Luke and Clara Balch are pictured with their 4-year old daughter, Edna Loretta. They came to Adair County from Ohio in 1884 and operated a farm near Sloan. Luke, originally from New Hampshire, died at home near Youngstown. Clara, a native of New York City, died at her son Frank’s home in Texas and was returned to Kirksville for burial next to Luke at Forest-Llewellyn Cemetery.  [KDE obit; MO Death Certf]

Edward Buck, a native of Athens County, OH, moved to Adair County around 1884, settled near Zig and a few years later married Eliza Linder, daughter of William & Nancy Linder [below].  After retiring from farming in the 1920s, Edward took up carpentry and the couple moved to Kirksville where hey shared a home with daughter Mary Prosser and her husband. The Prossers & Bucks later moved to Springfield, MO where the older couple died and were buried. [Linder; Directories; MO Death Certfs]

John Eitel was a native of Ohio who moved to Missouri as a young child.  He came to Adair County in 1873 and a year later married Mary Eva Weber, also an Ohio native. John and Eve, the parents of twelve, owned and operated a large farm southeast of Pure Air in Liberty Township.  [Graphic obit]

Alec Farr, a native of Coshocton County, OH, was raised in Iowa. He & Margaret Pinkerton married Mar 20, 1874 then moved to Adair County with their sons Harry & John around 1878.  After establishing their farm at Nefy, they had two more sons, Everett & Tony, and a daughter, Ina (born after this photo was taken).  Margaret was buried on what would have been her 65th wedding anniversary. Alec was buried beside her at the Pinkerton Cemetery near Youngstown three years later. [KDE obits]

Francis Gilliland of Morgan County, OH, and Eva Phipps, of Noble County, OH, came to Missouri shortly after their marriage in 1881.  They settled near Pure Air where Francis was a carpenter & contractor before going into stock breeding.  He also served as Adair County Assessor for two terms, 1890-94.  The couple had three children; daughters Nora & Alta, pictured with them here, and son Shirley who was born later. [Violette; KDE obits]

WP and Nancy Linder were distant cousins and members of one of the earliest families to settle Adair County.  Primarily a farmer, William held a position as the first Cashier of the Kirksville branch of the Bank of St Louis, 1859-63, and was later the Presiding Judge of the Adair County Court, 1887-91.  He served with the 22nd Missouri Infantry and 7th Missouri Cavalry during the Civil War.   The couple had seven children of their own and helped raise several orphaned members of the Linder clan.  [Goodspeed; Citizens Bank; Linder] 

Hiram Snyder was born in Dauphin County, PA, moved to Adair County at about age 19 and, except for a few months when he was first married, farmed here the rest of his life. It is said that he was the first in the region to own a self-raking reaper and self-binding harvester.  Hiram was married to Minerva Shaw of Putnam Co, and after her death, to Mrs Elizabeth (Burchett) Wright. He was the father of 18 children and step-father to the four Wright children.  He served one term as Justice of the Peace and enlisted in Home Guards during the Civil War.  [Goodspeed]

Eli Swisher, originally from North Carolina, and his wife Mary, an Ohio girl, moved to Adair County via Illinois in 1856. They had eight children, two born after they began farming at Pure Air.  They are buried at Ringos Point Cemetery.  [Adair County Cemeteries, 1860 & 1870 Census]