Springfield-Greene
County LibraryEarly and Recent History and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Representative Citizens
JOHN MALONEY CHRISMAN. Greene county and other parts of southwestern Missouri are greatly indebted to the grand old state, "the Mother of Presidents," for the Old Dominion has sent to us a large number of her enterprising and high-minded citizens who have done much toward a general upbuilding of this locality. They have, almost without exception, proven to be most desirable and valuable citizens, being ever willing to assist in the material, moral and civic upbuilding of the localities in which they have settled, and they have brought to us not only a commendable industrial and public spirit but a refinement of manners which has made for the good of this mountain country, originally somewhat uncouth and rough. One of these citizens from beyond the Blue Ridge mountains who is deserving of special notice in these paragraphs was the late John Maloney Chrisman.
Mr. John Maloney Chrisman was born in Lee county, Virginia, October 23, 1841. He was a son of Gabriel S. and Margaret (Maloney) Chrisman. Gabriel S. Chrisman was born November 14, 1814, in the same county and state, and was a son of Isaac and Sarah (Yeary) Chrisman. Isaac Chrisman was also a native of Lee county, Virginia, as was his father, Gabriel Chrisman. - Gabriel Chrisman in the early forties removed to Jackson county, Missouri, where he farmed until the early fifties, when he moved to Andrew county, Missouri, where he spent the remainder of his life.
Isaac Chrisman devoted his life to farming and preaching, being an old school Baptist preacher. He moved to, Greene county, Missouri, in the spring of 1851. He purchased a farm near Ozark, Christian county, this state, in 1852, and moved his family thereto. He entered eighty acres of land which belongs to the estate of the subject of this sketch. The elder Chrisman farmed this land until his death in 1873. Gabriel Chrisman, his son, then purchased the farm which he farmed for some time, finally selling it to his son, John M. Chrisman, of this sketch. Gabriel S. Christman's death occurred in 1901. Margaret Maloney, mother of John M. Chrisman, was born in Addington county, Virginia, in 1810, and was a daughter of John Maloney. She and Gabriel S. Chrisman grew to maturity in their native locality and were married there in 1833. Her death occurred in 1890, on the old homestead in Christian county, Missouri.
John M. Chrisman grew to manhood on the farm, where he worked during the summer months, and in the winter time he attended the district schools. On March 28, 1862, he enlisted in the Missouri State Militia, Company B, Fourteenth Regiment, which was afterwards mounted and known as the Fourth Cavalry, Mr. Chrisman being transferred to Company M of the same. He saw some exciting service, mostly in fighting guerillas. He was in Springfield as a member of the Home Guards in August, 1861, when the battle of Wilson's Creek was fought; he was at Jefferson City in the fight against Gen. Sterling Price's army in 1864, and on October 9th of that year he was wounded in the left shoulder and side at the battle of California, this state. He was later brought back to Jefferson City and from there fought bushwhackers. He caught the smallpox in Sedalia, because of which he lost his eyesight in January, 1865, in Jefferson City. He was mustered out of service March 28, 1865, as first sargeant of his company and honorably discharged.
After the war he returned to the farm and, in 1869, went to St. Louis, where he spent two years in an institution for the blind learning the trade of a broom maker. He resumed general farming, broom making and stock raising, which he carried on successfully until 1881, when he moved to the city of Springfield, where he lived a retired life. His family now own a finely improved and valuable farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Christian county, also several pieces of valuable city property.
Mr. Chrisman was married May 1, 1881, to Mary Day, who was born in Walworth county, Wisconsin, February 20, 1845. She is a daughter of Isham and Emily (Bigelow) Day, a highly respected family of that county, where she grew to womanhood and was educated. Her father was born in Tennessee in 1810, and died April 7, 1862, in Christian county, Missouri, being killed by guerrillas. The mother was born in Nova Scotia, April 27, 1810, and she died about fifteen years ago. Mrs. John M. Chrisman's father was a farmer and preacher of the Christian church.
To Mr. and Mrs. Chrisman three children were born, one dying in infancy: Oscar D., born on July 1, 1884, lives in Springfield; he married Katherine E. Ramsey on June 1, 1911; she is a daughter of J. W. Ramsey, Oscar D. Chrisman was appointed assistant city engineer about three years ago. Pearl L., born on May 2, 1887, died on March 22, 1911.
Politically Mr. Chrisman was a Republican. He was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and religiously was a member of the Christian church. He led a quiet, honorable life and had a host of friends wherever he was known.
The death of John M. Chrisman occurred August 24, 1914 in his seventy-third year.
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