Drury Abernathy, a farmer of Perry County, Mo., is a native of the county, and was born in 1825. His parents were Batee and Willey (Nance) Abernathy.

Batee Abernathy was born in Lincoln County, N.C., in 1790. By occupation he was a farmer, and was twice married, Willey Nance being his second wife. To them were born thirteen children, seven of whom are alive, the subject of this sketch being the oldest one living.

Batee Abernathy came to Missouri in 1820, and located in Perry County. There he died in 1846 and his widow some twelve years later.

Drury Abernathy was reared on his father's farm and received such education as the common schools of Missouri afforded. In 1849 he was united in marriage with Columbia Barnes, a native of the county, by whom he became the father of six children: Cora (wife of Lafayette Farrar), James, Sarah (wife of Crittenden Little), Emery, Marvin and Nayde.

After the death of his first wife Mr. Abernathy married Levina Adler, a native of Southeast Missouri, who was born on March 6, 1849. To them have been born four sons: Cyrus, Jesse, Arthur and Albert.

Mr. Abernathy has a good farm and is in good circumstances, and it is said that he has paid more security debts for good men than any other man in his district. He and family are zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

The Goodspeed Publishing Company compiled a series of histories of various counties in the U.S. in the late 19th century. The information in the History of Southeast Missouri, published in 1888, was provided by the contemporary residents of Perry County and her neighboring counties. The biographies are a valuable source of genealogical information, despite a few minor inaccuracies. We are glad to present the transcribed biographies here for anyone researching Perry County's history.