Notes |
- "... Richard Minshall, was born in Logan County, Ohio, January, 1813. He had the misfortune to lose
both of his parents when he was only four years
of age, and he was reared in the home of Peter
Kelly. Shortly after reaching his majority he
married Rebecca Smith, the date of the event
being March 4, 1834. Six children were born to
them, and all are still living. For five years after
his marriage Mr. Minshall helped conduct his fa-
ther-in-law's farm, but in the fall of 1839 he
started for Missouri, making the trip overland in
a wagon. At the end of a seven-weeks journey
he arrived in Grundy County, bought land and
started to develop a farm. Soon afterwards he
took up the study of theology, and for a few
years was a local preacher. In the year 1847 he
joined the Southern Methodist Conference, and
later was regularly ordained, from that time on-
ward devoting himself to the ministry. When
the war broke out he enlisted in the Missouri
State Guards, his regiment being commanded by
John Turner Hughes. In 1861 he was mustered
into the regular Confederate service, having the
same colonel and general. In the fall of 1862 he
was transferred to General Shelby's division, and
was appointed Chaplain of Colonel Gordon's
regiment, serving in that capacity until the close
of the war. Returning home, he joined his fam-
ily in this county, where they had moved in his
absence, and, becoming a member of the South-
western Missouri Conference, devoted himself
zealously to his work. From 1878 until his
death, which occurred July 13, 1889, he dwelt in
Vernon County, where he was beloved and hon-
ored by all. His parents were natives of Vir-
ginia, and were early settlers first in Kentucky,
and later in Logan County, Ohio. Grandfather
Minshall was a man of superior education, and fol-
lowed teaching as well as farming. Both he and
his wife died while still young and within a short
time of each other. The parents of Mrs. Rebecca
Minshall were John and Rebecca (Carrick) Smith,
pioneers of the Buckeye State, whither they
moved from their native Virginia in 1813.
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