BIOGRAPHIES--B
Cape Girardeau
County Missouri Genealogy Trails
FRANCIS
M. BAKER, a substantial farmer and proprietor of Baker's
Flouring Mill in Apple Creek Township, Cape Girardeau County, was born
on the farm where he now resides, on March 9, 1838. He is the
son of Joseph Baker, Jr., also a native of Cape Girardeau County, born
in 1806. He was a son of Joseph Baker, Sr., who immigrated to
Missouri from North Carolina when a young man, and was married in Cape
Girardeau County. Joseph Baker, Jr., grew to manhood at his
father's home and was married to Anna Young, also a native of Cape
Girardeau, County. He settled on the farm where the subject
of the sketch now resides, in 1838, remaining there until his death,
about 1848. His wife still survives (1888). Francis
M. grew to manhood on his father's farm and in 1859 went to California
by the way of New York. Crossing the Isthmus of Panama he
sailed along the Pacific coast as far as San Francisco. He
remained in California and Nevada about eight years, and was engaged in
mining, ranching and freighting. He arrived home on December
17, 1867, after which he bought out the other heir's interest in the
old homestead, and has since been engaged in farming. On May
5, 1868, he was united in marriage with Mary C. Reeves, a native of
Cape Girardeau County. She is a daughter of William Reeves,
formerly from North Carolina. Mr. Baker is a Mason, and a
member of the A. O. U. W. In politics he is a Democrat.
He purchased his mill in the fall of 1881, and rebuilt it the
next year. He now has a good custom mill, with a daily
capacity of about 200 bushels. He has a fine farm of 300
acres, of which about 200 acres are under cultivation, upon which he
has a nice home.
Source: Goodspeed's History
of Southeast Missouri, c1888, p. 742-743.
GEORGE H. BARKS,
a substantial farmer of Liberty Township, Cape Girardeau County,. was
born in Bollinger County, Mo., on February 26, 1849. He is a son
of Joseph Barks, also a native of Bollinger County, born in 1810.
The latter was the son of Humteel Barks, one of the early
settlers of Southeast Missouri from North Carolina. Joseph Barks
grew to maturity, and married in his native county. His wife,
Serena (Parton) Barks, was born in Cape Girardeau County. After
his marriage Mr. Barks located in Cape Girardeau County on the farm
where the subject of this sketch now resides. The former
purchased new land, which he improved, and upon which he resided until
his death in July, 1882. His widow is still living. She and
her husband reared four children, all of whom are living, and with the
exception of one daughter in Bollinger County, reside in Cape Girardeau
County. George H. remained with his father until his death, after
which he took charge of the home farm. Since his father's death
he has purchased more land, and now has about 250 acres, of which 125
acres are cleared. In December, 1871, he married Sarah Newkirk, a
native of Bollinger County. She died in 1873. On April 20,
1879 Mr. Barks was united in marriage with Mary Ann Proffer, a daughter
of George Proffer, and a native of Cape Girardeau County. This
union has been blessed by the birth of two children: Dora J. and
Joseph L. Mr. Barks is a member of the Agricultural Wheel.
Source: Goodspeed's History of Southeast Missouri, c1888, p. 743.
JONATHAN H. BARKS
was born in what is now Bollinger County, September 22, 1840, and
is a son of Joseph and Serena (Parton) Barks. The former was born
in Bollinger County in 1811, and was the son of Humteel Barks, a native
of North Carolina, who settled in Cape Giarardeau County in 1800,
having received a Spanish grant of 640 acres of land on Whitewater
Creek. Humteel Barks' father was killed in the Revolutionary War.
After his marriage Joseph Barks located on Whitewater Creek,
where he resided until selling his farm in 1855, then moving to Kansas.
The following fall he returned to Dent County, purchaed a farm
which he cultivated until the spring of 1856, when he removed to Cape
Girardeau County and located upon the farm where George H. Barks now
resides, living there until his death in 1882. His widow still
survives. She was born in Cape Girardeau County in 1819. J.
H. Barks was reared at home, and received his education in the
subscription schools. He has been twice married; first on
February 6, 1862 to Josephine Snider, a native of Bollinger County and
a daughter of Andrew Snider, deceased. Soon after his marriage
Mr. Barks removed to his present home in Cape Girardeau County.
His farm consists of 300 acres, with about 140 under cultivation.
His wife died in 1872, leaving one daughter, Mary C., wife of
Joseph Manning of Bollinger county. Mr. Barks next married
October 31, 1886, Narcissa Jones, a native of Arkansas, born near
Helena on March 11, 1856. She was reared in Cape Girardeau
County, and is a member of the Methodist Church. Mr. Barks is a
Master Mason.
Source: Goodspeed's History of Southeast Missouri, c1888, p. 743.
GEORGE W. BAST,
a member of the firm of Bast & Kurre, proprietors of the
Burfordville Saw Mills, Cape Girardeau County, Mo., was born in that
county, October 8, 1838, and is a son of George Bast, a native of
Lncoln County, Ky., born in 1795. The latter grew to manhood in
his native State, and married Ruth Bell, born near Harper's Ferry, Va.
After their marrige they removed to New Orleans, and thence to
Cape Girardeau County about 1827. They first located near
Jackson, but afterward removed to the west part of the county, which is
now a part of Bollinger County. Mr. Bast died there in 1882.
His widow still survives and is eighty-two years old, being
remarkably active for one of her age. They reared a family of
three sons and five daughters, all of whom are now grown and married.
They all reside, with the exception of one daughter in
California, in Cape Girardeau County. George W. grew to manhood
at his father's home, and received a common school education, which has
been greatly improved since arriving at mature years by much desultory
reading. He taught school one term in his younger days. On
December 6, 1857 he wedded Mahala Slinkard, a native of Cape Girardeau
County, and a daughter of Joseph and Ally Slinkard. After his
marriage Mr. Bast located on a farm in Bollinger County. In 1861
he enlisted in Col. Jeff. Thompson's regiment (Confederate), with which
he served six months, when he was discharged and returned home.
In 1864 he went to Montana, and was there engaged in mining for
six years returning home on December 29, 1870. He was then
engaged in the hotel business for a short time at Des Arc, Mo., after
which he removed to Poplar Bluff and was engaged in the saw mill
business under the firm name of Bast & Baker and in doing a large
busines, manufacturing over 30,000 feet of lumber per year. He
also own a farm of new land on White Water Creek, which is being
managed and improved by hired men. Mr. Bast is a meber of the A.
F. & A. M. of the A. O. U. W. He and wife have two daughters:
Alice (Mrs. Fred (?unable to read) and Lourana E. (Mrs. J. H.
Estes).
Source: Goodspeed's History of Southeast Missouri, c1888, p. 743-744.
LEWIS M. BEAN
was born in Cape Girardeau County, September 20, 18?? (may be 1841) and
is a son of Robert Bean and Mary McFarland. The former was born
in North Carolina in 1805, and was a son of Moses Bean, a native of
Scotland, who settled in Pickens County, S. C., when a young man.
He was married there in 1792. Robert Bean was reared in
North Carolina and Tennessee, and came to Missouri in 1828. The
year of his arrival he was married on the farm where the subject of
this sketch now resides. Mary McFarland was born in Ireland, of
Scotch parents, who came to America about 1810. After his
marriage Robert Bean located on the farm adjoining Lewis M. Bean's
present farm in Hubble Township, Cape Girardeau County. He
improved the place and resided there until his death, August 13, 1864.
His widow lived until July 1885. They reared to mature
years seven sons and three daughters, of whom two sons and three
daughters are still living. They all reside in Cape Girardeau
County. Lewis M. grew to manhood in the neighborhood of his
birth, and received a good education in the common shcools, which was
completed at the Jackson High School. For thirteen years he was a
teacher in his native county. Previous to the war Mr. Bean was a
Democrat, but since that time he has acted with the Republican party.
He has held various county offices. He was appointed and
served four years as deputy county surveyor. He also served as
deputy assessor and deputy sheriff for a number of years. In 1880
he was elected county assessor and re-elected in 1882. In 1884 he
was again appointed deputy sheriff and served until 1887. Mr.
Bean has been married three times. His first wife was Elizabeth
A. Miller, to whom he was married on December 24, 1866. She died
August 29, 1872, leaving one son, Robert B. His second wife,
Sarah A. Priest, to whom he was united on May 26, 1874, died on March
13, 1885. There are four children by this union: Mary M.,
William W., Lewis M., Jr. and Wilson Cramer. On May 19, 1886, Mr.
Bean married Miss Fannie Marckley, a daughter of John C. Marckley of
Porland, Ore. Mrs. Bean was born in Oregon, but was reared and
educated in Illinois and Missouri and had taught school for seventeen
years previous to her marriage. Mr. Bean is now engaged in
surveying and farming. He is a member of Excelsior Lodge No. 441,
A. F. & A. M.
Source: Goodspeed's History of Southeast Missouri, c1888, p. 744.
WILLIAM M. BENNETT
is the son of James N. and Sarah (Sheppard) Bennett, the former a
native of Madison County, Mo., and the latter a native of Cape
Girardeau County. The father was born in 1807, and was the son of
Joseph Bennett, a native of Tennessee, who was one of the early settler
of Madison County, Mo. James N., the father, served as constable
of Byrd Township twelve or fourteen years. He served as deputy
sheriff and then as sheriff each four years. In 1843 he bought
and settled on the farm where William M. now resides. He remained
there until his death in May, 1857. His wife survived him several
years. They reared to maturity a family of three sons and two
daughters, of whom two sons and one daughter are still living.
The brother is in Arkansas, and the sister resides in Cape
Girardeau County. William M. was born in Jackson, on November 14,
1833, and grew to manhood on his father's farm. On November 26,
1857 he was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Sheppard, daughter of
Elisha and Malinda (Blount) Sheppard. The father, a native of
North Carolina, came to Cape Girardeau County when a young man.
The mother came to Jackson with her parents in 1804. She is
now living with Mrs. Bennett. After marriage Mr. Bennett located
on a farm near his present farm, to which he removed in 1871. He
has 119 acres, of which seventy-five acres are improved, and upon which
he has a comfortable house and outbuildings. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett
are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. He is a
member of the A. O. U. W. They have had four children, viz:
Ida May (Mrs. Albert P. Sheppard), James E., Sarah J. (died in
infancy) and Minnie A. (died at the age of seventeen years).
Source: Goodspeed's History of Southeast Missouri, c1888, p. 744.
C. F. BETTEN,
city clerk of Cape Girardeau, was born in Madison County, Mo. in 1856.
He is the son of John Betten, a native of Westphalia, Germany,
born in 1825. About 1850 the father came to America, locating in
Madison County, Mo., and engaged in mining very extensively. In
1869 he removed to Ste. Genevieve, where he died in November, 1884.
The mother is also a native of Germany, and at present resides
with her son, the subject of this sketch. Seven children were
born to the parents, of whom two sons and two daughters are living.
When C. F. Betten was ten years of age he was taken by his
parents to Ste. Genevieve, Mo., and was soon after placed in St.
Benedict college, Atchison, Kas., where he remained four years,
graduating in 1871. He then filled the position of bookkeeper in
Carondelet Savings Bank for five years. In 1878 he came to Cape
Girardeau County and served as United States deputy collector from that
time till 1884. He then engaged in the hotel business until he
was appointed to his present position in May, 1887. In November
1880, he was united in marriage with Mary Julia, eldest daughter of
Judge David L. Hawkins of Cape Girardeau. Mr. Betten is
vice-president of Branch No. 274 of the Catholic Knights of America.
Source: Goodspeed's History of Southeast Missouri, c. 1888, p. 745.
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