John H. Inman.—Occupying a
representative position among the leading business men of "Webb
City, Missouri, is John H. Inman, of the firm of Inman &
Charles, dealers in dry goods and gents' furnishings.
Mr. Inman is a native of Barry county, Missouri. He was born
December 10, 1856, a son of John H. and Virginia (Clark) Inman,
both natives of Arkansas, the former of German and the latter of
Irish descent. The father was a farmer by occupation. During the
Civil war he was in the Confederate service, under General
Price, and died in the army, at Pine Bluff, Arkansas, in 1862.
His widow is still living, now making her home with her son in
Oklahoma. Of her four children, John H., the subject of this
sketch, is the second in order of birth.
John H. Inman received his early training in the rural schools
of his native county. The death of his father and the
vicissitudes of war left him a poor boy dependent upon his own
resources. Leaving school at the age of seventeen, he went to
Joplin and began work in the mines, which he continued five
years. In the meantime he prospected and struck a good lead
mine, which he operated with fair profit for a period of three
years. Then he sold his mining interests and entered the employ
of Mr. John F. Wise, who was engaged in the wholesale feed
business, and as office man remained with Mr. Wise about two
years. At the end of this time, returning to Barry county, he
accepted a position in the general merchandise store of
Northcutt & Smith, in whose employ he remained one year. Then,
in 1882, he married. The first six months of his married life
were spent at Washburn, Missouri, where he was engaged in the
produce and grocery business. Selling his business there, he
moved to Purdy, Barry county, where he was soon afterward
appointed postmaster, a position he filled four years under
President Cleveland's administration. Next we find him going out
as a traveling representative with a shoe line. For over eight
years he covered a territory and sold shoes, at first
representing a Springfield, Missouri, house, und the past two
years being connected with a Jefferson City firm. On his
retirement from the road he took up his residence at Prosperity,
Jasper county, where he engaged in mercantile business under the
firm name of Inman & Pittman. This partnership continued about
five years, at the end of which time Mr. Inman sold out and came
to Webb City, where he engaged in business at 905 West Daugherty
street, in partnership with S. H. Charles, under the firm name
of Inman & Charles. This business was established in 1897, in a
small way, and by its enterprising owners has been gradually
extended and enlarged until it has reached its present
proportions. It ranks to-day as one of the best dry goods and
gents' furnishing goods stores in Webb City. In addition to the
store, Mr. Inman and his partner own and control a number of
valuable mining leases in the Webb City district.
On June 8, 1882, Mr. Inman married Miss Louise Northcutt, a
native of Missouri, and a daughter of the Rev. J. K. Northcutt,
one of the
pioneer settlers of Barry county. They are the parents of four
children, all born in Purdy, namely: Orland K., Edith, John J.
and Louise.
Mr. and Mrs. Inman are identified with the Baptist church, and
politically Mr. Inman affiliates with the Democratic party, of
recent years, however, taking no active part in politics. He has
membership in numerous fraternal organizations, including the
Free and Accepted Masons, Knights of Pythias, Independent Order
of Odd Fellows and Modern Woodmen of America. In the lodges of
both the Knights of Pythias and the Odd Fellows he has passed
all the chairs. His Masonic- membership is in Purdy Lodge, No.
148.
Submitted by Janice - 2009
George W. Long is postmaster
at Galena. Prior to his appointment to that office during the
present administration he had become known as a young and
vigorous business man and merchant.
He practically grew up in the grocery trade and knows its every
detail not only from the point of view of a salesman but also
from the business office. He first became known to the citizens
of Galena in 1897 when he entered the service of one of the
grocery stores and was employed as a clerk up to 1904. He gave
up his work long enough during that year to attend the Joplin
Business College, and fortified with this training he returned
to Galena and resumed employment in a store for six months. Then
in 1905 he set up in business for himself and now owns that
excellent market known to all the people of Galena at 923 East
Seventh Street. He also owns his residence at 915 East Fifth
Street.
Mr. George W. Long was born in Barry County, Missouri, January
18, 1884, and his family were among the early settlers in that
section of Southern Missouri. The Longs came originally from
England and first settled in the Carolinas and afterwards were
pioneers in the State of Tennessee. His grandparents Washburn
and Margaret Long were both natives of Tennessee. His
grandfather was born in 1831 and died in Barry County, Missouri,
in 1909. He went to Missouri in 1853, and spent the rest of his
days there as a farmer.
Aaron Long, father of George W., is a well known citizen of
Galena. He was born in Barry County, Missouri, in 1850 reared
and married there, and took up merchandising which he followed
in Missouri until his removal to Galena in 1898. For a time he
was a grocer in Galena, later proprietor of a hotel, and
is now back in the grocery business, having a store at Tenth
Street and Euclid Avenue.. His political support has always been
given to the democratic party and during his residence in
Missouri he served on the County Central Committee. He is a
member of the Christian Church and belongs to the Masonic Lodge
at Cassville, Missouri. Aaron Long married Lucy Ethridge, who
was born in Marion County, Illinois, in 1852. Their children
are: Charles, a farmer in Barry County, Missouri; Ida, wife of
W. M. Hemphill, a Barry County farmer; Anna, wife of E. P.
Moore, who is employed in the grocery business at Galena; Edna,
wife of Dow Moore, a wholesale grocer at Galena; George W.;
Lena, who lives with her parents and is employed as a
bookkeeper; Stella, who died unmarried at Galena at the age of
twenty-six.
The early life of George W. Long was spent in Barry County,
where he received his early education in the public schools. His
life has been one of varied interests and every worthy movement
finds in him a loyal advocate. He is active in the First
Christian Church at Galena as a deacon, is a member of the
Galena Community Club, and is affiliated with Lodge No. 195
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Lodge No. 677 Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks, and Lodge No. 266 Fraternal Order of
Eagles, all of Galena. For two years he served as chairman of
the City Democratic Central Committee. He was city alderman one
term and was treasurer of the board of education two terms.
In 1907 in Galena he married Miss Ethel Baines, a daughter of
George W. and Naomi (Page) Baines. Her mother died in May, 1916,
and her father is a farmer in Cherokee County. Mr. and Mrs. Long
have one child, George Aaron, born December 4, 1908.
Submitted by Janice - 2009