Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/794

 688 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI fession of me,dieine and will graduate from the Barnes Medical School of St. Louis in 1912. Before entering upon this special training. Dr. Davault took his A. B. degree at Will Maytield College. He was boru in 1889, four years before Miss Miriam Eula Davault. Jliss Davault graduated from the college where her father and brother received their degrees both in music and in the aca- demic department. She is at present en- gaged in teaching at Sikeston, Missouri. Three younger daughters, Helen I]mma, Willa Anastasia and Lula Ionia, are aged sixteen, thirteen and nine, respectively, and the fifth, Mildred Anna, made her advent into the home September 10, 1911. Professor Davault is a valued member of the Modern Woodmen of America. His many professional and social duties have not caused him to grow indifferent to his immediate sur- roundings. He owns a fine residence and six lots in Marble Hill. R. E. Jennings. Noteworthy among the prosperous agriculturists of Dunklin county is R. E. Jennings, of Senath, M'ho through his own persistent energy and industry has acquired a good farming property, which ho is managing with most satisfaetor.v pecuni- ary results. A native of Texas, he was born in' Dallas June 27, 186.5, but a short time be- fore the death of his father. Taken then by his widowed mother to Vir- ginia, he lived for awhile in the Old Domin- ion, and later accompanied his mother to Tennessee, from there, at the age of fourteen years, coming to Dunklin county, Missouri, where the death of his mother occurred in 1898. Although he had received but a mea- ger education, R. E. Jennings was forced to begin working for wages as soon as old enough to be of use to any one, and the first seven months after coming to ilissouri v.'a-^ employed on a farm in the vicinity of Ken- nett. He subsequently worked as a farm hand in various places, principalh- in Dunk- lin count.v. and by dint of perseverance and thrift accumulated sufficient money to war- rant him in purchasing a farm. Assuming possession of bis present farm of forty acres in 1904. Mr. Jennings has made improve- ments of an excellent character, increasing its value to one hundred and fifty dollars an acre, it being one of the best and most highl.v productive estates in the neighborhood. Mr. Jennings has been twice married. He married fifst,'' in 1886, Beulah C. Wright, who died a few months later, on November 30, 1886, leaving no children. He married for his second wife, January 8, 1888, Cassa B. Harkey, who was born August 13, 1872, and is a sister of W. R. Harkey, of whom a brief biographical sketch may be found on another page of this work. Mr. and Mrs. Jennings are the parents of three children, namely : Annie, born March 31, 1893 ; Wal- ter, born October 18, 1891:; and Raymond, liorn February 28, 1905. Politically Mr. Jen- nings is a stanch adherent of the Democratic l)arty, and fraternally he is a member of the Woodmen of the World. George W. Lanpher, Se., has for manj- years been a leading and influential citizen of Fredericktown and his former activity in I)nsine.ss affairs, his co-operation in public in- terests and his zealous support of all objects that he believes will contribute to the mate- rial, social or moral improvement of the com- munity keeps him in the foremost rank of those to whom the city owes its development. His life has been characterized by upright, honorable principles and it also exemplifies the truth of the Emersonian philosoph.y that ''the wa.v to win a friend is to be one." His genial kindl.y manner wins him the high re- gard and good will of all with whom he comes in contact and while he lias lived in retire- ment for the past ten years he is still hale and hearty. A native of Madison count,v. IMissouri, George W. Lanpher was born at Mine La- Motte on the 12th of February, 1837, and he is a son of George and Elizabeth (Nifong) Lanpher. the former a native of Ohio and the latter a native of Missouri. The father came to this state as a young man, was a carpenter by trade, and after his marriage settled at Mine LaMotte, where he was interested in mining projects until his death, in 1845, at the earl.v age of thirt.v yeai's. For a short time he also conducted a tavern at Frederick- town, where he likewise served as postmaster. Mrs. Lanpher was a daughter of George Ni- fong. who settled in Bollinger county, Mis- souri, having removed thither from North Carolina. Mr. Nifong was a farmer by occu- pation and during the closing years of his life resided on a fine estate near Frederick- town, where he died in 1870. Mrs. Lanpher died in 1885. at the age of seventy-seven years: in earl.v life she was a member of the Christian church but later affiliated with the IMethodist denomination. ]Ir. and Mrs. Lan-