My Genealogy Hound

CLEON M. ETTER. Prominent among the early settlers and successful farmers and stock-raisers of Lincoln township is the subject of this sketch. He was born in Hawkins county, Tenn., Aug. 28, 1839, and moved to Lawrence county, Mo., in 1848, where he was educated in the common schools of the county. He is the son of Thomas and Cynthia Ann Etter, natives of Tennessee. His father died in July, 1844, and left five children, the subject of this sketch being the second child. In 1846 his mother married J. W. Ellis, a native of Massachusetts. They had eight children. Cleon remained at home until twenty-one years of age, and then went to work by the month in Lawrence county. In 1861 he went to Illinois and worked one winter; then returned and soon after took a trip to Kansas. Next enlisted in Company E, Fourteenth Missouri Militia; was in one year, and then transferred to Company L, Eighth Missouri Militia, and operated in Missouri, Kansas, Indian Territory, and Arkansas. Was mustered out in April, 1865, returning to Lawrence county, Mo., and rented one season, and then bought and farmed nine years. He was married to Miss Ellen M. Wilson, Nov. 22, 1865. She was born in Ireland, June 29, 1841, and came to America in 1853, locating in Jasper county, Mo., and is one of the few who remained in Jasper county during the war. After Mr. Etter was married he moved to Jasper county, Mo., locating in Lincoln township, and in August, 1881, located on his present farm of 492 acres, which is all fenced except twenty acres, in timber, in McDonald township. It is well watered, having five living springs and three good wells. He raises an average of 18 bushels of wheat and 45 bushels of corn to the acre, and handles about 100 head of cattle and the same number of hogs each year. He has a very fine residence, a good barn and granary, also other buildings. Mr. Etter has a good home, made honestly by hard work and economy. He has eight children, named John W., Annie B., Mary M., Eliza G., James T., Cleon E. H., Laura E., and Delphia.