While it is certainly true that a live and growing community such as Liberty offers many and widely diversified opportunities for advancement along every line of personal endeavor, yet it is just as true that only a certain percentage achieve distinction, and a large number fail of even attaining a competency. It takes something more than mere opportunity to elevate a man from the common level of every-day accomplishments. Unless he has within him that divine spark of genius for his life work, he will continue to belong to the great majority of mediocre humanity, instead of climbing up the ladder of endeavor until he is able to command a view of affairs that will give him that grasp on the rounds of events that nothing can loosen. In reviewing the career and achievements of John H. Tole, of the Liberty Lumber Company and vice president and director of the Liberty State Bank, the above facts are given prominence for he has proven their truth.
Mr. Tole was born at Pleasant Hill, Pike County, Illinois, April 29, 1858, and is a son of James H. and Harriet (Richards) Tole. The family was of Scotch-Irish origin and at an early day in the pioneer history of Kentucky located in the Blue Grass State. There, in 1810, was born Winslow Parker Tole, the grandfather of John H. Tole. He was reared in Kentucky, and there educated, but as a young man moved to Missouri, where he became a pioneer farmer and a buyer and seller of livestock, occupations in which he continued to be engaged throughout the remainder of his life, his death occurring in Pike County on his farm in 1880. The grandfather was a man of substance, who occupied a prominent place in his community and had the respect of his community as a citizen and a man. He was a devout member of the Christian Church. Mr. Tole was married first to Miss Bradley, and they became the parents of the following children: Jonathan, who went to California in 1860 and who probably spent the rest of his life there, as nothing more was heard from him; James H., the father of John H.; John, twin of James H., who also went to California in 1860 and of whom all track was lost; Milton, who died as a young man; and Elizabeth, of whom trace has been lost by the family. Grandfather Tole was married second to Miss Hughes, and they had four children: William, postmaster at Arrol, Missouri, who enlisted in a Missouri regiment during the Civil war because the Illinois quota was filled, and fought throughout the four years of that struggle, being twice wounded in the right arm; and Luke, Olive and another daughter, of whom all trace has been lost. The grandfather was marred a third time to Miss Hall, and they had two children: Parker, who resides near Mexico, Missouri, on a farm; and a daughter Lydea of whom nothing is known.