a native of Tennessee, she died in 1873, aged seventy years. Thomas H. Wollard grew up on a farm immediately east of Richmond, and lived there until he enlisted in the army for the war against Mexico. He started out in Captain Israel Henley's company, with Colonel Sterling Price's regiment. They marched from Richmond to Sante Fe and thence to El Paso, Chihuahua. In the meantime, however, the company had been organized and placed under command of Captain Thomas Hudson, and assigned to Colonel A. W. Doniphan's regiment. Mr. Wollard engaged in the battles of Brazito and Sacramento, then marched to Buena Vista and Monterey, thence to New Orleans, where he was discharged from service. From New Orleans he returned home, in July, 1849. In the year 1849, he came to his present location, section 28, township 53, range 26, and has lived there ever since. He owns more than 1,300 acres of most excellent land in one body, besides other farms adjacent, amounting in the aggregate to about 2,000 acres. His home place is in a very fine state of cultivation, improved with excellent buildings, handsomely appointed for comfort and convenience. He has about 1,000 acres of blue grass and timothy, enclosed with good hedge fences, chiefly in 40 acre fields. He has three large orchards bearing the best kinds of fruit, and berries and the smaller fruits in almost endless variety and profusion. Mr. Wollard has, for twenty-five years, been making a specialty of raising cattle and mules. At present he is giving his attention almost entirely to cattle. He was married in the month of January, 1850, to Miss N. C. Prichard, a native of Ray county, Missouri. are the parents of five children: Huldah F., wife of J. M. Pugh; Mary J., wife of John H. McCuistion; John M., Laura I. and Thomas J. Mr. Wollard is one of the best and most successful farmers, as well as one of the most prominent and influential citizens of Ray county.

WILLIAM W. NELSON.

They

Was born in Lafayette county, Missouri, October, 1825. His father, John Nelson, a native of East Tennessee, came to Missouri in a very early day and settled in Lafayette county, before Lexington was laid out. He died about four years ago, aged eighty-four years. Our subject attended the district schools and lived in Lafayette county until the beginning of the war with Mexico. On the 6th day of June, 1846, he enlisted in company B, Captain William Walton, of Colonel Doniphan's regiment, and marched from Lafayette county to the seat of war in Mexico. He was engaged in the battles of Brazito and Sacramento, and, after doing much hard marching, was discharged at New Orleans, about the 1st of July, 1847, and returned home. He staid in Lafayette county until the spring of 1848, and then went again to Mexico. He remained only a short time and came back to Missouri. In the month of August, 1849, he started

to California, by the southern route, and, after traveling nearly all winter, reached there on the 22d of January, 1850. He lived there, engaged in mining for nearly four years, and then returned, by water, to Lafayette county. After remaining one year longer in his native county, he came, in 1855, to Ray county, and settled where he now lives, section thirtyone, township fifty-three, range twenty-six. He is the possessor of two hundred and sixty acres of fertile land, in a fine state of cultivation, improved with good buildings and well watered by living springs. Mr. Nelson was married in the month of June, 1856, to Miss Keziah S. Grant, a native of Daviess county, Missouri. The issue of this marriage was nine children: John W., George C., Sterling P., Leonidas, Cora A., Lavina B., Franklin Y., Leila and Clarence. Mrs. Nelson is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

MOODY MANSUR, M. D.

Dr. Moody Mansur was born in the township of Temple, Hillsboro county, New Hampshire, on the 3d day of February, 1808. In the winter of 1813, his parents removed to Windsor county, Vermont, where he remained on a farm until the month of November, 1827. He then went to Boston, Massachusetts, and engaged as clerk in a hotel with his older brother, Stephen, where he remained about two years. In February, 1829, he engaged with his brother Alvah, and one Ransom Reed, in a wholesale store, at Lowell, Massachusetts. Here he remained nearly three years. From 1832 to 1835, during the scholastic year, he attended an academy at Hampton, New Hampshire, making great advancement in English literature and the classics. After leaving this school, he went to Lowell and commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Elisha Bartlett, as preceptor. He continued with Dr. Bartlett for three years, and in the meantime attended three courses of lectures in Boston, at the medical college of Harvard University. In August, 1836, he received his diploma from this institution, conferring upon him the graduates' degree of Doctor of Medicine, and entitling him to membership in the Massachusetts Medical Society. He returned to Lowell and began the practice of his profession there, which he continued until September, 1837, and then went to Philadelphia. From there he went out as physician and surgeon, to the army in the Florida war. So efficient were the services he rendered, that not a man whom he treated died from sickness. The army was disbanded at New Orleans, and Dr. Mansur reported at Washington City for settlement of his claim for professional services. In October, 1838, he established himself in Jefferson City, Missouri, and the next year opened a drug store in connection with his practice. He continued this business there until 1841, and then went to Weston, in Platte county. There he remained until the autumn of 1844. He suffered greatly from the flood

of that year, both in property and the health of his family. In the month of November, the health of his family being sufficiently restored, he removed to Liberty, Clay county, Missouri. Here he remained until the spring of 1845, and then removed to Ray county and settled upon a part of the lands he owns at present. In 1849, he went to California, overland, with an ox team. So great were the hardships he endured on this trip, that his health was entirely destroyed, and he was prostrated with a long spell of sickness after reaching San Francisco. He remained in California until 1851, and his experiences there were varied and interesting, but our space will not permit our recounting them here. In February, 1851, he started home by way of the Isthmus of Panama and New Orleans. He spent forty days on an ocean sail vessel between San Francisco and the Isthmus. He crossed Panama on foot, and shipped in a steamer for home via New Orleans, arriving in Ray county, in the month of May. He soon after removed to his present location, section eighteen, township fifty-three, range twenty-six, and has, ever since, lived there. He owns two hundred and thirty-eight acres of good land, about half of which is in a fine state of cultivation, well improved, with handsome, comfortable residence, fine orchard and small fruits etc., of great variety and abundance. Dr. Mansur was married in the month of June, 1839, at Jefferson City, Missouri, to Miss Mary M. Basye, a native of the state of Missouri, and the daughter of Major Alfred and Frances R. Basye. Her father was a native of Kentucky, and her mother of South Carolina. Eleven children have been born to Doctor and Mrs. Mansur. Seven of them are now living, named as follows: Louisa Frances, wife of James Tinsley; George G., Elismon, Basye Gertrude, David A., Richard H., and Edward A. In politics Dr. Mansur, for twenty-nine years prior to the civil war, was a democrat. When the war broke out he sided with the cause of the Union, and since that time, until 1876, he affiliated with the republican party. Since 1876, he has been an active promulgator and supporter of the principles of the greenback-labor party. In religion Dr. Mansur is, and has been for fifty-four years, a member of the Baptist Church. His wife, one daughter and two sons, belong to the Christian Church.

LEONARD G. OSTER.

Was born in Richland county, Ohio, in October, 1838. When he was but two years of age, his parents removed with him to Caldwell county, Missouri. Here he was educated and grew up. In 1857 he went to the state of Kansas, but, remaining only a short time, removed from there to Santa Fe, New Mexico. From there he soon returned to Missouri, and remained here until 1860, when he went to Colorado, and engaged in mining for about six months. Then came back again to Mis

About the

souri, and remained here until the beginning of the civil war. first of December, 1861, he enlisted in company K, 22d regiment of Missouri volunteers, Union army. He was twice wounded and finally captured by the enemy, at the battle of Shiloh. After remaining a prisoner in the hands of the Confederates for some days he was re-taken by the Union troops. He was discharged, January 22d, 1863, at Benton barracks, St. Louis, and immediately returned home. He joined the army again, in 1864, and was engaged in the fight near Albany, Ray county. Soon afterward he was discharged from the service, and returned to farming in Caldwell county, Missouri. In 1873 he made a trip to Arkansas, and brought back with him a herd of cattle. In the year 1874 he sold his property in Caldwell county, and removed to his present location in Ray county (section thirty, township fifty-four, range twenty-six). He owns three hundred and sixteen acres of productive land, improved with a handsome new residence and other buildings, also a thrifty orchard. In addition to farming he is engaged in raising, feeding, and shipping live-stock. Mr. Oster was married, in the month of January, 1864, to Miss Rebecca A. Phillips, a native of Indian, but reared chiefly in the state of Illinois. They have eight children living: Ada D., Anna M., Herbert U., Charles, Daniel, Myrtle, Daisy, and Rosa B. Mr. Oster is a member of Myrtle Lodge, No. 338, A. F. & A. M., at Millville. Mrs. Oster is a member of the Christian Church.

JOHN A. ROSS.

The subject of this article was born in Kosciusko county, Ohio, on the 11th day of February, 1839. While he was in infancy his parents removed with him to Brown county, Ohio, and there he lived until he was nineteen years old. In the month of April, 1858, he came to Ray county, Missouri. While at St. Louis, on his way from Ohio, he attended the funeral of the distinguished Missouri senator and statesman, Thomas H. Benton. He taught school for a short time soon after his arrival in the county. In the spring of 1859 he started to Pike's Peak, Colorado, but, on arriving at St. Joseph, changed his mind and went to Des Moines, Iowa. After visiting several places in that state, he returned to Missouri, and taught school for a short time in Mercer county. From that time until the beginning of the civil war he traveled through western Missouri, pursuing the business of sign writing. On the 19th day of June, 1861, he enlisted in company A, 1st Missouri battalion mounted infantry, 8th division, Missouri state guards, captain, David Boone; lieutenant-colonel, John W. Payne; division commander, General James Raines. He was engaged in the battles of Dug Spring, Wilson's Creek, Dry Wood, and Lexington. At the latter place, after the battle, the command was

re-organized, called the 6th cavalry, and placed under the command of Colonel John T. Coffee. Mr. Ross was appointed ordnance master, in which position he continued until he was discharged from the service. He was engaged in the battles of Pea Ridge, Shiloh, and Farmington. Mr. Ross was the first to reach and raise the Union general Lyon after he was shot, at the battle of Wilson's Creek, early in the war. Having been sick and unable to do duty, and, in consequence, committed to the hospital at Mobile, Alabama, Mr. Ross was discharged from that institution in the summer of 1863, and went to Fort Laramie, to Denver, and to Montana, where he engaged for about two years in mining. From there he went to Nevada, thence to California, from California to Mexico, and from there to Central America, and thence into South America, where he remained, in Quito, a short time; thence he came back to the coast, and from the coast to the West Indies. Here he remained a short time, and then sailed for New York. Arriving there, he spent some time in that city. Then he came west, and stopped for a short time in Brown county, Ohio. From there he came to Ray county, Missouri, arriving in the month of March, 1866. The succeeding year he started again to California, but being taken sick at Rock Bluff, he returned to Lafayette county, Missouri, and remained there about three years. In the fall of 1869 he came to his present location in this county, section 22, township 54, range 26. He owns a fine, fertile farm of four hundred acres, all inclosed by good fences, and well improved. Mr. Ross was married in 1876, to Miss Sarah I. Cato, a native of the state of Alabama. They have three children: John A., Anna, and Samuel R. Mr. Ross is a member of Dover Lodge No. 122, A. F. & A. M.

JACOB VANTRUMP.

Jacob Vantrump was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, in the year 1845. He lived there on a farm until 1859, and then came to Ray county, Missouri. In 1867 he moved to his present location, (section 23, township 53, range 26,) where he owns ninety acres of excellent land, enclosed with good hedges, and well improved. He has a very fine orchard, two good wells, and an unfailing spring. He enlisted August 1, 1864, in company F, 44th Missouri infantry, Union army. He participated in the battle of Mobile, Alabama. In November, 1864, he was attacked by sickness, and lay in the hospital for several months. He was discharged from the army August 1, 1865, at St. Louis, and at once returned home to Ray county. Mr. Vantrump was married June 10, 1866, to Miss Eliza Ann Bowman, a native of Rockingham county, Virginia. They became the parents of six children, named as follows: Mary E., John H., Sarah A., Rebecca F., Temperance M., and Madissa