My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM P. HISEY was manager of the Johnson County Poor Farm at the time of his death, which occurred January 8, 1892. His personal worth and his good business ability had raised him to that post of honor and responsibility, and he discharged the duties devolving upon him to his own credit and to the satisfaction of all for about thirteen years. He was a practical farmer, and during his life time operated several homesteads in this county. He left his widow well provided for, as in the well improved home farm alone there are one hundred acres of valuable land. Mrs. Hisey is entitled to much praise for the able manner in which she filled the unexpired term of her husband in directing the affairs of the County Poor Farm, and for the aid and counsel which she always gave her husband in their journey of life together.

A native of Saline County, Mo., born September 10, 1845, William P. Hisey was a son of John and Elenor (Starkey) Hisey. The former, who was a Virginian by birth, went from his native state to Ohio, thence to Illinois, and finally returned to Missouri. His first home here was in Saline County, but about 1855 he became an inhabitant of this county. Later he went to Iowa, but not liking it there returned to this state. His death occurred in Kansas, at a ripe old age. By trade he was a carpenter, but he also followed farming to a considerable extent. The early years of William P. Hisey were passed in Saline and Johnson Counties, and here he received his education. In 1861 he joined Nugent’s Independent Regiment, which was disbanded in February, 1862, after a campaign against Quantrell’s men. In the spring of 1862 our subject became a member of Company G, Seventh Missouri Infantry, and served until receiving his discharge in St. Louis, in 1865. Thereupon he joined another independent company, commanded by Captain Chester, and was elected to the Lieutenancy, serving in Missouri, Arkansas and Kansas. Resuming the peaceful avocations of life, our subject rented land in Post Oak Township, and after cultivating the place for three years removed to a farm which was owned by his wife, and which is now the property of Mr. Campbell. A few years later he became a resident of Warrensburg, where he made his home until March 18, 1879, when he took charge of the Poor Farm, as before stated. He was a member of the Masonic order, in which he had taken one of the degrees, but died before he was made a Master Mason. Colonel Grover Post, G. A. R., at Warrensburg, classed him as one of its members, and in politics he was a Republican.

January 28, 1866, Mr. Hisey was united in marriage with Fannie A. Guinn, whose parents, John N. and Elizabeth Guinn, are mentioned at the close of this sketch. To our subject and wife were born ten children, only six of whom now survive. John W. was his father’s successor at the County Farm. The others are as follows: O. Frank, Valeria Elizabeth, Charles M., Rufus D. and Carrie H. Elmer and Emma died in infancy, and Laura Belle and Katie are also deceased. Mrs. Hisey is a member of the Methodist Episcopal denomination, belonging to Houts’ Chapel, and takes deep interest in Sunday-school work, and other departments of the congregation’s usefulness.

John Guinn, the father of Mrs. Hisey, was born in Saline County, Mo., in 18 18, and died January 14, 1892, being a son of Almon and Leona (Marr) Guinn. When he was a youth of sixteen years, his father having died, it became necessary for him to earn his own livelihood. He started for Mississippi with a mule-drover, and settled in Adams County, where for twenty-one years he operated a plantation. During this time his relatives in Missouri thought that he was dead, but in March, 1856, he returned. While in Mississippi he married Elizabeth Enlow, who was born there about 1814, and died in 1862. She became the mother of fourteen children, only one of whom, Mrs. Hisey, is now living. Almon died in his fourteenth year, in November, 1861. Mrs. Guinn had been previously married to Abram Enloe, and bore him two sons, William W. and Andrew J. The former died just before the war, and the latter, who was a member of the Missouri State Militia, and afterwards was in a volunteer regiment in the regular Federal service, died in this neighborhood, June 23, 1893. March 1, 1863, John Guinn married Minerva Lynde, who was born in Tennessee. They had four children, namely: Mattie, who was the widow of Thomas McFarland; Allen M., a resident of Warrensburg; Joseph, Principal of the schools at Ashland, Mo.; and Nettie, wife of Fred Houts, of this township. Mrs. Guinn is still living on the old homestead. Both she and her husband have long been identified with the Methodist denomination, and assisted in building Houts’ Chapel. In politics Mr. Guinn was a Republican.