My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Jefferson County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1888.  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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John Martin Bailey, a pioneer farmer and stock raiser of Jefferson County, Mo., was born in Ste. Genevieve County, Mo., in 1820. He is the eldest of seven sons and three daughters born to Henry and Barbara (Drybread) Bailey. Henry Bailey was born not far from Breed’s Hill, near Boston, Mass., in 1800. John M. was educated in the old-fashioned log schoolhouse of early days, the majority of his teachers being of Irish or German nativity, and who believed that “sparing the rod would spoil the child.” He remained at home until about twenty-six years of age, and then married Mrs. Nancy Donnell, daughter of Jonathan Strickland, who came to Jefferson County in 1811. Mrs. Bailey died in 1858, and in 1860 he married Mrs. Caroline Burgess, daughter of Lucius and Jeanette Hollensbeck, who removed from Virginia to Missouri about 1840. Mrs. Bailey was born in the “Old Dominion.” Mr. Bailey owns about 200 acres of good land at Bailey Station, all of which he has earned by his own honest labor. He experienced many hardships incident to the life of a poor boy, but succeeded in overcoming them. He makes a specialty of raising Jersey cattle, and was for many years a breeder of short-horned cattle. Since 1860 he has been a Democrat, and a Master Mason since 1857. He and wife are prominent members of the Presbyterian Church.

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This family biography is one of 224 biographies included in The History of Jefferson County, Missouri published in 1888.  For the complete description, click here: Jefferson County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

To view additional Jefferson County, Missouri family biographies, click here

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