My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Barton 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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John J. Fast, a successful agriculturist, was born in Greene County, Penn., October 16, 1814, and is the son of Christian and Elizabeth (Blosser) Fast, the father a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1796, and the mother a native of Vermont, born in 1794. Great-grandfather Nicholas Fast came from Germany at an early day, add settled in Pennsylvania. Christian Fast, the grandfather, a Revolutionary soldier, was captured by the Indians and held thirteen months. Grandfather Blosser was a sturdy Virginia farmer. After marriage, Christian and Elizabeth (Blosser) Fast moved to Richland County, Ohio, where he followed agricultural pursuits for many years. Both were members of the Christian Church. He was a Democrat, and died at the age of forty-five years, from the effects of swallowing shot. The mother died at the age of forty-one years. In their family were ten children, seven sons and three daughters. The eldest of this family, John J. Fast, was reared on a farm, and had very meager educational advantages, not attending, school over a year altogether. By private study, however, he qualified himself for teaching, and followed this profession for some time. September 13, 1835, he married Miss Hannah Day, a native of New York, born October 12, 1818, and the daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Robbins) Day, natives, respectively, of Vermont and Massachusetts. Mr. Day was twice married, and was the father of eighteen children. To Mr. and Mrs. Fast were born twelve children, seven sons and five daughters, eleven of whom are living and married. In 1836 he and family moved to Fulton County, Ill., where they resided for thirty years, coming to Barton County in 1866. He was the first treasurer of the Lamar school board; was formerly a Democrat, but since the formation of the Republican party he has voted that ticket. He and Mrs. Fast are members of the Free Will Baptist Church, and are much respected citizens. Mr. Fast is the owner of 500 acres of land, and much of his success in life is due to his good wife, who has been a true helpmate to him. When starting out for himself, he was obliged to go in debt for an ax, but by using that diligently, and his wife her spinning wheel, they were soon on the road to prosperity.

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This family biography is one of 166 biographies included in The History of Barton County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Barton County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

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