until 1 is Cour elected probate judge of In early life he began taking est in politics as a member of the party, to which he is strongly att.. which he believes represents the pros thought and action of the American A resident of the county, be has been cially prominent in its polical affairs an 1890 was elected a kepresentative State Legislature. His record in the branch of the General Assembly sta him as a man of superior ability and fitness for legislative duties, and as a he was elected to the State Senate in to represent the district composed Louis, Franklin and Gasconade Couni served with distinction in the upr the Assembly, and throughout his x years as a legislator was recogn A nscientious and faithful servant ( In 1898 he was elected judge of bate court of St. Louis, and at the pi" e (1900) is still filling that of a graded s 1 from there remove ,1 gham County, Virginia, where be chained several years. From Virginia he recoved to Kentucky, and in 1819 he came fta tucky to Missouri, mal ng the carriage, accora ̧ q” ས་། དྷྭ་, 455.57. The Kansas City, Fort Scott & Memphis Railway has twenty-eight miles of road crossing the county from east to west in the southern part. The number of public schools in the county is ninety-six; teachers, 107; pupils, 6,961; permanent school fund, $33,927. The population in 1900 was 17,519. Wurdeman, Gustavus Adolphus, lawyer and legislator, was born April 28, 1856, in Swedesboro, Gloucester County, New Jersey. His father was Gustavus W. Wurdeman, who was connected for many years with the United States Coast Survey, and was prominent as a naturalist and explorer. Coming West in his early boyhood, the son was educated in the public schools of St. Louis, and was graduated from the St. Louis high school at the end of this course of study. At the age of twenty-one he matriculated in the St. Louis law school, and in 1881 was graduated from that institution with the degree of bachelor of laws. In June following his graduation he began the practice of law, devoting his entire time and attention to civil cases in St. Louis and St. Louis County. In 1897 he formed a partnership with Senator Paul Matthews, under the firm name of Wurdeman & Matthews, and was engaged in active professional labor thereafter in this connection until he was elected probate judge of St. Louis County. In early life he began taking an active interest in politics as a member of the Republican party, to which he is strongly attached, and which he believes represents the progressive thought and action of the American people. A resident of the county, he has been especially prominent in its political affairs, and in 1890 was elected a Representative in the State Legislature. His record in the lower branch of the General Assembly stamped him as a man of superior ability and marked fitness for legislative duties, and as a result he was elected to the State Senate in 1892 to represent the district composed of St. Louis, Franklin and Gasconade Counties. He served with distinction in the upper branch of the Assembly, and throughout his career of six years as a legislator was recognized as a conscientious and faithful servant of the public. In 1898 he was elected judge of the probate court of St. Louis, and at the present time (1900) is still filling that office. March 12, 1894, he married Miss Lena Hospes, daughter of Gustavus Hospes, a prominent member of the St. Louis bar. Since his marriage he has been a resident of the suburban town of Old Orchard, where he is a leader in social circles and in the promotion of charitable and other worthy enterprises. Railroad. Wyaconda.-An incorporated village in Clark County, twelve miles southwest of Kahoka, on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe It contains Catholic, Baptist, Methodist Episcopal and Christian Churches, a graded school, a college (Wyaconda College), a newspaper, the "News," a flouring mill, handle factory, two hotels, a bank and about thirty other business concerns, including stores and shops. Population, 1899 (estimated), 700. Wyaconda River.-A northeast Missouri stream, fifty miles long, which rises in southern Iowa and flows southeast through Scotland, Clark and Lewis Counties, into the Mississippi, three miles above La Grange. Wyan, Jacob Fortney, one of the distinguished pioneers of Missouri, was born October 14, 1772, at Hagerstown, Maryland, and died April 20, 1842, at Boonville, Missouri. He was reared and educated in Maryland, and from there removed to Rockingham County, Virginia, where he remained several years. From Virginia he removed to Kentucky, and in 1819 he came from Kentucky to Missouri, making the trip hither by carriage, accompanied by his family and many servants. He settled upon government land in what is now the southern part of the city of Boonville, and known as Wyan's Addition to the city. There he began merchandizing, he being the second to engage in that business in Boonville. His store and residence were at the northeast corner of Main and High Streets, and the building which served the double purpose of home and place of business was one of the first brick buildings erected in Boonville. He was an honorable, high-minded and sagacious merchant, and success attended all his efforts in this field of enterprise. In the course of time he became interested in many other ventures, one of which was an old-time carding mill operated by men in his employ. A most benevolent and kindly man he was at the same time exacting in all his dealings, and his business was carried on in strict accord with the most approved economic theories. His charities were bestowed in the most unostentatious way, and it is related of him that on Thanksgiving eve of each year it was his custom to send out an employe so thoroughly disguised that he would not be known, who visited the homes of the poor in the village, quietly opened doors or windows, and deposited inside, stores of provisions, bundles of dress goods, toys for the children and such other things as might seem best suited to the needs of the recipient. In his early youth he inherited a considerable fortune, but being left an orphan and without proper guidance, most of his fortune slipped from his grasp during the years preceding his coming to Missouri. Here he practically began life anew, and the large estate which he left at his death was mainly accumulated at Boonville. He was converted while living in Virginia and joined the Methodist Church. Thereafter he was intensely religious, and throughout his later life he contributed largely to the support of his church and its foreign missions. He was a Mason of high degree, and was buried with Masonic honors in the old cemetery near Boonville, which was donated by him to the city. At the time of his death he was seventy years of age, and it may truly be said that his life was full of good works. Commenting on his demise, the "Boonville Register" said: "He was enterprising and frugal in his habits, correct in his business and best beloved by those who best knew him." Mr. Wyan was married first in Virginia to Miss Mary Gay. After her death he married Mrs. Sarah Gains Shanks, in Kentucky, and one daughter, who later became Mrs. William S. Myers, was born of this union. After the death of the second Mrs. Wyan, he married for his third wife Miss Nancy Shanks, of Crab Orchard, Kentucky, to whom he was wedded January 16, 1817, and who was a daughter of William Shanks. The children born of this marriage were Sarah Gains Wyan, who became the wife of William H. Trigg; Mary Gay Wyan, who became the wife of Thomas W. Nelson, all deceased; Margaret J. Wyan, who became the wife of James M. Nelson; Wesley J. Wyan, now deceased, and Pauline Eliza Wyan, who became the wife of Dr. George W. Nelson, and after his death married Rev. Dr. William M. Rush. Wyatt, Joseph J., jurist, pioneer and later minister of the gospel, handed down to the succeeding generation a name and reputation that are invariably mentioned when reference is made to the early history of northwest Missouri. So thoroughly well known was he that the name was familiar in every part of the territory claimed as tributary to St. Joseph, and his death, which occurred April 9, 1881, was a veritable shock to the thousands who knew him as a truly good man, a pioneer about whom much interesting early history clustered, and a man of intelligence and ability, whose place would not be readily filled. He was born in St. Clair County, Illinois, July 13, 1819, son of Micajah and Mary (McCorkle) Wyatt. The mother died in 1821, and soon after that time the father removed to Flemingsburg, Kentucky. Joseph was practically reared in Fleming County, Kentucky, receiving a good training in the rudiments of education and making a careful preparation for a useful life. From the first this man's life was an inspiration and benefit to his fellows. He studied law in the office of John Cavan, a prominent attorney of Flemingsburg. In 1845 he decided to start out for himself in the profession which had fascinated him from early youth, and he therefore removed to St. Joseph, Missouri, and began at once the active practice of law. He was St. Joseph's fourth postmaster, having been appointed September 21, 1848. He served in this capacity one year, and gave way to another incumbent. He was also the sixteenth postmaster, holding the office from April 11, 1867, until July 7, 1869. About 1850 he was elected probate judge of Buchanan County and held that office of responsibility for several years. During a term of about four years he was judge of the common pleas court, and in that service established a reputation as a careful thinker on legal subjects, a logical reasoner on the points involved in cases which were submitted to him, and a jurist eminently fair and capable. He retired from the bench in 1861. During these years he had been devoting some time to the expounding of the gospel, and he came to be familiarly known as "Elder" Wyatt. He became identified with the Christian Church in 1850, or at a time very close to that date, and he remained a faithful and consistent member up to the time of his death. After relinquishing the judgeship he devoted his en |