Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/812

 702 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI Post; at Champion Hill and Jackson, Mis- souri; he was present at the siege of Vicks- burg and pai-ticipated in the battle of Mis- sionary Ridge, near Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was in the forced march from Chatta- nooga to Knoxville, in eastern Tennessee, when General Biu-nside was surrounded by General Longstreet. He then started with Sherman on the march to the sea in the spring of 1864, and after that was in one con- tinual light until June 24, 1864, at which time he received his discharge. Upon the termination of his career as a soldier Jlr. McGee returned to Jefferson county, ilissouri, and in 1870 bought eighty acres of land in the vicinity of Glen AUeii, Missouri. Since then he has added twenty- four acres, his property now consisting of one hundred and four acres. It is an excellent farm, fruitful and well improved and it is very dear to Mr. McGee, who has made his home upon it for forty-one years. On October 1, 186:3, Mr." McGee wa.s hap- pily married to Mary A. Brinley, daughter of Michael and Catherine (Baldwin) Brin- ley, natives of Missouri. Mrs. McGee passed to the life eternal June 29, 1880, after be- coming the mother of the following children : Elvira, horn in 1865, wife of R. A. Porter; Sarah Elizabeth, born in 1866, the wife of Edward Stanton; Patrick P., born in 1868, died 1890 ; Jessie, born in 1870, wife of Phin- eas Haynes; Minerva, born in 1872, wife of James Stewart; William Jackson, born in 1874, died in 1904; and Andrew M., born in 1879, and married to Ida Cole. He was mar- ried a second time, to Rachel Browmer, daughter of William and Lydia Browner, natives of Tennesse^e and Kentucky, respec- tively, their union licing solemnized May 7. 1881. The two sons of this union are Jasper Samuel, born in 1883, and married to Grace Sample; and Thomas Sherman, born in 1894. Mr. McGee and his worthy wife are affil- iated with the Methodist Episcopal church and the former is an influential Republican who has from time to time held public office accepta])ly. He was deputy sheriff of Bol- linger county for two years; justice of the peace for twelve years; and public adminis- trator four years. He is interested in all things likely to benefit the community, and the county finds in him one of the valuable citizens. J.MEs A-. Rogers, of Kennett, is a man of the highest sense of honor, which has never been besmirched. He is exceptionally fair minded in all of his conclusions, having the unusual ability to see both sides of a question. His history has been an interesting one. He was born in Giles county, Tennessee, in 1848, on the 6th of November, the son of John and Susannah Rogers, both natives of South Carolina. They lived in Tennessee until 1860, when they came to Dunklin county, Missouri. They bought land at Caruth and also cotton gins, operating the same for about four years. They then bought the Redman farm at Vincit, six miles south of Kennett, where they liotli died and were buried on the farm. He was sixty-four when he died and she was seventy-five at her death. They had a family of five children, three of whom are living now. Louisa married Tom Romines and is now his widow. She has one son, James. The other daughter is Euuua, who married Mr. Snipes of Kennett. The third child living is James A., who spent the first twelve j'ears of his life in Tennessee, coming to Dunklin county when he was twelve years old. For four years they lived on Horse Island, farming. He then moved six miles south of Kennett. From the time he first moved to Jlissouri he did not have a great deal of schooling, but helped his father on the farm and with the cotton gins. He lived at home until he was twenty-six years old, for the last five years of that time taking full charge of the farm, part of which his father had deeded to him and he still owns it. He lived on the farm until 1910, when he moved into Kennett. He had one hundred acres of land to start out with, to which he added as he was able until he had three hundred and one and a half acres, the large proportion of which he cleared himself. He sold part of this large farm, now owning two hunclred and sixty acres on which he has built a new house and buildings. The farm- ers around say that Mr. Roger's farm js the best one in that section of the country. He grows grain and cotton on his land. For a few years he operated a cotton gin. but gave that up long ago. Vincit post office and gen- eral store were on his farm, he being post- master from 1895 to 1902. He is a Demo- crat, but a.side from casting his vote at elec- tion times he does not take any active part in politics. In 1879 he married Lavisa Barger, daugh- ter of Philip and Jane Barger. They came from Indiana to IMissouri in the fifties, their daugliter Lavisa having been born since their