My Genealogy Hound

M. W. Easley. Any sketch in the history of Polk County, Mo., would be incomplete without mention of Mr. Easley, who is one of the oldest living settlers of that county. He was born in Ray County, Tenn., in 1815, and grew to manhood in Grainger County, of that State. His parents, Warham and Catherine (Counts) Easley, were both natives of Tennessee. The father was a farmer by occupation, was married in his native State, and reared his children there. He was a soldier in the Black Hawk War, and was twice a member of the State Legislature from Grainger County, Tenn. He died in his native State at the age of eighty-seven years. To his marriage were born four children, M. W. Easley being third in order of birth. The latter came to Missouri in 1837, locating in Polk County, and began clerking in a store in Springfield, where he remained until the next spring, and then went to farming. At this time Indians were numerous, and the town of Bolivar consisted of two or three houses. Mr. Easley entered land, and followed farming for five or six years. In 1852 he engaged in mercantile pursuits at Oakland, and was postmaster for some years. He continued his mercantile pursuits for twenty-nine years, or until ten years ago, and in connection has always carried on farming. He has had goods hauled from St. Louis, Mo., on wagons, and has experienced all the hardships suffered by early settlers. On account of being postmaster at Oakland he did not go to the war. He was a Whig previous to that time, but since then has been a Republican in his politics, his first presidential vote being for William H. Harrison. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity. Aside from his mercantile interest, of which he has made a complete success, he is the owner of more than 700 acres of land, and has given much to his children. He was married in Polk County, Mo., to Miss Sophronia Akard, a native of Tennessee, born in 1829, and they had a family of three children: Warham, deceased; John, died at the age of about twelve years; and James B., collector of revenue. Warham grew to manhood, married, and was the father of four children at the time of his death. They were named as follows: Shelton W., Magnes T., Mary E., and Booker, who died in infancy. Miller W. Easley, grandfather of our subject, was born in Virginia, and became an early pioneer of Tennessee, where he passed the remainder of his days. The paternal grandmother was of the Lyons family.