James W. Kent, P. O., Marshall. Was born in Fluvanna county, Virginia, July 10, 1834, where he was raised and educated. His father, H. L. Kent, was a native of Virginia, and born October 25, 1810. May 24, 1833, he married Miss Mary J. Page, a native of Goochland county, Virginia. They had fourteen children, ten of whom are living, four sons and six daughters: James W., Warner R., Thomas J., Napoleon B., Mrs. Sarah E. Allen, Mrs. Mary L. Moyer, Mrs. Martha Hauchins, Mrs. Minerva A. Jones, Adeline and Jane E. Mr. H. L. Kent lives at North Garden, Albemarle county, Virginia. James W., the eldest son, and the subject of this sketch, came to Saline county, Missouri, in 1864. He is a stone-cutter by trade, and followed that occupation in Virginia, but when he came to this county, he settled on a farm, about five miles from Marshall, upon which he still lives and farms. September 23, 1864, he was married to Miss Joanna Burnley, a native of Albemarle county, Virginia, daughter of James M. Burnley, who was a native of Goochland county, Virginia. He married Prudence Sommons, and they have two children, now living, Mrs. Joanna Kent and Mrs. Elizabeth Steel. Mr. Burnley came to Saline county in 1845, and went to Gen. Smith’s farm, where he lived as the general’s overseer for sixteen years. In 1861, he moved to the farm on which he now lives with his son-in-law, James W. Kent. Mr. and Mrs. Kent have had seven children, six of whom are now living: James L., William Warner, Richard E. R., (E. M., now dead), Charles W., Mary Ella and Dovie M. In the latter part of May, 1864, about one o’clock at night, the family were awakened by the dogs, and then startled by a shot fired into one of the lower rooms, the mark made by the bullet being still visible. From an upstairs window (the moon shining brightly), Mr. Kent could see five men in the yard, dressed in blue uniform. He immediately slipped down stairs with a loaded rifle in his hands, and crawled toward the east front door, in order to reach and open a partition door, that would guard both front doors, there being two to the house. When he reached the east front door, the men were pounding on it and demanding admission. Mr. Kent called out, "Gentlemen, if you break down the door, you do so at your own risk." They demanded what he said? As he begun to repeat it, a shot came crashing through the door, passing over Mr. Kent, who was stooping, and lodging in the partition. The men then disappeared and that was the last of it. On going into the west room, Mr. Kent found Mr. Burnley busily loading a shot-gun.
