the State University there. Mr. Sherman has made farming and  stock
     raising his life vocation, at which he has been very successful. He is
     now retired from business, and for several years has been  a  resident
     of Charleston. Since 1840 he has  been  a  consistent  member  of  the
     Methodist                       Episcopal                       Church
     South.

Henry E. Sherman was born  in
     Mississippi County, Mo., on June 1, 1853. He graduated from the  State
     University at Columbia in 1877, after which he was engaged in  farming
     on his father's farm, about one mile north of Charleston, for  two  or
     three years. On June 12, 1877, he was united in marriage  with  Lillie
     V. Runyan, a native of Columbia, Mo. They had one  child:  William  O.
     (deceased). His wife died in September, 1880. After the death  of  his
     wife he was not engaged in any business for about  one  year,  and  in
     1881 he resumed farming, which he has very successfully continued.  He
     owns 580 acres of good land, and has a nice residence in the  city  of
     Charleston, which was erected in 1876. On December 20,  1881,  he  was
     united in marriage with Mary F. Ward, a native of Mississippi  County,
     by whom he has three children: Henry E., Jr., Virginia E.  and  Susie.
     Mr. and Mrs. Sherman are members of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church
     South.         In          politics          he          is          a
     Democrat.

Dr. A.E. Simpson, the  oldest
     practitioner in Mississippi County, was born at Berry's  Lick,  Butler
     Co., Ky., on April 27, 1829. His grandfather, Hugh Simpson,  was  born
     near Fairfax Court House, Va., in 1760, and was of Scotch descent, his
     parents having come to America from Scotland. He was with Gen. Francis
     Marion in the Revolutionary War, at the close of which he was in South
     Carolina, and was married there to Mary Long. After  his  marriage  he
     removed to Tennessee, locating near Nashville, where he remained a few
     years and immigrated to Warren County, Ky., where he died in 1832.  He
     was a prominent man in his time, and was  a  Whig  politically.  Isaac
     Simpson, the father of the subject of this sketch, was a farmer, which
     occupation he followed during his life. He was born in  Kentucky,  and
     was married there to Rachel B. Tygart, also a native of Kentucky.  The
     husband died at his home in that State in 1846, and his widow remained
     there until 1860, when she removed to Plattsburg, Mo., where she  died
     in 1875. Isaac Simpson was elected a delegate to the General  Assembly
     of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, which met at Lebanon, Iowa,  in
     1845.  They  were  the  parents  of  nine  children,  viz:  Julia   A.
     (deceased), Rilda J. (deceased), Dr. Absalom E., John  J.,  Albert  W.
     (killed at the battle of Pea Ridge), Angeline E. (deceased),  Emma  H.
     (deceased), Isaac Monroe and Hettie F. (deceased).  Dr.  A.E.  Simpson
     remained on the farm until he was twenty years of age,  attending  the
     country schools of  the  neighborhood  during  the  fall  and  winter.
     Following this, he spent two years at high school under  the  teaching
     of one John C. Duke, in  Warren  County,  Ky.,  and  then  engaged  in
     teaching school, which occupation he followed  a  few  years,  reading
     medicine in the meantime. In 1853 he entered the office  of  Dr.  J.R.
     Curd, of Russellville, Ky., and the  next  year  entered  the  medical
     department of the University of Louisville,  graduating  in  1856.  He
     immediately after began practicing his profession  at  Hartford,  Ky.,
     and remained  there  until  the  spring  of  1858,  when  he  came  to
     Charleston, and continued the practice of medicine.  In  1863  he  was
     elected  county  judge,  and  served  until  he  was  elected  to  the
     Legislature  the  next  year.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat  (was
     originally a Whig), and at the time of his service in the  Legislature
     there were but thirteen Democratic representatives. He has  served  as
     city councilman, and was a school director for sixteen years, and  was
     elected to the position of public administrator of Mississippi  County
     four terms, holding the office sixteen years. In 1869, on  account  of
     failing health, he  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business,  which  he
     continued till 1877, when he resumed the practice of  his  profession.
     In 1859 he wedded Arabella Lee, who died in 1860, leaving  one  child:
     William L. He was married again in 1861, choosing for his second  wife
     Mrs. Rebecca J. (Swank) McFarland, by whom he has six  children,  viz:
     John L., Effie M., Henry L., Anna L., Cora B. and Bertie D. The Doctor
     is a Mason, and a member of the American Medical Association, also  of
     the Southeast Missouri Medical Association, of which he has served  as
     president.

Charles M. Slack,  dealer  in
     furniture, Charleston, was born in Mason County Va., October 9,  1836.
     He is a son of Cornelius and Mary (McQuire)  Slack,  both  natives  of
     Virginia, the former of German, and the latter of Irish  descent.  The
     Slacks were an old Virginian  family.  Cornelius  was  a  mechanic  by
     trade, which he followed all his life in connection with  farming.  In
     1838 he, with his family, immigrated to Cape  Girardeau  County,  Mo.,
     coming down the Ohio River on a flat-boat. He died in  1867,  and  his
     widow in 1879. They were the parents of  eight  children,  viz:  Susan
     (deceased), Mary, Charles M., Leander, Jeremiah,  Franklin  and  John.
     The eldest child died in infancy. Charles M. being but  two  years  of
     age when his parents emigrated from his native  State  was  reared  in
     Cape Girardeau County. At the age of eighteen years he began  learning
     the carpenter's and cabinet-maker's trades, which  he  mastered  under
     the instructions of his father. He  was  engaged  in  contracting  and
     building at Cape Girardeau until about 1873, when he  engaged  in  the
     furniture business, which he  continued  there  until  1882,  when  he
     removed to Charleston, and engaged in his present business,  at  which
     he has been very successful. In 1860 he was united  in  marriage  with
     Fidelia Lee, a native of cape Girardeau. Three children  have  blessed
     their union: Everett L., Lillie H. and Arthur. In politics  Mr.  Slack
     is a Democrat, to which party his father also belongs. He is a  member
     of  the  A.O.U.W.,  and  he  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Baptist
     Church.

William R. Slack was born  in
     Hardin County, Ky., June 15, 1853, and is a son of Silas and  Victoria
     (Cole) Slack, both of whom were natives of Hardin County, Ky. The  two
     grandfathers, Randy Slack  and  William  Cole,  were  Virginians,  who
     settled in Kentucky at an early day, and  resided  there  until  their
     deaths. Silas Slack was reared in his native State. In 1857 he  loaded
     his family and all his effects on a flat-boat, and came down the  Ohio
     River to  Missouri,  landing  at  Wolf  Island  Township,  Mississippi
     County, where he resided until February 1863, when the overflow of the
     Mississippi destroyed his property and he removed  to  the  farm  upon
     which William R. now lives. A few years later he purchased  the  farm,
     and resided there until his death on February 27, 1877. His wife  died
     on February 15, 1880. They were the parents of seven  children,  three
     of whom are living: Cora (Mrs. John Hobbs, of  Kentucky),  William  R.
     and Loyd F. The ones deceased  are  Silas,  John,  Emma  and  Melissa.
     William R. was but three years of age  when  his  parents  removed  to
     Missouri. He has been engaged in farming all his  life,  and  remained
     with his parents until their deaths. He now owns 352  acres  of  land,
     all of which is under cultivation. On March 17, 1885, he was united in
     marriage with Hannah, a daughter of Lowry and Mary A. (Stout) Hay. Mr.
     and Mrs. Slack have two children: Amy and Arthur, the later of whom is
     deceased. Mr. Slack is an enterprising and intelligent young man,  and
     so       far       has       been       very       successful       in
     business.

Loyd F. Slack,  a  prosperous
     young farmer of Mississippi County, Mo., was born in  that  county  on
     January 20, 1862. He is a son of Silas and Victoria (Cole) Slack  [see
     William R. Slack's sketch].

     Loyd F. was reared on his  father's  farm,  and  has  always  followed
     farming as a vocation. In 1881 he purchased the farm upon which he now
     resides, consisting of 120 acres of good land. He located on the  farm
     the next year after his purchase. In 1885 he was  united  in  marriage
     with Mollie Hendricks, a native of Kentucky. Two children have blessed
     their union: George O. and Willie. Mrs.  Slack  is  a  member  of  the
     Methodist Episcopal Church.

James  Smith,  one  of   the
     pioneers and prominent citizens of Mississippi  County,  was  born  on
     April 2, 1808, in Hardin County, Ky., and is a son of  Washington  and
     Hannah (McWilliams) Smith, both natives of Virginia. The Smith  family
     came from England, and made a settlement in Virginia. The grandfather,
     James Smith, was a farmer and  immigrated  to  Kentucky.  He  died  in
     Hardin  County,  that  State.  The  maternal  grandparents  came  from
     Scotland, and also settled in Virginia. Washington Smith and his  wife
     both died in Hardin County. They had five children, three of whom  are
     living: James, David and George. Two daughters are deceased. James was
     reared on the farm in Kentucky, remaining with his parents until 1836,
     when he immigrated to Mississippi County, coming down the  Ohio  River
     in a flat-boat, on which he brought his stock, wagons, etc. Landing at
     Norfolk, December 28, 1836, he went  to  Mathews'  Prairie,  where  he
     entered 240 acres of land, upon which he erected  a  hewed  log  cabin
     with a wood and mud chimney, and a clapboard roof. In which  he  lived
     for several years, until he could make  better  improvements.  He  has
     been a resident of this section of fifty-one years, and has  witnessed
     it's development from a wild wilderness to its present wealthy  state.
     He has been a resident of Charleston since 1883. Farming has been  his
     life vocation, and he now owns 540 acres of  land,  but  he  has  been
     retired, since moving to Charleston. Although in his  eightieth  year,
     he is bright and active, and possesses a wonderful memory. In 1832  he
     married Elizabeth Swank, a native of Kentucky,  by  whom  he  had  six
     children, three living: Silas S., James W. and Elizabeth A. (Mrs.  Dr.
     Bridwell). His wife died in 1845, and he was  united  in  marriage  in
     1849 with Elizabeth A. Moore, a native of Scott County. Mr. Smith  has
     been  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church   South   since
     1833.

Isaac N. Smith  was  born  on
     May 21, 1837, in Meade County, Ky., and is a  son  of  John  and  Jane
     (Peak) Smith, both of whom were  natives  of  Kentucky,  and  were  of
     English and Irish descent,  respectively.  The  paternal  grandfather,
     Robert Smith, was a Virginian by birth, but immigrated to Kentucky  at
     an early day, and from thence to Spencer County, Ind. Were he  resided
     until his death about 1840. John Smith was born in 1806, and was about
     eighteen years of age when his parents removed to Spencer County, Ind.
     He remained with his parents until his marriage, when  he  removed  to
     Meade County,  Ky.  Remaining  there  until  1855,  he  immigrated  to
     Missouri, and in 1858 located  in  Mississippi  County,  where  h  had
     previously purchased a farm. He remained there until death in February
     1866. His wife died 1879. They reared two children, Isaac N. and Lydia
     (Mrs. N.M. Griggs). Isaac N., being eighteen years  of  age  when  his
     parents removed to Missouri, was reared  in  his  native  county,  and
     received a good common education. He remained with his  parents  until
     the Civil War broke out and troops were called, when  he  enlisted  in
     Company E., Sixth Missouri Cavalry, Confederate State army, with which
     he participated, in all the campaigns west of the  Mississippi  River.
     He was wounded at Jackson's Run during Price's  last  raid,  receiving
     four pistol shots, which took effect in the right  leg,  breaking  the
     bone. He was left at Fredericktown, at the residence of Alex.  Nifong,
     and there fell into the enemy's hands, but he was so badly wounded and
     bleeding, that they left him  for  dead  in  November,  1864.  He  was
     afterward paroled, and returned home and resumed farming. In  1875  he
     removed to Cairo and engaged in the grain and commission business, and
     continued under the firm name of Cunningham & Smith,  until  1881,
     when he  engaged  in  railroad  contracting.  He  finished  a  $10,000
     contract on the St. Louis & Cairo Narrow Gauge Road, and  a  large
     contract on the Kansas City, Springfield & Memphis  Railroad,  the
     first under the firm name of I.N. Smith & Co., the last of Bethune
     & Smith. In 1883 he resumed the grain business,  in  which  he  is
     still engaged, having removed to Charleston, Mo.,  in  1887.  He  also
     deals extensively in fine stock, and manages his farming interest.  He
     owns about 1,500 acres of land in Mississippi County, In April 1865 he
     was united in marriage with Louisa E. Rush, a  native  of  Mississippi
     County. Seven children have been born to their marriage, viz: John  A.
     (deceased), Emma B., Edmund K., Effie W., Isaac N., Jr., Claude M. and
     Mary A. Mr. and Mrs. Smith, are members of the Baptist Church. He is a
     member   of   the   K.   of    H.,    and    in    politics    is    a
     Democrat.

John W. Smith, a merchant  at
     Bird's Point, was born in Paducah, Ky., on May 23, 1848, and is a  son
     of William A. and Mary R.  (Smith)  Smith,  the  former  a  native  of
     Lincoln County, Tenn., and the latter of Prince  William  County,  Va.
     William a. Smith removed  to  McCracken  County,  Ky.,  in  1831,  and
     remained a few years, until November, 1853, when he removed to  Massac
     County, Ill., and located on a farm, after which he engaged in farming
     and timber contracting. The subject of this  sketch  remained  on  the
     farm with his parents until he was twenty-seven years of age, when  he
     married, and was engaged in farming  in  Massac  County,  Ill.,  until
     1879. He then removed to Kentucky, and remained until 1881. He removed
     to East Prairie, Mo., and remained there till  1883,  then,  moved  to
     Bird's Point, where he engaged in the saloon business  until  February
     1888. He was employed on the Texas, Arkansas & St. Louis  Railroad
     for some time, but is now engaged in the mercantile business, carrying
     a large stock of groceries and drugs. On October 11, 1876, he  married
     Mary J. Stratton, who died on September 17, 1878, leaving  one  child,
     William F. He married again in 1885 choosing for his  wife  Martha  N.
     Strader, by whom he has two children: Mary E. (deceased) and Jennie C.
     Mr.        Smith        is        a        member        of        the
     I.O.O.F.

James B. Smith, a  member  of
     the firm of Smith & Beckwith, general merchants at  Bird's  Point,
     Mississippi Co., Mo., was born in Massa County, Ill., March  4,  1857.
     He is a son of William A. and Mary R. (Smith)  Smith,  the  former  of
     whom was a native of Tennessee,  and  the  Latter  of  Virginia.  They
     immigrated to Illinois about November, 1853, and made a settlement  in
     Massac County. Mr. Smith purchased a farm near Pellonia, upon which he
     resided until his death. His wife died in 1879. To them were born five
     children, three of whom are living: John W.,  Miranda  C.  (Mrs.  W.G.
     Swinney) and James B. The last named remained with his  parents  until
     he was twenty-one years of age, assisting them on the  farm.  He  then
     worked for himself as a farm laborer for a couple of years. In 1879 he
     went to East Prairie, Mo., and worked as a farm hand  a  port  of  two
     years, with John A. Miller, and then  entered  a  store  as  clerk  at
     Bird's Point. In December, 1883, he engaged in the mercantile business
     at Bird's Point, with Underwood  Beckwith,  with  whom  he  has  since
     continued in  business.  They  were  in  the  grocery  business  until
     February 1888, when they sold their stock, and  now  carry  a  general
     line of dry-goods, boots and shoes and general  notions.  On  December
     31, 1882, he was united in marriage with Laura Wyndland,  by  whom  he
     has one child deceased, and one living. In the fall of 1883 Mr.  Smith
     was commissioned, postmaster at Bird's Point, which position he  still
     holds.

Dr.   Hartwell    Stratton,
     justice of the peace, Charleston, Mo., was born in Cumberland  County,
     Va., February 16, 1825. His parents, Robert and Mary (Adams) Stratton,
     were natives of  Virginia.  Robert  Stratton's  parents  removed  from
     England to Virginia in early life,  and  remained  there  until  their
     deaths. Robert was a farmer and planter by  vocation,  and  lived  and
     died in Cumberland County, Va. He served as an officer in the  War  of
     1812. His death occurred in 1859. His wife died in 1828, having  borne
     him three children, one of whom, Hartwell, is living.  Those  deceased
     are William (a member of the firm of Stratton  &  Bird,  wholesale
     grocers of Cairo, Ill.) And Pamelia M.  Jackson,  the  mother  of  the
     Messrs.  Jackson  Bros.,  commission  merchants,  Cairo,  Ill.).  Mrs.
     Jackson died in 1876. William died in January  1888.  The  subject  of
     this sketch was reared on a farm and remained with his father until he
     was twenty-one years of age, spending most of his time in  school.  He
     attended the Richmond college, also Emory and Henry college.  In  1847
     he went to Middle Tennessee and engaged in  the  mercantile  business,
     which he continued for several years, when he began reading  medicine,
     attending two courses of lectures at the Nashville University. In 1860
     he entered the Missouri Medical College at St.  Louis,  graduating  in
     the spring of 1861. Soon after he removed to Norfolk, Mississippi Co.,
     Mo., and remained a short time practicing his profession  after  which
     he removed to Charleston, and engaged in the mercantile  business,  in
     partnership  with  J.H.  Bethune  and  William  F.  Rodney,  of   Cape
     Girardeau. They remained in business several years, when Dr.  Stratton
     sold his interest, and engaged int eh drug business in Charleston,  in
     partnership with Dr. T.L. Petrie, and subsequently, with  Thomas  byrd
     of charleston. After remaining in the drug business a few  years,  Dr.
     Strattton sold out, purchased a farm near Charleston, and  engaged  in
     agricultural pursuits, which he  continued  until  a  few  months  ago
     (1887) when he sold his farm  and  is  now  practically  retired  from
     business. He was elected to his present office in 1886. He  was  first
     married in 1849 to M.A. Kinby,  of  Tennessee,  by  whom  he  had  six
     children, two of whom, only, are living: Mary (Mrs. E.W. Thompson) and
     William T.G., both of Mississippi County. She died  in  1859.  He  was
     married again in 1865 to Eliza M. Randal, a native of  Cape  Girardeau
     County, by whom he had three  children,  two  of  whom,  Aura  L.  and
     Lindsay M., are living and the other, Frank M.  died  at  the  age  of
     eighteen years; their mother died in 1876. Dr. Stratton is a prominent
     citizen of Charleston and is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal
     Church South.

Newton  T.  Strickland,   an
     enterprising farmer of Mississippi County was born in  Benton  County,
     Tenn., in 1852, and is a son of Noah  and  Jane  (Cowell)  Strickland,
     both of whom were born and reared in Tennessee.  Noah  Strickland  was
     born in 1816, and was a farmer, owning 500 acres of  land.  He  was  a
     highly respected citizen, and a member of the A.F. & A.M. His wife
     was born in 1819, and died in 1860. They had twelve children, of  whom
     Joseph E., Charles H. and Susan G. (Mrs.  John  Allen)  are  deceased.
     Those living are Sarah (Mrs. W.C. Jernigan, of Carroll County, Tenn.),
     Nancy J. (Mrs. Ashley Bivens, of Benton County,  Tenn.),  William  (of
     Wilson County, Tenn.), John C. (of Bertrand, Mo.), Cora G. (Mrs. Jacob
     Sullivan, of Williston, Tenn.), Thomas, Martha A., Louisa M. (widow of
     Richard Thompson) and Newton T.  After  the  death  of  our  subject's
     mother, Mr. Strickland married Elizabeth Davidson, who  now  lives  in
     Long Prairie Township, with two of her daughters, her  husband  having
     died in 1879. Newton T. remained at his father's until he was  twenty-
     five years of age. In November 1877, he was united  in  marriage  with
     Sophronia I. Thompson, a native  of  Benton  County,  Tenn.,  born  on
     August 17, 1855. She is a daughter  of  Albert  and  Amanda  (Jarrell)
     Thompson, natives of Tennessee and North Carolina,  respectively,  who
     were married on August 17, 1854. The former was a son of  William  and
     Peninah (Holland) Thompson,  natives  of  North  Carolina,  who  early
     immigrated to Tennessee. They had twelve children, five  of  whom  are
     living: Willis, David, Mary Ann, Rhoda (Beasley) and Jerry. Those dead
     are Benjamin, Lemuel, William, Charles, Albert,  Dollie  (Higden)  and
     Eliza (Gossett). The father of these children died in  1848,  and  his
     widow was married to John Horn, a Baptist  minister,  who  died  about
     eleven months after his marriage. Mrs. Horn is now  living  in  Benton
     County, Tenn., and is ninety years of age.  She  enjoys  good  health,
     except that she is now almost blind. She  had  been  very  active  and
     energetic, and has ever been  a  good,  kind  mother,  and  a  devoted
     Christian, beloved by all who  knew  her.  She  is  a  member  of  the
     Primitive Baptist Church. Amanda Jarrell was the daughter  of  Richard
     and Elizabeth (Stires) Jarrell, also natives of  North  Carolina,  who
     came to Tennessee at an early day. Richard was a highly respected man,
     and an accomplished school-teacher. He died about 1843, and his  widow
     followed about 1861. They  had  eleven  children,  of  whom  nine  are
     deceased: Lucinda, Missouri,  Calvin,  Franklin,  Amanda,  Nancy  Ann,
     Queene, Thomas and Susan. Those living are Daniel and Lafayette,  both
     of whom live in Texas. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Strickland  came  to  Southeast
     Missouri in January, 1881, and located on their present farm. They are
     members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. He is a member of the
     A.F. & A.M. and of the A.O.U.W. To them three children  have  been
     born as follows: Albert N., November 13,  1878;  Emma  E.,  April  12,
     1881;         and         Eulah         G.,         August          9,
     1884.

William   B.    Swank,    a
     prosperous farmer of Mississippi County, was born  on  the  farm  upon
     which he now resides, February 18, 1853, and is a  son  of  Silas  and
     Frances (Thompson) Swank, the former a native of Hardin  County,  Ky.,
     and the latter of Cape  Girardeau  County,  Mo.  The  paternal  great-
     grandparents  came  to  America  from  Germany.   Jacob   Swank,   the
     grandfather, served in the War of  1812.  In  1835  he  immigrated  to
     Mississippi County, and made a settlement on Mathews'  Prairie,  where
     he remained until his death. Silas Swank was but fifteen years of  age
     when he came with his  parents  to  Mississippi  County.  In  1843  he
     removed to the farm upon which William B. now resides, and was  making
     his second crop, when the overflow of 1844 swept everything  away.  He
     resided on that farm until his death in August 1886. His wife died  in
     1857.  They  had  four  children:  James  S.,  Mary,  William  B.  and
     Elizabeth. William B. has spent his life on his  present  farm,  which
     consists of 320 acres of well improved land,  which  is  mostly  under
     cultivation. In 1879 he was united in marriage with Frances Remmek,  a
     native of Alexander County, Ill. Three  children  have  blessed  their
     union: Willie M., Silas, and Mary (deceased). Mr. and Mrs.  Swank  are
     members          of          the          Methodist          Episcopal
     Church.