Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/793

 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 687 service he married iliss Rebecca A. Ford, a daughter of Thomas and Mary Elizabeth Ford," of that state. Eleven children were born of their marriage, Thomas M. being the second in order of birth. George W. Jack- son moved to Missouri in 1880, locating near Farmington, where his active years were spent in farming, and he lived retired in that town until his death, in 1910. His wife pre- ceded him to the other world about twenty years. In polities he was a strong Repub- lican, was affiliated with the G. A. R. post, and was a member of the Baptist church. Mr. Thomas M. Jackson married, Febru- ary 27, 1890, iliss Jennie Fowler, a daughter of George P. and Lavina Fowler, farmers of St. Genevieve county, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson have four children: Clemmie, Harry F., Grace M. and Catherine., W. A. Davault. The great Apostle Paul, when describing the ideal preacher of the gospel, says, he must be "apt to teach," a characterization which cannot fail to impress all who know Rev. W. A. Davault, vice-presi- dent of Will Mayfield College, as being an especially fitting description of the Profes- sor. It is not given to many men to wield so wide an influence ; to be in such close touch with the younger generation, the students of the college, and at the same time to be pastor of three Baptist churches, and perhaps few men could fulfill such respoiisiliilities. Cer- tainly Professor Davault is rightly regarded as a power for righteousness, culture and all that makes for the higher life. By descent Professor Davault belongs to the Huguenots who settled in North Caro- lina when persecution drove them from France and who have given America so many theologians, scholars and statesmen. The founder of the American branch of the fam- ily was a Baptist missionary. In 1804 James Davault, grandfather of W. A., came to Bollinger county, where he was one of the earliest settlers. Christian J. Davault, son of the pioneer and father of the sub.iect of this sketch, was a farmer and also a soldier in the Civil war, in the Union army. He was once captured and later paroled. He was in active service at the close of the war. hav- ing enlisted three times, always in a Missouri regiment. He died in 1899, in the county where he was born and where he spent the most of his life. His wife was born in Perry county, the daughter of William Adison Walker. Her family, too, were jjioneers of this county, coming from Virginia early in the nineteenth century. The Walkers are of English origin. W. A. Davault 's native town is Perry ville, Missouri, where he was born January 25, 1865. His boyliood days were spent on the farm assisting his father and attending the district school. He began teaching at the age of nineteen, an occupation for which he had prepared himself by study in both public and private schools and one for which he kept liimself at the best by constant study. In 1894 he graduated from the academic 'course of Will Mayfield College; in 1901 Mr. Da- vault took his B. S. degree from the same in- stitution, and received his A. iM. degree in 1911. Mr. Davault has not confined his interest in education to merely accpiiring knowledge or even to imparting instruction. He has given many years of faithful and intelli- gent service to the administrative branch of the department of public education. His service as school-commissioner of Bollinger county began in 1895. He served in this ca- pacity until 1899. During the same period he was chosen as conductor of the district teachers' institute, doing most efficient work the whole four years in both offices. In 1903 the Professor was again elected school com- missioner and served six years, making five terms in all which he has given to this work. During all this time he was active in the ministry, having missed but twenty appoint- ments in twenty-two years since he was or- dained for the Baptist ministry in 1889. He is now moderator of the St. Francis Baptist Association of southeast ^Missouri. He gives half of his time to preaching at Marble Hill. The other half he divides between the Baptist churches at Glen Allen and Marquand. The Rev. Davault has been teaching in Will Mayfield College since 1893, with the excep- tion of some years spent in teaching in the public schools. His service to that institution has been recognized by his appointment to the vice-presidency of the college, which of- fice he has held since 1900. His work as an instructor is in the departments of History and Psychology. The marriage of Mr. Davault to ]Iiss Margaret E. Williford occurred in 1887. Mrs. Davault is the daughter of George S. Williford, a native of Tennessee. Six chil- di-en have been born to the Professor and his wife, one son and five daughters. The .son. Dr. Webster W. Davault, has chosen the pro-