W. A. Fletcher
W. A. Fletcher, county clerk, was born in what is now Madison County, Mo., September 6, 1843, and is the son of Alexander and Nancy (Tallman) Fletcher, natives of Belfast, Ireland and Richmond, Va., respectively. Alexander Fletcher immigrated to America with his parents when only nine years of age. They landed at Charleston, S.C. and leaving the family there, he and his father went into the Territory of Tennessee, where they took up land and built a house, intending to go back after the family, but the father died before returning. Alexander then started to go back after the family but the cholera was raging, and he was persuaded not to go. He remained in Tennessee, and enlisted in the war against the Indians, he being at that time only fourteen years old. He also enlisted afterward in the War of 1812-14. He fought through that war, and helped drive the Indians through Illinois. He was a scout for many years. After the war he followed flat boating for several years, and was in St. Louis when it was a small trading station. He located in Madison County, MO., where he followed farming until his death, which occurred in Iron County in December 1864. His wife died in 1875. They were the parents of but one child, W. A. Fletcher. He was in his seventh year when he came to this county. Here he grew to manhood, received a liberal education, and remained with his parents until he attained his majority, being engaged in farming and manufacturing tobacco. In 1876 he married Miss Sadie F. Ringo, a native of Mississippi County and to them were born seven children, Maude, Blanche, Alexander, Alma, Lena, Dickson and Edgar. Previous to his marriage in September 1864, he enlisted in Company E., Forty-seventh Missouri Infantry, and served about seven months. He was in the battle of Pilot Knob, and a few skirmishes. In 1880 he was elected sheriff of Iron County, and re-elected in 1882 as sheriff and collector. In 1884 he was elected county collector, which office he held for two years, and in 1886 he was elected county clerk, which office he still occupies. He is a prominent man, and has a host of friends throughout the county and vicinity. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and his wife is a member of the Baptist Church.