Biographies
Biographical Sketches
R-W
From Goodspeed's 1889 History of Camden County
L. I. Roach (deceased) was born on the farm where his widow now resides
near Linn Creek, December 30, 1837, and was one of a family of six
children, whose parents removed from Tennessee and settled in the then
new and almost unexplored state of Missouri in the year 1831. At the
time of Mr. Roach's birth Missouri was a Territory and a wilderness,
Camden county containing only about 100 inhabitants. It comprised a
portion of Pulaski county, and was afterward organized as Kinderhook
county. During the year 1841 he was deprived by death of both parents,
and the family was left penniless, the means of his father having been
exhausted (at his direction) in the payment of debts. In conformity
with a then existing statute, "Little Jack," as he was then called, was
apprenticed to one Hiram Bagley, a tailor, whom he left in 1847 because
of harsh treatment. He was re-apprenticed to one James A. Crain, a
farmer, with whom he remained until the latter died, in 1851. He was
then employed by various farmers until 1854, and during that time he
attended school four months and a half, this scanty draught of the
fountain of knowledge representing the full extent of his educational
advantages. He then turned his attention to navigation, beginning his
career in the humble capacity of night watchman on one of the Osage
steamers. At the commencement of the Rebellion he possessed pilot
papers authorizing him to run from St. Louis to the head waters of the
Osage River, but rapid as had been his advancement in his chosen occu-
pation, he responded to his country's call, and left the deck for the
battle field, enlisting in the Osage Regiment of the Missouri Home
Guards, with which he remained until its disbandment in December, 1861.
He then elisted in the Eighth Missouri Cavalry, and served three years
and three months. His regiment was in active service, and Sergeant
Roach was in nearly all the principal engagements that occurred on
Missouri soil. He rendered valuable service as a scout and bearer of
dispatches, and afterward retained a lively recollection of several
narrow escapes and thrilling adventures. When peace was declared Mr.
Roach returned to the river, and followed the vocation of pilot until
December, 1866, when on the tenth of that month he was united in
marriage to Miss Frances M. Crain, only daughter of his late master.
To their union was born six children: Rebecca J., Susan E., James L.,
Sidney C., Martha A. (deceased) and William M. In 1868 Mr. Roach was
elected sheriff and collector, which position he held two years. In
1870 he was elected clerk of the county and circuit courts, and in 1874
he was re-elected to this office, and also to the position of probate
judge. For the ensuing four years he discharged the duties of four
county offices, and gave such general satisfaction that in 1878 he was
urged by the most influential men of both parties to become a candidate
for re-election to all the offices which he had so acceptably filled.
The work was too onerous, however, for even his methodical habits, but
he was retained in two clerkships by a handsome majority. In 1883 he
was elected for the fourth time to the position of county clerk. He
was admitted to the bar as a prosecuting attorney in February, 1883,
and soon became an ornament to the profession. Among other business
ventures he was engaged in the mercantile business at Gunter, Mo. He
owned a large tract of land adjoining Linn Creek, and had, but a few
years previous to his death, completed his handsome and well constructed
residence, in which the widow and family now reside. Mr. Roach
was a self made man in every respect, and none had more friends than
he. He was liberal and always ready to help any public enterprise for
the benefit of his community. He died January 29, 1886.
G. B. Shubert, collector of internal revenue for Camden county, Mo., is
a native of Philadelphia, Penn., born March 11, 1829, and is the son of
George and Eliza (Beckhorn) Shubert, both natives of Philadelphia,
Penn. His great-great-grandfather was in winter quarters at Valley
Forge with Washington, and his wife walked and carried her husband's
clothing a distance of ninety miles. The Shuberts are of an old Phila-
delphia family. The paternal grandfather was a shoemaker by trade, as
was also the maternal grandfather, both of whom died in the "City of
Brotherly Love." George Shubert was a carpenter and ship joiner, which
trade he learned in Philadelphia, and which he carried on in that city
until 1833, when he immigrated with his family to Portsmouth, Ohio,
where he still continued his trade. He was delegate to the convention
that nominated William H. Harrison to the presidency of the United
States, and died before he got to vote. He lies buried in Portsmouth.
The mother then went back to Philadelphia, where she died in 1880. They
were the parents of five children, three now living: Garrett B., Henry
and Georgiana, wife of Harvey Gillett, of Hastings, Minn. Garrett B.
Shubert was quite small when he went to Ohio with his parents, and he
remained there until the death of his father, when he went with his
mother back to Philadelphia, where he remained until fourteen years of
age. He then followed the sea for about eight years, sailing princip-
ally to South America and Europe. He made one voyage around Cape Horn,
in 1849, to California, where he remained a little over one year, being
engaged in mining on Yuba and Feather Rivers. He returned to Boston,
Mass., in 1851, made several voyages to Europe, and in 1855 gave up the
sea and went on the Mississippi River. He began as a deck hand, and
was promoted to several higher positions before he gave it up, which he
did after being on the river about two years. On May 7, 1857, he landed
at Linn Creek, and accepted a position with Gov. McClurg as mate of
his steamships and captain of his flat boats. He was constantly
employed by the year until the war broke out, when in June, 1861, he
enlisted in the Home Guards, and afterward, while trying to organize a
company, was captured by the rebels and carried to Fort Smith, where he
was kept under provost guard. He was retained about three months, and
then made his escape and came home, where the second day after his
arrival he enlisted in the Missouri State Militia Cavalry, and was
quartermaster sergeant. About a year later he was made quartermaster,
which position he held until February, 1865, when he was transferred to
the Fourteenth Missouri Veteran Cavalry, holding the same position. He
was discharged November 1, 1865. He participated in a great many hard
skirmishes, but never received a wound. At the close of the war he
came back to Linn Creek, and has since been engaged in farming, etc.
Previous to the war, in 1857, he married Miss Bridget Foy, a native of
New York, but who was reared in Louisiana. To this marriage were born
six children: Charles, Henry; Eliza, wife of J. W. McIntire; Edward F.,
editor of the People's Tribune; Mary F., wife of Sherman Agee; and
George. In 1871 Mr. Shubert was elected probate judge to fill an un-
expired term. In 1878 he was elected probate judge and president of
the county court, holding the position four years. In 1882 he was
re-elected probate judge, which position he held until 1887. In 1884
he was elected county collector, and re-elected in 1886-88, this making
his third term for county collector. He has been deputy clerk for both
courts, and also deputy sheriff for a number of years. Judge Shubert
is one of the most prominent citizens of Camden County, and has made a
host of friends. He is a member of the G. A. R., and is the owner of
240 acres of land, with about fifty acres under cultivation and well
improved.
William F. Simpson, county surveyor of Camden County, and a farmer of
Adair Township, was born in Tennessee in 1845, and is a son of William
C. and Lucretia T. (Garner) Simpson, both natives of Tennessee, the
former of whom was born in 1810. The parents moved from Tennessee to
Camden County, Mo., in 1847. William C. Simpson was a farmer, and
served as county surveyor for about twenty-seven years; he was also
assessor several terms and commissioner of public schools. Of the
eight children in this family but four are now living, viz.: Sophia Ann
Pritchett, Nancy E. Freeman, John D. and William F. William C. Simpson
who died in 1882, was a son of James Simpson and Levina Simpson; the
former, a farmer, was born in Virginia, and died in 1860. Mrs. Lucretia
T. Simpson died in 1860. She was a daughter of Louis Garner, who moved
from his native state, Tennessee, to Camden County, Mo., about 1857.
William F. Simpson spent the greater part of his early life in Camden
County, Mo. In 1863 he enlisted in Company K, Second Missouri Light
Artillery, United States Army, under command of Col. Nelson Cole and
Capt. Confare, with whom he served in the capacity of duty sergeant and
second lieutenant, operating in Nebraska and Montana, until 1865,
receiving his discharge at St. Louis. November 15, 1866, he married
Lucy Estes, who was born in Camden County, Mo., in 1840, and was a
daughter of John G. and Lucy (Dodson) Estes. Mrs. Simpson died in
1881, and June 9, 1886 Mr. Simpson married Mary J. Russell, who was
born in Camden County in 1856, and is a daughter of Andrew A. Russell.
They have one child, William Andrew. Mr. Simpson was justice of the
peace in Auglaize Township for six years, and upon the death of his
father, in 1882, he was appointed county surveyor, which position he
still holds. In politics he is a Republican. He is a Mason, a member
of the I. O. O. F. and G. A. R., and also belongs to the Christian
Church.
Josiah Stanley, attorney at law and carpenter, of Climax Springs, Mo.,
is a native of Wayne County, Md., where he was born in 1841, being a
son of Richard H. and Naomi (Beeson) Stanley, who were born in North
Carolina in 1808 and 1814, and died in Howard County, Ind., in 1858 and
1882, respectively. They first moved from their native State to Wayne
county, but afterward located in Howard county in 1851, where the
father followed his trade of carpentering, and where they reared their
family, which consisted of seven children, five now living: Nancy A.
(Kemp), Josiah, Lydia (Poole), Richard Henry and Melissa (Smith).
William died during the late war from the effects of a wound received
at the battle of Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Mary (Mrs. Gardner) died in
1878, having borne one child. Josiah Stanley spent his early life in
Howard County, Ind., and at the early age of sixteen began the battle
of life for himself as a carpenter. April 17, 1861, he enlisted in
Company D, Sixth Indiana, three months troops, under Capt. Thomas J.
Harrison, United States Army, but after receiving his discharge, in
August of that year he joined Company D, Thirty-ninth Regiment Indiana
Cavalry, of which company he was afterward made seargent. He was pro-
moted to second lieutenant in April, 1862 and in May, 1864 became the
captain of his comopany, and was discharged on the 31st of December,
1864, at Savannah, Ga., having taken an active part in the battles of
Shiloh, Corinth, Perryville, Murfreesboro, Liberty Gap, Hoover's Gap,
Rousseau's raid in Alabama, Gen. McCook's raid in Georgia, Chattanooga,
Chickamauga, and was with Gen. Sherman on his march to the sea. He was
wounded near Waynesboro, Ga., November 24, 1864, by a gunshot in the
right knee, which would still troubles him, and confines him to his
room for months at a time. He was taken prisoner at Murfreesboro. In
1865 he married Miss Sarah A. Brownfield, who was born in Indiana in
1844, a daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Boyd) Brownfield, both of whom
were of Irish descent, and whose children's names are as follows:
William, Ellen and Sarah A. (Mrs. Stanley). Eight of their nine
children grew to maturity. Mr. Stanley has served as notary public for
a number of years, and also as justice of the peace. He is a Republi-
can, his first vote being cast for Grant in 1868, and is a member of
the Masonic fraternity, the I. O. O. F. and G. A. R. He and wife
became the parents of one son, Albert Sherman, who died at the age of
twelve years. They have reared two orphan children: William M. Brown-
field and Stanley Gardner.
J. W. Vincent, editor of the "Reveille", at Linn Creek, was born in
Jackson, Miss., May 14, 1859, and is the son of Joshua S. and Susan
(Williams) Vincent, the former a native of New York and the latter of
the Emerald Isle. The father has had quite a notable career. He was
a printer by trade, entering his apprenticeship at the age of fourteen
years, and was at work on the New York Tribune, under Horace Greeley,
at the time of the Mexican War. He abandoned his business and enlist-
ed in Company I, First Regiment, sailed around Cape Horn, and in 1848
landed in California, where he served two years and a half, being dis-
charged at San Diego. He was wounded twice in a skirmish with the
Indians; was a sergeant, and after being discharged remained about
seven years in California, being engaged in mining. He bought the
Clear Lake property, near San Francisco, which is now quite extensive
property. There he ran a public inn or resort, which he carried on for
three years. This property was purchased under a Mexican Government
grant, and he was in litigation over this for some years, as there was
an opposition grant, which was a forgery, being afterwards proven as
such. An assassin was hired to put him out of the way, and a load of
buckshot was fired into his neck one morning while he was sitting in
his hotel, seriously wounding him. However, he recovered, sold out in
1856, and returned to New York State, where he worked on several of the
leading papers in the cities of that State, also being foreman of the
Milwaukee Sentinel for some time. He was sent south as a correspondent
of this paper, finally locating in Mississippi, and at the time of the
breaking out of the war was at work on the Jackson Mississippian, and
set up the Mississippi ordinance of secession when first issued. In
1861 he left and went to Wisconsini, and from there to Jackson county,
Ill., where he founded the New Era at Carbondale, which he ran for
about three years. In 1868 he came to Linn Creek and founded the
Reveille, which publication he continued until 1880, when his son,
J. W., purchased the office, and has since continued the publication.
The father was married in Milwaukee, Wis., and has but two children:
Joshua W. and Henry M. The father is a resident of Linn Creek. J. W.
Vincent was about nine years of age when he came to Linn Creek with his
parents. Here he completed his growth, received a common school educa-
tion, and learned the printer's trade of his father. In 1880 he
purchased the paper of his father, as before stated, and this sheet is
edited in the interests of the Republican party, and is a spicy
journal. Mr. Vincent was married first, in 1880, to Miss Mary E.
Shoop, who bore him one child, Mary Ida, and died in 1883. In Septem-
ber, 1884, Mr. Vincent chose for his second wife Miss Elizabeth M.
Foster, by whom he had three children, one now living, Mabel. Mr.
Vincent is a Past Master Mason, and was Master of the late Grange
lodge.
John Vogel is one of the prosperous farmers residing on the Little
Niangua River, in Camden County, Mo. He was born in Germany in 1842,
and in 1853 came to America with his parents, Frederick and Elizabeth
(Miller) Vogel, who were born in that country in 1810 and 1807, re-
spectively. They settled in Cole County, Mo., where the father follow-
ed his trade of tailoring, and reared his family, which consisted of
eleven children. Seven are living at the present time, and four of his
sons were soldiers in the Union Army. At the age of eighteen years
John Vogel began life for himself, and entered the Union army, enlist-
ing in Company K, Fifth Missouri Cavalry, and received his discharge in
July, 1865. He is now a member of the G. A. R., and is a stanch Repub-
lican in politics, casting his first presidential vote for Abraham
Lincoln in 1864. He came to Camden county in 1870, and purchased his
present fertile valley farm, consisting of 220 acres, 100 of which are
under cultivation, and here has since resided with his family. On
December 26, 1868, he wedded Miss Louisa Arnholdt, who was born in Cole
county in 1847, and by her is the father of the following named child-
ren: Bertha, Ida, William, Henry, Charles, Peter and George, all of
whom attend the Lutheran church, of which the father and mother are
members. Mrs. Vogel's parents, Christopher and Purlina (Frish) Arn-
holdt, were born in Germany, and came to America in 1842, locating in
Cole County, Mo. They moved to Camden County in 1856, purchasing a
good farm on the Little Niangua River. He was engaged in farming and
milling until his mill was burned by bushwackers in 1864, and after the
war he located in Jefferson City, Mo., and has since been engaged in
the mercantile business, being now a resident of Brazito, Mo.
Andrew J. Watson, one of the prosperous farmers of Camden County, is a
native of Cooper County, Mo., born June 6, 1857, and is the son of
Cornelius and Elvira (Johnson) Watson. The father immigrated to Miss-
ouri from Kentucky at an early day, and located in Camden county, where
he remained a short time. He then moved to Cooper county, Mo., where
he died in 1865. The mother is yet living. They had four children:
Harriet E. (wife of William Ray), Andrew J., Henry F. and Eliza (wife
of Alexander McDowell). The father participated in the late war. He
was captured by the Union forces, and cast into prison, where he died.
He was reprieved, but was not able to come home. He was a farmer,
which occupation he had followed the principal part of the time. A. J.
Watson was reared, until nine years of age, in Cooper County, when he
moved with his mother to Camden County in 1866, and located in Osage
Township. He remained with his mother until twenty-one years of age,
and in November, 1877, he married Miss Mary E. Hibdon, a native of
Morgan county, Mo., by whom he has four children: Sarah A., Dolly E.,
Rosa B. and Maude D. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Watson moved to
their present farm, and bought 700 acres of land, with about 150 under
cultivation. He has made all the improvements, which are first class,
and as good as can be found in Camden county, with a good residence
and barn. He deals in stock of all kinds, and his farm is well adapted
for this purpose. Aside from his farming interest, Mr. Watson is also
engaged in the drug business at Linn Creek, having purchased the drug
store of H. H. Wines in January, 1889. He is a member of the Masonic
fraternity, and Mrs. Watson is a member of the Baptist Church.
John White was born in Camden County, Mo., in 1857, and is an enter-
prising citizen of his native county. His father, Thomas White, was a
farmer by occupation, and was born in Indiana in 1834; he drove a
government team during the late war, and he married a Miss Medley. Of
their children four are living, viz.: John, Riley H., Caroline (now
Mrs. McCamish) and Luroney Carlisle. His second marriage, to Miss
Sarah Fisher, resulted in the birth of two children: Robert and James
T. Mrs. White had three children by a former husband: Joseph, Fanny
and Samuel Fisher. The paternal grandfather of our subject was Moses
White, who was born in New Jersey, from which state he moved to Illi-
nois, thence to Indiana, and in 1840 to Camden County, Mo. He was a
farmer, and died in 1868. John White was reared to the pursuit of
farming in Camden County, and was deprived of the privileges of an
education even in the common schools, for which deficiency he made up
to a large extent by studying alone. He worked at farming until 1882,
and, having saved $100, he invested that amount in a stock of groceries
which he opened at Olive City, Camden County; after one month he moved
to Osage Iron Works, where he engaged in more general merchandising, in
partnership with J. T. Washburn, and the firm has been remarkably
successful. They carry a complete stock of general merchandise, own
their store building and residence, as well as 278 acres of land in
Camden county and 320 acres in Morgan county. February 5, 1888 Mr.
White married Miss Jennie Leighty, who was born in Johnson county, Mo.,
in 1869, and is a daughter of Peter and Ellen Leighty, natives of
Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. White's only child, Ellsworth Oron, who was
born October 26, 1888, died January 26, 1889. Mr. White has been
postmaster of the Osage Iron Works for the past five years, and has
filled the office with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of
the community. He is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the
Masonic fraternity, as well as the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.
Josiah L. Winfrey, a prominent stock farmer of this community, was born
within six miles of where he now lives, on what is known as Conn's
Creek (named after his grandfather), on the 12th of February, 1838, his
parents being James M. and Eleanor M. (Conn) Winfrey, who were Tenn-
esseeans, and his grandfather being also James M. Winfrey, and a native
of Tennessee. The latter moved to Kentucky with his family in the
early part of the 30's, and located on the Wet Auglaize, near the mouth
of Brumley Creek, where he lived until 1863, in which year he died. He
was twice married, but had no family by his second wife. His first
union was blessed in the birth of seven children, two of whom are now
living: Thomas and William C., both of whom are living in Miller Co.,
Mo., the former being a Predestinarian Baptist minister. James M.
Winfrey, the father of our subject, was only a lad when brought to
Missouri, but remained with his parents until grown, then married and
located on Conn's Creek, but being of a rather roving disposition,
remained here but a short time, and until about 1848 or 1849 resided on
an improved good farms in Dallas, Polk, Camden and Miller counties. He
then located on the farm where his widow now resides, and there died on
March 13, 1863, having been a member of the Osage Regiment of Missouri
Home Guards, United States Army. His wife was born in 1829, being a
daughter of Josiah Conn, who was a Tennesseean. He moved from his
native state to Alabama, where he taught school, but at an early day
removed to Missouri, locating on the prairie which afterward took the
name of Conn's Creek. He taught school after coming to Missouri, and
also preached the Gospel and farmed. Four of his eight children are
now living: Eleathea, Eleanor M., Peggie and Josiah J. To James M. and
Eleanor Winfrey were born the following family: Josiah L., William C.,
Benjamin E., Sarah E., Eleathea, Zilpha, James M., Thomas L., Penning-
ton, John C., Marshal C. and Francis T. Benjamin, Eleathea and
Pennington are deceased. Josiah L. Winfrey was reared in his native
county, and served during the Rebellion in Company C, Osage Regiment
Missouri Home Guards, as sergeant for about six months, and was then
taken to Jefferson City to guard that city. He afterward served as
orderly sergeant in Company C, Forty-eighth Missouri State Militia, and
during the war purchased the farm where he now lives, on which he has
resided since peace was declared. He was elected county assessor in
the fall of 1872, which position he held four years, taking the census
of 1876, and has held the office of justice of the peace a number of
years, being the present incumbent of that office. At one time he was
engaged in selling goods at Montreal, Mo., and in 1859 took the "gold
fever" and made a trip to Pike's Peak, but did not remain there long.
January 10, 1861 he was married to Rebecca M. Amos, who was born in
Alabama, and came to Missouri with her parents in 1857. Her death
occurred August 21, 1882, she having become the mother of eight child-
ren, seven of whom are living: Mary E., Valonia J., Rebecca M., Eliza
E., Melissa S., Sarah A., Josiah L. and Zilpha J. Josiah L., the only
son, died at the age of eleven months. Mr. Winfrey was married the
second time July 23, 1885, to Melvina C. Carlton, whose maiden name
was George. She was a daughter of Ira H. George, and was born in
Russell County, Ky., coming to Missouri in 1850, when she was nine
years old. By her first husband, Milton, who died in 1859, she became
the mother of two children: Eveline E. and William R. Her second hus-
band, Franklin S. Carlton, died September 22, 1882, and left four
children, all deceased but one, Merinda I. John H., Sarah A. and an
infant are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Winfrey have one of the handsomest
homes in the county. They are members of the church, Mr. Winfrey being
also a member of the A. F. & A. M. and the G. A. R., being Past
Commander of Montreal Lodge No. 342. In his political views he is a
stanch Republican.