Springfield-Greene
County LibraryEarly and Recent History and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Representative Citizens
JOSEPH GEORGE AUMOTH. No more enterprising, courageous and altogether desirable immigrants come to America from any country of the globe than the Norwegians. They have both the will and ability to do things, are loyal to our government and institutions, faithful and reliable citizens and their coming among us has been mutually helpful. We have furnished them comfortable homes and they have helped develop bur various states and counties. The natural conditions in Norway have ever been such that only a race of people of honesty persistency, tact and fortitude could survive. The art of making a livelihood there is indeed quite different from what it is in the South Sea islands where the natives need not put forth any effort to subsist, merely plucking and eating the fruits Mother Nature furnishes, but in the frigid mountains of Norway it is a constant battle to survive, and this battle develops in her natives the qualities that are necessary to win anywhere in the civilized countries of the world. They were innate in such men as Joseph George Aumoth, who was one of the prominent business men of Springfield, Missouri, in the early period of her development, for many years a wholesale merchant and banker, establishing the very first wholesale house in Springfield. He proved to be one of our best citizens in every respect, even risking his life in the defense of the flag during our great war between the states, and although he has long since been summoned from earthly scenes, his influence on the history of this locality a half century ago will be permanent.
Mr. Aumoth was born in Norway, on November 20, 1831. He was a son of Joseph and Elizabeth Aumoth natives of Norway, where they spent their lives, never coming to America. The father of our subject was a ship owner and lived on the coast.
Joseph G. Aumoth grew to manhood in Norway and assisted his father when a boy, and he was given splendid educational advantages, being educated by a Lutheran minister. He early manifested a liking for business and had decided talent in that direction, and he worked in a bank in his native land when a young man at the age of eighteen years. Believing that greater opportunities for advancement awaited him in the United States than in his own country, he ran away from home, worked on a ship across the Atlantic ocean to pay for his passage to the new world. His parents were people of means and they sent five hundred dollars to the Norwegian consul at New York, which sum was to be given to their son if he would return home. But he came on west, his first stop being at Chicago, where he worked four months, after which he came to St. Louis where he worked in a hardware store and attended night school, and remained at work there until the commencement of the Civil war when he enlisted in the Missouri State Home Guards to protect the government arsenal at St. Louis, later enlisting in Company C, Missouri Volunteer Infantry, under General Sigel, and served about two and one-half years in a faithful and gallant manner, being promoted from time to time for his meritorious conduct until he had attained the rank of captain at the time of his discharge. He saw considerable hard service, and among the engagements in which he participated was the battle of Pea Creek, battle of Wilson's Creek and siege of Vicksburg, being wounded during the latter by a grape-shot. He was sent to the hospital where he remained nine weeks, after which he was discharged from the service and came to Springfield, Missouri, and engaged in the mercantile business, supplying clothes and other materials to soldiers, etc. He remained in the mercantile business here for twelve years, first as a retail merchant and, as before stated, was the first wholesale merchant. He by nature was a mathematician, an expert accountant and he could add three columns of figures simultaneously of greater length and with more accuracy, than an average man could add one column. He was very successful as a merchant and built up quite an extensive trade. Later he became connected with the Greene County Bank of Springfield as vice-president, which position he held until his death, and the rapid growth of this institution during that period was due for the most part to his judicious counsel, enterprise and keen foresight.
Politically, Mr. Aumoth was a Republican. He belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and religiously he was a member of the Lutheran church.
Mr. Aumoth was married in St. Louis, December 10, 1866, to Mrs. Margaret (Logan) Morton, a daughter of William B. and Elizabeth (McDowell) Logan. William B. Logan was born in Virginia in 1808 and there grew to manhood and engaged in the mercantile business in the city of Bristol. He remained in his native state until 1845 when he came to Springfield, Missouri, and opened the second store in the town. He sold goods at a reasonable figure while his competitor sold his stock at five times its value. Mr. Logan was well known to the early pioneer settlers of Greene county who admired him for is honesty in dealing with them. He remained here until 1861 when he went to St. Louis, where he lived until 1866, then went to Texas and engaged in business in the town of McKinney until his death in 1887. His widow survived until 1898, dying in Fisher, Texas. His family consisted of ten children.
Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph G. Aumoth, namely: Nora C., wife of H. B. McDaniel, president of the Union National Bank of Springfield; Josephine, wife of Robert Boyer, one of the well known business men of Springfield, and Paul, who died at the age of three years.
The death of Joseph G. Aumoth occurred February 10, 1874, at the age of forty-three years, when in the zenith of his powers as a successful man of affairs.
Mrs. Aumoth is living at the attractive family home on St. Louis street, Springfield, now advanced in years, but a well preserved and well informed lady, who has ever enjoyed the friendship of the best people of Springfield.
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