belongs to the congregation of the Mount Hope M. E. Church. Mr. Duvall is a prosperous farmer, a highly respected citizen, a kind neighbor and an honorable gentleman.

ANDREW WELLS.

A native of Ray county, Missouri, was born six miles south of the town of Richmond, on the 10th day of November, 1833. He lived here and continued at work on the farm with his father until the outbreak of the gold fever, and consequent rush to California. Our subject left home in 1853, and went to the gold fields of the great west. In California, Mr. Wells was chiefly engaged in mining, though he also operated a saw mill and possessed a hog ranch while there. He returned home in 1857, having been so successful in his quest of wealth as to enable him to buy a comfortable home. On the 9th day of December of the same year, he was married to Miss Susan F. Endsley, a daughter of Mr. John Endsley, of Ray county. Mr. Wells remained on his farm in Ray county until 1864, when he removed to Virginia City, Montana territory. While there he engaged in a trade in flour during the winter season, and mined in summer. Mrs. Wells accompanied him in his travels through the west, and they finally returned to Ray county and spent some months at the home of her father, after which they again took possession of their old home near Millville. Mr. Wells has been a member of the A. F. & A. M. Lodge at Millville since 1870. He is a highly respected citizen, and a good, practical farmer.

J. H. HAYNES.

J. H. Haynes was born in Ray county, Missouri, five miles north of Richmond, August 29, 1849. He is a son of J. P. Haynes, Esq., whose biography we give elsewhere in this work. Mr. Haynes received his education, chiefly, in the common schools of his native county. In 1872, Mr. Haynes was married to Miss Sophronia E. McCuistion, daughter of William McCuistion, Esq., of Ray county. She was born upon the place where they now reside, in 1856. Their union has been blessed by the birth of two children: Bessie Ethel and William Elbert. Mr. Haynes is a member of Crooked River Grange, No. 1005, Patrons of Husbandry, and has given his lifelong attention to agricultural pursuits. He is engaged to a considerable extent in raising fine stock. He feeds and ships to market large numbers of hogs and cattle. Mrs. Haynes is a consistent member of the Christian Church, and of the order of Patrons of Husbandry. She was elected to the office of "Ceres" in the grange to which she belongs, a year ago, and yet, April, 1881, occupies that position. Mr. Haynes has been very fortunate and successful in his business affairs, and

to-day is in a highly prosperous condition. His excellent farm is well supplied with everything necessary to his comfort and happiness, and he is highly respected and esteemed by his fellow citizens.

H. C. SMITH.

Henry Clay Smith is a native of Kentucky, born in Woodford county, on the 14th day of October, 1820. His father emigrated from Maryland to Kentucky at an early day. He died soon after the birth of our subject, leaving his widow, with seven young children, in very straitened circumstances. Henry's advantages for obtaining an education were, in consequence of his father's death and the family's poverty, quite limited. He remained with his mother, working for the common support of the family, until his twenty-first year, when the whole family removed to Ray county, Missouri, and stopped for about a year on a farm near Richmond. This was in 1841. In 1842 Mr. Smith and his brother, B. F., bought a tract of land near the town of Millville. This land was in a wild state, covered with dense forest and underbrush. ♦ By their indomitable industry the brothers cleared and improved this place, and made a living for themselves and their mother's family. They continued to clear and improve the place until, in 1849, Henry bought out the interest of his brother, and thus gained entire control of the place. His mother continued to reside with him until her death, which occurred in 1859. Mr. Smith was married in the autumn of 1870 to Miss Cynthia A. Smith, daughter of Peyton T. Smith, a prominent farmer of Ray county. Though their names were the same, they are not in anyway related to one another by ties of consanguinity. Two children were born of this union: Nora Belle and Lucy Rachel. Mr. Smith still resides on the farm which himself and brother improved. He has added to it from time to time until it now comprises some four hundred and forty acres. His residence, a large and handsome frame building, occupies a conspicuous location near the point where the Richmond, Russellville, Millville, and Tinney's Point roads intersect one another. Since the war Mr. Smith has turned his attention mostly to the raising of stock. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Millville M. E. Church. Mr. Smith is a self-made man, and one of the most properous and successful farmers in the county.

J. S. MATHENA.

Jeptha S. Mathena was born in Ray county, Missouri, on the 17th of September, 1847. His father was Robert Mathena, a native of Kentucky, who had emigrated to Missouri in the early history of Ray county. Our subject was educated in the common schools of Ray county. Mr. Mathena was married on the eighth day of February, 1877, to Miss Mollie Hutchinson, daughter of William J. Hutchinson, of Ray county. The

issue of this union is one child, Eva, born November 25, 1878. He is not a member of any church or secret organization except the Patrons of Husbandry, which order he joined in January, 1874. Mrs. Mathena is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church, which worships at Liberty school house. Mr. Mathena is a thriving, prosperous young farmer, and contemplates soon the purchase of an addition to his already valuable farm, from a neighbor. He is a good, kind-hearted, accommodating neighbor, and a highly esteemed citizen of Grape Grove township.

JOHN GUY.

This gentleman, one of the most successful farmers and stock-raisers of his neighborhood, was born in Anderson county, Kentucky, in the year 1829. When he was but ten years old his father moved to Missouri, and settled in Ray county, and two years later died, leaving a widow and seven children. John continued living with his mother for about two years after his father's death, and then he began to work for one John McGhee, for the purpose of learning the tinner's trade. McGhee subsequently failed, and young Guy was thrown out of work. In his nineteenth year he commenced to learn the trade of a blacksmith, under John Lightner, at Richmond. He mastered this trade, and in the year 1850, went with Mr. Lightner to the state of California. Here Mr. Guy mined for a short time, and then, going to Sacramento City, he again engaged at his trade, and continued it during the remainder of his sojourn in the Golden State. Having accumulated some money, he returned in 1858, to Richmond, Ray county, and entered the seminary to finish his education. Leaving school he opened a shop in the town of Richmond, and worked at his trade for about a year. He then moved upon a farm in the county, near Liberty school house, and erecting a shop continued the work of a neighborhood blacksmith, with farming. Here he lived until 1863, when, to avoid the war troubles with which the country was at that time rife, he went to Colorado, where he worked for a while at his trade, and then commenced freighting with wagons between Atchison, Kansas, and Denver, Colorado. This business was very remunerative, but Mr. Guy was compelled to abandon it on account of the hostility of Indians. He sold his wagons and teams at a very handsome profit over the amount paid for them, and returning to Ray county, bought a farm with the proceeds of his labors in the west. Mr. Guy was married in the month of March, 1853, to Miss Susan B. Mizner, daughter of Jerry Mizner, Esq., formerly of Ray county, now deceased. Nine children were born of this union, seven of whom are still living. Mrs. Guy died from the result of injuries received by a fall through a bridge over a small stream near Millville. Mrs. Guy was in a wagon with seven other persons, and as they were crossing the bridge, it gave way, precipitating the wagon and its load of human

freight to the bottom of the stream. Several of the party were severely injured, though none mortally but the wife of Mr. Guy. This accident occurred on the 4th of August, 1874. Mr. Guy was married again, April 30, 1878, to Miss Susan C. Mathena. By her he has one child, an infant son. Mr. Guy has been a consistent member of the M. E. Church South, for about six years, and the present Mrs. Guy for twelve years. Mr. Guy has a good farm, and is pleasantly and happily situated to enjoy a long life and green old age.

W. H. BRIGHT.

William H. Bright was born in Lincoln county, Kentucky, October 10, 1839. His father was a farmer, and young Bright was reared on a farm and taught to work. His education was acquired in the manner common with so many farmers' sons, by attending school during the winter and working on the farm in the summer. When he reached his twenty-first year, Mr. Bright left Kentucky, in company with two brothers and a number of other persons, to come to Missouri. They came overland with a train of wagons direct to Ray county, and here our subject commenced farming for himself. Mr. Bright was not engaged on either side during the war of the rebellion. He was drafted for the Union service just before the close of the war, but was never ordered out for duty. He was married in the year 1864, to Miss Nannie Frazier, daughter of Mr. James Frazier, a resident of Ray county. The issue of this union was seven children, five of whom, four girls and one boy, are now living. Mr. Bright and his excellent lady are both worthy members, and have been for many years, of the Christian Church. Mr. Bright is a good, practical, intelligent, and industrious farmer, and has done much toward the improvement of that branch of industry to which he belongs.

ISAIAH MANSUR.

This gentleman is one of the largest land owners, and was one of the earliest settlers of this county. He was born in Ludlow, Windsor county, Vermont, February 19, 1815. His father, Stephen Mansur, was a native of New Hampshire, born December 18, 1773. The grandfather of our subject was a soldier in the old French and Indian wars, and also the war of the Revolution, entering the latter war with the battle of Lexington, and fighting until peace was declared and the freedom of the American states established. The maiden name of Isaiah Mansur's mother was Miss Hannah Felt. His parents were of Scotch-English descent, and their family consisted of eight sons and four daughters, whose names with dates of birth follow: Stephen, born August 25, 1799; Alvah, born March 25, 1801; J. T. Gilman, March 12, 1803; Charles, November 24, 1805, Moody, February 3, 1808; Harriet Augusta, May 22, 1811; Isaiah,