My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Barton County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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H. E. Cross, a farmer, residing near Lamar, Mo., is the owner of 120 acres of land, which place is well tilled, and denotes the thrift and enterprise which have ever characterized its owner’s efforts. He was reared to a farm life, and at the early age of sixteen years enlisted in the Forty-eighth Missouri Infantry, U. S. A., and was in numerous skirmishes, but no regular engagements. After the close of the war he returned home and remained under the shelter of the paternal roof until twenty-two years of age, when he rented land and began farming on his own responsibility. He continued to farm on rented land until 1881, when he came to Barton County, Mo., and bought eighty acres of land, which he has increased to 120 acres. In August, 1872, he was married to Miss Mary E. Vought, a native of the “Buckeye State,” by whom he has three children: Edna, Frederick, and Nehemiah, all of whom are at home. In his political views Mr. Cross is a Republican and takes an active part in politics, as well as school and all worthy public enterprises. His parents, N. F. and Martha (Headen) Cross, were born in York State, and the father was of German descent. About 1858 he moved to McHenry County, Ill., where he rented a farm and lived two years, then moved to Miller County, Mo., and here made his home until the close of the war. He then bought a farm in Bates County, Mo., on which he made his home until his death, February 14, 1877, at the age of sixty-one years. He was a member of the I. O. O. F. His widow still survives him, and resides in Barton County, being a strict member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Their union resulted in the birth of six boys: William H., now a farmer in the State of Oregon, was a soldier in the Fourth Missouri Infantry and the Sixteenth Missouri Cavalry, and served five years; Henry E.; Joshua, a resident of Kansas City, was a soldier in the Forty-eighth Missouri Infantry; Herbert, residing in the State of Oregon; Ambrose, a farmer of Barton County, Mo.; and Norman, also a farmer of this county.

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This family biography is one of 166 biographies included in The History of Barton County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Barton County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Barton County, Missouri family biographies, click here

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