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Below is a family biography included in The History of Dent 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 M. Daugherty. Among the many enterprising farmers and stock raisers of Spring Creek Township, none have done more to improve the stock or to develop the agricultural interests of the county than Mr. Daugherty. He was born in Overton County, Tenn., in 1832, and is the son of Surkiah and Sarah (McDonnell) Daugherty, both natives of Tennessee. The parents came to Dent County, Mo., in 1854, settling on Meramec, and in 1861 the father joined Gen. Price’s army, under Col. E. T. Twingo; was wounded at Wilson’s Creek, and died from the effects three days later. He was captain of a company. He was of Irish descent, and was a well-to-do farmer and stock raiser. The mother died in Arkansas in 1865, and both were members of the Christian Church. John M. Daugherty was the eldest of nine children, five sons and four daughters. He received a good common-school education, and came with his parents to Dent County in 1854. He was married, in 1860, to Miss Mary V. Barksdale, daughter of Stephen I. K. and Sarah Barksdale, both natives of Tennessee, where Mrs. Daugherty was born. They came to Dent County about 1839, and were among the early settlers of the county, where the mother died about 1874. The father died in Shannon County, in 1878. He was a soldier for six months in the Confederate army. To Mr. and Mrs. Daugherty were born three children, one son and two daughters: Jefferson B., Ellen and Etta. In 1861 Mr. Daugherty joined Company G, Fourth Missouri Volunteer Cavalry, for six months, and after about four months he was discharged on account of disability. He was captured in August, 1864, in Shannon County, was imprisoned at Rolla a number of weeks, and was then paroled on honor not to return to the Confederate army. In 1862 he returned to Shannon County, where he lived until 1880, and then came to his present farm, near Salem. This farm consists of 245 acres, all well improved. He owned the old home place on Meramec, which consisted of several hundred acres, which he gave to his children. In 1873 he and his father-in-law built a flour and saw-mill on Jack’s Fork of Current River, Shannon County, and operated the same for years with success. In 1867 he was appointed circuit and county clerk and recorder of Shannon County by the governor, and in 1868 he was elected circuit clerk and recorder, which office he held for twelve or fourteen years, or until he resigned, being elected three times. He is a Democrat in politics, his first presidential vote being for Buchanan in 1856. He has been quite largely engaged in dealing in stock since his majority, and is one of the enterprising farmers of Dent County.

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This family biography is one of 82 biographies included in The History of Dent County, Missouri published in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Dent County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

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