Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/773

 HISTORY OP SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 673 conducted a summer school in Union for teachers, and such as feel the need of a prac- tical review of the common branches and of advice on method and management for a number of weeks each vacation season are afforded this great advantage. An experience of more than twenty years in the school- room has made Professor Cole a master in training both the pupil and the teacher. His high scholarship lias been awarded recogni- tion by a state life certiticate issued by State Superintendent William T. Carriugton. In politics Mr. Cole is a Republican and his inclination to participate actively in the bouts of his party in the county have been occasion- ally gratified. He won the Republican nom- ination for county clerk from a competitor who had been incumbent of the office for six- teen years and who had held other offices as long, totaling thirty j^eai-s continuous office holding, but was defeated in the election by the disloyalty of his beaten opponent to the l^arty ticket. He has served as secretary of the county central committee and has mingled frequently and fraternally among the public men of both his county and state. Mr. Cole was married in Franklin county, December 24, 1891, his chosen lady being Miss Cora. Fitzgerald, a daughter of W. H. and Talitha Fitzgerald, who were among Franklin county's old settlers. The first Mrs. Cole died March 3, 1905, the mother of three chil- dren: Raymond W., Edith M. and Herbei-t Allan. For his second wife Mr. Cole married Miss Minnie Faughnder. daughter of George W. and Sarah Faughnder, who came to Mis- souri from the Old Dominion. Their union was celebrated August 29. 1906. and their home is one of the attractive and hosjiitable abodes of the town. There are no children. Fraternally Mr. Cole holds membership in the State Teachers' Association of Missouri and he is past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias. He is one of the elders of the Union Presbyterian church. Charles M. Crites. Born July 6, 1887. Mr. Charles Crites has most of his history yet before him. His parents, J. M. and Adeline Crites, were both born in Bollinger county, this state. J. M. Crites bought a qixarter sec- tion of land near Dongola in 1901. being an experienced farmer during his entire active life. His deatli in 1910, aged fifty-six years, has left the two sons, Charles and Henry to man- age the farm. Stock and general farming engage the attention of the two young men. Mr. Crites is a Republican in politics, and while not active in political circles is none the less counted one of the influential citizens of Dongola, both personally and politically. J. W. TiMBERMAN, the county sheriff, is a man who stands high in the esteem of the people of Kennett. For a man to make a success of his life under any circumstances is a subject for congratulation, but when he has all the difficulties to encounter that Mr. Timberman has surmounted he may justly be proud of himself. As a matter of fact, how- ever, Mr. Timberman is a very modest man in regard to his own attainments and capabil- ities. He was born near Clarkton in Dunklin county, January 25, 1872. His father was Mathew Timberman, a native of Virginia, who came to Missouri, where he bought a farm. He died in 1875. He married Mar- garet A. Rayburn, whose family had come from Mississippi. She has always remained with her son, J. W. Three daughters were also born to Mr. and Mrs. Timberman. J. W. Timberman had the misfortune to lose his father when he was only six years old. His mother was left with the task of bringing up the little family of three girls and a boy. J. W. very early felt the responsibility of the family resting on his shoulders, as he tried in every way to spare his mother as much as possible. He was not able to get very much schooling himself, but he has educated his three sisters. He has done all kinds of work to keep things going. For ten years he operated a saw mill near Kemiett. He worked on the farm which his father had bought near Clarkton, farming in the summer and clerking in a store in the winter. He moved to Kennett for the sake of his sisters, so that they could have more advantages in the way of education. In 1908 he was elected to the office of sheriff of the county, his term commencing Janiiary, 1909, and lasting four years. He is a representa- tive Democrat and active in primary work. He is a member of several fraternal orders, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America, Ben Hur and the Masons. Mr. Timberman has never mar- ried, perhaps he has not yet found time or has not seen the right lady. His mother and he have always been most devoted to each other. He has found time in the mid.st of his busy life to devote a short period to the sports