A prominent citizen and veteran of the Civil war, who makes his home in Dotham, Atchison
county, Missouri, is W. H. LaRue, the subject of this sketch. He was born in Morrow county,
Ohio, December 27, 1837, and was a son of Aaron and Asenath (Harris) La Rue, the former of
whom was a son of Isaac La Rue, who came of Revolutionary ancestors residing in Virginia,
one of whom, John La Rue, had the honor of having La Rue county, Kentucky, named for him.
Aaron La Rue grew up in Virginia on a farm and there married the daughter of Jesse and
Sarah (Davis) Harris, and there became the father of ten children, the survivors being
Mrs. Sarag Beatty, of Blairstown, Iowa; Mrs. Harriet McCluer. of Morrison, Illinois; Rev.
C. C, of the Christian church, of Benton county, Iowa; William H., our subject; Isaac,
a well-known blind teacher, of Blairstown. Iowa; Thomas P., the president of the Cherokee
County Bank, at Columbus, Kansas; Dr. L. B., of Arkansas; Lewis, an extensive stock owner
of Iowa, and mayor of his town; and Edward, who lives in Benton county, Iowa.
Mr. La Rue located in Morrow county, Ohio, and later went to Benton, Iowa, being one of
the first settlers in Vinton. This was before any railroads were built in this locality,
where he improved land, and died at the age of eighty-six. He had been a stanch Republican
and both he and wife had been members of the Presbyterian church, this belief being
inherited from the old church in Scotland. The mother died at the age of eighty-four and
she was honored and respected by all who knew her.
Our subject was reared on a farm in Ohio, where he lived until he was sixteen, when he
accompanied the family to Iowa. He received his education in the common schools and for
several succeeding years was engaged in driving stock, going from Benton, Iowa, to Bureau
county, Illinois. In 1861 he enlisted in the Twelfth Illinois Infantry, for three months,
later re-enlisting in Company G, in the Thirteenth Iowa Infantry, and took part in the
battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Vicksburg, and other engagements, being discharged at
Chattanooga, Tennessee, when he returned home to Iowa and for three succeeding years was
employed in the railroad shops.
Our subject was married to Miss Lovenia Hollander, a native of Lynn county, Iowa, and a
daughter of John and Priscilla (Cox) Hollander, formerly of Tennessee. Of the children of
this union, Willie J. Sunnery, born in Gentry county, married Jessie Friend, and they live
in Perry, Oklahoma; C. C. lives in Stuart, California; Bert lives in British Columbia,
where he is employed on a large ranch; and several children have died, two boys in
childhood, Gertrude at the age of seven years, and an infant who was a twin sister of Bert.
The devoted mother of these children died in 1887, having been a good and worthy woman.
Our subject was again married, his present wife having been Mrs. Elizabeth Davis, the widow
of Andrew Davis, a daughter of John and Melissa (Overton) Myers. By her first husband Mrs.
LaRue was the mother of several children. By his second marriage our subject has two
children, —William H. and Paul Aaron,— both bright, intelligent children.
In politics Mr. La Rue is a Populist and one of the best informed men of his party in the
county, and has been called upon to do much political work, his judgment being highly
esteemed. He has long been connected with the Masonic order and is a firm believer in
religious teaching. He is also a geologist, owning one of the finest private collections
in the state. He understands the subject and is an interesting entertainer upon scientific
subjects. For many years he has been an advocate of everything looking to the development
of his section, and is considered a representative citizen of Dale township.
