Springfield-Greene
County LibraryEarly and Recent History and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Representative Citizens
FREDERICK CHARLES WILDER. One of the public-spirited citizens of Ash Grove who withholds his cooperation from no movement which is intended to promote public improvement in that city and vicinity is Frederick Charles Wilder, who for the past fourteen years has been engaged successfully in the livery business there and is one of the best known men in this line of endeavor in Greene county, and what he has accomplished illustrates his steadfastness of purpose. In his earlier years he was a farmer and also worked as iron molder.
Mr. Wilder was born near Carpentersville, Illinois, August 9, 1865. He is a son of Thomas and Catherine (Tubbs) Wilder. The father was born in the state of New York, in October, 1828, was there reared to manhood and educated in the district schools and he devoted his active life to farming. He joined the tide of "forty-niners" for the gold fields of California and remained in that state a few years, finally returning to Illinois, his trips across the great trackless plains being without particular incident. He resumed farming and remained in the Sucker state until in 1869, when he removed with his family to Lawrence county, Missouri, where he bought one hundred acres which he farmed until 1881, when he went to Barry county, Missouri, and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres, which he cleared, improved and farmed until his death, which occurred in 1902. Politically, he was a Republican, and religiously a Methodist. Catherine Tubbs, mother of the subject of this sketch, was born in 1837. It is not certain whether in Illinois or Wisconsin, and her death occurred in 1875.
Frederick C. Wilder grew to manhood on the home farm, where he worked when a boy, and he received his education in the district schools. He spent four years in Dundee, Illinois, working for the Illinois Iron Bolt Company, learning the molder's trade, from 1894 to 1898, after which he returned to the home farm, in Lawrence county, Missouri, not caring to continue the molder's trade as a livelihood. He engaged in general farming until fourteen years ago, when he came to Ash Grove and started in the livery business, which he has continued here and in Mt. Vernon, Lawrence county, to the present time, and his is now the only livery business in Ash Grove. He has a well-equipped barn, including such vehicles as his needs require and a large number of good horses. His barn is popular with the traveling public, prompt and honest service is his aim.
Mr. Wilder was married March 17, 1887, to Emma Bowman, who was born in Christian county, Missouri, August 4., 1869, and was reared on the farm and educated in the public schools. She is a daughter of William P. and Sarah Bowman. The father was a pioneer of Christian county and the mother was born there.
Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilder, namely: Oma, born January 1, 1888, is cashier at Bourguenot's confectionery in Springfield; Dade, born May 20, 1889, is employed by the Aurora Milling Company at Aurora, Missouri; Nellie, born February 5, 1892; she married Richard. M. Ryan and they live in Hot Springs, Arkansas; Luna, born March 19, 1894; and Clyde, born May 17, 1897.
Politically, Mr. Wilder is a Republican. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of. Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Woodmen of the World. Religiously, the family attends the Presbyterian church.
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