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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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Dr. Robert McReynolds is a native of Missouri, and was born in Knox County in 1847. His father, Burditt McReynolds, a pioneer of this county, was born in North Carolina, and is of Irish descent. Our subject’s mother was born in Kentucky, and is of German descent, her maiden name being Catherine Dale. Our subject’s father came to this county in infancy, and his grandfather Dale, an only son, became the father of one son and seven girls. In the family of our subject’s grandfather, McReynolds were eight children—five boys and three girls. Burditt McReynolds became one of the most prominent men of this county. He was enterprising, public-spirited, and was honored by all. He was a practitioner of medicine, and an active member of the Democratic party, and his life was mainly spent in Knox County. He educated a family of sixteen children, twelve of whom grew to maturity, and these twelve yet survive. Burditt McReynolds died at the age of sixty-four years, and his wife at the age of fifty-three. Both were members of the Missionary Baptist Church. He was in the late war six months, and spent a considerable time in prison. Dr. Robert McReynolds, the eldest son of Burditt, remained with his parents until the age of nineteen, having previously received a liberal education. He then attended the seminary at Monticello one year, after which he taught four years in Northeast Missouri, meeting with fair success. His father had designed him for the study of medicine at an early age, and hence, at odd intervals, he read and studied medical works. At the age of fifteen he was reading under Dr. Alonzo Condict, a talented physician, and later read under Dr. McReynolds, whose biography appears elsewhere. In 1808-69 he attended medical lectures at the St. Louis Medical School, where, in due time, he graduated. He then practiced medicine, and taught school for nearly four years, and in the winter of 1873-74 took up his old text-book and again attended medical lectures at St. Louis. He also received a few lectures at Keokuk, Iowa. He then located in Myrtle Township, where he practiced until this town was laid out, and here he has resided ever since, engaged in active and remunerative practice. He now owns several small farms in Myrtle and Jeddo Townships —500 or more acres in all. In 1877 our subject was united in marriage to Miss Nettie Marksberry, a native of Grant County, Ky. She is a daughter of John S. Marksberry, a prominent citizen of that State. To this marriage two children have been born— Uriel and Ralph. Our subject, like his father, is a strong Democrat, and is a social, genial gentleman. His wife is a member of the Christian Church.

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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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