My Genealogy Hound

CAPT. T. J. STEMMONS, extensive farmer and stock dealer, McDonald township, Avila post-office. His father, Jaquillin M. Stemmons, was a native of Virginia, born in 1804, and was a practicing physician for many years in Logan county, Kentucky, whither with his parents he had come while an infant. He was married in Logan county, to Miss Harriet Allen, a native of the same county, born in 1814. Dr. Stemmons came to Jasper county, Mo., in 1853, and located near Avilla, where in connection with farming and stock-raising he practiced his profession. At the breaking out of the civil war, though a slave owner, he espoused the cause of the Union and organized one of the first military companies in southwest Missouri, and although never in active service was earnest in advocating methods for the preservation of the Union. His house was attacked by bushwhackers at night, and burned to the ground, and himself shot dead, his body falling outside the burning home. Mrs. Dr. Stemmons died in the year 1857. Mr. T. J. Stemmons the subject of this sketch was married Aug. 5, 1866, to Miss Anna J. Rives, a native of Missouri, born in 1850, daughter of D. B. Rives, a native of Virginia. Their family consists of four children: Minnie B., born Dec. 31, 1873; Lulu M., born Feb. 13, 1877; Pearl H., born Oct. 9, 1879; and Hattie A., born Nov. 6, 1881; three deceased, Willie R,, born Sept. 26, 1867, died Aug. 9, 1868; Eddie J., born Feb. 12, 1869, died Aug. 12, 1870; and May Etta, born Jan. 30, 1871, died Aug. 12, 1872. Mr. Rives was a prominent man of this county, and known as a thorough business man. Mr. Rives and our subject opened the first business house in Avilla after the war, where he died in 1870. His widow subsequently married John K. Gibson, an early settler, prominent farmer, and stock-dealer. Captain Stemmons has a farm of 1,900 acres, 200 acres of which is in timber, 1,160 acres in plow-land, 480 acres in pasture, and all unsurpassed in the Southwest for fertility and productiveness. He has fine stock cattle, mules, and hogs, and one of the finest barns in the state, a view of which is given herewith. The spring of never failing water which is only a few rods from the beautiful barn flows through the stock-lots, and supplies an abundance of pure water at all seasons.