years. Making his way to America, we find from the best records acces-
sible that he located in the Pennsylvania colony and there married Miss
Elizabeth Bailey, they rearing a family of four children, among whom
were Thomas and Joshua. In later years 'the old folks moved to Ohio,
and their last years were passed in Pickaway County.
Rev. Joshua Leazenby spent his life in the ministry, having much to
do with the effective work of the pioneer Methodists of Pickaway County.
He was an excellent type of the pioneer preachers of that day, wore his
1380 HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI
"plug" hat, carried on his work on horsehaek, and possessed a greatly
treasured library which contained among other books, Flavius Josephus'
"History of the Jews," the works of Doctor Dick, and Baxter's "Saints'
Rest." Like most pioneer preachers his emoluments were few, and as
a result he left no large material estate, but the universal respect of
his community went out to his memory when he was laid to rest, July
29, 1836. Rev. Joshua Leazenby married Lucinda Toothaker, a member
of a family of rugged, virile, thrifty people, of English stock. Lucinda
Toothaker was born August 1, 1803, and died July 1, 1881. She was
the mother of these children : James, born July 27, 1823, who died in
Miami County, Kansas, leaving a family ; William, the father of Charles
W., who died in Harrison County, Missouri, February 23, 1908 ; Rachel,
who died in infancy; Alexandria, who died in childhood; Wesley, who
spent three years as a soldier in the Union army during the Civil war,
returned to farming and died as one of the successful agriculturists of
Harrison County; and Isaac, born May 9, 1835, who died January 21,
1887, leaving a family of several children.
William Leazenby 's wife was Nancy Jane Coffman, who bore her
husband two sons, Charles Wesley, of this review; and William Henry,
whose career is sketched on another page of this work.
Charles W. Leazenby was a child of three years when his parents
made their journey by wagon from Ohio and settled on Yankee Ridge,
near Ridgeway, Missouri, in August, 1856. The family lived in their
covered wagon until their primitive log cabin was built, having the
usual puncheon floor and clapboard door that were to be found on
Northwest Missouri pioneer homes. After a few years, however, the
family moved from this location and located at the Fransham farm,
east of Ridgeway, and there resided about five years. Mr. Leazenby
acquired his education from the country and in the Paola (Kansas)
Normal School, and at the age of eighteen years began his career on his
own account as a teacher. His first school was the "Stoner," now the
"Banner," school, a district which was three by six miles and which
sent to school then the well known Doctor Stoner, Rev.' U. G. Leazenby,
the superintendent of the Crawfordsville (Indiana) district of the
Methodist conference, and Anthony Skroh, one of the leading Bohemian
farmers of Madison Township. Mr. Leazenby was paid twenty-five dol-
lars a month for the first term, which pleased him much, and his board
cost him two dollars a week. On Saturdays he usually worked for the
farmer he boarded with and was allowed a dollar for his work, and
when he had finished his school he had saved enough money to buy him
a good mule. He rode this animal to and from his school for two or
three years. Mr. Leazenby 's services were such as to be demanded again
by the board at an increase of five dollars a month and he continued to
teach in the country about Mount Moriah and in the schools of that
village, spending his summers as a farmer, and teaching his last school
at Melbourn in 1901.
Mr. Leazenby bought his first farm in 1880, in Madison Township,
and was married that year, and his first home was made where he now
lives. This place was a virgin farm, without evidence of having been
touched by the hand of man, and here Mr. Leazenby erected a small
frame house, 16x21 feet, a story and one-half high, this serving him
until the erection of his more substantial residence some years later.
He engaged in improving, breaking out and raising stock successfully
and some ten years ago became seriously interested in Short Horn cattle
and Poland-China hogs, a stock which he has continued to exploit on
his farm and in his community to the present time. He believes in the
best blood for his stock, and his success with it has been so marked that
HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI 1381
his judgment would seem to be correct. Following the death of his
parents Mr. Leazenby purchased his brother's interest in the old par-
ental home and owns it now, this farm lying adjacent to his own pioneer
home, his parents having moved to it in 1871.
Mr. Leazenby is of republican stock. His father voted that ticket,
and he himself cast his first presidential vote for Rutherford B. Hayes
and has voted for every republican presidential candidate since, save
in 1888 when Grover Cleveland ran the second time, when he voted for
him. He was sadly disappointed in the defeat of James G. Blaine and
of President Taft. Mr. Leazenby attended the republican state conven-
tion at Jefferson City when Chauncey I. Filley was the acknowledged
leader of the republican forces in Missouri.
On May 2, 1880, Mr. Leazenby was married to Miss Ella M. Forbes,
a daughter of J. H. and Fannie (Griswold) Forbes, who came to Mis-
souri at the close of the Civil war from Elkhart County, Indiana. Mrs.
Leazenby was born at Port Huron, Michigan, October 27, 1855, and was
the third of seven children : Maurice, now a resident of Arkansas, who
at the age of fifteen years answered the call for ' ' 100-day men ' ' during
the Civil war, in 1861, and, re-enlisting, served for three years in the
Union army; Iola, who became the wife of Eli Graves and now lives at
Palisades, Nebraska ; Ella M., who is the wife of Mr. Leazenby of this
review; Louise, who married Bedford Graves, of Eureka, Nebraska;
Cora M., who is the widow of Hick Price, of Longmont, Colorado;
Franklin, of Harrison County, Missouri; and George W., of Marshall-
town, Iowa.
Mr. and Mrs. Leazenby have the following children: Miss Bessie
Ruth, born March 6, 1881, graduated at the head of her class at Bethany
High School, in 1900, finished a course in the Kirksville Normal -with
the degree of B. P., in 1904, in 1910 did special work in English in the
summer school of the state university, began teaching after she had
finished at Bethany, taught in the New London High School, two years
in the graded schools of Joplin, one year in Gainesville High School and
a year in New Hampton, and at Kirksville and Joplin was active in the
work of the Young Women 's Christian Association ; Homer Wadsworth,
born June 16, 1882, took his education from the country schools, has
spent his life as a farmer, living adjoining the old homestead, and mar-
ried Rhoda M. Trotter, their children being Charles Edwin, Mary Fern,
Forrest Wayne and Richard Thurman; Miss Amy Jane, born August
28, 1886, graduated from Bethany High School in 1904, spent two sum-
mer terms in the state university, taught in the rural schools and in the
Mount Moriah graded schools two years, holds a state certificate and
finished first in her class at Bethany, and is now (1914 and 1915) tak-
ing special work in the university; Miss Gladys Fern, born April 24,
1891, graduated from Bethany High School in 1910, began teaching
then in the rural schools, spent a term in the Maryville Normal school,
and has also taken a year's work in the University of Missouri.
Mr. Leazenby is a Mason, with a master's degree, and with his family
is affiliated with the Methodist Church. He has given an impetus to the
good roads movement, and was a deciding force in locating the Coal
Valley Trail past his farm, having donated money and labor heavily on
this road, far beyond the requirements of the law. He is a man of wide
and varied information, entertaining and instructive in his conversa-
tion, and the literary atmosphere of his home makes it a mecca for
neighbors and strangers alike.
John Brown Bryant. One of the younger men of Harrison County
who have shown successful ability in business affairs and have also
1382 HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI
made themselves useful iu a public way is John Brown Bryant, a son
of Joseph F. Bryant, a prominent Northwest Missourian whose career
is sketched at length on other pages of this work.
John Brown Bryant was born in Bethany August 20, 1870, and
has spent most of his life either in the town or the close vicinity. His
education came from the city schools, supplemented by attendance at
Woodland College in Independence, Missouri, and a commercial course
in the old Stanberry Normal. His practical business career began at
the age of twenty in the Cottonwood Valley National Bank at Marion,
Kansas, where he remained two years. He returned to Harrison County
to take up farming, and it was as a substantial farmer that he was
known in this community for fifteen years.
While on the farm, in 1904, he was elected a member of the county
court from the south district as successor to Judge Taggart, and was
re-elected in 1906. Judge Miller was presiding judge and his associates
in the administration of county affairs were Judges Alley and Tucker.
During those four years the board busied itself besides the routine
affairs with repairing the bridges of the county destroyed or damaged
in the notable flood of that time. They also improved the county farm,
adding more land and constructing a substantial barn. Mr. Bryant's
successor on the county board was Olin Kies. Besides his work as a
county official Mr. Bryant also was a member of the Bethany school
board a number of years.
Having given up farming in the meantime and moved into Bethany,
Mr. Bryant became interested in merchandising as a grocer three years,
and then became a partner in the firm of Walker, Bryant & Company
until they sold out to Chambers & Davis. Since then his business has
been real estate and insurance, and he is also secretary and a director
of the Bethany Savings Bank. Since leaving the county board he has
taken only a nominal interest in politics, but still classifies as a repub-
lican, the political faith in which he was reared. His fraternities are
the Masonic, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of
Pythias.
In Harrison County on December 23, 1891, Mr. Bryant married Miss
Carrie E. Howell. Her father was the late Judge John C. Howell, who
died while on the circuit bench including Harrison County. Judge
Howell was born in Morgan County, Illinois, August 18, 1833, and died
at Bethany, September 29, 1882, and had been identified with Northwest
Missouri since childhood and for many years was a notable figure in law
and politics. He was one of two children, his sister being Mrs. Carrie
Carson. His father was a Kentuckian, but settled in Illinois, and on
moving to Missouri first lived in Clinton County, but in 1847 went to
Gentry County, where Judge Howell grew up. He completed his edu-
cation at old Bethany College in what is now West Virginia, an institu-
tion founded by Alexander Campbell. After entering law, he found
himself rapidly promoted in favor and success, and as a democrat was
elected to the circuit bench before the formation of the district in which
Harrison County is now included. He was a Mason and a member of
the Christian Church. Mrs. Bryant is the only child of Judge Howell's
marriage to Belle Brown, who was born near Monroe, Wisconsin, and
died at Bethany. Mr. and Mrs. Bryant have two children : Marie, who
graduated from the Bethany High School in 1913 ; and Helen, now in
one of the grades of the Bethany public schools.
James Henry Morroway, M. D. A resident of Ridgeway since
1900, where he is now in the possession of a large and profitable prac-
tice, Dr. Morroway is an excellent type of the modern and successful
HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI 1383
physician. Through his practice he has contributed a large amount of
individual service, has taken a part in the organized activities of the
profession and with his thorough knowledge of public affairs and capac-
ity for civic leadership has come into prominence in Northwest Missouri
politics.
James Henry. Morroway was» born in Tama County, Iowa, Septem-
ber 23, 1879. His father is James Morroway, a railway contractor, who
for many years has been identified with that line of business. James
Morroway was born near New York City, of German- Austrian parent-
age, the family having come to the United States about sixty years ago
and settled in the vicinity of New York. James Morroway found his
life work early in his career, began as foreman in construction work,
and one of his early employments was as foreman in the construction
of the New York postoffice. Coming west, he has since been identified
with railroad contracting in Iowa. He still lives in Tama County. In
politics he is a republican. James Morroway was married in Tama
County to Mary Black, who came from Maryland. Their children are :
James H. ; John, of Tama County ; Frank, of Tama County ; Mrs. George
Kinney, of Iowa; Mrs. James Lamer of Belleplaine, Iowa; and Mrs.
Philip Sevcik of Iowa.
Dr. Morroway grew up in Tama County, finished his high school
course in the county seat, and continued his education in a local acad-
emy for two years. After a year of medical reading with Dr. H. H.
Sievers at Tama, Dr. Morroway entered the Milwaukee Medical College,
was there for one year, took a year of laboratory work in Chicago, and
finished his course at the Creighton University in Omaha, where he was
graduated M. D. in 1900. Dr. Morroway received the first prize in gen-
eral surgery at Creighton, and in 1904 took postgraduate studies in the
same institution.
Dr. Morroway began practice at Ridgeway, and has since been stead-
ily climbing into the first rank of Harrison County physicians and to
influence as a citizen. He is a member and has served as secretary and
treasurer, vice president and for two years as president of the Harrison
County Medical Society. For a number of years he has been city physi-
cian of Ridgeway and also sanitary inspector of the town.
In politics Dr. Morroway is a stanch republican, and from that posi-
tion has never been led astray by the arguments of so-called progressive-
ism. While he w T ould perhaps claim no distinction as an originator, he
has kept himself thoroughly posted on matters of current politics, and
besides his capacity for leadership among men has competent views on
state and national issues. He has attended various county, congres-
sional and state conventions, and was a member of the famous Excelsior
Springs convention of 1912 for the selection of presidential delegates to
the National convention. In that campaign his party nominated him
for Congress from the Third District, and he was renominated in 1914.
Dr. Morroway is affiliated with the Masonic Order and the Knights
of Pythias. In Tama County, Iowa, October 22, 1902, he married Miss
Emily, daughter of John and Agnes Kozisek.
Lake Brewer, M. D. The success and efficiency of women in the
field of medicine are too well established to require any comment. While
women physicians are not numerous in any one county, they are usually
regarded as among the ablest and most successful in the field of local
practice, and the few who are identified with the profession in Northwest
Missouri are no exception to the rule. At Ridgeway in Harrison County,
Dr. Lake Brewer is enjoying a large and growing practice and competes
on equal terms with her brothers in the profession. Dr. Brewer repre-
1384 HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI
sents one of the first families at Ridgeway, and was the first child born
in that new town.
Dr. Brewer's ancestors were Ohio people, who lived about Zanesville
in Muskingum County. The grandfather was William Brewer, whose
widow, Nancy Brewer, is still living at Springfield, Missouri. They had
a family of five sons and a daughter. George W. Brewer, father of
Dr. Brewer, was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, May 12, 1810, and
was educated in the country schools. He came out to Missouri before
the Civil war, and lived for a time near Independence. While there he
entered Company H of the Thirteenth Missouri Cavalry, and subse-
quently transferred from the militia to the regular volunteer army. He
was a member of Colonel Sigel's regiment, and spent more than four
years in the army, spending one year on the plains after the close of
the war. He was bugler in his company. After the war George W.
Brewer returned to Illinois, finished his education in the University of
that state, and was a teacher in the public schools both' in Illinois and
in Missouri. Mr. Brewer finally returned to Missouri, and located at
Ridgeway when the town was founded, and followed merchandising
there for a number of years. He was never identified with politics
except as a republican voter.
George W. Brewer was married in Champaign County, Illinois, Jan-
uary 22, 1868, to Miss Delia Warner. She was born in Ohio, a daughter
of Amasa Warner, also a native of that state. Amasa Warner was a son
of Nathan Warner, who saw service as a soldier in the Revolutionary
army. Amasa Warner married a Miss Lowery, a daughter of James
Lowery, who was likewise a Continental soldier during the Revolution.
The Warner family were farming people in Wayne County, Ohio. Mrs.
George Brewer was reared in Champaign County, Illinois, was liberally
educated, taught school in Vermilion County, and while there frequently
saw Joe Cannon, then and afterwards one of the foremost leaders in the
republican party. George W. Brewer and wife had one child, Dr.
Brewer.
Dr. Lake Brewer was graduated from the Ridgeway public schools
in 1899 as valedictorian of her class. The same fall saw her entrance
into the University of Missouri, from which she was graduated with her
A. B. degree in 1903, and at the same time received a life certificate to
teach. She continued her work in the medical department of the uni-
versity, and during her junior year was assistant in the department of
physiology. Dr. Brewer finished her medical course and was given the
degree of M. D. in 1908. With this thorough training, Dr. Brewer
returned to her native village, and opened an office for practice in the
fall of 1908. Her work as a physician has been steadily growing in this
community for the past six years and her ability in diagnosis and treat-
ment is beyond question. Dr. Brewer is a member of the County Med-
ical Society and its vice president, and is also a member of the Missouri
State Medical Society and American Medical Association. Dr. Brewer
recently erected one of the brick business blocks in Ridgeway and has
her offices there.
Albert Oscar Lair. One of the most earnest and enthusiastic pro-
moters of the stock business as a buyer and shipper, and of agricultural
pursuits at Ridgeway, Harrison County, is Albert Oscar Lair, who, aside
from any prestige he may have received from connection with a fine
old family, has mapped out his own fortunes with a certainty of intent
and purpose which could have no other result than substantial suc-
cess. He has lived in the state and county since 1892, when he came
HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI 1385
here from Illinois, where his birth occurred in Macoupin County, near
Carlinville, March 9, 1860.
The Lair family is of German descent and is frequently found in
different parts of the country and in various spellings, one of the most
popular of which is "Lehr." The grandfather of Albert Oscar Lair
was Charles Lair, a Tennessee man by birth, who came to Macoupin
County, Illinois, as a pioneer, took up agricultural pursuits, and passed
his remaining years in the same vicinity where he is buried. He mar-
ried Miss Louisa Morris, and their family comprised sixteen children,
twelve of whom reared families, namely : John, the father of Albert 0. ;
Elizabeth, who married James McGinnis ; Rebecca, who married Richard
Nedrow ; Jeremiah j Betsy, who became the wife of Mr. Murray ; Thomas ;
Richard; Polly, the eldest daughter, who became the wife of George
Bridges ; Charles, who fought as a Union soldier during the Civil war ;
Marion; and James Buchanan. Jeremiah Lair of this family was also
a wearer of the Union blue during the war between the forces of the
North and South.
John Lair, the father of Albert Oscar Lair, was born in Macoupin
County, Illinois, July 3, 1832, passed his life as a farmer, and died in
the community of his birth, December 28, 1911. He married Miss Mar-
garet Hart, a daughter of Nathan Hart, who was also a farmer, as
well as a teacher and preacher of the Christian Church. He came from
Kentucky to Missouri and passed his last years in the latter state. The
children born to John and Margaret Lair were as follows: Jane, who
became the wife of William Golding, of Portland, Oregon; and Albert
Oscar. The mother passed away at Portland, Oregon, at the home of
her daughter and son-in-law, in June, 1912. John Lair was a good,
industrious and steady-going agriculturist, keeping steadfastly after
what he started out to accomplish and winning success through per-
sistence rather than by any brilliant coups. He had the reputation of
being a man of strict integrity, and as a citizen was known to be a
supporter of good men and progressive measures.
Albert Oscar Lair spent his childhood and youth on a farm and
acquired his education from the country district school. His home was
under the parental roof until he was past his majority and at the time
of his marriage he entered upon a career of his own as a farmer. About
this time he moved from Macoupin County, Illinois, to the fertile farm-
ing region of Sangamon County, in the same state, and there main-
tained his home on a tract in the vicinity of Virden, where he con-
tinued to carry on operations until he came to Missouri in 1892.
When he reached Missouri, Mr. Lair purchased the Judge Reeves
farm of 200 acres, the first farm sold in Harrison County at forty dollars
an acre. This was generally thought to be the limit of land prices,
and his neighbors declared he would never be able to sell it at that
value, although Mr. Lair felt confident that he had not made a bad
bargain. This was a well improved tract at that time, and is now one
of the most beautiful properties in Grant Township. There he resumed
his career as a general farmer and stockman, and entered upon a career
in stock feeding. While he was on the farm he entered the business of
stock shipping, his first experience in the business, and began it by
shipping the stock from his own farm. This experience was of a nature
calculated to encourage him in extending his business and he subse-
quently entered this venture exclusively. In addition he added to his
acreage, purchasing 195 acres adjoining his farm, known as the David
Allen farm, and 395 acres now constitute his holdings in a body there.
For the Allen farm he was forced to pay almost fifty dollars an acre.
Mr. Lair left the farm in 1907 and moved to Ridgeway, where he has
1386 HISTORY OF NORTHWEST MISSOURI
since continued to bny and ship stock as a business, having taken but
two vacation trips during these years, one to Canada and one into our
Northwest Pacific Coast country.
Mr. Lair's connection with Ridgeway, aside from his regular indus-
try, has been as a butcher and market man, and as a contributor to the
social and material affairs of the place which must, of necessity, have
public support. He was reared a democrat and this ticket he has voted
for as a man. He has filled the office of township trustee of Grant Town-
ship, served his country school district as a director, and in each of
his offices has displayed excellent executive ability and an earnest desire
to aid his community's interests and those of its people. Like his wife,
he is a member of the Methodist Church, and at this time is x a member
of the official board of the church at Ridgeway.
Mr. Lair was married October 1, 1884, to Miss Mary Jessamine
Johnston, a daughter of Henry and Emeline (Adkins) Johnston. Mr.
Johnston -was a native of Virginia, born May 13, 1815, near Natural
Bridge, while Mrs. Johnston was born March 11, 1835. The father's
death occurred in Macoupin County, Illinois, in December, 1912, while
Mrs. Johnston passed away there in October, 1902. Their children were
as follows: Elvira, a resident of Chicago, Illinois, and the wife of Ferd
Richards ; George, who died in Macoupin County, Illinois, without issue ;
Nancy, who became the wife of Oliver Lorton and resides at Virden,