My Genealogy Hound

William J. Haverstick was born in 1837, and is the fifth of nine children born to George W. D. and Barbary Ann (Shultz) Haverstick. George W. D. was probably born in Pennsylvania in 1809, and when but a boy came with his father, Rudolf Haverstick, to Jefferson County, he being one of the first settlers in the vicinity of De Soto, where he made the first improvement, and in his first house were port-holes, as a protection against the Indians who were numerous there. He was a tanner and shoemaker, and at an early day kept tavern. George W. D. was married at the age of nineteen, in Meramec Township, to the mother of the subject of this sketch. She died March 23, 1862. The same year Mr. Haverstick married Miss Catherine Medley, who bore him two children. He lived in various parts of Jefferson County until 1846, when he settled on what is known as Clover Fork of the Joachim, where he died April 24, 1871, a farmer, wagon-maker and blacksmith by trade. He could commence at the beginning and make a complete wagon, some of those taken to California by the “Forty-niners” being of his make. Both parents were for many years members of the Baptist Church and esteemed citizens. They reared an industrious family, all living except the eldest sister, Elizabeth, wife of Muse Vinyard. She died in 1887. Those still living are Mrs. Susan Foxton, Mrs. Sarah Cook, Jacob, William J., Philip R., John W., Mrs. Martha C. Strickland and James Willis. William J. was reared at home and obtained a common-school education. He was married in 1861 to Elizabeth R. Vinyard, daughter of Charles W. S. and Harriet Vinyard, natives of Virginia and Jefferson County, Mo., respectively. To Mr. Haverstick and wife were born nine children; Martha Bell, now Mrs. Albert Wease; Harriet Ann, now Mrs. John Edgar Wease; George W., Charles W., Samuel T., Edward E., Rosalie A., Andrew J. and Daniel H. Since his marriage Mr. Haverstick has lived on his present farm, situated two miles southeast of Victoria, and which consists of 542 acres, and eighty acres on Big River. He received eighty acres from his father, the remainder was made by his own efforts. He was second lieutenant of Capt. W. H. Washburn’s company of militia during the war. He is a Democrat in politics, is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and he and wife are members of the Baptist Church.