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Below is a family biography included in The History of Barry County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1888.  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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Stephen Felker, a farmer and retired merchant of Barry County, Mo was born in McMinn County, Tenn., on June 16, 1825. He is a son of Peter and Nancy (Eves) Felker. Peter Felker was born and reared in South Carolina from which place he emigrated to Cocke County, Tenn., settling on a farm. During the War of 1812 he carried the mail from Columbia, S. C. to Charleston, S. C. His death occurred in Hamilton County, Tenn., in 1872. Nancy Eves was born and reared in Elbert County, Ga., and went to Tennessee with her sister. She was married to Peter Felker in 1820, and became the mother of four children: William, Stephen, James and Jesse. She died in Hamilton County, Tenn., in 1879. Stephen Felker received his education in the subscription schools of Hamilton County, Tenn. In 1844 he went to Georgia, where he worked for his uncle, Stephen Felker, of Walton County, as overseer, remaining with him until 1847. He then returned to Tennessee and raised a crop on his father’s farm, but the next year he established a general store at Benton, Tenn., which he managed until 1852, when he closed out his stock and came to Missouri, settling on his farm of 120 acres of improved land which he had purchased, and which was situated near Washburn, Barry County. In 1858 he wedded Eliza J. Dougherty, of Barry County. She was born in 1822 in Jefferson County, Tenn., to which county her parents had removed from Virginia. Her father served through the War of 1812, in charge of a wagon train in Gen. Jackson’s army. Both her parents lived to be old. They reared twelve children. In 1841 Eliza J. married William Dougherty, of Bradley County, Tenn., by whom she is the mother of two children: Daniel O. Dougherty (a wholesale dry goods merchant of Atlanta, Ga.) and James E. (who was killed in 1865 in Benton County, Ark., while on his way home from the war). William Dougherty was born in Ireland, and came to Pennsylvania in his sixteenth year, was educated in that State, and from there moved to Tennessee. He was a captain in the Florida War, and received an honorable discharge. He was a Master Mason. He died in Dalton, Ga., in 1847, and his widow returned to Tennessee, coming to Barry County, Mo., in 1851, with her brother, Josiah Dougherty. By her second marriage she has three children: William (a banker in Rogers, Ark.), Anna (wife of W. K. Bayless, a merchant of Cassville) and Maggie (wife of J. S. Varner, a farmer and stock raiser). Since locating in Barry County, Mr. Felker has devoted his attention to farming, and has been very successful. He is now living in comfort on a fine farm of 320 acres. The family are Baptists. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M. and a solid Democrat.

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This family biography is one of 103 biographies included in The History of Barry County, Missouri published in 1888.  For the complete description, click here: Barry County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

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