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Submitted: 12/5/15 • Approved: 9/6/17 • Last Updated: 4/13/18 • R779695-G0-S3
September 21, 1848 - September 27, 1919
Son of Alfred William "Billy" Pearson & Nancy Melinda Sears
Born Warren Co KY
Died Neosho MO
*Obituary
Neosho News
Thursday, October 4, 1917
The Angel of Death visited our community Thursday evening at about seven o'clock and claimed for its reward John Anderson Pearson. Mr. Pearson was about sixty-nine years of age and he had been sick for a short while. He was an active church worker and a man who was liked by all who knew him. His wife preceded him in death about fifteen years ago. His family consisted of two sons, Paul and Frank. The younger son, Frank, was with him during his last hours but Paul is now a soldier in the army and therefore was not here. Funeral services were conducted at the Baptist church at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon by Rev. Keltner of Neosho. Mr. Keltner has been a friend of Mr. Pearson's brother, who is a minister, for the past thirty years. The remains were laid to res in Hale cemetery. The people of the community join in extending their sincerest sympathy to the bereaved family and friends.
BIO: He was a graduate of Bethel College and was a teacher. In 1870, listed as "at school." After school, he went to OR to visit family. In July 8, 1887, he was hired to teach the 3rd grade the following year in Pierceville, Finney County, KS. His salary was $20/month. John Anderson lived with his parents in Warren Co., KY until after 1870. The 1870 Census, Warren Co.,KY shows him living at home, his occupation as "farmer", with personal property valued at $225.00. It also shows he attended school within the past year. In 1873, John Anderson, his brothers Frank and Edd, of Russelville, KY were enrolled at Bethel College, Russelville, Logan County, KY. In the 1876 and 1877 Bethel Catalogs, John Anderson is listed as enrolled in the schools of Math, Latin, and English. His home is shown as Greenhill, KY. A family story said he went to Oregon to visit, after school. In 1887, records show him residing in Kansas. 30 Apr 1887, he bought two lots in Ivanhoe, Haskill Co., KS. On 2 Jul, 1887, he bought 2 more lots from Wm. Payton, but sold them back to him on 2 Aug, 1887, for the same price. Ivanhoe was abandoned early in the 1900's, and is now farm land. On 8 Jul 1887, he was hired to teach the 3rd grade at Pierceville, Finney Co., KS, for a salary of $20.00 per month. This was the first year they occupied their new school building, built at a cost of $3,500. 25 Jul 1887, he paid $200 to the U. S. Land Office, Garden City, Finney Co., KS, the homestead registration fee for 160 acres, in Haskill Co. The U. S. Government issued the patent for this 160 acres in Haskill Co., KS, on 7 Oct 1890. He sold this 160 acres by Warrantee Deed, 2 Aug 1890. The deed was notarized by the Clerk of County Court, in Hickman, Fulton Co., KY. The deed states he is "a single man". In 1896, he married Mattie E. Cordell. Family stories say she was a student of his, and was several years younger than he. By Sep 1897, he was living in Pierce City, Lawrence Co., MO, where their son, Paul Edward Pearson, was born. In the same month, a deed was executed by his brother, Alfred Frank and wife Nancy J. Pearson, selling 106 acres in Finney Co., KS. to John. A second son, Thomas Obediah, was born Apr. 1899, to John A. and Mattie. Thomas Obediah died in 1900, after the census was taken and is buried in Pierce City, Lawrence Co., MO. The census lists John's occupation as "mail carrier". 5 Jun 1901, his son Joseph Frank was born. Family legend says that they were in Clarksville, Indian Territory, OK, and Mattie died in child birth. He then returned to Pierce City, Lawrence Co., MO, where Eliza, the wife of John Sears, helped him care for the infant Frank, and his brother Paul. John and a widowed sister, Sally (Pearson) Clark lived together for a short while, but because of John's interference with the raising of her four children, she moved to Wichita, Sedgwick Co., KS. He sold the 106 acres in Finney Co., KS, on 1 Dec 1908. This is the land he had purchased from his brother Frank and wife Jenny. Four months later, 17 Apr. 1909, he purchased 160 acres in Watkins Twp, Noble Co., OK (near the town of Perry). The 1910 census for Watkins Twp., Nobel Co., OK, show them living on this farm and lists him as "farmer - raising stock". In the earliest school records available, John registered Paul E. and J. Frank for the school year ending 30 Jun 1912. In Sep 1912, he registered them again for the school year ending 30 June 1913. He sold this farm 22 Feb 1913 to Whitley McNeely. 6 Nov 1913, John A. purchased 60 acres near Neosho, Newton Co., MO. His address at the time of purchase, according to the deed, is Hickory Co., MO. They lived on this farm until the death of John Anderson Pearson, 27 Sep 1917. The Death Certificate show the cause of death as "Bronchial asthma with acute dilitation of heart". His occupation is listed as farmer. The heirs of the estate were sons, Paul Edward and Joseph Frank. Paul was serving with the U. S. Army in France (WW-I), and Frank was under age at the time of John's death. Frank was raised by John's brother, Edward Smith Pearson, and his wife Rebecca.
Contributed on 12/5/15 by wfields55
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Record #: 779695