Subjects of Perrin, Battle & Kniffin 1885 Biographies

From: Kentucky, A History of the State. Perrin, Battle & Kniffin. 2nd ed., 1885, Webster Co.
DR. W.I. MOORE was born November 6, 1844, in Union, now Webster County, Ky., and is a son of A.M.C. and Amanda (Eddings) Moore. The father was born in Muhlenburgh [sic] County, and died in 1870, aged fifty. The mother was born in Union County, and died in 1877, aged fifty. Our subject was reared on his father's farm and received a good literary education; he commenced the study of medicine at the age of eighteen, and three years later studied under the preceptorship of Dr. Jeff Holeman, after which he went to Louisville, and entered the Kentucky School of Medicine, from which he graduated in 1870; he also received an honorary degree from the University of Louisville; he then located in Clayville, where he has since been actively engaged in the practice of his chosen profession. The Doctor has lost but fifty days' practice since coming here. He has held the office of deputy county clerk the past fourteen years. He is secretary of the Webster County Medical Association, and is chairman of the board f health in the county at this time, and has been a member of the United Baptist Church since the age of eighteen, and is now moderator of that body. The Doctor was married in 1867 to Miss Penelope J. Hammack, a native of Union County. Three sons and two daughters have blessed their union. Respective ages: Mary, sixteen, May 19, 1885; Lorney, eleven, March 3, 1885; Bain, nine, March 3, 1885; Leula, four, January 30, 1885; Steven Compton, born April 4, 1885.


DR. DAVID MOREHEAD is a native of Union County, Ky., born November 30, 1821, and is a son of Enoch and Elizabeth (Parrick) Morehead. He is the second of a family of eleven children, and is of Scotch-English origin. His parents were born in Rutherford County, N.C.; his father was born in 1799. Our subject's paternal grandfather was a Virginian, and a soldier in the Revolutionary war. The early life of Dr. Morehead was spent on the farm. By great diligence, and through his own efforts, he secured a fair common school education, and in 1841, began reading medicine; he studied alone for some time, but afterward continued the study and commenced to practice under the instruction of Dr. Rufus Linthicum. In 1858 he began to practice on his own account, and has since been a successful physician. In 1859 he settled where he now resides. He was married May 6, 1841, to Miss Elizabeth N. Grayson, a native of Rutherford County, N.C., and a daughter of Joseph and Lettice Grayson. This union has been blessed with seven children: Letitia J., William W., Celia E., Samuel J., Enoch R., James D. and Joseph D. Dr. Morehead is a Democrat. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, having united with that denomination in 1836. He is a Mason and an Odd Fellow.


WILL A. MORROW was born October 2, 1825, in Person County, N.C., and is a son of John and Mary (Winstead) Morrow, both natives of the same county and State. About 1840 the family came to Hopkins County, now Webster County, and settled on the farm now owned by T.J. Jackson. The father died in November, 1876, aged eighty-two. The mother died in 1850, aged fifty. Our subject was reared on his father's farm, and in 1857 moved to his present farm, which then consisted of 162 1/2 acres of land. This he has since increased to 286 acres, largely improved. He was married in 1864, to Sarah T. Cox, of Hopkins County. This union has been blessed with eight children - five sons and three daughters.


CAMPBELL T. MOUNTS was born December 3, 1846, in Brooke County, W. Va., and in 1859 removed with his mother to Hopkins (now Webster) County, Ky., where he still continues to reside. He is the son of Daniel S. Mounts, who was born in 1805, in Ohio County, W. Va., and died in 1857. Daniel S. was the son of Providence Mounts, a native of Virginia, born near Washington, D.C. His father was a Frenchman. Subject's mother, Temperance Mounts, of Brooke County, W.Va., was born in 1812, and after the death of her husband, had the care and responsibility of the family thrown onto her hands, and is now enjoying an honored old age. To her and her husband were born Indiana (Pratt and Hendricks), John M., Mary V. (Crowley), Campbell T., Temperance R. (Parker) and Taylor D. Campbell T. married, October 28, 1879, Sudie, daughter of Joel Parker of Webster County. Mr. Mounts is a successful farmer, having 718 acres of fair land, in good condition and in a fine state of cultivation. In his political sentiments he is a Republican.


GEORGE W. NALL was born December 12, 1834 in Hopkins County, Ky., and is a son of George W. and Margaret (Holeman) Nall. The father was born in Hopkins County, and died October 31, 1882, aged eighty-three; the mother was born in Caldwell County, February 27, 1804 and died in 1854. Our subject in youth received a liberal education; at the age of twenty he settled on a tract of 100 acres of land given him by his father, and has since increased this land from time to time, to about 400 acres, and it is one of the best improved farms in his locality. In 1882 he built a barn 60x80 feet, at a cost of about $2,000; this barn is said to be the best arranged of any in this part of the State. Mr. Nall was married in March 1856, to Martha Banks, of Union County; she died in January 1867, leaving three sons and three daughters. October 30, 1867, Mr. Nall married Sarah E. McClellan of Webster County. Two sons and four daughters have blessed this union.


ALEXANDER NISWONGER was born in Webster County, Ky., November 16, 1860, to John H. and Letitia (Coffman) Niswonger, natives of Ohio and Kentucky, and of German descent. John H. Niswonger received a good classical education in youth in his native State, where he was engaged in teaching for several years. About 1848 he removed to Henderson County, Ky., where he taught for a number of years; afterward he removed to what is now Webster County, where he was married and engaged in farming for several years. In 1872 he removed to Hopkins County, and bought a farm near Nebo, upon which he still resides; he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Alexander Niswonger assisted on his father's farm until he attained his majority, after which he farmed a part of the home place on shares for one year. In 1882 he came to Providence, where he has since been successfully engaged in the drug business, and general merchandising. He carries a well selected stock of goods in his line, amounting to about $1,000; his annual sales amount to about $6,000. Mr. Niswonger is yet unmarried. In politics he is a Democrat.

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