Springfield-Greene
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of Many of the Representative Citizens
JOHN P. McCAMMON. John P. McCammon was born in Henry county, Iowa, May 25, 1853, and is a son of Samuel and Mary E. (Brown) McCammon. He is of Scotch-Irish ancestry on the paternal side. His father was born in Pennsylvania where he grew to manhood, received such educational advantages as the old-time schools afforded, and he devoted his active life to general agricultural pursuits remaining in his native state until 1852 when he removed to the state of Iowa, and in Henry county, but subsequently removed to Davis county, that state, where his death occurred in 1834. He was a man of courage and possessed the typical pioneer industry that resulted in success, and he stood high in the estimation of his neighbors, was a loyal Republican and did what he could toward the general advancement of the communities in which he lived, and, held a number of minor political offices, the duties of which he always discharged with fidelity and credit, and at all times proved his worth as a citizen. His wife, Mary E. Brown, was born in Washington county, Indiana, near the town of Salem, and was the daughter of a pioneer family of that state. After the death of her husband she came to Missouri and made her home in Ash Grove, Greene county, subsequently going to Perry, Iowa, where she lived until her death at an advanced age. To Samuel McCammon and wife five children were born, named in order of birth as follows: John P., of this review; William H., who established himself in the mercantile business at Perry, Iowa; Jessie married John Irwin, and they located in Belvidere, Nebraska; Augusta became the wife of I. Woodridge, of Stockton, Cedar county, Missouri; Samuel A. established his home in Perry, Iowa.
John P. McCammon grew to manhood on the home farm in Iowa and worked hard when a boy, assisting his father develop a farm in the new country. He attended the district schools in his community until he was about fifteen years of age, then entered the Iowa Wesleyan University at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, made a good record and was graduated from that institution with the class of 1877. That his scholarship was profound and he had won the highest estimation of his teachers is indicated by the fact that he began teaching in that university the following fall after his graduation, and he followed teaching with much success until 1879, becoming one of the leading educators of that section of the state. In that year he came to Springfield, Missouri, where he continued his profession, but he had been studying law for some time before leaving his native state and he continued the study of this profession after coming to the Ozarks and was admitted to the bar in 1881. He practiced alone from 1881 to 1887 and was forging constantly to the front ranks. He then formed a partnership with Col. C. W. Thrasher and J. T. White, the same continuing until 1890, when Mr. Thrasher retired, and our subject and Mr. White continued in partnership until 1903 and the firm became one of the best-known in Springfield. During the years he has been engaged in the practice of law he has shown a superior ability all along the line, has kept well abreast of the times, being ever a close student, not only of the statutes but of current events of importance. He was one of the original incorporators of the Missouri Fidelity & Casualty Company, in 1909, and was president of the same for the first six months, and got it well established and it grew rapidly into a large and important concern. He was then vice-president and general counsel for the same until 1914, when it was merged with the Southern Surety Company of St. Louis, and the offices moved from Springfield to the Mound City, but Mr. McCammon became vice-president and attorney for the new concern, and is doing much to make it a great success as he did the former concern.
Mr. McCammon was married in 1859 to Lucy Owen, who was born irk Springfield, Missouri, where she grew to womanhood, and received a good education. She is a daughter of Jabez Owen and wife, an old and influential family of Greene county. Five children have blessed the union of our subject and wife, named as follows: Elizabeth Rush, born in September, 1890, is taking domestic science and physical training at the University of Missouri, Columbia; John Purdue, Jr., born in April, 1893, is studying law in the University of Kansas at Lawrence; Owen, born in December, 1896, is attending the Porter Military Academy at Charleston, South Carolina;, Lucy, born in August, 1900, is a student in the State Normal School at Springfield; and William Samuel, born in June, 1903, is a student in the local grade schools.
Mr. McCammon has made the practice of law his foremost concern but has also found time to take an interest in manufacturing and real estate and has been very successful in a business way, accumulating a comfortable competence through his good management and wise foresight. He has been counsel for a number of corporations. Politically he is a Republican and while interested in party affairs has never sought office. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order. He is a Beta Theta Pi. He was a member of the board of regents, State Normal at Springfield, Missouri, his term. expiring in January, 1915.
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