My Genealogy Hound

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

* * * *

James H. Justus, proprietor of Bolivar Roller Mills, was born in Sumner County, Tenn., May 8, 1817, and his parents, Thomas and Polly (Carr) Justus, were natives of the same State, and were there married. The father’s people were from Connecticut, and the mother’s from Ireland. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Justus lived in Tennessee until 1818, when they moved to Southeast Missouri, and two years later to Greene County. From there they moved to Schuyler County, Ill., and in 1852 settled in St. Clair County, Mo., where they both died, he at the age of sixty-seven years, and she at the age of seventy-seven years. The father was a farmer and miller by occupation. He was a Democrat in politics. The mother was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In their family were eleven children, five sons and six daughters. James H. Justus was the fourth child in order of birth. He was reared on the farm and in the mill, had almost no educational advantages, not attending more than three months all together. He worked for his father until twenty-six years of age, and in 1843 was married to Miss Mary E. Edger, a native of Ohio. He had gone to Iowa in 1837, but returned to wed Miss Edger. Having made two trips to Texas, he finally settled in St. Clair County, Mo., where he lived until 1880, and then moved to Polk County. His chief occupation has been farming, which he continued until 1885, when he bought the mill and moved to Bolivar. He has a good mill of seventy-five barrels capacity, and does first-class work. He was an old line Whig until that party went down, and since then he has been a Republican. By his first wife he had four children, two sons and two daughters. The mother died in 1852, and Mr. Justus took for his second wife Mrs. Nancy Imes, nee Bennett, who bore him seven children, three sons and four daughters. The second Mrs. Justus died in 1881, and three years later Mr. Justus married Mrs. Hamlin, nee Moore. The second wife was a member of the Baptist Church, and the present wife is a member of the Christian Church. Mr. Justus began life a poor boy, but, by labor and economy, became the owner of 537 acres of land, all well stocked, but the war came on and swept away about $3,000 worth of stock. Mr. Justus owns a good mill and three acres in Bolivar. He is a much respected citizen. His son, George W., is the business manager of the firm, and William G. Imes, his step-son, is also associated in the business. The Bolivar Roller Mills took the premium on first and second grades of flour at the Polk County Fair in 1888.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 132 biographies included in The History of Polk County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Polk County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

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

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.