Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-03-27
EIGHYY-EIGHT YEARS.
AARON MPIKE Has BEEN ONE
OF THE BEST CITIZENS OF
AUDRAIN COUNTY.
IN VAEDALIA SINCE 1874.
Sketch of This Pioneer Citizen Who
accumulated Wealth by Hon
est Dealings

| NANDALlA, March Is.-Col. Aaron
McPlke, the subject Of this narrative.
was born in Henry county, Kentucky,
March 10, 1914. His father, Edward
McPike, was soldier in the Revolu-
tionary war. His mother was Sallie
Vancleave of a pioneer Kentucky
family also. At an early day Col.
McPike came to Missouri and later.
about 1874, settled at Vandalia, where
himself and Judge Harmon Caldwell
purchased the half section Of land on
which the city of Vandalia now stands.
At the beginning of life he started
at the foot round Of the ladder, finan-
cially, but he was full Of energy,
thrift and enterprise and possessed a
Judgment far superior to the ordinary
individual. He left Kentucky for
Missouri in 1883, settled in Marion
county : miles from Palmyra. In
lS43 he moved 10 near Ashley, in
Pike county, where he became the
overseer of large plantation then
owned by his cousin, Mrs. Alley Nc
Pike. After two years residence
there, he married Miss Susan Pritch-
EFT Of that county, and soon moved
back TO Marion county, where he re-
mained two or three years, then re-
turned TO the land OF "Joe Bowers"
and purchased large body Of land s
miles south from Bowling Green
Here he lived for six years on farm
consisting Of 800 acres.
BY this time he bad accumulated
and placed al interest $4,000, besides
a surplus which went to the purchase
'of tract OF prairie land one mile
south from Curryville, but within a
short time this tract was sold at a
handsome profit, and he purchased
800 acres southwest OF Curryville.
This latter venture was made in 1858.
Moving on to the new purchase he
improved II and remained there until
1864, during which time he dealt ex-
tensiyely in mules and other live
stock, and, being Of a conservative
turn Of mind, be engaged many mules
TO the general government, shipping
the same by the boat load and driving
them into the st. Louis market. 1t |
is matter Of historic fact that dur
ing the war OF the rebellion he ad-
vanced for government use as much as
1000, for which he had contracted |
and sold mules and was satisfied with
simply certificate Of purchase from
government officers, which certificate
in due time was properly llquidated.
About the close OF the war he sold
one of his large farms and purchased
again four miles south from Bowling
Green. This he only owned a short
while, selling at handsome profit.
Again he purchased what was then
known as the "Crow farm one-half |
mile south from Curryyille. Here he
resided three years, when he sold one
half the tract to VIM. X. Biggs for the
same price he had paid for the whole.
He added goodly Improvements to the
balance retained and purchased ad-
joining tracts until in 1874, this tract
he presented to'his son, James E. who
stIll owns it.
In the summer Of 1868 the town of
Curryviile was laid off at bis dlctatson
and by bis direction. He caused to be
built the first school house at that
place. In 1874 he took up bis last and
permanent residence at Vandalia,
where he had heretofore made large
Here he has given his
active attention to the upbuilding Of a
thrifty little city which he is always
proud to call the "Qneen City Of the
PraIries."
Col. McPike has just celebrated his
ssth birthday. He is still in fairly
good health and viii talk to the vlsi-
tor on business matters almost as in
telligently as In his younger days. lie
is the father OF six living children, all
Except onel Of whom are married. In
later years he concluded to act as his
own administrator by distributing his
vast fortune Except perhaps about
ss0,000l among his odsprings. He
often refers to prominent men Of Pike
in the olden times, as his inti-
mate and personal friends Among
others the late James o. Broadhead,
st. Louis; Col. d. P. Dyer, Of the
same place. and General John B.
Henderson, the latter Of whom was
his attorney and legal adviser along
the highway OF his successful life.
]. W. y.