My Genealogy Hound

Luke M. Mayfield, one of Knox County’s prominent citizens, was born in the State of Illinois, in 1850, and is a son of James M. and Matilda E. (Cherry) Mayfield, the former being a native of Alabama, who came to Illinois when about fifteen years old, and worked upon a farm until twenty-one years of age, when he began to study medicine, which profession he has followed ever since, and is now a resident and prominent physician of Marion County, Mo. The mother is a native of Illinois, and is now living in Missouri with the subject’s father. Luke M. left Illinois in the fall of 1866, and located at Kirksville, Mo., in Adair County, where he was engaged as a salesman in a dry goods store and others for two years. He then came to Greensburg, Mo., and engaged in the mercantile business, at which he continued until about two years ago, when he retired from business life, and settled upon a fine farm south of Greensburg, containing 372 acres of good land, under a fine state of cultivation, and upon which is one of the finest residences and outbuildings in the township. He commenced life with no capital, but being endowed with perseverance and energy, he has accumulated quite a fortune, having done an extensive business while in the mercantile trade. In January, 1875, he was married to Ida Barlow, daughter of J. D. and Martha Barlow, and to this marriage Lullie M., Caddie M., Bertha M. and Minnie P. have been born. Mr. Mayfield is an ardent Democrat, and once was a candidate of that party for the office of county collector, but did not succeed in receiving the election, and since that time has never ran for office. He is a public-spirited citizen, and always takes interest in public enterprises, to which he donates liberally. He is a worthy member of the Masonic order, and of the Christian Church, to which denomination his wife belonged before her death, which occurred on the 11th of May, 1887.