Benton Gabbert (1842 - 1917)

Born 3 Dec 1842 in Bartholomew County, Indiana

Died 3 Oct 1917 at age 74 in Platte County, Missouri

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Records

1915 Biography

Published in A History of Northwest Missouri, Volume III:

It is a distinction which history will always associate with Benton Gabbert that his enterprise was primarily responsible for making Dearborn one of the thriving business centers of Platte County. While his reputation among many people is rather based on his prominence as a Hereford cattle breeder, he must be given credit for having given Dearborn its first bank and having used his means and influence to upbuild that town as no other individual has been concerned.

Long and useful lives have been a characteristic of the Gabbert family for generations. No name is better known for its substantial achievements in this section of Northwest Missouri. Benton Gabbert was born in Bartholomew County, Indiana, December 3, 1842. His parents were William and Frances (Hamner) Gabbert, both natives of Kentucky, and living almost the extreme limit of years. William was born October 8, 1817, and died January 19, 1908, when past ninety-one, while she was born September 3, 1819, and died January 14, 1914, when past ninety-four. The four of their eight children still living are: Benton; M. H., of Platte County; Ira T., of Caldwell, Kansas; and Elnora, wife of William Calvert, of Weston.

Both the Gabbert and Hamner families removed from Kentucky to Indiana in 1819. And in that state Mr. Gabbert's parents grew up and County that he found what he wanted and bought a tract near what is now Pleasant Ridge. In October, 1844, William and Frances Gabbert packed their possessions in a wagon and started on the long journey from Indiana to Platte County. Arriving there in October, 1844, they began accommodating themselves to the circumstances of a frontier community on a piece of eighty acres, with a small house, and five acres of land cleared for the first crops. The rest of the farm was a dense timber of oak and walnut. In 1848 William Gabbert removed to an adjoining place of fifty acres, which he had bought, including what was then a very substantial two-story house. William Gabbert had the character and industry which would succeed anywhere. He acquired new tracts of land, and frequently loaned out his surplus capital to advantage. He took a peculiar delight in helping his children, and before his death most of his property had been wisely distributed among them. He was influential in local politics, before the war as a democrat, but after that a republican. He and his wife were originally Baptists, but died in the faith of the Christian Church. He was known in his community as a great reader, and especially as a Bible student.

Benton Gabbert was an infant when the family came to Platte County. His youth was spent on the farm, and he attended school with fair regularity until the outbreak of the war. In 1864 he went to Kansas, living there two years, and in the meantime taking unto himself a wife. In 1866 he moved to a farm near Woodruff, and two years later to a farm a mile and a half east of that town. The year 1881 was the date of his coming to his present homestead. This comprises 437 acres, fine land and with fine improvements.

It was in 1883 that Mr. Gabbert introduced to this section several fine specimens of thoroughbred Herefords, and began breeding and building up a herd, which now numbers about two hundred, the largest of the kind in Platte County. He is now regarded as the oldest man in the business in Missouri in point of continuous activity for more than thirty years. His Herefords are famous wherever that strain of cattle is known. It will be recalled that a few years ago at a public auction in Kansas City Frank Rockefeller, a brother of John D., paid $5,500 for a yearling bull from the Gabbert herd. Another branch of his farming enterprise that should be specially mentioned is tobacco culture. Since beginning to grow the plant in 1909, he has increased his fields to about twenty-five acres, and now has two large sheds for the curing and keeping of the tobacco.

In 1888 Mr. Gabbert and W. C. Wells, the well known banker of Platte City, organized the Bank of Dearborn. Dearborn then had a depot and one store. Mr. Gabbert recalls how he drove to the village with a stalk cutter, using it to clear off the stalks from the old corn field which was the site of the proposed bank building. The bank was soon in operation, and in 1889 Mr. Gabbert bought the interests of his associate, and conducted a private bank until 1908, when it was reorganized under a state charter and Mr. Gabbert resigned the presidency. For twenty-five years he has stood ready on every occasion to forward anything of advantage to this locality. He owns much of the real estate of the village, and the principal owner of stock in the canning factory. Politically he is a stanch democrat, was affiliated with the lodge of Odd Fellows.

On March 21, 1865, Mr. Gabbert married Miss Alice Layton. Mrs. Gabbert was born in Platte County, November 27, 1843, a daughter of J. H. and Sarah (Smither) Layton, both natives of Mason County, Kentucky. Her father was born in 1813 and died in February, 1867, and her mother was born January 8, 1818, and died April 24, 1903. Mrs. Gabbert was one of eight children; of these Mrs. Mary Kirkpatriek lives in Weston; D. B. in Platte County; Mrs. Gabbert; P. S., of Weston; Amney, wife of M. L. Newby, of Lees Summit, Missouri; Elvira, wife of Edgar Hull, of Platte County; Judge J. W., of Platte County. The Layton family came to Platte County in the fall of 1843, by boat as far as Weston. J. H. Layton pre-empted, land, became a successful farmer, was one of the prominent early democrats, and held the office of county judge when there was only one such official for the entire county. Mr. and Mrs. Gabbert are the parents of four children: Eva, wife of E. E. Pumphrey, of Dearborn; William H., of Dearborn; S. J., at home; and L. C., an attorney engaged in practice of law at St. Joseph.

The golden wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Benton Gabbert was appropriately celebrated in Dearborn last Sunday. The condition of the roads made it impossible for their many friends to reach their country homestead, so, for their convenience Mr. and Mrs. Gabbert received their friends here.

The festivities began with a family dinner at the home of their eldest son. W. H. Gabbert and this beautiful home was artistically decorated in honor of the event. The colors in the dining room were yellow, the centerpiece being a huge wedding cake, and suspended from the chandelier were golden wedding bells, with a profusion of jonquils in the room. At this table the honor guests, with their brothers and sisters were seated.

In the parlor a table was spread for the children. The decorations were white and yellow, a cluster of yellow roses being the centerpiece on this table, over which was suspended white wedding bells. In the reception room around a large square table fifteen grandchildren and one great grandchild were seated, the centerpiece being a beautiful shepherdess basket of jonquils. On each table were yellow candles in crystal candelabras and the favors were yellow daisies.

A four course dinner was served, the ices being in the form of wedding bells. At 2 o'clock the Gabbert family assembled at the Gabbert Hall where during the remainder of the afternoon they were greeted and congratulated by several hundred friends. A string band from St. Joseph furnished music. "Silver Threads among the Gold" was beautifully sung by Mr. Fred S. Hamm, leader of the orchestra. Mrs. L. C. Gabbert, of St. Joseph, served each guest with the bride's cake, and Misses Mildred and Nadine Gabbert served punch from a beautiful hand painted punch bowl, done in white and yellow, the work of our talented artist. Mrs. C. M. Ward. Wednesday, March 21, 1865, at 7 o'clock P. M., with Mr. Benjamin Vineyard and Miss Fannie Barbee as attendants, the Rev. Oliver Steele united in marriage Miss Alice Layton and Mr. Benton Gabbert, and we dare say they were no happier on that day than they were in celebrating their fiftieth anniversary. Mr. and Mrs. Gabbert began their married life by creating a happy home. There have been no thistles in this home vase, but always flowers of love and sympathy and cheerfulness have been there in great profusion. Their genial and lovable nature, their cheering smile and unchanging amiability has attracted friends to them always. Nothing could have proclaimed more surely and emphatically the high regard and affection of our people for Mr. and Mrs. Gabbert than the response to the invitation to the celebration of their fiftieth anniversary. At the request of Mr. and Mrs. Gabbert there were no presents. The only gift was a handsome gold brooch with pearl settings from Mr. Gabbert to his beloved wife.

Among the visitors were Dr. Ira Gabbert, of Caldwell, Kansas, and M. H. Gabbert, of Weston, brothers of Mr. Benton Gabbert; Mrs. M. H. Gabbert, W. B. Calvert and wife, George H. Calvert, Mrs. Mary Farra, Weston; L. C. Gabbert and family, W. P. Hoehen, V. D. Hawkins, J. D. Heffley, Albert S. McGee, Mrs. Margaret Smythe and children, St. Joseph; Mrs. Olive J. Carlton, Kendriek, Idaho; George R. Lewis and wife, of Kansas City.

Burial

Benton Gabbert died 3 Oct 1917 and is buried in Dearborn Community Cemetery in Platte County, Missouri.

Sources

A History of Northwest Missouri, Volume III; publ. 1915 in III Volumes; Edited by Walter Williams; Submitted to Genealogy Trails and transcribed by Andrea Stawski Pack. http://genealogytrails.com/mo/platte/bios_g.htm

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56879945/george-benton-gabbert