Jesse T. Witcher, P. O., Marshall. Was born in Howard county, Missouri, in 1847, and in 1856 came to this county, and settled in Liberty township, with his parents. At that time $5.00 per acre was the highest price paid for land, and $2.50 a very common price. His father raised a family of ten children, all of whom located in this county. He purchased a farm of 360 acres of choice land, for $1,360. Mr. Witcher was married to Miss Nancy E. Gresham, daughter of Jonathan Gresham, of Saline county. He has had eight children, of whom five are now living: James T. (living in Santa Fe, N. M.), Wm. Henry, Jesse T. (also living in New Mexico), Walter Walker, and Emmet Lee. His wife died in 1874. In December, 1875, he married his present wife, Miss Mary E. Gresham, her father being one of the first settlers of Johnson county, Missouri, and has had four children, three of them living: Ettie, Ella Ethel, and Sarah Pearl, the baby. Mr. Witcher is a member of the Christian Church, membership at Antioch, and is also a mason, belonging to the lodge at Herndon. In 1864 he entered the Confederate army, and was one of Stallard’s company of Marmaduke’s escort. Previous to going to the army he was ordered to join the militia, and was at Marshall at the time of Shelby’s raid, but did not participate in the fight. In 1864 he was paid off, and then went to Price’s army, and was in the battles of Big and Little Blue, Westport, Newtonia, Little Osage, etc. In the retreat through the Indian Territory he was twenty-seven days without bread or salt. James Witcher, father of Jesse T., was born in Pittsylvania county, Virginia, in 1810. Came to Missouri in 1833, and settled in Howard county, and lived there two years. Then moved to Elk Lick Spring, which he improved. It is a noted summer resort previous to the war, and is a splendid mineral spring.
