My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Cedar 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.

* * * *

John E. Hartley, President of the Stockton Exchange Bank, of Stockton, Mo., was born in Dickson County, Tenn., on the 13th of February, 1821, his parents being James and Elizabeth (Walker) Hartley, who were born near Augusta, Ga., and in Tennessee in 1780 and 1790, and died in Cedar County, Mo., and Bond County, Ill., in 1835 and 1855, respectively. They were married in Dickson County, Tenn., whither James had gone when a young man, and in 1831 he emigrated to Bond County, Ill., and in 1837 to Polk (now Cedar) County, Mo., the farm which he owned being now in the possession of J. W. Bugg. He did all his trading at the town of Bolivar, and, like the majority of the pioneers, was compelled to suffer many privations and hardships, but by hard work and good management, conquered many difficulties and became well-to-do. The following are his children: Willis, residing on a portion of the old homestead; John E., Solomon, Richard, Thomas, Henry, and Mary, widow of Solomon Hopkins, deceased. Four children are deceased. John E. Hartley was ten years old when he left Tennessee, and sixteen when he came to Cedar County, Mo. He was reared on a farm, and made his home with his father until he was over twenty-one years of age, and received quite poor educational advantages, but made good use of his opportunities, and was an intelligent young man. From the time he was eighteen to thirty years of age he was afflicted with rheumatism. From 1845 to 1848 he served as deputy circuit and county clerk of Cedar County, and in 1848 was elected sheriff and ex-officio collector of Cedar County, and was re-elected in 1850 without opposition, but was debarred further re-election by the statutes. From 1852 to 1854 he was engaged in merchandising, and at the latter date was again elected to the position of sheriff and collector of the county. In 1855 he purchased another stock of goods, and with the assistance of his brother, Thomas, managed this in connection with the duties of his office. He hauled his goods from Boonville and Jefferson City, a distance of 140 miles, and was engaged in mercantile pursuits until 1862, when his goods were taken by the soldiers of the late war. Late in the fall of that year he went to Versailles, where he remained until the spring of 1865, then made the overland trip to Montana, and engaged in stock raising and trading in stock. In the fall of 1872 he returned to Cedar County and located at Stockton, and in the spring of the following year opened a store at that point, and also one at Caplinger’s Mills, Richard Huston being manager of the latter establishment. In 1878 he was burned out at Stockton and closed out his store at Caplinger’s Mills, but in June, 1881, engaged in the banking business in Stockton with a capital stock of $15,000, and the fall of the same year moved to the building he now occupies. Two years later he organized the Hartley Bank at Jerico, Cedar County, Mo., and in January, 1886, sold his stock and was the prime mover in the organization of the Mt. Vernon Bank, at Mt. Vernon, Lawrence County, Mo., but the same month and year disposed of his stock in the bank at Jerico. At the time of the organization of the bank at Stockton he was elected president, and M. B. Loy was chosen cashier. In October, 1887, Walter M. Hartley became cashier. Mr. Hartley is now the owner of 840 acres of land, at one time being the owner of about 1,500 acres, and all his property has been acquired by industry and sterling business principles. He has always been very liberal in supporting worthy enterprises, and aiding in the development of the county, and is one of the prominent men of the same. He has been a life-long Democrat, and James K. Polk received his first vote for the presidency. He became a member of the Masonic fraternity in 1850, and now belongs to the Stockton Lodge No. 283. May 9, 1850, he was married to Miss Sarah J., a daughter of Jacob Sherrill, who came to Cedar County about 1840. Mrs. Hartley was born in Carroll County, Tenn., in 1834, and died in Montana Territory in 1871, having borne the following family of children: William L., assistant cashier in his father’s bank; James H., a farmer; Jacob M., in Montana Territory; Minnie L., wife of C. B. Jones, of Montana Territory; Lurah Dean, wife of M. B. Loy, an attorney-at-law of Stockton, Mo.; Walter M., cashier of the Stockton Exchange Bank; Jean, who is attending Baird College, at Clinton, Mo.; and Robert Lee, in Morrisville College. In 1877 Mr. Hartley took for his second wife Mrs. Mary E. (Loy) Lesley, a daughter of Thomas Loy. They have one child, Leona. Mrs. Hartley is a member of the Christian Church.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 92 biographies included in The History of Cedar County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Cedar County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Cedar County, Missouri family biographies: Cedar County, Missouri Biographies

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.