Subjects of Perrin, Battle & Kniffin 1885 Biographies
From: Kentucky, A History of the State. Perrin, Battle & Kniffin. 2nd ed.,
1885, Webster Co.
GEORGE M. BAKER was born January 23, 1844, in Hopkins, now Webster County,
Ky., and is a son of James and Sarah (Price) Baker. In 1864 he made an
extended tour through Montana, Idaho, California, and other Western States.
The following year he returned to Webster County, and engaged in school
teaching. In 1869 he opened a general store in Dixon, and continued
business there about three years. In 1873 he visited Texas, where he
remained about four months, after which he returned and engaged in
agricultural pursuits on the farm where he was born. He came to his
present farm in 1882; this farm consists of 520 acres. He also owns 147
acres adjoining this farm on the north. Mr. Baker was married October 8,
1873, to Jennie Rice, of Hopkins County; she died January 3, 1882, leaving
five children - three sons and two daughters. His second marriage was in
April 1883, to Mary K. Rice, of this county. One son has blessed this
union. Mr. and Mrs. Baker are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian
Church.
JAMES W. BARNHILL was born in Hopkins County, Ky, December 16, 1848, a son
of James B. and Emma (Wynns) Barnhill, both natives of North Carolina, and
of English descent. He was employed on his father's farm until he attained
his majority, when his father gave him a part of the old homestead, upon
which he erected a house and engaged in farming until May, 1883, when his
house was destroyed by fire. He then left the farm which he still owns and
came to Providence, where he now resides. In 1884, he erected a new and
commodious hotel at Providence. It is a neat, snug building, conveniently
located and elegantly furnished with all modern improvements, while the
table is always furnished with the best the market affords. It is
universally conceded by the traveling public to be one of the very best
hotels in western Kentucky. Mr. Barnhill and his estimable wife are well
qualified for the position of landlord and landlady. Mr. Barnhill
represents the old reliable Continental Insurance Company of New York. He
was married March 6, 1872, to Miss Annie M. Eades, a native of Muhlenburgh
County, Ky. They have one son - Claude H. Mr. and Mrs. Barnhill are
members of the United Baptist Church. He is a member of the Masonic
fraternity, and in politics a Democrat.
JOHN A. BASSETT, M.D. was born in Bracken County, Ky., March 18, 1841, son
of Elijah and Mary O. (Pearl) Bassett, the former a native of Bracken
County, Ky., the latter of Fauquier County, Va., and both of English
origin. Elijah Bassett was married in his native county. When a youth, he
was employed in the county clerk's office with Gen. Payne for several
years. When he attained his majority he was appointed deputy sheriff under
his father, and held that position about four years. In 1841 or 1842 he
moved to Hopkins County, Ky., where he bought a farm, and engaged in
farming for five or six years. In 1847 he returned to Bracken County, and
was appointed sheriff, which office he held for several years. He then
engaged in general merchandising and in the tobacco business at Brookville,
until December, 1855, when he again removed to Hopkins County, Ky., where
he engaged in farming until 1862. He then came to Providence, Webster Co.,
Ky., where he resided until his death in October, 1864, in his fifty-second
year. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity. Our subject, at the age
of eighteen, commenced the study of medicine, under his uncle, Dr. James
Bassett, of Providence, and while pursuing his medical studies taught
school a part of the time for about three years. In the winter of 1863 and
1864, he attended the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis, Mo. In 1864,
he returned to Providence, where he has since practiced his profession. He
graduated from the medical department of the University of Louisville, with
the class of 1874-75. The Doctor was also interested in the drug business
at Providence for about two years. He was first married December 31, 1868,
to Miss Virginia F. Wetzell, a native of Providence, who bore him two
children, one of whom - a daughter - is now living. Mrs. Virginia F.
Bassett died January 20, 1871; she was a member of the United Baptist
Church. Dr. Bassett's second marriages was November 13, 1872, to Miss
Martha F. Givens, a native of Hopkins County, Ky. Six children have
blessed their union, of whom three sons are now living. The Doctor and
wife are members of the United Baptist Church. He is a member of the
Masonic fraternity, Select Master's degree, and has served his lodge as
W.M. and in various other official capacities. He is a Democrat.
JOHNSON H. BEARD, Webster County, was born in North Carolina, July 15,
1832, to Louis and Rachael P. (Troy) Beard, natives of North Carolina, and
of German and Scotch-Irish descent. Louis Beard was educated and married
in his native State, where he learned the saddler's trade, which he
followed for a number of years, and then learned the tanning business, and
for some time conducted a tannery. In 1847 he removed to Mississippi,
where he died in January, 1863, in his seventy-fourth year. Both the
grandfathers of our subject were soldiers in the war of 1812, and his
grandfather Beard also of the Florida war. Johnson H. Beard, at the age of
fifteen, commenced to learn the carpenter's trade, serving an
apprenticeship of six years with his brother, Alexander Z. Beard. He
followed his trade in Mississippi until 1872, when he removed to Kansas,
where he remained nearly two years; in January, 1874, he came to Providence
in Webster Co., Ky., where he has ever since been employed at his trade.
In January, 1883 he was appointed postmaster, which office he still holds.
In the fall of 1863, he enlisted in the Confederate service, and served in
the quartermaster's department until the close of the war. He was married
in November, 1861, to Miss Sarah F. Sanders, a native of Mississippi. Six
children have blessed their union, of whom two sons and three daughters are
living. Mr. Beard was for two years police judge at Providence, and for
the past three years has held the office of deputy county clerk. He and
wife, and eldest daughter are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church
South. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity, having advanced to
the R.A. degree. He is an earnest advocate of the temperance cause, and in
politics a Democrat.
CHARLES F. BEESON was born in Hopkins County, Ky., March 20, 1841; a son of
William and Deborah (McCulley) Beeson, both natives of the "Old Dominion,"
and of English and Irish origin, respectively. William Beeson, when a
young man, removed to Hopkins County, Ky., and bought a partially improved
farm near Madisonville, upon which he resided, with the exception of four
or five years, until his death. He was married in Hopkins County. For
many years he engaged in flat-boating down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers,
shipping live stock and produce to New Orleans and other points along the
rivers. For several years he carried on the tanning business, but for the
last ten years of his life was employed in farming exclusively. He died in
1848; he and wife were members of the United Baptist Church. Charles F.
remained on the home farm with his mother, who is still living and is
residing with him, until he was twenty years old. He then came to
Providence, Webster Co., Ky., where for several years he was engaged in the
live stock trade, and afterward for about ten years, in the tobacco
business, in connection with the stock business. In 1876 he erected a
tobacco stemmery at Providence, and has since been exclusively engaged in
the tobacco stemming business. He was married, January 24, 1872, to Miss
Laura Rudy, a native of Henderson County, Ky. They have two children: Mary
and George W. Mr. and Mrs. Beeson are members of the United Baptist
Church. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, having advanced to the
council of Select Master's degree. He is a Democrat.
DR. A.E. BENTLEY was born April 10, 1840, in Staffordshire, England, and is
a son of William H. and Eliza (Astle) Bentley, both natives of the same
place. The father, who was engaged in manufacturing, died in 1862, aged
forty-nine years. The mother still resides in England. Our subject, at
the age of sixteen, entered Queen's College, Birmingham, and graduated with
honors at the age of twenty-one; he then came to America, and, after
remaining about six weeks, returned and arranged his business in England.
In a few weeks he returned to New York City, where he engaged in the
practice of medicine about five years. During that time he had acquired a
fortune by speculating. On account of his mother's illness, he returned to
England, and during his absence his entire fortune was swept away by bank
failures in New York. On his return to this country he learned, for the
first time, of his misfortunes, and concluded to go to New Mexico; there he
remained about eighteen months engaged in the practice of his profession,
and acquired from the proceeds of his practice, solely, a herd of about 300
head of cattle and mules, valued at about $12,000. While driving this herd
to the States, and when near the Kansas Line, he was surprised by the
Indians, who took all the stock and killed all the herders. The Doctor,
having a fleet horse, escaped, and proceeded to Fort Lyon for protection.
This horse he exchanged for passage to Kansas by stage, and thence by rail
to Philadelphia. In 1868 he came to Webster County, Ky., where he has
since been actively engaged in the practice of his profession. Since
September, 1883, he has been a resident of Dixon. Dr. Bentley was married,
in 1868, in Philadelphia, to Mrs. Hernandez, of Savannah, Ga., who died in
April, 1875, leaving two daughters. His second marriage was in February,
1876, to Margaret Bowles, of Christian County. He is a member of the
Masonic fraternity.
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