local places of worship, and was kindly neighbor and in every way a
model citizen. Politically he was a democrat. Richard Frederick Dun-
can married Sarah Ann St. John, who was born in Tennessee November
14, 1838, and is now living at a good old age in St. Joseph, Missouri.
She was a small child when the St. John family emigrated to Clay County,
Missouri. She became the mother of nine children, named as follows:
Frank ; A. B., of St. Joseph ; William, deceased ; Mrs. Etta Carson, of St.
Joseph; R. E., of Platte County; B. W., of Sedalia, this state; C. B., of
Edgerton Junction, Missouri; J. R., also of Edgerton Junction; and
Mrs. W. B. Smith, of Colorado Springs.

Judge Frank Duncan was reared on a farm, attended the common
schools, and finished his education by two years in William Jewell Col-
lege at Liberty. His early life was on a farm, and he had a thorough
training in agricultural methods. In 1888 he removed to St. Joseph and
for five years was in the livery business in that city. On October 15,
1893, he took possession of his present fine homestead near Dearborn.
His farm contains 153 acres, and all its building improvements have been
the result of Judge Duncan's management since he took possession. A
capable farmer, he has always stood high in the esteem of his fellow
citizens, and this brought about his election in 1911 as a county judge
from the western district of Platte County. In November, 1914, he was
reelected, this time as presiding judge of the County Court. Politically
he is a democrat.

Judge Duncan was married February 9, 1889, to Margaret H. Meloan,
who was born at Paynesville, in Pike County, Missouri, December 14,
1860. Her father, Joseph Meloan, was born at Mount Sterling, Ken-
tucky, in 1819 and died in 1873. The maiden name of her mother was
Margaret Patton, who was born at Cynthiana in Harrison County, Ken-
tucky, in November, 1833, and died in 1911, having been brought by her
parents to Pike County, Missouri, when five years of age. Mr. and Mrs.
Duncan are the parents of three children: Richard M., of St. Joseph;
Margaret Helen and Etta Wells, both at home.

Adolph P. Doppler. There is no town in Northwest Missouri that
has more intimate and interesting relations with early commercial his-
tory along the Missouri River than Weston. A firm that has been iden-
tified with commercial undertakings there since Weston was a metropolis
and Kansas City was an insignificant village is that of Doppler. Adolph



2004 HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI

P. Doppler is the second generation in Weston, and has himself been
prominent in mercantile circles for thirty years or more.

Adolph P. Doppler was born at Weston, Missouri, January 6, 1857.
His father was the late George M. Doppler, who was born in Wacheheim,
Germany, October 11, 1830, and died July 20, 1900. In early manhood
he came to the United States, and in 1851 was married at St. Louis to
Salome Brandenburg, who was born in the same part of Germany and
came to the United States on the same ship with her future husband.
From St. Louis they came out to the Western Missouri frontier, locating
at Weston, where George Doppler, being a tailor by trade, opened a
shop. He continued working at his trade until his savings amounted to
$500, and they were then invested in a small stock of dry goods. He
used half of a small room for his stock, and displayed this merchandise
to the public in the spring of 1865. From that humble beginning as a
merchant his enterprise steadily grew until his was the largest dry goods
and grocery house in Weston, drawing trade from a country miles around.
In 1900 he retired, turning over his business to his two sons, Phillip
and Frank, and died during the same year. His wife passed away in
February, 1901, at the age of seventy. There were seven children:
Adolph P. ; Frank, deceased ; Mrs. Emma Bacote of California ; George
of St. Joseph ; Phillip of Weston ; Laura, wife of C. W. Bowen, of
Brunswick, Missouri ; and Nellie, wife of John Brill of Weston. The
father of these children had affiliations with the Masonic Order, the
I. O. O. F. and the German Benevolent Association, and was one of the
founders and charter members of the German Methodist Episcopal
Church at Weston.

In his native town of Weston Adolph P. Doppler grew to manhood,
attended the local schools about four months in each year until twelve
years of age, and then entered upon his practical business career in his
father's store, where he remained ten years. From the spring of 1879
until October, 1883, Mr. Doppler was cashier in the office of the United
States Internal Revenue Collector at Kansas City. He then returned
to Weston, and bought out the Chicago Lumber Company. In 1894 he
bought the grocery business formerly conducted by T. A. Gilbert, and
continued both enterprises until 1896. The lumber business was then
sold, and his time has since been devoted to the grocery trade, with a
success proportionate to the increasing years. In 1910 Mr. Doppler
bought the site of his present business house, and erected a modern
store 25x80 feet, a two-story building of brick. This store is built on
the solid rock. Its thoroughness of construction is such that the build-
ing may probably stand for generations as a landmark in Weston. On
a concrete base 36 inches wide was laid the foundation of rock, giving
a basement 7 feet in clear, with a 10-inch solid concrete floor. On
top of that was erected the two-story brick building, the second floor
being a seven room modern home. The basement he uses as an adjunct
to his store for the keeping of vegetables and general storage. The
building is fitted with a private water works, with hot and cold pressure
tanks in the basement. While this is now one of the substantial busi-
ness structures of the Weston commercial district, the site is of con-
siderable interest as one of the landmarks of Weston. The old building
torn down by Mr. Doppler preparatory to the erection of the present
structure was one owned by an uncle of Buffalo Bill, and in that store
the noted Buffalo Bill worked for a time as a clerk. Even Mr. Doppler
can recall a time in the early days of Weston when the old counter in
this building had a pile of gold dust on it that would fill a peck measure.
In those daj^s Weston was one of the first points of civilization between




^■.^,£^



HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI 2005

the Missouri River and the extreme western gold fields, and much of the
currency of financial circulation was the unminted gold dust.

As a merchant Mr. Doppler is an unqualified success and carries a
splendid stock of groceries and queensware. He has also served the
community as treasurer of the school board thirteen years. Fraternally
he is affiliated with the Masonic order and the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows, and he and his wife are Methodists. In April, 1879,
Mr. Doppler married Anna Ilkenhaus, who was born at Weston, a
daughter of Emanuel Ilkenhaus, who was born in Germany and was an
old time jeweler in Weston. Mr. and Mrs. Doppler have two children :
Adella, wife of R. D. How, of Weston ; and Adolph, living at home.

Morris Adelbert Reed. With a conspicuous place in the legal pro-
fession of Northwest Missouri, and prominent both by his professional
attainments and his services in public affairs, Morris A. Reed has been
practicing as a member of the St. Joseph bar for the past forty-five
years, and is one of the oldest attorneys in this quarter of the state*. As
a lieutenant he made a brilliant record on the Union side during the
Civil war, and was admitted to the bar in New York State, a few years
Piter the war closed.

Morris Adelbert Reed was born at Watertowir New York, in 1838,
a son of Lewis and Angeline (Spinning) Reed. Through his father's
mother Mr. Reed is a descendant from the Ball family, who saw conspic-
uous service in the Revolutionary war. Mr. Reed was educated at the
Jefferson County Institute in Watertown, New York, and in the Belle-
ville Academy at Belleville, New York, graduating from the latter in
1861. After a year at home, he enlisted in September, 18G2, in Company
A of the Tenth New York Heavy Artillery, receiving his commission as
second lieutenant and was afterward promoted to first lieutenant. Soon
afterwards came his appointment on the staff of General Piper, who at
that time was division commander in the defences of Washington, as
acting assistant inspector general of said division. During the last
year of the war he served in the Shenandoah Valley, under General
Sheridan and under General Grant at the siege of Petersburg. With a
record as a faithful and efficient soldier. Lieutenant Reed returned to
his old home town of AYatertown, studied law in the office of Brown &
Beach, and on his admission to the bar in 1867 located at St. Joseph,
Missouri, where forty-five years of his active professional work and his
residence have been.

Mr. Reed up to 1888 was associated in partnership with Colonel John
Doniphan, under the firm name of Doniphan & Reed. That was one of
the foremost law firms in St. Joseph, during its existence. After 1888
Mr. Reed became associated with Mr. W. K. James, under the firm name
of Reed & James. That firm, which lasted until 1898, was also one of
special ability and with a large clientage among the most important
interests. Mr. James in 1898 was elected circuit judge, and since that
time Mr. Reed has devoted himself alone to the practice of law. At the
present time all his work is office counsel practice, and his time is taken
up by several large private interests, among which may be mentioned
the Burnes National Bank of St. Joseph.

In 1873 Mr. Reed was appointed register in bankruptcy, which posi-
tion he held until the repeal of the Bankruptcy Act. In 1882 he entered
politics on the republican ticket as candidate for Congress against
Colonel James Burnes, and gave the latter the closest race he had
through his congressional career. Mayor Englehart in 1888 appointed
Mr. Reed city counselor of St. Joseph, and his service in that capacity
lasted two years. In January, 1892, Mr. Reed was appointed general



2006 HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI

attorney for the St. Joseph and Grand Island Railway Company, and
represented that corporation until 190-1.

During the recent general election in 1912, Mr. Reed was republican
candidate for Congress in his district. His social relations are with the
Sons of the American Revolution, to which his membership was granted
by his connection with Revolutionary sires already mentioned. His
church is the Christ Episcopal church of St. Joseph.

On October 15, 1872, Mr. Reed married Miss Margie R. Kimball, a
daughter of Lotus Kimball, a banker of Bath, Maine, and representing
one of the old families of shipbuilders in Bath during the period when
sailing ships were much in vogue. Mrs. Reed died July 1, 1904, leaving
two children. Clara A., wife of Owen B. Knight of St. Joseph, and
Morris H. Reed, who with his brother-in-law, comprised the firm of
Knight-Reed Millinery Company at St. Joseph. Mr. Reed and family
reside at 547 North Sixth street, and his offices are at 4141/2 Francis
Street.

James W. Cox. One of Platte County's oldest institutions, and which
stands second to none as to reputation for solidity and straightforward
dealing, is the Railey & Brother Banking Company, at Weston. Much
of the prestige held by this institution may be credited to the able and
energetic activities of its vice president, James W. Cox, a resident of
Weston since 1891, from which time to the present he has been connected
with various prominent enterprises, all connected with the growing
financial and industrial interests of the town.

Mr. Cox was born in Platte County, Missouri, February 5, 1860,
and is a son of W. G. and Sallie A. (Stone) Cox. His father was born
at Georgetown, Kentucky, in November, 1820, and was there married,
the mother having been born at Paris, Bourbon County, Kentuek}', in
June, 1837. In 1855 they left their southern home and came to Platte
County, Missouri, settling seven miles north of Weston, bringing with
them four negro slaves and a small outfit of house furnishings. While
W. G. Cox began his life in this state in a modest way, through inherent
ability, enterprise and perseverance he became one of his community's
substantial men, and through his natural capacity as a trader succeeded
in the accumulation of 1,500 acres of land. Both he and Mrs. Cox were
faithful members of the Baptist Church, in the belief of which the father
died in 1877. The mother, who still survives him, makes her home at
Kansas City, Missouri. They were the parents of eight children, of
whom six are living, namely: D. K., a resident of Platte County, Mis-
souri ; James W., of this review ; Lizzie J., who is the wife of Charles
Markle, of Galveston, Texas; Mattie, who is the wife of D. G. Main, of
Kansas City, Missouri; Edwin G., of Craig, Missouri; and Minnie, the
wife of S. B. Hall, of Colorado.

James W. Cox was reared on his father's farm, and after attending
the country schools entered William Jewell College, at Liberty, Missouri,
which he attended during 1878 and 1879. During the years 1880, 1881
and 1882 he was a student at the State University, Columbia, then
returning home to take charge of the farm, in order that his mother
might move to Plattsburg that the younger children might be given
better educational advantages. Mr. Cox continued to operate the home-
stead until 1887, when he moved to a property of his own, east of Weston,
and remained there until 1891. In that year he became identified with
the business interests of Weston, buying the two lumber yards here and
consolidating them, and remained at the head of that industry until
February, 1911, when he sold out to the Lambert Lumber Company.



HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI 2007

In the meantime, in 1906, Mr. Cox had become vice president of Railey
& Brother Banking Company, a business to which he has given his best
energies since 1907. This bank was founded in 1867 by J. M. and E. W.
Railey, the latter being president. In 1897 the bank was incorporated
and the name was changed to Railey & Brother Banking Company, a
style which it has since retained. In the capacity of vice president of
this institution Mr. Cox has shown himself a man of marked financial
capacity, shrewd, far-seeing and of excellent judgment. His own well-
known integrity has done much to inspire confidence in the depositors,
without which no monetary enterprise may survive. Mr. Cox is a demo-
crat, but has confined his activities in politics to casting his vote for
good men and measures. He is a Knight Templar Mason and has been
treasurer of his lodge for twelve years, and he and Mrs. Cox are members
of the Baptist Church and interested actively in its work.

Mr. Cox was married September 3, 1885, to Miss Lizzie Noble, who
was born at Weston, Missouri, a daughter of W. G. Noble, a native of
Boone County, Missouri, and one of the early merchants of Weston,
where he died in 1904. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs.
Cox: Forrestine, who is the wife of J. S. Sitlington, of Kansas City,
Missouri ; and Neva, the wife of Ed Thorn, of Weston, Missouri.

M. H. Gabbert. One of the oldest native sons of Platte County is
M. H. Gabbert, whose life of nearly seventy years has been spent in
this county, and whose boyhood recollections associate themselves with
the heavy forests and the wilderness surroundings of pioneer times. As
a farmer, like other members of the family, his career has been one of
substantial and prosperous industry, and in a quiet way he has been an
effective influence for the advancement of the community.

M. H. Gabbert was born in Weston Township of Platte County, April
30, 1816. His father, William Gabbert, was born in Kentucky, October
8, 1817, and died January 19, 1908, while his wife, whose maiden name
was Frances Hamner, was born in the same state, September 3, 1819,
and died January 14, 1914. Long lives have been characteristic of the
Gabbert family, and it will be seen that both parents were more than
ninety vears of age when summoned by death. Of eight children four
are still living: Benton, of Platte County; M. H. ; Ira T., of Caldwell,
Kansas ; and Elnora, wife of William Calvert, of Weston. The Gabbert
and Hamner families removed from Kentucky to Bartholomew County,
Indiana, in 1819, and there William Gabbert and Frances Hamner grew
up in the same neighborhood and were married December 27, 1838.
That section of Indiana was then well settled and lands were increasing
in value on account of the numerous population they had to support.
In consequence the Gabbert family during the early '40s began planning
for a removal to the western frontier. Early in the '40s the grandfather
of M. H. Gabbert set out on a prospecting tour to examine the lands in
the new Platte Purchase of Missouri. He was accompanied by his
oldest son, and in Platte County, near what is now known as Pleasant
Ridge, bought a good sized tract of land, sufficient to give each of his
sons eighty acres. Then in 1844 was accomplished the general removal
of the family from Indiana to Missouri. The household goods and the
children and women rode in wagons, and after many days of journeying
they reached Platte County in October, 1844. William Gabbert 's eighty
acres had a small house and five acres were all cleared for cultivation,
but the rest was in the midst of the heavy walnut and oak timber. In
1848 he removed to an adjoining place of fifty acres, improved with a
substantial two-story frame house. He was one of the men of exceptional
ability during the pioneer times of Platte County, and accumulated both



2008 HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI

land arid money, loaning the latter to advantage among his neighbors.
One of the chief incentives to him in his work was to provide liberally
for his children, in whom he always took a great interest, and much of
his estate was distributed among them before his death. He and his
wife in early life were Baptists, but later both joined the Christian
Church. William Grabber! was well versed in Bible literature. Polit-
ically he was identified with the republican party.

M. H. Gabbert grew up on the old homestead in Weston Township,
attended country schools until they were suspended on account of the
war, and then applied himself to the practical duties of the home farm.
He lived at home until his marriage on March 25, 1868, to Henrietta Cox.
Mrs. Gabbert was born in Platte County April 21, 1849, a daughter of
Jacob and Susan (Pettigrew) Cox. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs.
Gabbert have been born five children : Nannie, wife of James Risk, of
Platte County ; Jessie, wife of A. E. McGlashan, of Trinidad, Colorado ;
Bessie L., wife of B. A. Gow, of Trinidad, Colorado; Jakie, wife of
G. M. Hamm, of Waterloo, Iowa; and Elnora, wife of G. B. Park, of
Platte City, Missouri.

Mr. Gabbert has worked out his destiny on prosperous proportions
as a farmer, and has occupied his present fine farm near Weston since
1881. His place of 240 acres is well known in the community for its
capable management, and its crops of grain, tobacco and stock. The
Gabbert home is one of the attractive places in that community. Mr.
Gabbert is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at
Weston, and he and his family are Baptists. Politically his support is
given to the republican party.

Edwin E. Pumpiirey. Any mention of pioneer families in Platte
County must include reference to the Pumphreys, who have lived here
usefully and actively practically since the Platte Purchase was opened
for settlement. Edwin E. Pumphrey is a prosperous citizen of Dear-
born, where he is cashier of the Bank of Wallace, was identified with
the Bank of Dearborn from its organization until a few years ago, and
in his earlier life was a teacher.

Edwin E. Pumphrey was born in Green Township of Platte County,
Missouri, February 5, 1854, and his home has been within three miles
of his birthplace all his life. His grandparents, Elijah and Olive (Wil-
son) Pumphrey, came from Kentucky to Platte County in the very early
days, making the journey by wagon and locating near the Town of Dear-
born. There Elijah Pumphrey pre-empted a tract of land and subse-
quently bought more. His death occurred in Platte County in 1875.
William J. Pumphrey, father of the banker, was born in Kentucky
and died near Camden Point, Missouri, in May, 1865, at the age of forty-
five. He grew up on the old Platte County homestead, having been
brought to Missouri when a boy, and after his marriage located on the
farm where Edwin E. was born, and subsequently removed to another
place six miles south, where his death occurred. He was a raiser of
stock and also a hemp grower. In the early days the family were all
democrats and Southern sympathizers, and members of the Baptist
Church. William J. Pumphrey married Sarah A. (Malotte) Smith,
who was born in Missouri and died in 1899 at the age of sixty-seven.
Of the six children four are living : Edwin E. ; Olive, widow of L. R.
Carlton, of Idaho; Frank, of Idaho; and Margaret, widow of E. Smythe,
of Dearborn. Galen B. and Louella are deceased.

Edwin E. Pumphrey grew up on a farm, attended the common
schools, and during 1874-75-76 was a student in the William Jewell
College at Liberty. For the twelve years following his college career



HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI 2009

Mr. Pumphrey was engaged in teaching, and had schools both in Platte
and Buchanan counties. Many of his former pupils are now men and
women in this section of Missouri with families of their own. In 1888,
at the organization of the Bank of Dearborn by Benton Gabbert and
W. C. Wells, Mr. Pumphrey became identified with the institution as
cashier. He continued to hold that office and to a large degree handled
the business until 1906. Failing health then compelled him to resign,
and he spent several years in outdoor life and in recuperating. In 1910
Mr. Pumphrey took the position of cashier in the Bank of Wallace and
has since handled its affairs.

Mr. Pumphrey has been a leader in public affairs, and is one of the
stanch democrats of Platte County. He represented this county in
the Forty-third and Forty-fourth general assemblies, and during the
second term was chairman of the Committee on Banks and Banking
and a member of the House Appropriation Committee and other com-
mittees. He became a member of the town board of Dearborn when
it was first organized, and served twelve years on the school board.
Fraternally he is affiliated with the Masonic order, including the Mystic
Shrine at St. Joseph. His wife is a member of the Christian Church.

On December 28, 1887, Mr. Pumphrey married Eva Gabbert, daugh-
ter of Benton Gabbert, farmer, stockman and banker of Dearborn, whose
prominent career is sketched on other pages. Mr. and Mrs. Pumphrey
have had seven children : Max M., of Dearborn ; Alice, deceased ; Edwin
G., Margaret, Benton, Smith and Eva Lucile, all at home.

James Watson. In the death of James Watson at Dearborn, Mis-
souri, October 7, 1906, Platte County was bereaved of a citizen it could
ill afford to lose. Mr. Watson was a valuable worker wherever his
sphere of duty lay, and for a number of years was the able director
and publisher of one of the influential newspapers of Northwest Mis-
souri.

Born at Paris, Bourbon County, Kentucky, October 26, 1863, he
was not quite forty-three years old when death summoned him. His
parents were Dr. J.^M. and Elizabeth (Taylor) Watson, both of Bourbon
County, whence they moved to Missouri, spending 1867-68 in Halleck,
then lived some years in Kansas City, and located at Dearborn in 1881.
James Watson died just twenty-five years to the day from the arrival
of the family in Dearborn. Doctor W T atson was a well educated gentle-
man and capable physician, and practiced until his death in November,
1909, at the age of seventy-eight, He was a man of literary tastes, and
was a student all his life.

James Watson received most of his education in the public schools of
Kansas City, and also spent a year in the University of Missouri. His
first regular position was as station agent for the Great Western at Fau-
cett, Missouri, to which he was appointed in 1886, but was soon trans-
ferred to Dearborn. On November 1, 1896, he bought the Dearborn
Democrat, and continued it as editor and publisher until his death, with
the exception of four years spent as chief clerk in the insurance depart-
ment in the state capitol during the administration of Governor Dock-
ery. On returning to Dearborn he bought back the Democrat from the