OLIVER T. DICKENSON.

Oliver T. Dickenson was born in 1839, in Albemarle county, Virginia. In 1844, when he was five years of age, his parents moved with him to Boone county, Missouri. At the age of eighteen he went to learn the trade of carriage-maker. He was several years in learning his trade, and in 1859 opened a carriage and buggy manufactory in Richmond, Missouri, where he made carriages and buggies of a very superior kind, employing constantly from six to eight workmen. He continued in a prosperous business till the cyclone of June 1, 1878, swept over Richmond, totally demolishing his shop, among others, and destroying over $4,000 worth of finished work, ready for delivery. He was left without tools and entirely without means to carry on his business, which he settled up as best he could, and in 1880 built the livery stable where he is now engaged in the livery business. He has a good trade, and is a plain, unpretending, honest man, who attends closely to his business, harms no man, pays his taxes, and discharges the duties of a citizen cheerfully, punctually, and honorably. He is a member of the order of Knights of Honor and of the Knights of Pythias. Oliver T. Dickenson was married in 1863 to Susan J. Asbury, of Ray county, but a native of Kentucky. They have two children living: William N., born August 18, 1864, and Minnie L., born October 8, 1873, and two deceased. He is a son of Nimrod W. Dickenson, a native of Virginia, who was drowned in the Missouri river in 1844. His mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Robinson. She also was a native of Virginia; was born in 1815, and died about the year 1872.

WILLIAM S. CONROW.

William S. Conrow, son of the late Honorable Aaron F. Conrow, was born in Ray county, Missouri, May 4, 1855. He was educated at Richmond College. After leaving school he adopted the law as a profession, and entered upon its study under the instruction of Captain James L. Farris, attorney at law, Richmond, Missouri. In 1877, he was admitted to the bar, and began the practice of his profession in partnership with Captain Farris. In April, 1878, he was elected city attorney of Richmond, and re-elected in 1879, and again in 1880. April, 1881, he was elected city recorder, an office he now holds. These positions of trust, bestowed by his fellow-townsmen, evince the confidence they have in young Conrow. He is a talented young man, and if he continues prudent, persevering, and pains-taking, will succeed in life.

JOHN F. MORTON.

John F. Morton was born in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, March 6, 1860. When he was about two years of age, his parents moved to Portsmouth, Ohio; in the high schools of which city, young Morton received his education. In the spring of 1879, he began the study of law, having for his preceptor, General A. W. Doniphan, of Richmond, Missouri, to which place young Morton had moved the year previous. In the spring of 1881, he was admitted to the bar, and the same spring was elected city attorney of Richmond, the duties of which position he is discharging very acceptably. He is a son of John F. Morton, deceased, a native of Kentucky. His father died in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1866. His mother is now the wife of Maurice C. Jacobs, M. D., of Richmond, Missouri. John F. Morton is an intelligent young man, studious, temperate and energetic, and if he continues as such, as he doubtless will, a bright future awaits him.

DANIEL T. DUVAL.

Daniel T. Duval is a native of Ray county. He was born in the year 1850, and raised on a farm, and followed that occupation continuously till the spring of 1881, when, after selling his farm, he purchased the saddle and harness stock of J. W. Harrison, of Richmond, and engaged in that trade. He has a commodious store-room, and a full line of everything pertaining to a well appointed saddle and harness shop, and is rapidly building up a large and lucrative business. Mr. Duval is a son of Thomas A. Duval, who came from Virginia, where he was born, to Ray county,. Missouri, at an early day. He died in 1864. Daniel T. Duval is a promising young man, active, energetic and attentive to business.

JOSEPH H. DEVLIN.

Joseph H. Devlin was born in Chariton county, Missouri, in the year 1844. His father was Reverend Joseph T. Devlin, a minister of the M. E. Church South. He was a native of Delaware, born in June, 1811, and died in Ray county, Missouri, in October, 1878. He was a sincere, earnest Christian, a faithful minister, a steadfast friend, and in every department of life, one of the best and purest of men. Joseph H. Devlin, the subject of this sketch, was educated at the Richmond College. He has always lived in Missouri, but as his father was a Methodist minister, he necessarily moved from place to place. After leaving school he went to Carrollton, Missouri, where, for about twelve years, he was engaged in selling goods. In October, 1880, he moved, with his family, to Sherman, Texas, but after spending the winter in that place, returned to Missouri, and located in Richmond, Ray county, and took charge of

the lumber yard of McDonald & Company, which position he still holds. He was united in marriage, May 16, 1872, with Miss Maggie Ritenour, of Kansas City. They have had four children, only one of whom, 1, 1879, is living. Mr. Devlin is a member of the M. His wife also, is a member of that church.

Mamie, born May
E. Church South.

He is also a member of the A. O. U. W. A worthy citizen, he receives the respect of all who know him.

MATTHEW J. CREEL.

Matthew J. Creel was born, August 18, 1833, in Culpepper county, Virginia. When about sixteen years of age, he went to learn the carpenter's trade, and served an apprenticeship of four years. In 1855 he emigrated to Van Buren county, Iowa, and two years later came to Ray county, Missouri. He was exetensively engaged in farming till the outbreaking of the civil war. After the close of the war, he embarked in the mercantile business, and followed it for about ten years. Abandoning mercantile life, he resumed his trade, and has since worked at it in the city of Richmond, Missouri, continuously. He has been a member of the M. E. Church South for many years, all the time one of the most active and untiring workers in behalf of his church, and of religion generally. He takes a warm interest in the Sunday-school work; leads in the Sunday-school singing, and is also leader of the church choir. His wife is also a member of the M. E. Church South, and is a pious, unassuming Christian woman. He was married, May 10, A. D. 1859, to Miss Mary E. Branstetter, of Richmond, Missouri. They have eight children: Sallie P., Myrtie E., Henry L., Sterling Price, James P., Edward B., Mattie H., and John E.

JOHN R. GREEN.

John R. Green was born November 4, 1858, in Caldwell county, Missouri. He is the son of John W. Green, Esq., a native of Kentucky, born in 1836, and now a respected citizen of Richmond, Missouri. In 1866 our subject moved with his father's family to Richmond, Ray county, where he has ever since resided. He was, like many other excellent and scholarly young men of Ray county, educated at Richmond College. After leaving school, he was employed for about four years as clerk in a drug store at Richmond. January 1, 1879, he accepted the appointment as deputy circuit clerk under the late John W. Spurlock, and in that capacity continued to act until the spring of 1881, when he was appointed by Governor Crittenden, clerk of Ray circuit court, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of John W. Spurlock, Esq. During his service as deputy clerk, Mr. Green had control of the office a great deal of the time, owing to the protracted illness of Mr. Spurlock, and when appointed

to the office was well qualified for the position. As an officer he is courteous, attentive, and in every way efficient. As a private citizen, he is generous, obliging, and honorable. A brilliant future is before him.

CHARLES SEVIER.

Charles Sevier, son of Major Robert Sevier, was born at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, September 30, 1832. In 1840, he, with his father's family, located at Richmond, Ray county, Missouri. He was educated at the Richmond College, and at the Masonic Institute, Lexington, Missouri. In 1853 he entered the circuit clerk and recorder's office, (ex-officio) as assistant to his father, then the incumbent of those offices. He was shortly afterward appoint his father s deputy, and continued as such until 1865. He then went to farming on his farm near Richmond. Mr. Sevier owns a fine tract of land of about two thousand acres, most of which is in the vicinity of Richmond. During the past two years much of his time has been engrossed in settling the estate of his father; he has, however, all the time superintended his large tracts of farming land, most of which are in grass. Charles Sevier was married in 1856, to Susan L. Murrell, of Lafayette county, Missouri. To this union were born the following children, who are living: Samuel M., born August 10, 1859; (who has recently graduated at Kemper's Family School, Booneville, Missouri,) and Isabel, born January 5, 1862. His wife, an amiable lady, died June 4, 1866. Mr. Sevier was again married January 28, 1869, to Emma A. Dines, of Ray county. She is an accomplished, estimable lady. They have four children: Robert, born December 1, 1869; George F., born July 28, 1872; Mary R., born July 27, 1876, and Ann H., born April 24, 1878. Mr. Sevier is a member of the Presbyterian Church, a good citizen, and an honest man.

LOUIS ZUR MEGEDE.

Louis zur Megede was born in Soest, Prussia, in the year 1821. In his boyhood he served a full apprenticeship, learning the jeweler's trade. In 1841, when he was twenty years of age, he immigrated to the United States, and settled in St. Louis, Missouri. After working for a time as journeyman jeweler, he opened a shop on his own account in St. Louis, which he conducted about two years, and then moved with his stock of

jewelry to Lexington, Lafayette county, Missouri. This was in the year

1849. He remained in Lexington, until the year 1877, when he moved to Richmond, Ray county, where he has ever since resided, and is a respected, useful citizen. In 1858, however, he had established a branch store in Richmond, which he left in charge of a Mr. Ludniz. This stock, at the commencement of the civil war, he moved back to Lexington; and again in 1865, reopened his branch store in Richmond, which, under his direc

tion, was conducted by a Mr. Engler, until Mr. zur Megede moved with his family to Richmond to make the place his permanent home. He is a successful business man, having in his store a large and complete stock, not only of watches, clocks and jewelry, but of musical instruments, wall paper, stationery and books. He has a comfortable home in Richmond having just finished a handsome new residence. He was married in Prussia, February 24, 1861, to Isabella Dallinger. They have had seven children, of whom two are deceased. The living are: Louis, born March 13, 1862; he is now engaged with his father in the store; Emelie, born September 20, 1865; Bella, born July 12, 1867; Albert, born May 5, 1869, and Frederick Amo, born July 2, 1879. The older members of Mr. zur Megede's family belong to the Presbyterian Church. He is the youngest son of William zur Megede, who was burgomaster of the city of Soest.

CAPTAIN JOHN P. QUESENBERRY.

John P. Quesenberry is a native of Barren county, Kentucky, where he was educated, and grew from infancy to manhood. In 1840, he moved to Richmond, Ray county, Missouri, and has ever since resided in that town. He was first employed as salesman in the dry goods store of J. S. Hughes & Co., and afterward with James S. Lightner. He was attentive, industrious and efficient in these positions, and of course, filled them with credit to himself, and to the profit and satisfaction of his employers. By the year 1848, he had saved out of his earnings sufficient means to go into business on his own account, and in that year, in co-partnership with Robert McGee, Esq., opened a general store, under the firm name of J. P. Quesenberry & Co.; and, although Mr. McGee withdrew from the firm in a few years, the firm name has never been changed, and still remains, J. P. Quesenberry & Co., though the subject of this sketch in the sole proprietor. Mr. Quesenberry has been long and actively engaged in business in Richmond; he has been a leading merchant of the town for almost a half century, and during all that time has earnestly labored to promote the interests of his town and county. He lives not alone for his own aggrandizement, but to contribute to the well-being of those among whom he lives. He has been longer engaged as a merchant in Richmond, than any other man. In June, 1861, he joined the Confederate army, and was one of the first to enter that service from Ray county. He enlisted as a private soldier, but in April, 1862, was made quartermaster of his regiment, and served as such until July of the same year, when he was elected first lieutenant of his company, and in November following, the captain having fallen in battle, Lieutenant Quesenberry was elected to the captaincy, and held that rank until May, 1865, when he resigned on account of ill health, but remained with his command until the close of the war. He was present at, and participated in the following battles: