My Genealogy Hound

J. WILLARD HUBBARD, one of the influential agriculturists of Johnson County, is the owner of one of the largest and best improved estates within the confines of the county. It embraces four hundred acres on sections 27, 34 and 35, township 48, range 25, and only about one-half of this amount was cleared when he took possession of the place.

Our subject was born in Mercer County, Ill., in the town of New Boston, June 13, 1845. His parents were Willard and Nancy (Burns) Hubbard, natives, respectively, of Massachusetts and Kentucky. The maternal grandparents, John and Nancy (Riggs) Burns, were farmers in the Blue Grass State, where the former died. His wife was afterwards married to Charles Burns and with him removed to Illinois, when Nancy was twelve years of age. They there made their home until about 1854, when they moved westward to California, where they both died some years later.

The paternal grandparents of our subject were Daniel and Sarah Agnes Hubbard. The former was a shoemaker, and followed this business in the Bay State for many years. There he met and married his wife, who was also born there, and soon thereafter they traveled overland to Mercer County, Ill., where the grandfather plied his trade for two years. He had lived in Massachusetts too long to be satisfied anywhere else, and consequently returned thither with his wife and lived retired until his death. They had six children: Daniel, William, Jonas, Willard, Sr., Lucy A. and Sarah A. The eldest son married, and is now farming in Nebraska. He is the only one living, with the exception of his sister Agnes, Mrs. Sampson, who makes her home in St. Louis.

Willard Hubbard, Sr., left the parental roof in Massachusetts the year prior to attaining his majority. His destination being the Prairie State, he never stopped until he reached Mercer County where he engaged in farming. He was one of the earliest settlers of that section, and in addition to cultivating the soil was occupied in making brooms. He was a lover of horses, and kept constantly on his place several fine head of these animals. He was married in Mercer County, in 1840, to Miss Burns, and there continued to make his home until his decease. May 20, 1857. He became very prominent in the public affairs of his community, and, being a breeder of fine horses, was well known all over the county. His wife is now living in Mercer County and is seventy-three years of age. After the decease of her husband she became the wife of his brother Daniel.

To Willard and Nancy Hubbard there were born eight children, of whom we make the following mention: The first-born died in infancy unnamed; J. Willard, of this sketch, was the second son; Harrison married Eliza Jackson, and is now conducting the old home place in Mercer County, Ill.; Agnes Sarah married Marion Riggs, a farmer of the above county; Martha Vashtie married Samuel Morris, also an agriculturist of Mercer County; Lucy A. and her husband, Elias Robison, make their home in that county; Frank married Sarah Catherine Braucht, who since his death continues to live in Johnson County, Mo.; and Thomas Edward married Martha Brown, and their farm lies in Mercer County, Ill.

Our subject was given such an education as the locality and times afforded, and lived at home until his marriage with Miss Mary Ann Braucht, which occurred September 17, 1864. This lady was born in Hancock County, Ohio, August 1, 1842, and is the daughter of Daniel and Annie Catherine (Spreacher) Braucht, natives of Pennsylvania. Her paternal grandparents lived and died in Ohio, while her mother’s parents departed this life in Illinois. Daniel Braucht moved to the Buckeye State when a lad of fourteen years, and later changed his location to Mercer County, Ill., the removal taking place after his marriage. He was a farmer there, and this vocation he also followed after coming to Johnson County, Mo., some years later. His death, however, occurred at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Hubbard, January 15, 1892. Mrs. Braucht is now living with her son in Hazle Hill Township, this county. Of the nine children of whom she became the mother, all are living except Ora, and are named, respectively, Lavina Maria, Mary Ann, Eliza, Samuel, Harrison, Emeline, Sarah Catherine and John.

After his marriage our subject continued to reside in Mercer County until 1868. February 24 of that year he landed in Johnson County, Mo., to which locality a number of his neighbors had removed in 1865. They were greatly pleased with the outlook and gave our subject a very favorable report of the work accomplished here. He decided to become one of the party, and after fifteen days of travel he located upon a rented tract, which he had previously engaged, living on this place for thirteen years. At the end of that time he purchased the four hundred acres of part of which he is now the owner and which is one of the most valuable pieces of property in the county. The entire acreage is under improvement, and the house which the family occupies was erected in 1839.

To Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard there have been born nine children. Reuben C., born August 5, 1865, in Mercer County, Ill., died there May 13 of the following year; William E. was born June 5, 1867, and died February 23, 1888; Cora L., born September 6, 1869, departed this life August 7, 1871; Thomas E. was born November 12, 1871, and is now living with his wife, formerly Miss Minnie Ebberts, on a portion of our subject’s farm; Clara A. was born November 10, 1873, and makes her home with her husband, James Green, on a farm near Mr. Hubbard; Harvey H. was born July 22, 1878; Frank S., November 4, 1880; Emma F., May 30, 1883; and Hattie S., April 10, 1885.

Mr. Hubbard devotes the greater portion of his time and attention to the breeding of fine stock, raising cattle, horses and swine. He is a man who stands well with every class in the neighborhood and is one of the township’s most progressive citizens. He has been Constable and School Director for many years, and in the discharge of the duties of these respective positions has given perfect satisfaction. He is a Republican in politics. His good wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and takes an interested part in both religious and benevolent work.