Springfield-Greene
County LibraryEarly and Recent History and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Representative Citizens
REUBEN R. ROSE. Probably many of us never stopped to consider some of the factors which have contributed to the gradual depletion of our soil fertility. When we see a farmer hauling fifty bushels of corn to town, worth in an average year about twenty-five dollars, we hardly think of him as hauling away fifteen dollars' worth of soil fertility with that corn. Yet if he brought back home in the form of commercial fertilizer the same amount of fertility he hauled off that is what it would cost. Likewise when fifty bushels of wheat is sold sixteen dollars' worth of soil fertility goes with it. A ton of clover hay may bring seventeen dollars, but the seller is giving away eleven dollars' worth of the soil fertility in the hay. One of the farmers of Brookline township, Greene county, who believes in putting something back in the soil and endeavoring to maintain its richness while he is gathering life-sustaining harvests from it is Reuben R. Rose.
Mr. Rose was born October 14, 1874, in Brookline township, near the village of Brookline. He is a son of Reuben R. and Lucy A. (McElhany) .Rose. The paternal grandfather of our subject came from Tennessee to this locality in the pioneer days and established the permanent home of the family here. He and our subject's father devoted their lives to general farming and were well known in this part of the county. Our subject is one of a large family of children, namely: Sallie is the wife of Sol Owens -and lives near Springfield; Jane is the wife of Amos Cooper and lives in Oklahoma; Kennard lives at Galloway, Missouri; John lives in Brookline township, Greene county; Reuben R. Jr., of this sketch; Martha is the wife of Charles Grothy and they live at Webb City, Missouri; Lucy is the wife of Wilson White and they live near Springfield; Homer lives in Brookline township; Frank also lives in Brookline township; two sons and one daughter are deceased.
Mr. Rose of this review grew to manhood on the home farm and there he worked during the crop seasons, and in the, winter time attended the district schools. He has always followed farming, starting out in life for himself when eighteen years of age. He purchased forty acres in Brookline township in 1906, and he now owns two hundred acres in section 36 and also two hundred acres in section I. He resides on the former, in a commodious residence, surrounded by substantial outbuildings and an excellent grade of live stock. His land is also productive and well-improved, and he manages it in a skillful and successful manner, being rated as one of the best general farmers in the township. He is a noted mule breeder, and has been very successful. He owns "Greased Lightning," a very fine jack.
Mr. Rose was married in 1896 to Opie McElhany, who did not live long thereafter, and in 1900 our subject married Mamie VanWagon, a daughter, of Fred VanWagon and wife of Brookline township, where she grew to womanhood and was educated. To this union four children have been born, namely: Philip, age thirteen; Glen R., age eleven; Elmer, age nine; and Effie Marie, age seven.
Politically, Mr. Rose is a Democrat. He was elected school director in his district, and has been incumbent of this office six years, and is a strong advocate for good educational work.
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