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Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Adair County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1888.  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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Jeremiah R. Howk is a native of Illinois, and was born in Adams County, June 6, 1852. He moved to Missouri with his parents, in 1857, where he grew to manhood on the farm, marrying Miss Ellen Rollins, in Adair County, November 15, 1876. Mrs. Howk was born in Knox County, where she was reared and educated. To our subject and wife were born one son and two daughters, named Alfa Pearl, Madie and Corie. After marriage he located where he now resides. He now owns 200 acres of land, all fenced, and 180 acres improved. He has a good one-and-a-half-story house, with a nice barn, and orchards of apple and other fruit trees. The land is mostly prairie land, and among the choicest of this township. John Howk has 160 acres of land all in cultivation. Has a one-story-and-a-half house, common barn and outbuildings, and has eighty acres in another tract under cultivation. He bought the home place in 1855, and proceeded to improve it. At that time the whole country was a comparative wilderness, the nearest neighbors being half a mile distant. There were only three houses on the prairie between Salt River and Bear Creek. Mr. Howk is a native of Indiana, born in Franklin County, April 6, 1815. His father, Adam Howk, was a native of Pennsylvania, and was married in Virginia, to Polly Hale, a native of that State. He served in the War of 1812, under Gen. Harrison. In 1812 he settled in Indiana, and reclaimed a farm from the wilderness. He was required to guard the frontiers and fight the Indians. Later in life he was an exhorter. He died in Indiana, about 1851. The family had moved to Jennings County, where John Howk grew to manhood. There they lived about eighteen years, and then moved to Owen County, where the old gentleman died. John H. spent his youth on a farm, and learned the tanner’s trade, at Bowling Green, Ind., at which business he worked four years. In one whole year he only lost half a day’s time. October 6, 1840, he married, in Clay County, Ind., Miss Elizabeth Barnes, daughter of Nicholas Barnes. This lady was born in Indiana. Mr. Howk moved to Adams County, Ill., in 1850, farmed there for seven years, then in 1857 moved to Missouri, and bought and located as above described. He has never sought nor held office of importance. He has been appointed several times, but has refused to serve. In February, 1862, he enlisted in the Eleventh Missouri Cavalry, and served one year. He was in the fight at Kirksville, and was discharged for disability. He and wife have reared a family of ten children, five sons and three daughters living: Margaret (wife of James Davidson), J. W., John W., Jane (who died in early womanhood), Jeremiah, Sally A. (deceased wife of Thomas Good), Celia (wife of William Barnhill), Obediah and Frank (twins), Melvina (wife of William McClay), Hezekiah (deceased in infancy). Mr. and Mrs. Howk are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

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This family biography is one of 150 biographies included in the Adair County, Missouri portion of the book,  The History of Adair, Sullivan, Putnam, and Schuyler Counties, Missouri published in 1888 by Goodspeed Publishing Co.  For the complete description, click here: Adair County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Adair County, Missouri family biographies here: Adair County, Missouri Biographies

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