My Genealogy Hound

O. L. Rose, a dealer in general merchandise, millinery and white goods, at Purdy, Mo., was born in Bradley County, Charleston, Tenn., in 1841, and is the first of four children born to the marriage of Winston C. and Mary Y. Maddy, both natives of Tennessee, born in 1810 and 1818, respectively. Winston C. Rose was an engineer by trade. He served through the Mexican War as a volunteer, and, after having braved all its perils, died of yellow fever while on his way home, in April, 1846. His wife had, in the meantime, removed with her father to Illinois, to which place he had started when death, by yellow fever, overtook him. His widow purchased a farm in Illinois, and reared her children there. Three of her children are still living. O. L. Rose, being the eldest child, was thrown into business early in life, and, naturally possessing fine business qualifications, he has been very successful. In 1859 he, in company with two uncles and a cousin, started for Pikes Peak in an ox-wagon, but they turned back before reaching that point. On their way home they stopped near Carthage, Mo., where an uncle, John S. Maddy, met Margaret Stinnett, whom he afterward married. O. L. Rose met, near where Peirce City now stands, Martha J. Stinnett. Mr. Rose returned to Illinois the following August but soon after came back to Missouri, and the following March was united in marriage with Miss Stinnett. In October the young couple removed to Illinois, remaining there until 1871, when they came to Granby, Mo. Mr. Rose had been engaged in farming and teaching in Illinois. He was elected principal of the public schools at Granby, and was later postmaster, holding the latter position for ten years, in connection with which he operated a general merchandise store. He removed to Purdy in the fall of 1881, and resumed the general merchandise business, at which he has been very successful his annual sales amounting to $12,000. He and wife have one child, Charles Alexis. During the Civil War Mr. Rose served in the Federal army as a member of the One Hundred and Thirty-third Illinois Regiment of Volunteers, from which he received an honorable discharge, and is now a member of the G. A. R. He is also a member of the A. F. & A. M. and of the I. O. O. F. He is a Republican in politics, and casts his ballot for Benjamin F. Harrison and Levi P. Morton for President and Vice-President of the United States.