ISAAC N. HASTEN, J. P.
Squire Hasten is
a son of Carroll and Nancy (Leak) Hasten, and was born in Cass
township, Greene county, Missouri, January 22, 1844.
His father emigrated from Knox
county, Tennessee, to this county in 1835 and settled upon Grand
prairie, and lived upon the farm he settled until his death in 1845. He
was buried in the old Hasten family burying ground. Isaac was educated
in the common schools of the county. He grew up on the farm, and in 1861
enlisted in the 72d Missouri militia. After six months he joined the 16th
Missouri Rangers, and served with them two years. He then enlisted in
the regular service under Capt. Isaac Julian, in the
46th
Infantry of U. S. A. He was mustered out at the end of seven months. He
was married January 29, 1865, to
Miss Mary E. Jennings, of
Neosho, Mo. Their union has been blest with three children, viz.:
Alice Theodosia, John, and William (deceased). He was elected justice of
the peace in 1878, and re-elected in 1882. The 'Squire is a Greenbacker
but had been a Republican. He and his wife are members of the Missionary
Baptist church, and he is a member of both the A. F. and A. M., and I.
O. O. F. societies.Source: History of Greene
County, Missouri (1883, R. I. Holcombe, Editing Historian) [From a
Greene County, MO website]
JOHN H. HASTEN.
Everyone, in addition to his ordinary workaday life, whether it be
professional, political, commercial, or one of manual labor, by which he
earns his daily bread, needs to have something aside from his material
existence to which he can turn for relaxation. If he is to escape the
limitations of a humdrum, commonplace, provincial, and narrow existence,
he must build for himself a home in the realm of the ideal. Thus he will
be able to escape when he wishes from the ordinary environment of
business or professional life and become a citizen of the world, living
in a sense a life as wide as that of humanity. John H. Hasten, president
of the Springfield Bakery Company and for many years a well known
business man of this city, is one who knows the value of good ideals--an
intellectual abode, and thus he is not only a successful man of affairs
but is a citizen who is highly appreciated by those who know him.
Mr. Hasten is a worthy representative of one of the sterling pioneer
families of Greene county, and his birth occurred in Cass township, in
the northern part of this county, on August 27, 1869. He is a
son of Isaac N. Hasten,
also a native of that vicinity, where he grew to manhood, attended the
district schools and engaged successfully in farming many years, later
in life locating in the village of Cave Spring, not far from the Hasten
homestead and there he engaged in general mercantile pursuits for a
period of twelve or fifteen years, enjoying a large trade with the
surrounding locality, dealing honestly and courteous with his many
customers and carrying a large and well selected general stock of goods
at all seasons. Finally he removed to Springfield and engaged in the
retail grocery business on West Commercial street with his usual success
until his death about five years later, in July, 1897, at the age of
fifty-seven years. He was not only a capable business man but an
influential citizen and active in public affairs. For a period of nearly
twenty years he served Cass township as justice of the peace in a manner
that reflected much credit upon his ability and to the eminent
satisfaction of the people, his decisions being characterized by a
uniform fairness and sound principles of jurisprudence. He was also a
member of the school board in his district and was a great advocate of
good education, doing much to encourage better schools in his part of
the county. Politically, he was a Republican. During the Civil war he
enlisted in this county in the Forty-sixth Missouri Cavalry and saw
three and one-half years of faithful and commendable service for the
Union, proving a gallant and intelligent soldier.
The mother of the subject of this sketch was known in her maidenhood as
Mary Jennings, who was born on August 22, 1850, in Neosho, Missouri.
Mrs. Mary Hasten, our subject's mother, is still living, now at an
advanced age, and makes her home with her son, John H., of this sketch,
who is the youngest of her three children, her daughter being Docia, who
married Joseph B. Wilson, a farmer and stock raiser of Cass township;
the eldest child, William, died in infancy.
John H. Hasten grew to manhood on the home farm in Cass township and
there he worked when a boy. He received his education in the district
schools of his community and in Morrisville College in Polk county,
later attending Drury College, Springfield, and finally took a business
course in this city. When nineteen years of age he went into business
with his father and helped manage the grocery store on Commercial street
which was a success from the start. He was in partnership with his
father and upon the latter's death he bought out the heirs and continued
to conduct the store until 1901 when he sold out to South Brothers, and
engaged in the grocery and seed business on East Commercial street, in
partnership with R. A. Fisher under the firm name of Hasten & Fisher.
They continued successfully until 1907 when our subject sold out, having
other business interests which took the major portion of his time. In
1905, with others, he organized the Springfield Bakery Company, of which
he has since been president and he has been the principal spirit in
building up one of the largest, best equipped and popular bakeries in
the Southwest. Further mention of this industry is made on another page.
Mr. Hasten was married on August 28, 1891, to Josie N. Lee, a daughter
of Robert and Ruth (Watson) Lee. Mr. Lee was a successful farmer of Cass
township, Greene county, where Mrs. Hasten was born, grew to womanhood
and educated. Later Mr. Lee moved to California and engaged in the
vineyard and fruit raising business.
Fraternally, Mr. Hasten is a member of the Masonic order, including all
branches, such as the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic
Shrine and the Order of Eastern Star; he also belongs to the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen and the Court of Honor. He was
a member of the school board of Cass township for two years. Religiously
he belongs to the Baptist church, to which his wife also belongs, and in
which he was formerly trustee and is now deacon. He is active in church
work.
Source: Past and Present of Greene County,
Missouri: Early and Recent History and Genealogical Records of Many of
the Representative Citizens (Jonathan Fairbanks and Clyde Edwin Tuck)
[From the
Greene County, MO website]
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