BACON CHAPEL NEIGHBORHOOD SOME HISTORICAL EVENTS

8 November 1901

Clarence, Mo.

Editors Shelbina TORCHLIGHT

Gentlemen:

In resuming our task for this week’s issue, we commence with the name of a gentleman who in an early day lived in Shelbyville, but afterward settled in the little village of Walkersville, where he lived for a number of years. This was Mr. Thomas Victor, a gunsmith by trade. Mr. Victor was a first-class mechanic, a good citizen, respected by all who knew him, and an influential member of the Baptist church. In the latter part of the sixties he moved to Southwest Missouri where after a life well spent, and being ripe for the harvest, he yielded to the Cycle of Time and was laid to rest by loving hands to await the resurrection call.

S. M. Victor, son of Thomas Victor grew to manhood in Walkersville, where he professed religion and joined the Baptist church. Samuel, as we called him, was ordained a minister of the Gospel, and is now one of the noted preachers of southwest Missouri. The last time I met Samuel was in ’84 in Marshall, Saline county, Mo., at the Missouri Baptist General Association, we being members of this body. Mr. Victor is a man worthy the esteem of his friends and a preacher of note and influence.

Another noted and worthy citizen of Walkersville was Dr. Adolphus G. Wood, now of Lentner. Dr. Wood was born on the Island of Cuba, and comes of a noted family of New York, being a nephew of Hon. Fernando Wood of New York City. Dr. Wood’s father settled in Shelby county in 1834, at or near Oak Dale, where the subject of this sketch grew to manhood. Dr. Wood received a liberal education, such as the country afforded and then read medicine, graduating from the medical department of the State University of Iowa in 1859, and soon thereafter located in Walkersville where he commenced the practice of his profession. Dr. Wood soon became one of the noted physicians of Shelby County and I venture the assertion that he has ridden horseback more miles and administered to more patients than any man living in Shelby County. One of the first, if not the first, typhoid fever patients he had was my brother, T. M. Pollard now of Hannibal. Several years after this he brought me through the same trouble. Dr. Wood practiced in my father’s family over twenty years. He is a success professionally and financially. He now lives on a nice farm adjacent to Lentner, where is enjoying the fruits of a well spent life, blessed with a noble family of children and held in the highest esteem by all who know him.

In about the year 1843 Mr. Elbert G. King emigrated from Kentucky and settled one mile east of Bacon Chapel, where he improved the farm known as the Stephen R. Gunby farm. Mr. King was a school teacher by profession and taught some while improving his farm. Mr. King raised a family of noted and respectable children, some of whom will occupy a prominent place in these articles. Mr. King was a Baptist, a gentleman of Kentucky dignity and held in high esteem by his neighbors and acquaintances.

Henry King, eldest son of the above named, grew to manhood on his father’s farm, being raised in a new and sparsely settled country, school advantages were not the best and he had to secure an education as best he could. Young King made a profession of religion and joined the Baptist church. Feeling impressed that he was called to the ministry, he began preparing for the work. His brethren seeing and recognizing his gifts, ordained him to the gospel ministry.

Elder King commenced his life work at once, preaching as pastor and holding revival meetings, some of the most successful ever held in northeast Missouri. My present wife was converted at a meeting conducted by him, and was baptized by him at Old Bethlehem church in Ralls county. Elder King failing in health moved to the state of Florida, where he soon became noted for his piety, zeal and ability and today is a leading minister of his adopted state.

Frank King, a younger son, by hard study and industrious habits qualified himself for school teaching. He followed his profession for sometime, afterwards turning his attention to farming. He settled on a farm southwest of Shelbina some three or four miles where he was very successful. Accumulating a sufficient amount of this world’s goods to justify a more retired life, he moved to Shelbina, where he now resides an honorable and respected gentleman.

In our next, Mr. Editors, we will note the life of the third son of this family and one of the noted men of Shelby county, Hon. C. M. King.

J. H. Pollard