The times., 1898-07-04
A GREAT STATE FOR KIN.
An Odd Family Trait Peculiar to
tie Gcna n.,a.eS Of .tf.-c,,-;


There are more old families in Mis-
souri, than in any other State west of the
Mississippi. said a man from that sec
tion to the friends who were entertain
ing him. And that is why if you spend
the day in any old home out there you
will find before you leave that ysu are OF
kin TO the family, or of some one whose
name happens to be mentioned.
During the civil war there were more
kinsmen of John c. Breckenridge in Mis-
souri, than that individual could muster
in Kentucky. There are some counties in
Missouri that were settled by the next of
kin of Henry c. Clay. 20 hear them tell
it. and they are still living. The Todds
and Lincolns are as thick as hazel nuts
in the Fan. That became quite noticeable
after Lincoln was President. There was
q gambler in the town where / lived who
never amounted to much until after the
election of Lincoln. and then, as his name
was Lincoln he claimed the distant re-
lationship which, in Missouri is as good
next OF kin, provided the family with
whom kin is claimed is respectable and
has been successful.
For many years after the war wher-
ever you found a Price in Missouri you
found a relative of Pap Price, who had
such a hold on the affections OF the
Southern people of the State. There are
good old women in Missouri who do moth
ing but make up family records. and
whenever anybody in the world comes to
the front these motherly old souls find
that the favored ones are their kin Just
after the Manila fight the newspapers of
Missouri had to crowd out war news and
advertisements 10 make room for letters
from the Deweys in the State or from
people related to the Dewey family. PeO-
pie who had a middle name beginning
with d said it was for Dewey.
"A good many years ago 1 was making
a campaign in my district. / got lost
one stormy night, and caAed out in front
Of q farmhouse for lodging I was in
formed that there was no place 10 sleep
While l was wondering which way /
would go. heard a woman ask;
What's his name?
The patriarch in the door repeated
the question. and said: Craig
ANY kin to Gineral Jeems Craig?
asked the woman inside.
:" Nephew, T said.
"'Alight. and come in was the re-
sponse.
Gen. James Craig was a former Con-
gressman from that district. and had
visited these people and had sent them
garden seed and they. feAt themselves
honOred by the attention ANY friend of
his was welcome here. and before l left
the house the good old woman told me
that her mother was a Craig, and that
she and the General had found that they
were of kin.
About ten days ago was in Audrain
county, Mo-. buying live stock. Audrain
is one of the old sections of the State.
1t is next to the county which TO this
day is called the Kingdom of Galloway.
and not far from Pike. There has not
been a new family in either of these
counties for fifty years. I mean fam
lily from any other State. The last night
I was in Audrain county l stopped at a
farmhouse where we talked about the
present war 7 was enthusiastic about
Hobson When l had made a regular
speech about him. the old farmer went
to the door of an adjoining room and
said:
= Ma, here is a man that knows Hob
SON.
Before I could correct my host his
good old wife was in the room, and she
began. So far as she had been able TO
learn she was no kin to the hero. ON her
side and none that she knew of on her
husbands side.
a. But YOU know Mrs. Emily Dill, may
| be?' she said. Lives near Mexico, the
county seat. Well. she is close kin 10
HobsOn. and she is one of my best friends.
And then there's Judge Persons family.
He was judge of our district when / was
a girl Lived in Mexico and left many
descendants. Well. his people were Hob
sons and Mrs. Dill says they are all of
the same family. The Persons and Dills
came from Alabama. near the HobsOns.
And so. l thought, here it is again.
Old Missouri is bound to be in II what
ever it is that is going on l reckon by
the time the war is over there won't be
| a successful general or admiral or COM
modore who won't he able to go TO Mis-
souri, and live around among his kin for
the rest of his life. for they are powerful
hospitable in Missouri, especially where
you are of kim