Individual Details
John James Cantrell
(December 5, 1827 - November 27, 1915)
"In 1849, the year after their marriage, John James and Didema Cantrell joined the migration westward with the Cantrell caravan in a covered wagon, drawn by owen. They lived in Dade County, Missouri for a while, then removed to Miller County, Missouri. In 1858, John James disposed of his property in Miller County and moved to Webster County, Missouri. John and Didema joined a large number of relatives from Warren, DeKalb and McMinn Counties, Tennessee in the settlement of Cantrells along the banks of a small stream known by then as Cantrell Creek. Their new home in High Prairie Township, Webster County, Missouri was about twelve miles south of Marshfield and a mile or so north of Duncan.
"The village of Duncan is a short distance from the crossing of the stream on the main road from Marshfield to Hartville, now known as Highway No. 38. Cantrells from Tennessee made up mostly the Cantrell families located on Cantrell Creek. Their farms joined on another up and down the stream for miles. Duncan became the milling and shopping center, boasting of a number of general merchandise stores, blacksmith shops, mills, school, churches, and a number of dwellings. A high school was there, in the early days, located on the farm owned by William Watson Cantrell. The school was operated in 1902 by the following faculty: Walter Bradshaw, principal; Derby Steinbury, assistant; C. V. Ellis, primary; and Lola Bradshaw, music. The school board members were Jesse C. Nichols, William Watson Cantrell and W. R. Landers. The students paid $1.00 per month for primary, advance department $1.50, business courses, $2.00 with room and board $7.00 to $8.00 per month. An article by Mr. Bradshaw, principal, listing the advantages of the school was published, quote: "Our advantages include healthfulness of location, progressive text books, expenses low with easy terms, literary and parlimentary societies, Sunday School and Church, no liquor and a large temperance society to keep it away. Students may enter at any time and pay for time attended, frequent reviews and examinations will be held. The principal's excellent private library will be free for use by the students. If students wish any business course or any branch of study more advanced than listed in the catalogue, the course will be taught."
"A sketch of the early times in Webster County, Missouri lists the families prominent in Duncan as the Manrys, Todds, Nichols, Rumpes, Nunns, Pitchfords, Landers, Cantrells, Youngs, Bishops, Burns, Pyatts and Mingus.
"Duncan had the following denominations of churches: Presbyterian, Baptist, Christian, Free Will, and the Church of Christ. Duncan has been a ghost town since 1918. All of the houses in Duncan have been destroyed except the Jesse C. Nichols home, the Foster Cantrell house, and the William Watson Cantrell residence. The residence of William Watson Cantrell was built on the county line with half of the house in Webster County and half in Wright County. Foster Cantrell, the grandson of James Jasper Cantrell, has a few groceries in the old building of his grandfather. This old store building was badly in need of repair in 1970. All other buildings in the village have been destroyed.
"John James died in the home of his daughter, Melissa Ann and her husband, James A. Scott near Cantrell Creek. He was confined to bed for twelve months prior to his death, being 87 years, 11 months, and 22 days at the time of his death. John James left to mourn his absence 10 children, 64 grandchildren, 77 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild. He was a member of the CHurch of Christ and lived a Christian life. The funeral service was conducted by Elder Willbanks. John James was buried by his first wife in the New Prospect Baptist Cemetery on Cantrell Creek. The inscription on his tombstone states that he died Nov. 27, 1916, which is in error. The compiler of this sketch has a newspaper item published in the obituary column of a local newspaper in December of 1915. It seems reasonable to assume that his daughter, Melissa Ann Cantrell Scott purchased his tombstone in 1916, and the individual responsible for the inscription made an error." (CANTRELL - CANTRILL by Horace Elbert Cantrell, 1972, pages 47 - 49)
Tab: 1850 Webster County, Missouri, High Prairie Township
"The village of Duncan is a short distance from the crossing of the stream on the main road from Marshfield to Hartville, now known as Highway No. 38. Cantrells from Tennessee made up mostly the Cantrell families located on Cantrell Creek. Their farms joined on another up and down the stream for miles. Duncan became the milling and shopping center, boasting of a number of general merchandise stores, blacksmith shops, mills, school, churches, and a number of dwellings. A high school was there, in the early days, located on the farm owned by William Watson Cantrell. The school was operated in 1902 by the following faculty: Walter Bradshaw, principal; Derby Steinbury, assistant; C. V. Ellis, primary; and Lola Bradshaw, music. The school board members were Jesse C. Nichols, William Watson Cantrell and W. R. Landers. The students paid $1.00 per month for primary, advance department $1.50, business courses, $2.00 with room and board $7.00 to $8.00 per month. An article by Mr. Bradshaw, principal, listing the advantages of the school was published, quote: "Our advantages include healthfulness of location, progressive text books, expenses low with easy terms, literary and parlimentary societies, Sunday School and Church, no liquor and a large temperance society to keep it away. Students may enter at any time and pay for time attended, frequent reviews and examinations will be held. The principal's excellent private library will be free for use by the students. If students wish any business course or any branch of study more advanced than listed in the catalogue, the course will be taught."
"A sketch of the early times in Webster County, Missouri lists the families prominent in Duncan as the Manrys, Todds, Nichols, Rumpes, Nunns, Pitchfords, Landers, Cantrells, Youngs, Bishops, Burns, Pyatts and Mingus.
"Duncan had the following denominations of churches: Presbyterian, Baptist, Christian, Free Will, and the Church of Christ. Duncan has been a ghost town since 1918. All of the houses in Duncan have been destroyed except the Jesse C. Nichols home, the Foster Cantrell house, and the William Watson Cantrell residence. The residence of William Watson Cantrell was built on the county line with half of the house in Webster County and half in Wright County. Foster Cantrell, the grandson of James Jasper Cantrell, has a few groceries in the old building of his grandfather. This old store building was badly in need of repair in 1970. All other buildings in the village have been destroyed.
"John James died in the home of his daughter, Melissa Ann and her husband, James A. Scott near Cantrell Creek. He was confined to bed for twelve months prior to his death, being 87 years, 11 months, and 22 days at the time of his death. John James left to mourn his absence 10 children, 64 grandchildren, 77 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild. He was a member of the CHurch of Christ and lived a Christian life. The funeral service was conducted by Elder Willbanks. John James was buried by his first wife in the New Prospect Baptist Cemetery on Cantrell Creek. The inscription on his tombstone states that he died Nov. 27, 1916, which is in error. The compiler of this sketch has a newspaper item published in the obituary column of a local newspaper in December of 1915. It seems reasonable to assume that his daughter, Melissa Ann Cantrell Scott purchased his tombstone in 1916, and the individual responsible for the inscription made an error." (CANTRELL - CANTRILL by Horace Elbert Cantrell, 1972, pages 47 - 49)
Tab: 1850 Webster County, Missouri, High Prairie Township
Events
| Birth | December 5, 1827 | Spartanburg County, South Carolina | |||
| Marriage | 1848 | Warren County, Tennessee - Didema Van Hooser | |||
| Marriage | Abt, 1873 | Webster County, Missouri - Levina Linder | |||
| Death | November 27, 1915 | Cantrell Creek, Webster County, Missouri |
Families
| Spouse | Didema Van Hooser (1830 - 1871) |
| Child | Elizabeth Jane Cantrell (1849 - 1893) |
| Child | Sarah Caroline Cantrell (1854 - 1931) |
| Child | James Jasper Cantrell (1856 - 1931) |
| Child | William Watson Cantrell (1858 - 1928) |
| Child | Melissa Ann Cantrell (1860 - 1941) |
| Child | John Abraham Cantrell (1865 - 1944) |
| Child | Mary Didema Cantrell (1868 - 1950) |
| Child | Rebecca Cantrell (1870 - 1901) |
| Spouse | Levina Linder (1846 - 1933) |
| Child | Woodson Collins Cantrell (1874 - 1966) |
| Child | Isaac Newton Cantrell (1879 - 1911) |
| Child | Allie Cantrell (1881 - 1913) |
| Child | Susan Cantrell (1883 - 1906) |
| Child | Lewis Pinkney Cantrell (1884 - 1949) |
| Child | Pearl Cantrell (1886 - ) |
| Father | Abraham Cantrell (1799 - 1880) |
| Mother | Susan Collins ( - 1871) |
| Sibling | William Cantrell (1825 - ) |
| Sibling | Sarah "Sallie" Cantrell (1827 - ) |
| Sibling | Thomas Jefferson Cantrell (1829 - ) |
| Sibling | Collins Cantrell ( - ) |
| Sibling | Cleveland Cantrell (1837 - ) |