Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/683

 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 605 turn hy another. He retired from otifice iu January, 1911, with twelve years of suecessful political life to his credit. Resuming private life, he entered the domain of finance, becom- ing cashier of the Citizens Bank of Union, March 1, 1911, and in addition to this office he is secretary of the official board. ]Ir. Mintrup married in Washington, Mis- souri, December 29, 1891, his wife being Miss Amelia Wehrmann, whose father, Louis Wehrmann, was for many years postmaster of Washington and a leading citizen of that place. He was a German by nativity, a Republican in politics, and he was engaged in the real estate 'business. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Mintrup are five iu number and as follows : Mamie, Louis, Lillie, Frances and Doherty. The family is a popular one and the home is the center of a gracious and attractive hospitality. Jlr. Jlintrup is a com- municant of the Catholic church and a mem- ber of the Knights of Columbus and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.' J. Thompson Blanton. In that particu- lar portion of Iron county in which his home is situated and where he is best known, J. Thompson Blanton, farmer, stockman and veteran of the Civil war, stands as one of the important and highly esteemed members of his community. Here he has resided for many years, since 1858, to be exact, and although not a native of the county, he has resided in the state all his life with the ex- ception of a period spent in farming in the state of Nevada and during liis war service. The attractive Blanton homestead is situated some seven miles southeast of Ironton and is one of the highly improved estates of Iron county. Mr. Blanton was born in Madison county, Missouri, on the Saint Francois river, Octo- ber 24, 184.3, and is the son of Benjaman F. and Ailsey (Berryman) Blanton. The mother was a niece of the Rev. J. C. Berry- man, a detailed sketch of whose life appears elsewhere in this work. She died in 1869. aged about seventy years. Her father, whose farm included vrhat is novr Arcadia, was Josiah Berryman, a prominent man of his day. He came to Missouri at the same time as his clergyman brother, who was the founder of Arcadia Colleee. Ben.iaman F. Blanton was born in Lincoln county and removed to Mad- ison county as a young man, locating on the Saint Francois river, near Wayne eountv, that being the scene of his marriage. He subsequently removed to Arcadia Valley and died in Dunklin county, at the age of about seventy years. He whose name inaugurates this record is the second in order of birth in a family of ten children, of whom four are now living. The other surviving members of the family are : Mrs. Michael Deguira, of Freder- icktown; William H., of the vicinity of that place ; and Moman, who is a Fredericktown resident. Mr. Blanton passed the roseate days of boy- hood and youth in Madison county, and there received his schooling. When about seven- teen years of age he came to Iron county, which has ever since been the scene of his residence, with the exception of the time spent in the far west, above alluded to. He en- gages in general farming and also in the stock business, and in lioth departments has met with success, his methods being up-to-date and well-directed. When the Nation went dovni into the dread Valley of Decision in the '60s, Mr. Blanton enlisted in the Confederate army, as a member of Company C, Ninth Missouri Infantry, his enlistment taking place in Arkansas. The .young man of nineteen was firmly convinced of the logic of the severing of the states from the national government if its rulings were again.st their conviction and he proved a loyal and valiant soldier. He participated in several engagements, but was fortunate enough not to receive a wound. When peace was restored to the stricken country, he went to Nevada and there for four years engaged in farming, in a rich valley, four hundred miles south of Salt Lake. The charms of Missouri remained strong with him, however, throughout his period of absence and he returned to Iron county, and bought the property upon which he has ever since resided. This consists of three hundred and twenty acres and is val- uable and well situated. In October. 1871, Mr. Blanton was united in marriage to IMiss Cai'oline F. Kinkead, who was born in Saint Francois county, in October, 1852, and is a daughter of Andrew B. and Rebecca C. (Elgin) Kinkead, who came to the state in their youth and were married in Saint Francois county, which con- tinued to be their home for the rest of their lives. The father died before the Civil War, but the mother survived nntil February, 1906, when she passed away at the age of ninety years. He was a tanner and farmer by occupation. He was born in Kentucky and the mother in Virginia, and they were