THOMAS WINSLOW RACKERBY
page 244
Thomas Winslow RACKERBY is a native of Princeton, Caldwell Co., Ky., son of
John H. and Georgiana (DUDLEY) RACKERBY, the former being a native of the
Old Dominion, and a merchant by profession. Mrs. Rackerby was a daughter
of Benjamin DUDLEY, who served in the Revolutionary War, and also in the
War of 1812, under Gen. W. H. HARRISON, a colonel of a Kentucky regiment.
In 1854 John H. Rackerby removed with his family to Wisconsin, and spent
four years in Grant County. He then removed to Dubuque, Iowa, and there
remained seven years, after which he removed to St. Louis, whence, after
three years' residence, he came to Lawrence County, Mo., and here passed
the remainder of an eventful life. He died in 1882, and was buried with
Masonic honors, an organization with which he had been connected from his
twenty-first year. He had reared and educated his children well, and his
five sons are now active and useful business men. He was also the father
of six daughters. Thomas W. Rackerby grew to manhood with his father in
his different locations, and obtained a good common-school education. At
the age of nineteen he engaged in the merchandising business in Peirce City
with the firm of WHITE & Co., with whom, after six years of clerical work,
he purchased the mercantile interest of White & co. and continued the
business for some years. He then engaged in the grocery business, at which
he has been quite successful. He was married here to Miss Sallie
CONSTABLE, of St. Louis, a lady of estimable attainments, who has blessed
their union with two children, Maudie and Lillie. Mrs. Rackerby is a
member of the Christian Church, being an active worker in the same, and
upon the organization of the W.C.T.U. she took an active part, lent
material aid in its establishment, and has been recording secretary of the
same for the past five years. Mr. Rackerby has been a member of the city
council as alderman of the Third Ward. Nathaniel and Elizabeth (STEVENS)
CONSTABLE, parents of Mrs. Rackerby, are natives of Surrey County, England,
and the father was a manufacturer by occupation. He located at St. Louis,
and made the first fire-proof and burglar safe west of the Alleghanies,
receiving a high premium for his work at the First Mechanical Industrial
Exhibition in St. Louis. He died in this city in 1880, in full communion
with the faith of the Christian Church. The firm of BEARD & Bro., safe
manufacturers at St. Louis, are his successors.
From "A Reprint of Goodspeed's 1888 History of Lawrence County; Reprint
Lawrence County Section of Goodspeed's Newton, Lawrence, Barry And McDonald Counties History; published by the Goodspeed Publishing Co., in 1888; Reprinted by Litho Printers Of Cassville, Missouri In 1973."
as transcribed by JJR.Return to Lawrence County Biographies