Springfield-Greene
County LibraryREV. CARSON F. CORUM is probably one of the most prominent clergymen of the Missionary Baptist Church of Greene County, Mo. As a pastor he gets very near to his people and has ever sought to develop the highest type of social life in the church, has made himself the friend of each member of the church, sympathizing with them in trouble and rejoicing with them in their gladness. Mr. Corum comes of an old Einglish family who settled in America during the Colonial history of this country, and Travers Corum, the great grandfather of Carson F. Corum, was a well-to-do farmer of Virginia and reared a family of nine children: Thornton, Catherine, Susan, Mary, Nancy, Dolly, Elizabeth, Bell and James. Travers Corum was a soldier of the War of 1812, and in this struggle with England lent the American cause effective service. Later he removed to Blair's Cross Roads, Granger Co., Tenn., where he died at the age of seventy years, an earnest Christian and an active member of the Missionary Baptist Church. Thornton Corum, his son, was born near Richmond, Va., and upon the removal of his parents to Tennessee he accompanied them and there gained a common school education and learned about all there was to be learned about farming. Annie, the daughter of Robert and Barbara Gains, became his wife and after their marriage they settled in Granger County, Tenn., where Mr. Corum became a substantial farmer and where he passed the remainder of his days. He and his wife were members of the Missionary Baptist Church, and in politics he was an old line Whig, He was industrious, pushing and enterprising and lived to be about seventy years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Corum were the parents of nine children, as follows: Elizabeth, James and Calvin (twins), Carson F., Jasper, Pleasant, Robert T., Tallitha and Henry. Carson F. Corum, son of Thornton Corum, was born on his parent's farm in Granger County, Tenn., June 23, 1834, and was given the advantages of the common schools, which he improved to the utmost. In 1855 he was married to Caroline, daughter of William and Nancy (Northern) Elmore, the former of whom was a farmer of Granger County. After his marriage Mr. Corum continued to reside in Granger County until 1857, engaged in farming, then removed to Polk County, Mo., and in 1858 to Greene County, settling on a farm on Grand Prairie, where he lived for five years, then purchased 260 acres near Ash Grove. In August, 1862, he enlisted at Springfield, Mo., in the Missouri State Militia as a member of Capt. Phillips' Company and served until the close of the war, being called out when necessary and remaining at home looking after the wants of his family between times. He was in the battle of Springfield when Marmaduke made his raid and fought from Fort No. 4, south of the square, which received the brunt of the battle, and to their credit be it said that a few companies of militia saved the town from capture. The principal duty of Mr. Corum's regiment was the protection of Government property, especially in the southwestern part of the State. After the war Mr. Corum resumed his farming which had been interrupted by the war, as it was impossible to keep good horses to carry on his work. As a natural outcome of the war times were hard and there was a good deal of suffering, especially among the poorer class of people, but time remedied this state of affairs and Mr. Corum continued to prosper financially. When a boy of fourteen years he became a convert to the Missionary Baptist Church and always took great interest in religious matters, remaining a deacon in his church for ten years. He has always given liberally of his means in the support of religious movements and has been very generous in his contributions to the erection and support of churches throughout Greene County. He has always been deeply interested in both Home and Foreign Missions, has donated large private sums to this cause and has used his influence to make the work popular. In the spring of 1881 he was ordained a minister of the Missionary Baptist Church and has since been preaching regularly, having now three churches under his care. Mr. Corum is an intelligent gentleman, possesses a fine and original mind, and is a fluent, forcible and eloquent speaker, and wields a wide influence among the young of his flock. To Mr. and Mrs. Corum eight children have been born: Nancy, Mary, James, William, Oliver, Edith, Annie and John, all of whom were born in Greene County, Mo., except Nancy, who first saw the light in Tennessee. In 1890 Mr. Corum bought his present farm which is pleasantly situated near Nicholas Junction, upon which good improvements have been made and a tasteful residence erected. The cause of education has always found in Mr. Corum an earnest friend and he has given his children every advantage consistent with his means. He has always been actuated by the highest motives, and it is his earnest desire to live the life of a true Christian and to accomplish great good in this world.
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