Bacon Chapel Neighborhood

18 April 1902

Clarence, Mo. Shelbina TORCHLIGHT

JAMES CARROLL

This old and worthy citizen was born and raised in the state of Indiana. He and family, together with his father and mother, Bartly Carroll and wife who were very old, came to Missouri in 1840, and settled on a tract of land one mile north and one-half mile east of Bacon Chapel. The old people, Mr. Bartly Carroll and wife, died soon after they came to this neighborhood and were buried on the farm known as the John Minick farm, now owned by W. G. Minick. This farm is situated one-half mile north and one mile and a half west of Bacon Chapel. Old Uncle Jimmie Carroll, as he was best known, improved a farm, where he lived to a ripe old age, raising a worthy family, some of who are yet living. He was a pillar in Bacon Chapel church, becoming a member in her early hist0ory and living a consistent Christian life to his death, which occurred many years ago. Uncle Jimmie Carroll did much to make Bacon Chapel neighborhood what it is, morally and religiously. William Gray who married a granddaughter owns and lives on the old farm.

PLESENT B. CARROLL

Is the oldest son of James Carroll, who was a small boy when his father came to Missouri. He grew up on the farm and assisted in the making of the home. After he became of age he married and settled on a tract of land one half-mile west of the old home. Here he improved a farm, raised a nice family of girls and boys, and lived to see most of his children grown, dying in the meridian of life. Plesent B. Carroll was a worthy member of Bacon Chapel, a good citizen and neighbor.

JAMES CARROLL

This is the oldest son of Plesent R. Carroll. He grew to manhood on the old home farm and attended the district schools. He is married and owns and lives on a farm adjoining the old home farm on the west. James Carroll is a member of Bacon Chapel, a good citizen and neighbor, and one of the leading farmers of the neighborhood.

CHARLES CARROLL

A second son of Plesent R. Carroll, who, like his brother James, grew up on the farm, assisted in all the work and attended the district schools. He is married and owns and lives on a farm joining the old home. He is a member of Bacon Chapel, a good citizen and neighbor.

HENRY CARROLL

This is the youngest son of Plesent B. Carroll, who was but a lad when his father died. Much has depended on this young man to help his mother manage the farm and make a living. He did his part well, working the farm in summer, going to school in winter and attending to such business as it required to manage a farm and make a living till he reached the age of manhood. Unlike many of the young men of today, who, as soon as they reach their majority, bid adieu to parents and home and go the far west to seek a fortune, he, like a wise and prudent young man and a dutiful son, takes unto himself a helpmate and settles down in life on the old home where he can continue to look after the farm and its interest and add to the comfort and pleasure of his mother in her declining days.

BENJAMIN W. CARROLL

This worthy citizen is the second son of old Uncle Jimmie Carroll, and was born in Indiana and came to Missouri with his father in 1840. He grew to manhood in this neighborhood, being but a small boy when he left his native state. He assisted his father in improving the farm and building a home. Benjamin Carroll remained with his father till he became of age, when he married and settled on a piece of land, between the old farm and his brother Plesent Carroll’s farm. There he built a nice home and lived for many years.

Charlie now owns and lives on this farm. Benjamin sold his farm several years ago and moved to the state of Oregon, where he lived for a time and returned to Missouri. He lived a short time in South Missouri and was for several years a citizen of Shelbina. He then came back to Bacon Chapel Neighborhood and now lives on the Robert Jackson farm which is a part of the John Benjamin farm.

Mr. Carroll made a profession of religion in early life and joined Bacon Chapel. He has farmed all his life and has taken much interest in church, school and neighborhood affairs, being school director and filling other positions in society. Benjamin W. Carroll is well up in years being one of the oldest male members of Bacon Chapel and the oldest resident of the neighborhood. It is sixty-one years since he first settled there. Mr. Carroll is a worthy citizen, a good neighbor and has a nice family of children.

RICHARD L. CARROLL

This is the oldest son of Benjamin W. Carroll, and was born on the old home farm above spoken of where he grew to manhood. He is married and lives on a farm one mile east and a little north of Bacon Chapel. He has been a worthy member of this church for many years. Richard, like his father, grandfather and his uncle Plese and his boys, is a Methodist in religion and democratic in politics.

HANSFORD S. CARROLL

Is the second son of Benjamin W. Carroll. He, too, was born on the old home place, but before he was grown his father sold out and left the neighborhood. He has had the opportunity of seeing more of this country than most of the boys of the neighborhood, going with his father and family on an overland trip to the state of Oregon and back, then to South Missouri and back, then a citizen of Shelbina for several years. Hansford S. is a bachelor and makes his home with is father, enjoying the blessings and comforts of a parental roof and festal board.

Benjamin W. Carroll has two other worthy sons who were born on the old farm and who accompanied him in his travels and still make their home with him attending to the duties of the farm.

J. H. Pollard