My Genealogy Hound

Col. J. H. Stover, attorney at law at Aurora Springs, Mo., who does mostly an office work, and who is also engaged in teaching law at the above-mentioned place, was born in Centre County, Penn., in 1833, and was the youngest in a family of seven children born to Jacob E. and Catherine (Hubler) Stover, natives of Maryland and Pennsylvania, respectively. The father went to Pennsylvania in his youth, was married there, and was by occupation a tanner. He remained in Pennsylvania, took quite an active part in politics, voted with the Whig party, and was colonel of the militia for fourteen years. He died in Pennsylvania in 1858, and his excellent widow survived him until 1876. The paternal grandfathers were in the Revolutionary War, and were pioneers of Pennsylvania, as were also the maternal grandparents, who were Indian fighters. Col. J. H. Stover was reared to farm life, and received his education in the public schools of Centre County and at Central Academy, Juniata County, Penn. He taught during the winters in order to get means to prosecute his studies, and after finishing his academic course he taught school and studied law at the same time. He was admitted to the bar in 1857 in Bellefonte, Penn., and later commenced the practice of law. He resided there until the firing on Fort Sumter, was sick at the time, but enlisted in the Second Pennsylvania Infantry for three months’ service. Previous to this, in 1858, he had been elected district attorney of Centre County, which position he filled until going into service. Upon his arrival at Camp Curtin, not having fully recovered his health, he was discharged on surgeon’s certificate the same day. By the advice of Gov. Curtin he raised Company B of the Tenth Pennsylvania Infantry. He was made captain of the same, was in the three months’ service, and was honorably discharged at Harrisburg, Penn. Capt. Stover was then appointed major of the One Hundred and Sixth Pennsylvania Infantry, and served through the remainder of the war. In 1864 he was appointed colonel of the One Hundred and Eighty-fourth Pennsylvania Infantry, this being the only regiment raised in Pennsylvania in that year. Capt. Stover was at the battle of Falling Water, Va. He participated in all the battles of his regiment unless on detached duty. He was in the battles of Savage Station, Peach Orchard, Glendale, Malvern Hills, Antietam, and at the last named battle had seven bullet-holes through his clothes. He was in the first and second battles of Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Robinson’s Tavern, Mine Run, and was in the battle before Petersburg. He was present at the capture of Gen. Lee. His regiment was in advance, and took an eight-gun battery. Col. Stover was in command of the Sixty-ninth, Seventy-first and Seventy-second Pennsylvania Infantries at various times, and was with the regiment at the grand review at Washington. He was mustered out at the last named place in 1865, and was then in command of the Second Brigade, Second Division. After the war he returned to Centre County, Penn., remained there a short time, and then in 1865 came to Morgan County, Mo. He settled at Versailles, commenced the practice of law, and took quite an active part in politics, affiliating with the Republican party. In 1868 he was elected to Congress to fill the unexpired term of Gov. McClurg, and served until March, 1869. In 1870 he received the nomination of secretary of State, but owing to a split in the Republican party was defeated. In 1872 he was nominated for lieutenant-governor, but with the rest of the party was defeated. In 1876 he was appointed commissioner to the centennial exposition by Gov. Woodson, and in the fall of the same year he was nominated to Congress, against his protest on account of ill health, and was defeated by Gov. Crittenden. Col. Stover is a member of Samuel McClure Post No. 145, G. A. R., at Aurora Springs, is also a member of the A. F. & A. M., having been made a Mason in Pennsylvania in 1864. He is now a member of Versailles Lodge No. 117, Morgan County; was Worshipful Master of Euclid Lodge No. 421, for five years; was district deputy for one year of the A. F. & A. M. He was married, in Centre County, Penn., December 31, 1865, to Miss Mary Ellen Hoover, a native of Centre County, Penn., and the daughter of Joseph and Rebecca (Orville) Hoover, natives of Pennsylvania, and early pioneers of Centre County. Mr. Hoover was a farmer by occupation, and passed his life in Pennsylvania. He died in August, 1864, and his widow survived him until 1881. Col. and Mrs. Stover are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. To their union was born one child, Gussie, who is now (1889) attending school in Aurora Springs. The family came to the last named place in 1881, and here they have since resided, the Colonel being engaged in the practice of law. He has bought and improved two farms in Miller County, and has also considerable property in Aurora Springs.