My Genealogy Hound

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

* * * *

William D. Harryman, prosecuting attorney of Hermitage, Mo., was born in Quincy, Hickory County, Mo., October 8, 1849, and is the son of Christopher Z. and Nancy Ann (Smith) Harryman, and grandson of John and Mary (Brown) Harryman. Christopher Z. Harryman was born in St. Louis June 20, 1813, and moved to Cole County, Mo., with his parents, at an early age. He there grew to manhood, and there learned the machinist and blacksmith trade. He was married in Cole County, sometime in the thirties, to a Miss Martha Linville, who died about 1831 or 1832, and leaving as a memento two children. Mr. Harryman removed to Benton County, Mo., about 1844, and there remained until about 1848, when he married Miss Nancy A. Smith, and the same year came to Hickory County, Mo. He located at what is now Quincy Post office, and, at the breaking out of the war, enlisted in the Home Guard Service of Missouri, under Col. McClurg, and, at the end of the year, or some less, he enlisted in Company F, Eighth Missouri State Militia, and was sergeant of his company. He was in the battle of Lone Jack, Humansville, and was on the Price raid. He was also at the battles of Jefferson City, Boonville, and Sedalia, where he was taken prisoner by Thompson. He was mustered out of service in the spring of 1865, at Springfield, Mo., and, after the war, returned to Hickory County, and resumed farming and stock raising. In 1886 he moved to Benton County, Mo., where he now lives. His wife, Mrs. Nancy A. (Smith) Harryman, was born December 25, 1824, in Henry County, Va., and, her parents having died when she was a small child, she lived with an uncle, William Smith. She moved to Illinois with her uncle about 1839, and remained there only a few years, when she moved to Benton County, Mo., with him, and was there married to Mr. Harryman, by whom she had eight children —four now living. She died in Hickory County, Mo., January 7, 1879. The paternal grandparents were originally from Pennsylvania, and came to St. Louis at an early day. He died in Benton County in 1852 or 1853, and his wife died, probably in the same county, a few years previous to the death of her husband. The maternal grandparents were native Virginians. William D. Harryman passed his boyhood days in Hickory County, Mo., but spent one year in Cooper County, Mo., and one year in Benton County. He returned to Hickory County with his parents in 1862, and, after receiving all the advantages of the common schools of Hickory County, he attended the Urbana graded school one term. Previous to this, however, he taught one term of school in Hickory County, and, after leaving Urbana, taught school until 1873, and was one of the few teachers of the county who held a first-grade certificate. He attended the Weaubleau Christian Institute in 1873-74, and was one of the prominent educators of the county. He was elected sheriff of Hickory County in November, 1874, and served in that capacity four years, having been re-elected in 1876. He was married December 19, 1876, to Miss Nancy M. Rogers, of Polk County, and, after that event, he engaged in farming and merchandising in Hickory County until the fall of 1882, when he engaged in the flour-mill business at Weaubleau and at Osceola, Mo. He was admitted to the bar of Hickory County, Mo., in May, 1888, having studied and practiced in the justice’s court for several years previous to being admitted. Since that time he has been practicing in the circuit courts of Hickory and adjoining counties. At the general election of 1888 he was chosen prosecuting attorney of Hickory County on the Republican ticket. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is also a member of the I. O. O. F. Mrs. Nancy M. (Rogers) Harryman was born in Hickory County, Mo., June 18, i860, and is the daughter of John P. and Nancy B. (Owings) Rogers. She attained her growth in Hickory County, and was educated in the common schools and at Weaubleau Christian Institute. To her marriage have been born three children, all living: Oliver P., May and Eva.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 53 biographies included in The History of Hickory County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Hickory County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Hickory County, Missouri family biographies here: Hickory County, Missouri

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