My Genealogy Hound

J. D. McPike, farmer and stock raiser, of Knox County, was born in Marion County, Mo., in 1842. His father, James, and his mother, Mary (Chilton) McPike, were natives of Kentucky and Virginia, respectively. The father was a farmer and stock raiser, and one of the early pioneer settlers of Missouri, locating in Pike County about 1830, but afterward purchasing a home in Marion County. James McPike lost his first wife while in Kentucky, by whom he had four children, three of whom are living. He then married the mother of our subject, who was the widow of Smith Scott, and by her he had five children, three of whom still live: Our subject, a sister in Monroe City, Mo., and a brother in Palmyra, Mo. Mrs. McPike had four children by her former marriage. James McPike engaged in farming after coming to Missouri, and became one of the first men of Marion County, owning a fine farm, and, on account of his superior ability, was elected to represent that county two terms in the Legislature. He and both his wives were members of the Baptist Church. He was seventy-three years old at the time of his death, and the mother of our subject had also reached her seventieth year. Both died in Marion County, Mo., where our subject was reared, and received but a limited education. At the age of eighteen he enlisted in the Confederate Army, Company B, Col. Martin E. Green’s regiment, and served in the battles of Lexington, Pea Ridge, Corinth, Champion Hills, and a number of other engagements. It was in the last-mentioned battle that our subject was severely wounded, and lay without shelter for a long time, suffering intensely from a wound in his lung and arm. His clothes bore many traces of bullet shots, and proved that Mr. McPike was not in the rear of the battles he participated in. In 1863 he received an honorable discharge, and returned to Marion County, but, on account of his wounds, was unable to labor for over a year. He then engaged in farming and stock raising, and in 1865 was married to Miss Rosa Lee, daughter of Perry B. Moore, a prominent farmer of Marion County, who now resides in Palmyra. The following year he and his wife located in Knox County, Mo., where he now owns a fine farm of 880 acres. He also takes a great interest in fine stock, and at the fair has exhibited some very fine saddle-horses and sheep. His wife also exhibited some poultry, and took the first prize for a pair of turkeys. Mr. and Mrs. McPike have had four children, as follows: Charles B., husband of Lena Ringer, of Newark; Marietta, wife of S. P. Bailey, of Knox County; Ora Lee and Augusta Ellen. Mr. McPike is a worthy member of the Newark Masonic Lodge, K. of H. and A. H. T. A.