Springfield-Greene
County LibraryEarly and Recent History and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Representative Citizens
FRANKLIN T. BISHOP. There are few more inspiring aphorisms in our tongue than Emerson's famous "Hitch your wagon to a star." Posterity is indebted to the Sage of Concord for the crisp and noble counsel so universally needed. The privilege belongs to us all of gearing our lives up to lofty motives, of glorifying our commonplace and prosaic days with ideal sentiments and aspirations. There is happy suggestion likewise in reversing the good advice, to sense its truth from a slightly different angle. It is just as good philosophy, and in many ways even more helpful, to read the words "Hitch your stars to your wagon." In other terms let the infinite forces help you, join with you in tugging your particular load up the hill, harness the mightiest power in the world to your human necessities. The life of Franklin T. Bishop, proprietor of beautiful "Clover Dale Farm" in Wilson township, Greene county, would indicate that he has ever striven to live up to high ideals and direct his efforts along well regulated lines, and therefore material success has attended his efforts and at the same time he has established a reputation for right thinking and wholesome living, and what necessarily follows-good citizenship.
Mr. Bishop was born in Cumberland county, New Jersey, March 7, 1862. He is a son of Horace and Phoebe (Housted) Bishop. The, father was for many years engaged extensively in oyster raising on the Atlantic coast, and owned an interest in a large oyster vessel, with a crew of six men. He also owned a farm in that state.
Mr. Bishop, of this sketch, grew to manhood in his native state and received his education in Cedarville, New Jersey, attending school during the winter months and during the crop season worked on the home farm until he was eighteen years of age, when he left home to seek his fortune in the great West. He selected the state of Nebraska, where he took up a claim of three hundred and twenty acres, which he homesteaded and on which he spent twenty-three years, developing it into a fine farm and there he prospered with advancing years, and added to his original holdings until he owned one thousand acres. He traded the entire amount for an excellent farm of four hundred and eighty acres in Kansas, and removed to the Sunflower state, continuing general farming with his former success for two years, then traded his farm there for Missouri land, in Mercer county, which he subsequently sold, and moved to Greene county, this state, where he now resides, and is now owner of a finely improved and productive farm of two hundred acres in Wilson township, on which he has an attractive residence and numerous substantial, convenient and :modernly appointed outbuildings. He raises a diversity of crops common to this latitude, but in connection with general farming he specializes in dairying, in poultry raising and handling blooded horses, and in one of the best-known and most successful stockmen in the western part of the county. His place is known as "Clover Dale Farm." He has a large herd of cows of an excellent quality, and he keeps his barn in a sanitary condition, and looks to the well-being and comfort of his stock at all seasons. His dairy products are all taken by a Springfield concern. Mr. Bishop also specializes in poultry raising, and does an extensive business in this line, keeping a large number of best breed of chickens, in the proper care of which he is well versed and is properly equipped for this work, and he also finds a very ready market for all his products in this department in Springfield. He is an admirer of good live stock of all kinds, especially horses, and he keeps a very fine herd of registered Percherons, including at this writing a stallion and four mares. His fine stock is greatly admired by all who sees it.
Mr. Bishop has been twice married, first, in Mediapolis, Iowa, to Mary Bridges, and to this union eight children were born, seven of whom are living in Greene county, Missouri. The wife and mother passed away on May 7, 1910, and October 11, 1911, he married Etta Huffman, a daughter of Frank and Mary Huffman, formerly of Kentucky.
The following are our subject's children, all by his first wife: Phoebe A., Gladys M., Ora M., Floy, Frank T., Laura K., Chester and Casper (deceased).
Politically, Mr. Bishop is a, friend of prohibition, and religiously he and Mrs. Bishop are Christian Scientists.
[1722-1724]
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y
Table of Contents | Keyword Search | Greene County History Home | Local History Home