Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/652

 582 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI lowed three children were born to the couple, and in 1880 JMrs. West died in Dunklin county. The names of the three children are as follows : W. H., the eldest, the present assessor of Duiiklin county; Daisy, who died at the age of eighteen ; Lul, who did not sur- vive infancy. In 1881 Mr. West celebrated his second marriage, to IMiss Rosalie T. Greer, a native of Scott county, Missouri, where she passed her maiden life. Mrs. Rosalie West became the mother of nine children, five of wliom died in infancy; one, Rosa, survived until she was fifteen years of age, and the three living children are as follows: Martha M., who was educated in the schools of Ken- nett, and is now a teacher in that place, af- ter having taught two years at Senath, Mis- souri ; Grace and Ruth, who are still pupils in the public schools. ]Mr. West is affiliated with the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows, in which society he is a past noble grand and its present treas- urer. He holds membership with the Chris- tian church of Kennett ; for a period of forty years has been connected with the Disciples and during that time he has ever been an active worker for the local church which he attended ; indeed, Mr. West is so constituted that he is bound to take an active part m connection with any enterprise in which he believes. This is as true in regard to politics as it is with religious matters. He finds in the Democratic platform the elements of good government, and, sueli being his views, he has been constant in upholding the Democratic party, which in its turn has shown its ap- preciation of his support and of his abilities and character by bestowing honors on him. It is well to state, however, that none of the offices which he has filled have been sinecures, but on the contrary have required the in- telligent care which they have received at his hands. In 1902 Mr. West was elected chairman of the board of trustees of Kennett; after serv- ing on the board for the ensuing five years he declined re-election and was released from office the following two years. His^. services, however, were too valuable for him to be allowed to continue inactive in that regard, and in 1908 he was re-elected to the board of trustees, in which capacity he has served continuously ever since. Many of the im- provements which have appeared in Kennett during the last few yeare are the direct re- sult of his influence and efforts. For six years he sei'ved as police judge of Kennett, performing the duties pertaining to that of- fice in the most scrupulous manner; but in such a quiet, effective way did he go to work that he was able to accomplish splendid re- sults without making enemies. At the close of his six years' term, he was held in the highest esteem by both Republican and Dem- ocratic parties alike. He served two terms as justice of the peace, the first four years from January, 1897, to January, 1901, and he was again elected in the fall of 1906, serv- ing from Januaiy, 1907, to January, 1911. In 1910 Mr. West was the regular Democratic nominee for the office of probate judge, and was elected by a large majority. He took office on the first of January, 1911, since which time his efforts have been directed to- wards tlie fulfilment of the duties of his office, of the importance of which he has the liigliest realization. Judge AVest does not claim to be anything of a public speaker, as he believes that for him at least actions are more eft'ective than words. He is generally to be found on con- vention committees, where he can be de- pended on to work for the Democratic cause and for the public good in general. Per- haps the reason that air. West has been able to win the confidence of the people to so large an extent is because, in his eyes, no duties are trivial. Anything which he under- takes he performs as if that duty were of the utmost importance. A man with such a high sense of responsibility is sure to accomplish great things in the world, as has been the case with Judge West. Hiram P. Geaslin, justice of the peace at Hornersville, is an ahle citizen of Dunklin county whose career of usefulness is highly appreciated by his fellow citizens. The en- ergj' and ambition which accomplish things unaided ]>y outside influences and in spite of difficulties have been his throughout his life, and relying on these qualities he has attained an honored position in his com- munity. Born on a farm in Lawrence coimtv, Ar- kansas, October 19, 1873, he lost his father when he was two years old, and he lived at home with his mother until he was twenty- two. His mother died in 1899, her last years having been spent near her son and his "wife. Up to the time he was seventeen years old he attended the public schools, including two