My Genealogy Hound

Judge W. S. Freshour. Prominent among the wealthy and influential citizens of Marion Township stands the name of the above mentioned gentleman, who was born in North Carolina, and moved with his parents to Tennessee when but an infant. He was reared in that State, and remained and assisted his father on the farm until twenty years of age, when he went to Callaway County, Mo. He there followed farming for some time, but later went to Jefferson City, and was there engaged in working on public buildings. Here he became acquainted with Miss Elizabeth Wells, daughter of John Wells, of Marion Township, but a native of Kentucky, and was married to her December 21, 1837. At the time of his marriage he was clerking for the firm of James A. Coump, well known in Jefferson City, but a few months later he moved with his wife to a farm he had purchased near her father, in Marion Township, about one and a half miles from where the village of Centre Town now stands. He remained here a short time, then sold out and moved on another farm, but soon sold out again, and in 1848 purchased eighty acres of land, with about ten acres cleared. On this land, in 1851, he erected one of the finest houses between Jefferson City and California, and there resided until 1885. He then built him the fine residence which he now occupies, and which is one of the largest and handsomest farm dwellings in the State. When first married Judge and Mrs. Freshour had very little of this world’s goods, but now they are the owners of 800 acres of land about the village of Centre Town, and own nineteen stores and dwellings in that village. In 1851 he borrowed $2,500 from his brother James, who had gone to the State of California in 1849, and who returned in 1851 with a fortune that he had made in that State. Afterward he returned to that State, and is now living there. Judge Freshour first engaged in merchandising in Boone County, Mo., remained there about six months, after which he came to Cole County and built a store on the site where his new dwelling is now standing. He here sold goods until 1860, when he lost about $10,000 in slaves and other property, but be it said to his credit that Judge Freshour had his will drawn up before the Emancipation Proclamation, giving his slaves their freedom and $300 in money at his death. After the war he built a new store and sold goods for a number of years, after which he retired from active life. He was elected judge of the county court in 1879, served two years, but declined the nomination for the second term. Many years before, upon his first appearance in Jefferson City, he had assisted in excavating dirt from the court-house site, and afterward sat as judge within the walls of the same court house. He has also filled the position of justice of the peace for a number of terms, and is one of the representative men of the county. He was the father of one son, John William, whose birth occurred September 16, 1843, and who died November 15, 1859. Judge Freshour is a member of the Masonic fraternity, California Blue Lodge No. 183, and also the Chapter. In old muster days he was captain of militia, and commanded the mustering companies at several annual musters. He and wife are members of the Baptist Church. They have reared four orphan children, have seen them married, and are looked upon by them as their parents. All are members of the Baptist Church. These children are named as follows: John W. Gatliff, Adelia Gatliff, Myra Sunday and Frances Adelia Chambers, all of whom received a good common-school education. John Sunday, a brother of Myra, whom they had taken at four years of age, died at the age of ten years. Adelia Gatliff married W. J. Letts, a grocer of Sedalia; Myra Sunday married D. L. Hathhorn at the age of twelve years, and is now the mother of six children. Mr. Hathhorn is one of the leading merchants of Centre Town. Adelia Chambers married Gideon Gouge, who is now in the employ of the Missouri Pacific Railroad. John Gatliff is married and in the employ of the railroad. John Freshour was the father of our subject; George Freshour, his grandfather, was from Germany, but came to America and settled in North Carolina, and later moved to Tennessee and from there to Ohio, where he died.