Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/798

 692 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI and he is uow engaged in farming; William, who married Miss Celeste Jeffries; Emmet, deceased, who married Miss Emma Wallis; Fannie, deceased, who was united in mar- i-iage with Dr. J. R. Wallace, and passed away at Washington, Missouri, in June, 1904 ; and Clara, who married Dr. Maj', our sub- ject. Judge Ming was not only respected and beloved as a public official, but was a man of fine character, being, as he always as- serted, a "self-made man" in the truest sense of the word. He made a success of whatever he undertook, believing in that old and trite but true axiom: "What's worth doing at all is worth doing well. ' ' He was a staunch Democrat in his political proclivi- ties, having served Franklin county for three terms in the legislature. He passed away March 22, 1908, his wife having preceded him to that "Far Country," her demise oc- curring October 2, 1903. Returning to the immediate subject of this sketch, Dr. Henry Allen May, we would chronicle the fact that Dr. and Mrs. IIay have one daughter, Susie Frances, and these three form a home circle which is in every way ideal, and their friends, be they rich or poor, are ever accorded a genial welcome to their home. Jacob M. Deck. That true American, Thomas Jefferson, is credited with saying: "Let the farmer evermore be honored in his calling; for though he labor in the earth he is one of the chosen people of God." Jacob M. Deelc, of Bollinger county. Missouri, comes of a family of farmers, men of honor and good citizens and he stands as a representa- tive of the third generation of his family in this county, tlie first of the name having been one of the brave and dauntless pioneers who turned out of the trodden highways and cut new paths, laying them straight and clean. Mr. Deck was born one mile northwest of the town of Glen Allen, Bollinger county, Mis- souri, on the 18th day of April, 18.58. He is the son of Frederick and ^Margaret E. (Clubb) Deck, natives of Missouri, and his paternal grandfather, Isaac Deck, was a na- tive of North Carolina. Isaac Deck was the founder of the family in the state, his arrival in Bollinger county occurring in 180.5. He secured six Imndred acres of land, which he entered and homesteaded, and he changed the wilderness into a fertile farm, upon which he lived and reared his children. His son Fred- erick, father of the immediate subject of this biographical record, died March 20, 1865, and left three hundred and forty acres to be di- vided among his four lieirs. Mr. Deck be- came the possessor of the entire estate, buy- ing the shares of the other three heirs. How- ever, he later sold forty acres and now owns all but that amount of the old Isaac Deck homestead. Upon this fine old farm the subject was born and reared and here has passed all his life. He attended the district school and like most farmers' sons early became familiar with the many mysteries of seedtime and har- vest. When it came to choosing a vocation he concluded to follow in the paternal foot- steps and he has achieved success, being well- to-do and prominent. Mr. Deck married in 1880, the lady of his choice being Eliza J. Sites, born in Madison, a daughter of Emanuel and Susan (Yount) Sites, natives of Missouri. Their union has been blessed by the ■ birth of a number of children, seven of whom are living, namely: Ira Walter, born in 1881, married to Ruie Reason; Dora, born in 1883, married to E. A. Lincoln; Isaac Jacob, born in 1886; Mary Ann, born in 1887, is the wife of Jesse H. Winters and now lives at Ilotchkiss, Colo- rado ; Archie M,, born in 1891 ; Nellie, born in 1896 ; and Beulah, born in 1898. The cheer- ful and hospitable Deck household is one of the most popular of the community. Mr. Deck is a tried and true Democrat and in his religious conviction is in harmony with the teachings of the Missionary Baptist church, lie is a member of the Woodmen lodge. Mr. Deck is the only one living of a fam- ily of ten children, and he has but one aunt living, Mrs. Catherine Sullivan, who was also one of a large family, one of the younger chil- dren. She is now past eighty-five years of age. Charles E. Kiefner. An enumeration of the men of the present generation who have won success and public recognition for them- selves and at the same time have honored the state, to which they belong, would be incom- plete were there failure to make prominent reference to the one whose name initiates this paragraph. He holds distinctive pre- cedence as a contractor and Iniilder at Periy- ville, Missouri, as a man of liroad and varied attainments and as a valued and patriotic citizen. He is distinctively a man of affairs and one who has wielded a wide influence. A strong mentality, invincible courage and a