My Genealogy Hound

H. G. Fristoe was born March 28, 1820, and is a son of Markham Fristoe and grandson of Robert Fristoe. He was married to Miss Eliza Davidson, daughter of Alexander Davidson, of Benton County, in 1848, and brought his wife to his home near Palo Pinto, where he has since resided. Two sons and a daughter were the result of this union: Alpheus, Harvey W. and Lallie. Alpheus married Miss A. Campbell, daughter of Alexander Campbell, of Benton County, and one child, Clyde, is the result of this union. H. W.’s biography follows this. Lallie married William Atkinson, of Benton. H. G. Fristoe is now living with his son in their spacious family residence. His wife died in 1861, while his family was quite small. He has been a member of the Baptist Church since 1848, and has done a great deal toward building up the church in his neighborhood. He is also a member of Clear Creek Lodge, No. 418, A. F. & A. M., and has passed through the chairs of that lodge. In his political views he affiliates with the Democratic party. Markham Fristoe was door keeper to the Missouri Legislature in the year 1834, and while there had an act passed to locate and establish a State road from Jefferson to Springfield, and to cross the Osage River where the Alexander ferry now is at Warsaw, which at that time was only known as Fristoe ferry. At that time Pettis County extended to the Osage on the north and Greene County on the south. Before the county seat was located Mr. Fristoe, on account of sickness in his family and among his servants, moved three-fourths of a mile east of the ferry, and built a large log house, where the first circuit court was held in the county by Judge Allen. Ringo & Joplin built a store close by, and others built houses on the edge of the small strip of prairie. Several stores, a number of houses and blacksmith shops were erected, which made quite a village. The county was then organized, and the county seat was located at a point on the river about three-fourths of a mile from Mr. Fristoe’s residence, and named Warsaw. Hendson Fristoe, who now lives at Palo Pinto, was one of the men who helped to raise the first courthouse, which was constructed of logs and about 20x30 feet long, as near as he can remember. At first they ground their corn in a hand mill, but this was afterward improved and operated by horse power. Their meat was almost wholly wild game, which was very abundant at that time; honey could be found in abundance, and hominy, prepared with lye, was one of the principal dishes at that day. Robert Fristoe, father of Markham Fristoe and great-grandfather of Harvey W. Fristoe, of Palo Pinto, was a Baptist preacher, and baptized the first convert in the county. He was at that time over eighty years of age.