Springfield-Greene
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JAMES DEVEREAUX. Although Wales, like Switzerland, is a small, rugged country, it is surprising how large a number of excellent citizens have come from there to the United States, where they have benefited both themselves and us, for they are almost without exception, thrifty, economical, painstaking in their work and are people of untiring industry and in every way most desirable citizens. Of those who originally came from that picturesque land "by the sounding sea" and located in Springfield, Missouri, the late James Devereaux,
Mr. Devereaux was born near Swansea, Wales, April 12, 1838. He was a son of Thomas and Jane (Wade) Devereaux, both natives of Wales, the father born in 1793, and died in 1841; the mother was born in 1800 and died in 1848. These parents grew to maturity in their native land and received good educations; there they were married, spent their lives on a farm and died there. To them six children were born, only one of whom, John Devereaux, of the state of Pennsylvania, is still living.
James Devereaux had little opportunity to obtain an education, but he was a widely read man, always a great reader. When only eighteen years of age he began running a locomotive on a railroad in his native land, when the engines were very small compared with our present day moguls and were built without cabs. He continued railroading in Wales until he was twenty-three years of age, when he emigrated to the United States, locating first in Pennsylvania, later removing to Coalburg, Ohio, where he secured employment running a stationary engine for the Powers Ice & Coal Company. After remaining there a few years he moved to Stark county, Ohio, and ran an engine for a mine hauling coal, and he worked at several other places in Ohio, then he removed with his family in 1880 to Kansas, locating in the town of Rosedale, and was engineer in the iron works there; later he was in the West for a short time, then came to Cherokee county, Kansas, and there ran a hoist engine at coal and smelter works. He came to Springfield, Missouri, in 1887, and worked as engineer in a saw mill for a while. His family remained here from that time, but he worked in other places most of the time, being able to get better wages and was regarded as a stationary engineer of superior ability and performed his duties most faithfully.
Mr. Devereaux was married May 25, 1867, in Hubbard, Ohio, to Mary Lloyd, a native of Wales, and a daughter of John and Jane (Mathews) Lloyd, both natives of Wales also, where Mr. Lloyd followed mining. His birth occurred March 31, 1818, and he died January 17, 1885, in Weir, Kansas. His wife was born January 9, 1820, and died May 18, 1888, in Springfield, Missouri. These parents with the wife of our subject emigrated to the United States in 1853 and the family settled in Pennsylvania. To Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd eleven children were born, three of whom are still living, namely: Mrs. Margaret Hughes, Mary, who married Mr. Devereaux of this sketch, and Edmond J.
To Mr. and Mrs. Devereaux nine children were born, six of whom are still living, namely Thomas, born March 2, 1868, died August 20, 1883; Jane, born Jannary 2, 1871, lives in the Province of Alberta, Canada; John, born October 22, 1873, is an engineer, and lives in Weir, Kansas; Margaret May, born May 11, 1876, died June 13, 1878; Naoma, born February 16, 1879, lives in Springfield, she married Arthur Jones; James Garfield, born
April 29, 1882, died January 9, 1883; Edmond James, born December 4, 1883, lives in Chicago, Illinois; Elizabeth, born November 7, 1886, lives in Springfield, Missouri, married William Jones; Mary Lloyd, born May 31, 1889, is teaching in the Rogers' school.
Politically Mr. Devereaux was a Prohibitionist for a period of twenty-six years. Fraternally he belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Masonic Order and the Ancient Order of United Workmen.
The cozy family home is on West Lynn street, Springfield.
The death of Mr. Devereaux occurred June 24, 1906. He was a man noted for his sobriety, peaceable nature and industry and he was highly respected by all who knew him. He was a deacon in the First Baptist church for thirty-five years. His family are all Baptists.
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