Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/747

 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 653 rience in that popular and immensely valu- able educational institution knoAvn as jour- nalism. Beginning life as a teacher, in 1890 he came to Bonne TeiTe and entered the newspaper field, eventually becoming editor of the Bonne Terre Register, and probably no one factor has been as potent as his influ- ence through the eloquent columns of his paper in changing tlie county from Demo- cratic to Republican. After eighteen years he abandoned the Fourth Estate and became in January, 1910, postmaster of the city, the office now being one of the four largest iu Southeastern Missouri. Mr. Roy's father. Ferdinand A. Roy, was born in Prairie du Rocher. Randolph county, Illinois, June 5, 1817. He came to iMissouri in 1844, when a young man, and was em- ployed by a Mr. Deloge, of Potosi, Missouri, in his mercantile business. In the early '50s he removed to Sainte Genevieve county, where he went into a business association with Francis A. Rozier, in the line of mer- chandise, and later embarked independently in the same business, carrying it on for some time, including the Civil war period. He was a man held in respect and confidence, and after retiring from business his useful- ness was by no means at an end and he held several offices, being county judge and for fifteen years ji;stiee of the peace. The last years of his life were passed with his daugh- ter, Mrs. Joseph Flynn, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, the date of his death being Febru- ary 18, 1898. He was married at about the age of thirty-two years to Rosine Goin and ten children were born to them, only two be- ing alive at the present time, namely : Ferdi- nand Roy, Jr., of Prairie du Rocher. and the subject. The church of this well-remem- bered gentleman was the Catholic and in polities, unlike his son, he was a stanch Democrat. Barbeau Andrew Roy was born November 25, 1866, in Sainte Genevieve, Missouri, and within its pleasant boundaries he passed his early life. He received his education in the common and high schools and after finishing such advantages as they had to offer he taught school for a time in Sainte Genevieve county and then went on to Soiith Dakota, where he engaged in the mercantile business. In 1890 he came to Bonne Terre and here en- tered into the newspaper business with his brother-in-law, Joseph Flynn, the two gentle- men editing and publishing the Bonne Terre Democrat. In the fall Mr. Roy bought out the interests of Mr. Flynn and continued in publication of the paper alone until 1893, when he bought the Bonne Terre Register and consolidated the two papers under the name of the Register, the policy of the sheet being Republican. He continued in com- mand until iiay, 1908, when he sold the Reg- ister to ]Ir. George Staufill. He proved him- self a talented and influential editor and the Register flourished under his regime. After quitting the newspaper field, Mr. Roy en- tered for a time the accounting department of the Mississippi River & Bonne Terre Rail- road, where lie remained until he was ap- pointed postmaster in January, 1910, and which office he holds at the present time. The i^ostoffice has made rapid and definite strides, for it was but a short time ago third class. In July, 1910, six months after Mr. Roy became its head, the office was entered as second class and it is now one of the four largest offices in Southeastern ]Iis- souri. Mr. Roy, as all are ready to agree, has ever discharged its duties with prompt- ness and fidelity. Mr. Roy was married on the 20th day of January, 1897, to Onna G. Thomure, of Bonne Terre, and their happy and congenial union has been blessed by the birth of two children, namely : Edgar L. and Lucian T. Mv. and Mrs. Ro.y are communicants of the Catholic church and the head of the house is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus, of which he holds the important office of .state secretary. He is also a member of the Commercial Club and stands as a thoroughly helpful and public spirited member of society. - Henry C. Vossbrink is the efficient recorder of Franklin county, in Boone township of which his birth occurred November 25, 1872. His father, John H. Vossbrink, was born in Hanover, Germany, and came to the United States as a youth in 1845, locating in St. Louis, where he completed his trade as a tailor and then engaged as clerk in a furniture store, spending eleven years of his early manhood in St. Louis. He was born in 1830 and was un- der thirty years of age when he came out to Franklin county. Here he abandoned his trade and adopted as his own the great basic industry, engaged in the wholesale cultiva- tion of wheat and succeeded in building up a splendid estate. He is now a resident of the communit.v of Gerald. John H. Vossbrink has given a graphic illus-