My Genealogy Hound

Menzo House, farmer and stock raiser of Phelps County, Mo., was born in Herkimer County, N. Y., in 1834, and is a son of Abraham P. and Elizabeth (Shaut) House, who were also born in Herkimer County, where they married and lived until 1834, since which time they have resided in Steuben County, N. Y., the father being eighty-six years of age and the mother eighty-four. They have been worthy members of the Wesleyan Methodist Church for many years, and the father is a prosperous farmer. His brother, Coonrod P., was a soldier in the War of 1812, and his father, Peter, aided the colonists in their struggle for liberty during the Revolutionary War. The maternal grandfather, Jacob Shaut, was of German origin, and spent his entire life in Herkimer and Steuben Counties, N. Y. Menzo House is the sixth of eleven children, eight of whom lived to be grown, and in his boyhood days acquired a common-school education. He was married in February, 1856, to Harriet Helen, a daughter of Hiram and Mary Weeks, of Herkimer County, N. Y. Here, it is supposed, the father died, but the mother’s demise occurred in Steuben County in 1870. Mr. and Mrs. House became the parents of six sons and four daughters, four sons and two daughters of whom are living. They made Steuben County their home until 1867, when they came to Phelps County, Mo., and settled on their present farm, which now consists of 200 acres, with 150 acres under cultivation, on which is erected a handsome and commodious residence. During the late war Mr. House served three years in the Federal army as a volunteer in Company K, One Hundred and Seventh New York Infantry, about fourteen months of the time being spent with the Army of the Potomac, and participated in the battles of Resaca, Peach Tree Creek, Dallas, New Hope Church and Atlanta. He was captured at Rutledge, Ga., November 19, 1864, and was taken to Florence, S. C., where he was retained until March 3, 1865, at which time he returned home on furlough, and soon after rejoined his regiment. While serving with the Army of the Potomac he was in the battles of Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburgh, Falling Water and many others of less note. Mr. House has been a Republican all his life, and has served as justice of the peace a number of terms. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. For a number of years he has been agent for the W. A. Wood binders and mowers.