My Genealogy Hound

Joseph P. Cantrell, whose name is synonymous with the farming and stock raising interests of Webster County, was born in Tennessee, October 16, 1847, and is the son of Gabriel and Nancy Cantrell, whose maiden name was Miss Smith. The parents were both natives of Tennessee, and the father died in this State about 1849 or 1850. The mother died in Webster County, Mo., at about eighty years of age. The family came to Missouri in 1853, and lived here for two years in Dade County, but about 1855 they removed to Webster County, and settled on Cantrell’s Creek, in High Prairie Township, being among the early settlers in that part of the county. Joseph P. Cantrell is one of a pair of twins, and the youngest in a family of fourteen children, nine of whom are living. He remained on the farm until twenty years of age, and then began life for himself, without education, and can neither read nor write. Notwithstanding all this he is at present one of the successful farmers and stock traders of the county, and has bought and shipped a large amount of stock from this county to St. Louis. He owns a farm in High Prairie Township, which consists of 470 acres, and for ten years he has been engaged in the stock business. He was married in 1868 to Miss Caroline Cantrell, who was born in Webster county, Mo., and whose parents were early settlers of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Cantrell have nine children: John G., William, Nancy, Malissa, Joseph, Ada, Emma, Messie and Mattie. Mr. Cantrell has been a resident of Webster County for thirty-five years or more, and is an honest, industrious citizen. He is a Mason, member of the Niangua lodge, and is a Republican in his political views.