My Genealogy Hound

John W. Gordon is a native of Moreau Township, Cole Co., Mo., and was born in 1845, being the youngest of eight children of John T and Elizabeth (Berry) Gordon, of whom mention is made in the sketch of Urias Gordon. John W. received such education and rearing as were vouchsafed the average farmer’s boy of his times, and remained with his parents until 1864, when he went to Warrensburg to enter school, just at the time Price made his raid through Missouri, and was arrested by the latter through mistaken identity, but was afterward released, owing to the influence of a friend from Jefferson City. He had previously entered the Enrolled Militia, and on his return home rejoined his company, but it was shortly afterward disbanded, and he again returned to the paternal roof, and was married from there in 1865 to Miss Henrietta McMillan, a native Missourian, and a daughter of T. H. McMillan, who was a captain in the Mexican War and an early settler of Missouri. In 1850 he started overland to California, but died at St. Joseph, Mo. After his marriage Mr. Gordon remained with his father until the latter’s death, and then came into possession of the home farm, which property he still owns. In 1867 he bought the Central Flour mill of the stock company, and after managing this establishment for two years rented it for a term of years, and later sold it to G. W. Raines. He then began handling stock very extensively, and about 1878 secured the contract to furnish meat to the State’s Prison at Jefferson City, which contract has been renewed from year to year up to the present time. He makes a business of handling fat stock for market, and during a series of years has shipped about 150 car-loads, which annually amount to at least $150,000. He has made many valuable improvements on his farm, and has built a new house, and several large barns for hay and stock. In his farm of 600 acres he has about 400 acres of excellent land under cultivation, which will easily produce thirty bushels of wheat and sixty bushels of corn to the acre. He moved to Jefferson City in 1884, and bought property on Jackson Street, and in the fall of 1888 purchased the residence of Col. Gates, on the corner of Main and Jackson Streets, on which he has put several thousand dollars’ worth of improvements, and now has one of the finest places in the city. He has ever taken an active interest in politics, voting with the Democratic party; and having had the welfare of the county at heart, he has given his aid to every good cause.