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Missouri
Genealogy Express
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MACON COUNTY,
Missouri
BIOGRAPHIES |
MARCUS B. LEIST,
of Callao township, whose transactions as a breeder and
handler of superior strains of horses are so extensive that
they have attracted the attention of dealers in the noblest
animal we have throughout the country, and even made him a
name and reputation in foreign lands, has a history in
himself and his ancestors that is full of interest. He
is descended from families of the hardy woodsmen of
Pennsylvania who helped to open up that great domain to
civilization and lay the foundations of its prosperity, and
who were as valiant in defending it as they were courageous
and resolute in braving the perils of its wild and savage
condition as an unbroken and trackless expanse of wooded
mountain, dense forest and virgin plain. Some of them
fought with Washington at Fort Du Quesne and aided in
clearing the way for the advance of his army toward that
hapless and tragical conflict. In the following days
of the American Revolution many of them stood shoulder to
shoulder with the great commander and helped greatly to win
his final triumph. Later, their descendants invaded
the farther wilderness and began the conquest of what is now
the state of Ohio and its transformation into a civilized
and productive region, fragrant with all the flowers and
rich in all the fruits of cultivated life.
Among the early settlers in Ohio were some of the
forebears of Marcus B. Leist, of this county, who is
the immediate subject of this review, and it was in Pickaway
county, in that state, that he was born, his life beginning
on Dec. 23, 1846. He is a son of Cornelius B. and
Isabel (Wann) Leist, both born and reared in Ohio, as
their parents were. They had eight children, four of
whom are living: Marcus B.; Emma, the wife of
Wilson Stout, of Ohio; John P., who lives in
Indiana, and Laura, the wife of Charles Cook.
The mother died in 1897 and the father in 1901.
Their son, Marcus B., has shown the military
spirit of his ancestors and been a fighter, too, but only in
the army of peaceful conquest and the contests among men for
the advancement of their several fortunes and the
gratification of their various ambitions. His father
was a farmer, and after obtaining a limited education in the
district schools of his native county, the son became one
also. He began farming for himself soon after leaving
school and has continued his operations in this line ever
since. In connection with them he has made a specialty
of raising fine cattle and horses, and, as has been
intimated, has conducted the business and is still
conducting it on a scale of great magnitude, his conquests
in this line being as great in their way as were the
achievements of his forefathers in theirs.
In 1904 Mr. Leist came to Missouri and located
in Callao township, this county, where he now lives.
He immediately began farming and specializing in raising
cattle and horses. He has rapidly expanded his
business in this latter industry until he has become the
most extensive breeder of horses in Missouri and has the
largest stable of Percheron and other imported stallions in
the state. His products in the cattle industry are
also of superior quality, and within the short period of his
residence in Macon county he has probably done more than any
other man to raise the standard of stock, generally,
throughout the state. His farm comprises 640 acres of
choice land, and is particularly well adopted to the
purposes for which he rented it. It affords fine
grazing grounds for his stock and also yields abundantly for
the maintenance of his herds in the elements of other food
for them besides producing in plentiful supply the output of
general farming.
Mr. Leist has applied to the development and
improvement of the county in general the same energy,
capacity and progressiveness that he has employed so
successfully in bringing about the higher standard of stock
in this region and in building up his own interests.
He has been one of the main promoters and is now one of the
principal stockholders, and the vice president of the
Callao Fair Association, which is known far and wide for the
excellence of its management, the enlightened and
progressive spirit that distinguishes it and the high
character of its displays, exhibits and entertainments.
He has also been very active and potential in securing a
vast improvement in the roads in the county, and in
awakening a spirit of enterprise in the way of a general
movement for good roads in all parts of the state.
In political faith he is a pronounced Republican, with
an ardent interest in the welfare of his party and great
energy in serving it. But he has been steadfast in his
determination to keep out of public office and has resisted
all the importunities of his friends and the leaders of his
party to become a candidate, accept a nomination or take a
political position by appointment. Fraternally he is
connected with the order of Odd Fellows. In 1868 he
was married to Miss Mary Elizabeth Peter, a native of
Ohio. They have eight children, their sons, Edward
and Charles M., and their daughters, Mary Alice,
Sarah E., Margaret B., Carrie, Florence and Lela.
Although but six years a resident of Missouri, Mr. Leist
has risen to the first rank among its citizens and is an
acknowledged leader in some of its lines of public
improvement. In all respects he is regarded as one of
the most progressive, estimable and useful men in the state.
No one stands higher in public esteem or is more worthy of
regard and good will from all classes.
 Source
1: General History of Macon County, Missouri - Vols. 2 - Publ.
Chicago: Henry Taylor & Company - 1910 - Page 780 |
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