HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

Biographical Appendix

JOHN STARKEY

John Starkey, farmer and stock raiser of Madison County, Mo., was born in Sevier County, Tenn., in 1824, being the son of Joel and Delaney (Whaley) Starkey. The father was born in South Carolina and participated in several Indian wars and also in the War of 1812. He was under Gen. Jackson at the battle of New Orleans and witnessed the death of Packingham and the overthrow of British authority on American soil. His death remains a mystery, as the last that was heard of him was when he assisted in the removal of the Cherokee Indians west of the Mississippi River. It is supposed that he lost his life on that perilous expedition. He was the father of four sons and four daughters. His widow died at the advanced age of ninety-five years. Their son John was the first to leave home and brave the toils and dangers of frontier life in Missouri. He was married to Catherine Riding, who became the mother of seven children, four of whom are now living. She is sixty-six years of age and is hale and hearty. John Starkey, after giving each of his children a farm, has still 540 acres of land. He contributes liberally to all religious denominations and he and family are members of the Congregational Methodist Church. He served in the Union army during the late war and is one of the county's most reliable and honored citizens. Although his early educational advantages were limited, he has considerable literary taste and is an occasional contributor to one of the local journals.