James Beauchamp (Champ) Clark was born near here in 1850. He attended U. of K., taught school in the county in 1870-71, and served as president of Marshall College in 1873-74. He was a congressman from Missouri for 24 years, led the defeat of Cannonism, the control of the House by the Speaker, and then served as Speaker from 1911 to 1919. He was a candidate for the presidential nomination at the 1912 Democratic Convention and remained in contention through 46 ballots but lost. He was buried in 1921 in Bowling Green, Mo.