Tarwater Biography
Samuel Tarwater, Survivor of Crooked River Battle
Samuel Tarwater, residing on section15, township 51, range 29, Ray County, was born in Tennessee in 1806. His father, Jacob Tarwater, was a native of Germany and emigrated to America at an early day. He is a farmer by occupation and wedded Miss Sarah Rowland, of Tennessee, by whom he had eight children. Our subject is the fifth in order of birth and is the only surviving member of the family with the exception of two sisters. Nancy, Mrs. Clack, is now nearly one hundred years old; Jemimah, wife of Alfred Jackson, residing in Rosedale, Atchison County, Mo., has also attained a good old age.
The educational privileges of Samuel Tarwater were very limited. His father entered the tract of land now owned by Rife & Stoffard, and both worked hard to clear and improve the property. He assisted his father until arriving at mature years, when he married Miss Polly Broadlhurst, by whom he had eight children, two only now living: John; and Rebecca, wife of John Moore.
Losing his wife, Mr. Tarwater afterward married Betsey (Lewis) Offatt, widow of Samuel Offatt, a member of an old Southern family, and by their union were born three children, as follows: Willis, born April 9, 1854; Millie M., now Mrs. Hawk, whose birth occurred February 9, 1859; and Harriet C., now Mrs. Scott, born February 7, 1861. The mother of these children died soon after the close of the war.
Later Mr. Tarwater espoused Mrs. Sarah Ann (Kinsey) Mills, of Tennessee. To her was born a son, Chesley K., November 9, 1874, and in that same year the mother was called from this life.
After the death of Mrs. Sarah Tarwater, our subject was married to Malinda Brown, who survived bat a few years. He then married Mary Ann, the widow of Henry Scott, who has also departed this life. Willis F., the son of his second marriage, is now carrying on his father's farm and has for a number of years assumed the responsibility of the place. January 14, 1877, he was united in marriage with Miss Emma, daughter of Joseph Ray. Their union has been blessed with five children, three of whom died in infancy. Those living are: Ernest D., born October 10, 1881; and Luther F., born September 4, 1883. Our subject has thirty-seven grandchildren and a number of great-grandchildren.
Politically, Mr. Tarwater is a Democrat, as is also his son Willis. They are also both members of the Missionary Baptist Church. In the Mormon War our subject took an active part and with a Mr. Clark was left for dead on the field of battle. He bears a number of scars, having had his throat cut from ear to ear and sustaining severe scalp wounds, as well as having had his lower jaw broken and several teeth. Although the snows of many winters have fallen upon his venerable head, yet he retains to a wonderful degree his mental and physical faculties and truly says, "God has been good to me." [Portrait and Biographical Record of Clay, Ray, Carroll, Chariton, and Linn Counties, Missouri (Chicago, IL: Chapman Bros., 1893), 423-24].