My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Knox County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  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.

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Rice F. McFaden, a resident of Colony Township, and one of the oldest and best citizens of Knox County, is a native of Shelby County, Ky., and was born July 7, 1811. He is a son of John and Elizabeth (Hollandsworth) McFaden. The father was a child when his parents came from Ireland to Lancaster County, Penn. The family came to America on account of politics and the rebellion in Ireland. The father of John McFaden enlisted in Washington’s army, and was in several battles, and never having been heard of since, it is supposed that he was killed. John went to live with an uncle, William Fullerton, in Lancaster County, Penn., and while young learned the hatter’s trade, about which time he left his uncle, and went to New Orleans on a flatboat loaded with flour. He then went back as far as Shelby County, Ky., as a journeyman hatter, and there purchased a large tract of land, and $10,000 worth of fur from the North American Fur Company, which was bought on credit. He then went into business for himself, but when the war of 1812 broke out the value of hats so decreased, that John McFaden was left a bankrupt. Part of his debts were paid by our subject as late as 1850. He died in Oldham County (formerly a part of Shelby County) at the advanced age of ninety-eight. He was a member of the Baptist Church many years. The mother of our subject was born in Culpeper County, Va., and died at Snowhill, St. Charles Co., Mo., when eighty-seven years of age, while visiting her children in Missouri. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Our subject is the eldest of seven sons and three daughters, and went to work in his father’s shop at an early age. His education was limited, but with the assistance of his mother, and close application to books at odd moments, and being of an observant nature, he is now a well-informed man. When twenty years old he was engaged to drive a team for $60 per year, and his clothes. After living in Morgan County, Ill., a year he went to Marion County, Mo., spent three years, and then removed to six miles south of Newark, Knox County, where he became the owner of forty acres of land, which afterward went to pay his doctor’s bill. He then moved two miles west of the present site of Edina, and worked until he had accumulated $300, which he gave to a friend for safe keeping, and lost. The next misfortune that overtook him was the burning of his house and home, at Bridge Creek. In 1850 he accompanied his brother, John, to California, where he remained two years, and upon reaching New York on his home trip owned $600, which proved the nucleus of his present property. He is a self-made man, and now owns 360 acres of splendidly improved and cultivated land. When twenty-two years of age he was united in marriage to Ellen Sage, a native of Oldham County, Ky. She died upon the farm where our subject now lives. To them eight sons and three daughters have been born— two sons and three daughters living. Mr. McFaden subsequently married Sydna Jane Hilbert, who was born in Woodford County, Ky., in 1830, and to them three sons and two daughters were born, of whom one son and one daughter are living. Our subject is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Before the war he was a Whig, but is now a Democrat. During the war he was a Union man but objected to the liberation of slaves, and therefore joined Green’s regiment, Confederate Army, and was in the battles of Athens, Shelbina, Pea Ridge, Corinth and others. During the war his wife managed the farm successfully and efficiently, but on account of depredations the property was so destroyed that the family was obliged to move to Carroll County, Mo., for five years, but then returned to Knox County, where they have since resided.

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This family biography is one of 204 biographies included in the Knox County, Missouri portion of the book,  The History of Lewis, Clark, Knox and Scotland Counties, Missouri published in 1887.  For the complete description, click here: Knox County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Knox County, Missouri family biographies here: Knox County, Missouri Biographies

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