Biographical Sketches

JOHN DANIEL PEERSON

Is a progressive, enterprising merchant, dealing in general hardware and agricultural implements in Oak Grove. He is also engaged in general farming and stockraising.

He was born in Sniabar township, Jackson county, November 17, 1847, and is a son of James P. and Delilah F. (Meadows) Peerson. The father was a native of Tennessee and was brought to Missouri by his father, Daniel Peerson, who settled on a farm 3 ½ miles North of Oak Grove, and is numbered among the pioneer settlers of the county. The maternal grandfather, John Meadows, was also one of the early farmers and made his home 5 miles southeast of Oak Grove, in LaFayette county. The parents of our subject were therefore married here and located upon a farm which became the birthplace of our subject, making their home there until called to the final rest. The father, however, died in Ray county, whither he went in 1863 on account of the trouble occasioned by the war, and passed away a year later, at the age of 43. In the family were 8 children. Our subject is the eldest and was at that time only 16 years of age, and the youngest child was born after the father's death. The mother returned to the farm in Jackson county in the Fall of 1865 to find that the land had been sold for taxes and that all the improvements thereon had been destroyed.

Mr. Peerson, of this review, and his younger brothers, worked by the month as farm hands, also engaged in raising stock, and by their industry and frugality were soon able to redeem their old farm. John also worked at the carpenter's trade for about 10 years in connection with the labors which he bestowed upon the farm. The mother managed to keep her family together and saw her children grown and settled in life. At her husband's death she was left almost destitute. His long sickness had exhausted the funds of the family and the widow was left dependent upon the labor of the eldest children. They engaged in raising flax and cotton, and the mother spun and wove the clothes used by the family. The son John made some excellent improvements upon the old double hand cotton gin so it could be turned with one hand, and thus facilitated the work. Everything needed for the table was raised upon the farm, and thus the family managed to get along, though they had many hardships to endure and difficulties to surmount. Mrs. Peeson, however, was a lady of excellent business ability, who capably managed her affairs, and in later years the income from the farm placed her in easy circumstances. The farm has since been sold. Her last days were spent in Oak Grove, and her death occurred in 1890.

The early life of our subject seemed a hard one when viewed from the standpoint of comfortable circumstances, but the very difficulties which he experienced developed in him a strong and self-reliant character and a resolute spirit which have since been important factors in his success.

On the 11th of April, 1869, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Peerson and Miss Annie R. Bates, aged 18 years, 8 months and 28 days, a daughter of Theodore Bates, of LaFayette county, and a native of Warren county. They began their domestic life upon the farm which he had previously purchased, comprising an unimproved tract of 47 acres, on which not a furrow had been turned or any kind of improvement made. It was mostly covered with timber, but this he cleared away, and during the 10 years he spent there he placed a considerable portion of it under a high state of cultivation. He afterward purchased another farm near Oak Grove, whereon he has since resided. This contains 80 acres, which are now cultivated by his children, while he gives his attention to his mercantile interests. He established his present business January 1, 1887, and for 2 years was in partnership with his brother George, but since that time has been alone. He now carries a large and complete stock of hardware and agricultural implements, together with paints, oils and tin roofing. He is a natural mechanic, does all his own work, and now enjoys an extensive and lucrative trade. His home is one of the valuable farming properties in this section of the county, where he has made extensive improvements and erected substantial and commodious buildings. There is also a beautiful evergreen forest upon the place which he has raised from small trees that he himself planted. He usually feeds a car-load of cattle each year, and his farming interests are also a profitable source of income to him.

In 1893 Mr. Peerson was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died on the 17th of April. The members of the family are as follows: Annie L., Mattie V., James Theodore, Lulu F., Charles L., Ethel B. and Ernest D. The children are all at home upon the farm with the exception of the eldest son, who married Lorena Kabrick, and is in the hardware business. Mr. Peerson was again married April 14, 1895, his second union being with Miss Minnie McGee, of Lawrence, Kansas, daughter of Thomas McGee, who formerly lived in Jackson county.

Our subject is a stalwart democrat in politics and a great admirer of Grover Cleveland. He and his wife and nearly all of his children are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, south, of Oak Grove. He is a trustee of the church, and for 9 years has been the superintendent of the Sunday school, proving a most efficient and capable officer. He is also active in the work of the Masonic fraternity, in which order he holds his membership in Christian Lodge, No. 392, at Oak Grove, Missouri.

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This page was last updated August 2, 2006.