My Genealogy Hound

William M. Major, farmer, stockman, and grain and hay merchant at Kenoma, Mo., was born in Polk County, Mo., March 2, 1842, being a son of Alfred and Agnes (Adams) Major, a history of whom is given in the sketch of Benjamin P. Major. He was reared in St. Clair County, Ill., and was married at Lebanon of that State to Miss Elizabeth Rowlett, who was born in 1842, and died in Golden City, Mo., in 1878, having borne five children, who are also deceased. After his marriage Mr. Major resided and farmed in St. Clair County, Ill., until 1877, when he came to Barton County, Mo., and lived near Golden City two years, moving to his present farm in the fall of 1880, where he first engaged in sheep raising, having at one time as many as a thousand head. After a time he gave up this work and turned his attention to general farming, and is now the owner of 280 acres of land. Since 1886 he has been engaged in shipping grain and hay at Kenoma, and owns a large hay barn, and an interest in a mill. He ships South about twenty tons of prairie hay per day, and has shipped timothy hay as far South as Augusta, Ga. Mr. Major took for his second wife Mrs. Mollie E. Gray, who was born in Holt County, Mo., in 1852, and by her has the following children: Peter (deceased), Agnes, Jennie, Roy and Willie. Mr. Major is a Democrat in his political views.