Springfield-Greene
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ELIHU HIBLER. Referring to agriculture, one of the earliest bards of the English-speaking race wrote the following: "In ancient times the sacred plow was employed by the kings and fathers of mankind; and some, with whom compared your insect tribes are but the beings of a summer's day. Have held the scale of empire, ruled the storm of mighty war with unwearied hand, disdaining little delicacies, seized the plow and greatly independent lived." He might also have added that agriculture has been from the days of Cain, the greatest of all the arts of man, for it is the first in supplying his necessities. As an agricultural region, Missouri has no superiors. No state has a more natural system of natural drainage, or a more abundant supply of pure, limpid water than this state. Both man and beast may slake their thirst from a thousand perennial fountains that form our "blue, rejoicing streams that catch the azure of the skies." And here Nature has also generously bestowed her attractions of climate, soil and scenery to please and gratify man while earning his bread by the sweat of his brow. Being thus munificently endowed, Missouri offers superior inducements to the farmer, and bids him reap varied harvests from her broad domain and avail himself of her varied resources. One of the men of a past generation who wisely decided to devote career to tilling the soil in this, his native state, was the late Elihu Hibler, and he was not only amply repaid for his toil, but found comfort in his close communing with Nature, and this in turn made him a peaceable and kind-hearted citizen who always had the good will and respect of his neighbors and acquaintances.
Mr. Hibler was born in St. Louis county, Missouri, July 26, 1846. He was a son of Alton and Mary A. (Baxter) Hibler and was one of a family of six children, an equal number of sons and daughters, namely: Leora, Isadore and William are both deceased; Elihu, subject of this memoir; Pamella is the wife of J. W. Hoggs, of Springfield, and George, who lives in Kansas City. The father of the above named children devoted his active life to general farming in St. Louis county, this state, and there his death occurred many years ago.
Elihu Hibler grew to manhood in his native community and assisted his father with the work on the farm and there laid the foundation for his future success as a husbandman. He received his early education in the common schools of his district, and he remained in St. Louis county until the death of his father, when he removed to Bates county, Missouri, and in the year 1884 he purchased a farm there, which he operated successfully many years, finally moving to Liberal, Barton county, this state, where he purchased a farm, on which he spent the rest of his life, and was known as one of the leading general farmers and stock raisers of that locality.
Mr. Hibler was married on July 25, 1889 in Bates county, to Frances J. Maxwell, a daughter of Edley C. and Rebecca J. (Park) Maxwell. The father was a native of Virginia, where he spent his early life, finally removing to Bates county, Missouri, where he purchased a farm, and there he and his wife still reside, highly respected citizens. Their family consisted of seven children, five daughters and two sons, namely: John Beauregard lives in Ft. Scott, Kansas; William P. died in infancy; Frances J., widow of Mr. Hibler, subject of this memoir; Mrs. Lucy Coon, of Ft. Scott, Kansas, is the mother of seven sons and one daughter; Betty lived with her parents on the farm; and Della May, who died when twenty-seven years of age.
Three children were born to Elihu Hibler and wife, namely: Edith Pamella, born October 29, 1890, was graduated from the State Normal; she is married and has one son, William Elihu, named after his grandfather, our subject, he being the tenth William in the family line of descent, and his birth occurred June 14, 1913; she has made herself proficient in music, especially in voice culture, and she has for some time been a successful instructor in music. Jessie Gladys, second child of our subject and wife, was born October 15, 1894, was graduated from the State Normal at Springfield, specializing in domestic science and music. Mary Rebecca, the youngest child, was born July 25, 1897, is now a student in the Springfield schools and expects to take the course in the State Normal. These daughters have all been given excellent educational advantages, which they have duly appreciated and properly improved. Their father, our subject, was a great advocate of education, and himself a great reader and student all his life.
Religiously, Mr. Hibler belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church. He was summoned to his eternal rest on January
11, 1906.
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