My Genealogy Hound
Below is a family biography included in The History of Dallas County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889. 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.
* * * *
George W. Herd, one of the leading merchants of Dallas County, doing business at Charity, was born in Tennessee September 26, 1828, being the son of John and Rebecca (Martin) Herd, natives of Kentucky and North Carolina, respectively. The father was a farmer all his life, and died in Tennessee when the subject of this sketch was a very small child. After his death the mother moved to Macoupin County, Ill., here married James Derrick, and soon after moved to Missouri, locating in Greene County (this county was soon after changed to Webster County), when George W. Herd was but seven years of age. The mother was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and died in 1875, at the age of seventy-two. By her first marriage she became the mother of two sons: James C. (deceased) and George W. The former died in Greene County, Mo., January 20, 1888, at the age of sixty-one. He was a farmer. By the last marriage were born two children: Joshua, and Cynthia J., wife of Alex. Blay. George W. Herd was nineteen years of age when he started for himself as a farmer, and this business he has continued up to the present, in connection with rearing and dealing in stock. In January, 1880, he opened up a general store at his present location, where he has remained ever since. August 26, 1848, he married Miss Sarah M. Drumheller, a native of Sumner County, Tenn., born December 22, 1831, and the daughter of Nicholas L. and Eliza (Hollis) Drumheller. This union has been blessed by the birth of nine children: Rosa J. (wife of William T. Henson, a farmer of Dallas County), Eliza C. (wife of Solomon B. Jones, a farmer of Texas), James T., (farmer, of Dallas County), Phoebe V. (wife of L. F. Jones, merchant, of Buffalo), Sarah C. (wife of J. W. W. Thompson, farmer, of Webster County), Lougenia M. (wife of A. J. Graves, a Methodist minister now on the Buffalo Circuit), Parthena (wife of S. B. Robertson, a blacksmith) and Alma, at home. There was one who died—Mary R. Mr. and Mrs. Herd are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, and he is a Democrat in his political views.
* * * *
This family biography is one of 74 biographies included in The History of Dallas County, Missouri published in 1889. For the complete description, click here: Dallas County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps
To view additional Dallas County, Missouri family biographies, click here
Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.