William Troy Bender

Father: John Ive Bender
Mother: Eliza Jane Mize
Spouse: Mary Belle Harris
Child: Floyd Harry Bender

Born: March 16, 1861 Salt Cr. Township, Monroe Co. Indiana
Died: April 30, 1915 9:00 PM
According to Death Certificate Chronic Gastric Catharsis (diarrhea) of long duration, Dr. George M. Moore attending
Buried: April 31, 1915 Old Linn Cr. Cem. Above water off "Y" Rd.

In 1861 Wm. Troy, who at the time was 5 months old , was living with his father John 26, his mother Eliza 19, and his sister Elizabeth Jane 2, in Salt Creek Township, Monroe Co. Indiana.

In 1870, at age 10, Troy lived in Polk Township, Monroe Co. with his parents 35 & 26?, sisters Elizabeth J. 12 and Martha F. (Mattie) 3, along with brothers James and David Henry , 6 yrs. and 7 mths. respectively.

In 1880, he lived with his parents 46 & 40, sisters Elizabeth J. 22, Martha 13, Treca (Teresa Frances ) 3, along with brothers David 10, George Jackson T. 7, and Elmore 1, in Salt Creek Township, Monroe Co. Indiana. Here, at age 20, Troy is listed in the Census as a farm laborer. Wm. Troy married Mary Belle Harris in Camargo Illinois.

After 1880, he and his wife followed both their fathers, John Ive Bender and John Harris Jr., into Missouri. In Missouri, the group separated with Troy, Mary Belle, and John Harris stopping in Camden Co. near what was then known as Liver Creek, a county seat.

On February 19, 1888, Troy fathered Floyd Harry Bender in Linn Cr. Missouri.

Troy lived in a 3 story structure in Linn Creek that he called his "House of 7 Gables". The top floor was used as living quarters with the bottom 2 floors being used for business. The structure would later be known as "Bender's Barn" and finally the "Moulder Hotel". Troy owned over 1000 acres of land in the area some of which now lies under the Lake of the Ozarks.

Troy was rumored to have served at one time as a deputy and tried cases in Linn Creek, Mo. W.T. was straight, proper, rigid in manner, and made his money as a land broker. He was not afraid to pursue money owed him by every legal means possible including foreclosure.

On August 15, 1890, he fathered Eileen Ida May Bender who married Irvin Reid Smith and died December 3, 1952 in Birmingham Michigan.

On October 19, 1891, he bought 40 acres from Elsworth Cronan and his wife Sarah Jane in Camden Co. for $100. It included the NE ¼ of the SE ¼ of Section 35 in Township. 39 Range 16.

On September 27, 1892, Wm. T. and wife Mary sold H.W. Chafont land located in the E ½ of the NE ¼ and the E ½ of the SE ¼ of Section 14 Township. 38 of Range 16. The selling price was $500. The deed was subject to a mortgage to Camden Co. for $50 which was paid by the purchaser.

On September 29, 1893, Troy and Mary sold Thomas S. Goldsburg 160 acres for $250. The land was located in the S ½ of the SE ¼ of Section 3 and the N ½ of the NE ¼ of Section 10 in Township. 38 Range 16 of Camden Co.

On July 4, 1892, he fathered Lee Roy Bender who married Maude ______ and died near Costa Mesa California at the VA Hospital. Roy lived in Tucson for a while and traveled around the country with his brother Floyd Harry.

On June 23, 1897, Troy fathered Maudine Bender who married a man named ______ Hand and then Emil (Jack) York. She lived in Kokomo and died in 1972.

His son Floyd said Troy or W.T. as he was sometimes called by his business associates, wore a mustache to conceal a scar he had received during a fight. He had loaned a man some money and after not being paid, went to collect. The man tried to cut his throat and Troy bit off his ear.

On June 27, 1896, he and Mary sold John Young the SW ¼ of the SW ¼ and the NW ¼ of the NW ¼ of Section 17 and the NE ¼ of the NE ¼ of Section 18 in Township. 37 Range 19 of Camden Co. The price was $75.

On January 16, 1899, he and Mary sold Daniel Lynch Lot 24, Block 1, and the S ½ of Lot 25 Block 1 in the original plat of Linn Cr. Missouri for $200.

On February 1, 1899, Wm. T. and Mary sold 93 acres to A.L. Wilson in Camden Co. The price was $1 for Lots 10 & 11 in Section 16 Township. 37, Range 17.

On January 15, 1900, Wm. Troy and Mary were possibly living in Laclede Co. Mo. On this day they sold 80 acres in Laclede Co. to James Snyder for $275. The deed was made subject to $100 in Trust Deed to W.D. Elliot by Green Baker. There was also a $50 County lien on the land which was brokered.

On January 26, 1900, Wm. Troy and Mary sold 160 acres in Laclede Co. to Thomas F. Anderson for $400. The land was the E ½ of Lot 1 of the NW ¼ & the N ½ of the SW ¼ & the SW ¼ of the SW ¼ of Township. 3 Range 16.

On March 30, 1900, Troy and Mary sold E.P. Wade of Mexico Missouri the W ½ of the SW ¼ of Section 12 and the NW ¼ of the NW ¼ of Section 13 in Township. 38 Range 16. The selling price was $250. On the same day, they also sold to George Roggers of Tennessee 160 acres for $350. The land was the SE ¼ of the NE ¼, and the N ½ of the SE ¼, and the SE ¼ of the SE ¼ of Section 19 Township. 38 N of Range 15 West of the 5th Principal Meridian in Camden Co. The deed was subject to a Mortgage to Camden Co. for $100 with accrued interest and all taxes due. Troy also reserved all tie timber on the land and the rents for the year 1900.

On April 2, 1900, Mary was living in Kemp Illinois when she signed the papers for the sale of land.

On June 28, 1900, Troy and Mary sold Ann R. Hart 160 acres for $1. The land was located in the SW ¼ of the NW ¼ and the W ½ of the SW ¼ of Section 13 and the NW ¼ of the NW ¼ of Section 24 in Township 38 Range 16 of Camden Co.

On February 19, 1901 W.T bought the S ½ and the SW ¼ of the NE ¼ of Section 13 and the N ½ of the NW ¼ of Section 24, Township 39 Range 17 in Camden Co. Missouri. The land was bought at a sheriff's sale where P. King had defaulted on a promissory note secured by Henry G. Hart and Ann R. Hart, his wife. The 440 acres was bought for $450.

On April 25, 1901, W.T. and Mary Belle sold to School District No. 6 in Township. 39, Range 17 in Camden Co. 1 acre. The price was $1. On April 30th, Mary was living in Douglas Co. Illinois.

On August 31, 1901, Troy bought for $100, 79 acres located on the S ½ of the SW ¼ of Section 12, Township. 39, Range 17, in Camden Co. The previous owners were John S. Hart and Mary E. Hart, his wife.

Between Maudine's birth and June 7, 1902, Troy was divorced. On June 7th, he appeared as a single man to regrant a deed to Anton West, 40 acres in the NE ¼ of the SE ¼ of Section 35 Township. 39 Range 16 in Camden Co. The selling price was $200. The land was originally sold October 20, 1891 but the records were lost in the Camden Co. Court House fire.

On June 23, 1902, Troy married Anne Florence Reynolds in Linn Creek Missouri. She had been Troy and Mary Belle's housemaid. After William Troy's death, she married Boon Cornwell and later moved to Lawndale California where she owned feed store.

On August 23, 1902, Troy sold to W.T. Cowlishaw and Martha E. Cowlishaw, his wife, about 92 acres located in S ½ of SE ¼ of Section 12 and the NW ¼ of the NE ¼ of Section 13, Township. 39, Range 17 in Camden Co. The selling price was $300.

On December 20, 1902 Troy loaned or gave Mary Belle a loan on city property.

On May 16, 1903, he fathered Troy William Bender (Jack). Jack lived in Bakersfield California.

On February 14, 1905, W.T. fathered Beulah Mae Bender who married Elmer Burrus and later lived in Palm Springs and Costa Mesa California.

On May 4, 1907, he fathered Florence Hester Bender who died in 1987 in Lawndale California. Hester had been married once and after going through the change of life, developed a mental disorder. She lived her later life at her mother's house on Hawthorne Blvd. in Lawndale California.

On April 25, 1909, Troy fathered Nellie Mildred Bender who died August 10, 1922.

On April 14, 1911, Troy fathered James Milton Bender (Jim).