Peacock mine is drawing the patronage of people from a great distance in all directions, and it is but a question of a short time when Mr. Sickler will find himself in possession of a handsome fortune should he continue to operate in the future as he has in the past.

METCALF SMITH.

Farmer and stock raiser. Residence, section thirty-five. Postoffice, Houstonia. A prominent enterprising farmer, is a native of Highland County, Ohio, was born on the 12th day of August, 1836. In his thirteenth year his parents moved to Illinois, locating in Pike County. Here our subject spent his days in agricultural pursuits until 1868. He received a liberal education in the common schools of that county. In 1868 he came west, locating on his present farm, which he has since improved, and it can be truthfully said that it now ranks among the most desirable in the county. It consists of one hundred and ninety acres, all under a high state of cultivation, adorned with a beautiful and commodious dwelling. Situated on a high enimence overlooking a broad expanse of country in all directions, embellished with shade and ornamental trees, as well as a thrifty young orchard. His farm is well watered and drained, has a well sixty-five feet in depth, which gives a never failing supply of cold, crystallike water. It is well fenced into four fields by neat well kept hedges, and is so arranged that it adds much to the utility of the farm. Mr. Smith is giving his entire attention to the duties of the farm and stock raising, and should be classed among the leading business farmers of his township. He was married in Pike County, Ills., in June, 1860, to Miss Catharine Kelly. She is also a native of Ohio, and moved to Illinois when very young. This union has brought them six children, five of whom are now living, Margaret, Cynthia, who died in Sept. 1879; Francis H., Mary, Oliver D. and George M. Mr. Smith is a man who has done much for the development of this part of the county, and has been closely identified with its interests. He has given his family the benefits of a liberal education and is raising them up in a commendable manner. As a citizen, Mr.

Smith is highly esteemed, and as a business man his industry and prudent management are manifest in his surroundings.

HENRY C. SMITH.

Hughesville. He is a native of Ohio. Was born in New Carlisle, Clark County, on September 18, 1833. His youthful days were spent in farming, and acquiring an education. until he attained his majority. In October, 1862, he engaged in merchandising as a sutler with the One Hundred and Tenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in which duty he continued until the 14th day of June, 1863, when he was captured by the Confederate forces at Winchester, Va., losing his entire stock and train. He was

conveyed to Libby prison, where he was kept until the 3d day of July, of that year, when he was paroled. His experience in prison life was like that of many others, receiving the usual harsh and inhuman treatment which characterized the discipline of Confederate prisons. Soon after his deliverance from the loathsome place he set about to endeavor to once more retrieve his losses. He immediately began the organization and equipment of another train, and in a few weeks was again launched in mercantile life with a large and fully equipped train. He joined his command on the 9th of Sept., 1863, and again took up his former duties, in which he continued until the close of the war, in July, 1865. He then returned to his home in Ohio, and in February, 1866, came to Pettis County, locating in Sedalia, where he was engaged in mercantile pursuits until, in 1868, he moved to where is now the station of Hughesville. In December, 1867, he was married to Miss Mattie E. Mockbee, who was a native of Missouri. She died on the 7th day of February, 1877, and Mr. Smith has since remained a widower. He is the father of two bright lovable children, by this union, whom he is educating with care, David C. and Harrison. Mr. Smith is now engaged in farming, owns a valuable farm of one hundred and eighty-eight acres of well improved land; he is a man of liberal education, and a diversity of knowledge; has seen many of the ups and down of life, has travelled extensively amid war and pestilence, as well as peace and prosperity. Has tasted the bitter of army prisons, and is yet scarcely past the meridian of life, although he has experienced many of its vicissitudes.

THOMAS A. SMITH.

Physician and surgeon, Houstonia. Doctor Smith stands at the head of his profession as a skillful and competent practitioner. He is a native of Mercer County, Ky., was born on the 13th day of March, 1852. His early youth was spent in attending school and assisting his father in a mercantile business. His father, J. D. Smith, came to Pettis County in 1873, locating with his family near Georgetown, on a farm which he purchased soon after his arrival in the county. Our subject, Dr. T. A. Smith, having had in view the medical profession from his youth, here commenced the study of "the healing art" under the tuition of Dr. James Allen of that place. He applied himself studiously to the teachings and study laid out by his preceptor until the autumn of 1878, when he entered the Hospital Medical College of Louisville Ky., and was a continuous student, until in the spring of 1881 he graduated with high honors. During his attendance at that institution the doctor was a close student, missing but two days' attendance during his entire course. While there he enjoyed a large and instructive practice among the inmates of the hospital as well ,as the poor throughout the city, where he obtained a knowledge of the

various diseases and the most successful methods of treatment, besides the gratification of knowing that he was laboring to alleviate the sufferings of his fellow beings. Soon after the completion of his studies, the Doctor located in Houstonia, where he is now enjoying a large and successful practice, and is fast building up a reputation for skill and honesty, which insures for him the confidence and patronage of the people of this locality.

WILLIAM WEATHERS.

Post-office, Lamonte. Among the many pioneers of this county no man has been more closely associated with the social and religious interests of this locality than the subject of this brief sketch, who is a native of Lewis County, Ky. He was born on the 22d day of May, 1807. His father, John Weathers, was a native of Virginia and moved to Kentucky at an early day, and was there married to Miss Henrietta Carrington, who was born Feb. 15, 1785, and lived until October 27, 1864. When our subject, Mr. Wm. Weathers, was about 14 years of age, he engaged in the shoe-making trade and followed its pursuits in connection with farm duties until a few years ago. He was married in Caldwell County, Ky., in 1826, to Miss Sally Storms. She was a native of Indiana. She died in 1839, and in the same year he was again married; this time to Miss Susan Goodwin, a native of Kentucky, who was born in what was then Christian County. In the spring of 1842 Mr. Weathers started west with his family and arrived in Pettis County on the first day of May of that year. His first settlement was made near the old Pin Hook Mill, where he raised a crop of nine acres of corn. The next year was spent on the old Reese farm, and in the spring of 1844 he moved to his present location. A few years were spent in a small log cabin which formed his mansion until he erected his present residence, which is comfortable. Since his coming to this county Mr. W. has done much for the upbuilding of religion, education and morality. He was among the early workers and organizers of the Regular Baptist Society, with which organization Mr. W. has been closely associated until the present time. He has been a member of that denomination since 1830. He has raised a large family of children and has given them all an education and a start in life. He yet retains a nice farm of 304 acres of desirable land.

Postmaster.

FREDERICK WILSON.

Among the many enterprising citizens of Houstonia, no one has been more closely identified with the interests of the town than has Mr. Frederick Wilson. He is a native of Wetterburg, Waldeck Province, Germany, and was born on the 28th day of April, 1845. When • he was about fifteen years of age he apprenticed himself to a wagon maker, and served about two years at that trade. His early youth, pre

vious to this, was spent in attending school and acquiring an education. On the 5th day of December, 1862, he took passage on board a ship, in company with his father, and in February, 1863, arrived in Sedalia. Soon after this he engaged in mercantile business at Lamonte, in partnership with Mr. Busch, and continued in trade at that point for about one year, when Mr. Wilson disposed of his interests there and came to this place, where he soon erected the first store building in the town. The great storm of February 23, 1875, an account of which will be found in another part of this work, destroyed his stock, building, etc., and left him to begin anew his efforts to build a town. The loss was severely felt by Mr. Wilson, but he was again started in a few weeks, in his present building, which he erected, and since then has done a large and profitable business. He is now having a good business in grain, as well as general merchandise. He occupies a commodious frame building, with a twenty feet front, and seventy-two feet in depth, which is completely filled with a selected stock of general merchandise; and is also doing an insurance business for the old time-tried company, the German, of Freeport, Ill. Soon after his coming to Houstonia, Mr. Wilson was appointed assistant post-master, and on April 1, 1875, was appointed post-master, and has since filled the office to the entire satisfaction of the Department and public. Since his first connection with the office, Mr. Wilson has constantly added to its popularity and convenience, and has raised its income from a business that paid but twelve dollars per year, to a business that now pays him $300 per annum. Mr. Wilson is a man who has done much for the up-building of the town and its institutions. He was married here in February, 1874, to Miss Martha Elizabeth Porter, sister of Mr. Wm. H. Porter, who was killed in the tornado. Since his coming to the place, Mr. Wilson has seen many changes come to this part of the county, and has witnessed the growth of a community, of which he was among the founders. He is now comfortably situated in a neat home, and is numbered among the substantial business men of the county.

CHAPTER XIII.-BLACKWATER TOWNSHIP.

Introduction-Name.-Organization-Order of Court-Boundaries in 1833, 1844 and 1873. Configuration-Physical Features-Soils, Woodland, Elm and Bottom Lands--Ancient Mining-Who Were the People that Made the Excavations?-Early Settlers-Agricul tural Interests-Stock Raising- Prominent Farmers -Fine Farms- Churches

Schools-Political-Incidents-Biographical.

Many years ago the hardy and ambitious sons and daughters, who first came to this township, left their parental roofs and sought homes in the untamed wilderness of what was then the West. They were not the effeminate sons and languid daughters of wealthy parents, who had been

reared in the lap of luxury, for such never dare the perils of a frontier life. They had from their infancy been taught, by precept and example, that industry and economy which had enabled their fathers to thrive among the rocks and hills of Kentucky. Some of them started alone, with knapsacks on their backs, rifles on their shouiders and axes in their hands. Thus accoutered they bade adieu for a time to loved ones at home, and turned their faces westward to seek their future homes and fortunes in the wilderness.

For a time they followed the trail of previous emigration, but soon they left the borders of civilization, and struck out into the forest of the New World. Having made their selection of suitable locations, and secured titles, if the latter were needed, they began preparations for the future. Temporary shelters were constructed, and clearing was begun, if in the timber, and if on the prairie, a small plot of ground was broken. While this work was in progress, these solitary laborers procured what scanty supplies they needed from Boonville or Lexington. Their nearest neighbors were sometimes a score of miles away, and with these they occasionally exchanged visits and planned for the future. By night they lay in their rude shelters on beds of grass, or even upon boards hewn from the logs they had felled, to dream of the homes they had left, or those their fancy pictured; or in their intervals of wakefulness, listened to the distant howling of the wolf, or were startled by the nearer hooting of the owl. Day after day they toiled on, sustained solely by the hopes and plans for the future.

The work of the adventurer completed, he turned his face homeward, and with light heart came again to the scenes of his childhood. Here were parents, brothers and sisters, to welcome him warmly, and listen to the recital of his experience in the western wilds. He received a still more hearty welcome from another, who, during his long absence, had not ceased to think of him by day, and to dream of him by night. She listened to the story of his doings with a deeper interest, for to her and him they were matters of equal importance.

A wedding soon occurred, and the last winter of the pair in their native State was a season of busy preparation for removal to their western home, interspersed with social gatherings and merry-makings among the scenes and companions of their childhood. They sat down to their last Thanksgiving dinner, attended their last Christmas and New Year's festivals with former playmates and school-fellows, and on the approach of spring bid adieu to all their old friends and scenes, and departed for their new home. At length the last settlement was reached. Then they entered at once upon the realities of pioneer life, for now there were no roads to guide them; behind were the last vestages of civilization; ahead was a strange land and deep privation. The stopping place of the summer before is at