My Genealogy Hound

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

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W. H. Owen, merchant, and president of the Bank of Lebanon, is a native of Kent, England, born February 3, 1840. At the age of fourteen, or in 1854, with an uncle, he took passage at Liverpool, and landed at Boston, Mass. After arriving in America he attended school during the winters, and worked during the summers. This he continued until eighteen years of age, when he entered a store at Adrian, Mich., as clerk. He remained here for about four years, and then went to Waterford, Mich., where he engaged in general merchandising until 1865. In the spring of 1866 he went to St. Louis, and was employed as traveling salesman for a wholesale dry goods house, with whom he remained until 1877. He then came to Lebanon, located, and here engaged in the general mercantile business. Previous to this, in 1873, he married Miss Hannah Ward, of St. Louis. Two children, William H. and James W., were the result of this union. Aside from his mercantile business, Mr. Owen is also engaged quite extensively in farming, and is a prominent grain buyer. He employs a great many men in his store and in his other enterprises. He has 600 acres of land, with most of it under cultivation. On the organization of the Bank of Lebanon he was made its president, and on the organization of the Laclede County Agricultural Society, in 1885, he was made its president. He is politically a stanch Republican. He is one of the leading and influential citizens of Laclede County, and is a valuable citizen.

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This family biography is one of 104 biographies included in The History of Laclede County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Laclede County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Laclede County, Missouri family biographies, click here

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