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Below is a family biography included in The History of Jasper County, Missouri published by Mills & Company in 1883.  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.

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WILLIAM E. BRINKERHOFF, president Traders’ Bank, was born near the city of New York in 1832. His father, John L., and his mother, Sophia, nee Platt, were natives of the same state. William E. was reared and educated at his birth-place. After arriving at his majority he learned the furniture business in New York City. At the breaking out of the war in 1861 he was one of the first to enlist in General Sickel’s Excelsior Brigade, in which he served three years as a soldier. Afterwards he was commissioned quartermaster of the Fifty-sixth New York Regiment, and served until the close of the war. In 1865 he came to Clinton, Missouri, where he dealt largely in real estate for many years. He served then as deputy circuit clerk and recorder from 1865 to 1867. He was also school commissioner of that county during that time, and did much toward bringing out and developing their school system, which is now the pride of the county. From 1868 to 1872 he served as county surveyor, and as United States commissioner in 1872-78, and was director of public schools at Clinton from 1872 to 1882, but of late years has given all his time to his extensive money-loaning and real estate business, which extends over a large portion of southwest Missouri, as well as Kansas. In the spring of 1882 he, in connection with others, bought the Traders’ Bank of Carthage, of which he was chosen president. Hereafter this bank office will be headquarters for their real estate and loaning business, although he still continues his office at Clinton. Mr. Brinkerhoff was married in September, 1866, to Miss Eliza Wicks, of Long Island, N. Y. They have six children, all daughters, living. Their first child, a daughter, and one son, are dead.

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This family biography is one of more than 1,000 biographies included in The History of Jasper County, Missouri published in 1883.  For the complete description, click here: Jasper County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Jasper County, Missouri family biographies here: Jasper County, Missouri Biographies

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