My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Knox County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  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 A. Oldfather, a substantial stock farmer of Knox County, was born April 4, 1842, in Preble County, Ohio, and is the sixth of nine children born to Jonathan and Margaret (Cotterman) Oldfather, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, and married in the latter State, whither the father came with his parents when a boy. They remained upon the farm in Preble County until 1854, and then moved to Montgomery County, where they lived upon a farm until 1857, and then immigrated to Knox County, Mo., locating on a farm two and one-half miles southwest of Edina, where their son, Aaron, is now living. In 1878 they moved on a farm in Section 13, Township 61 north, Range 12 west, where the father died in 1882. The mother is at present living with her daughter, Mrs. Lydia Bender. Our subject was educated at the common schools of his native State, and at the age of twenty-one began life for himself, working upon his father’s farm in Knox County, Mo. December 20, 1866, he was married to Columbia, daughter of Rees and Jemima (Reed) Marble, and who was born in Knox County, Ohio, March 12, 1844. To them eight children have been born, viz.: William Nelson, Charles Marion, Oma Olive, Rees Edward, Leander Tracy, Arthur J., Pearl Emmet and Eva Ethel. In the spring of 1872 our subject moved upon a farm he had purchased in Section 18. Township 61 north, Range 11 west, where he has since resided, and which now consists of 400 acres of land, well improved and cultivated, with a fine residence and good outbuildings. Our subject deals quite extensively in stock, and has made a snug sum by this business. He is a Republican, and cast his first presidential vote for Lincoln in 1864. During the war he was a Union man, and served about a year in Company G, Thirty-ninth Missouri. He is a highly honored and respected citizen, and himself and wife are members of the Holiness Band, being believers in holy sanctification.

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This family biography is one of 204 biographies included in the Knox County, Missouri portion of the book,  The History of Lewis, Clark, Knox and Scotland Counties, Missouri published in 1887.  For the complete description, click here: Knox County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

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

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