Portrait and Biographical Record of Clay, Ray, Carroll, Chariton and Linn Counties, Missouri containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Together with Biographies and Portraits of all the Presidents of the United States, published by Chapman Bros., Chicago 1893. Green Co.

Milton Corum, an energetic and successful agriculturist, and highly respected citizen of Clay County, has steadfastly won his upward way unaided, and now owns his valuable homestead, located upon section 12, township 52, range 33, which from wild prairie land he has brought under a high state of cultivation. Our subject was born in Green County, Ky., in 1810, and was the son of W. C. and Barsheba (Bloyed) Corum, natives respectively of Virginia and Sumerset County, Md. W. C. Corum was the son of John and Nancy (Cookshim) Corum, the paternal grandfather being a native of England, who emigrated to America before the Revolutionary War. The father of our subject removed to Kentucky in about 1804, and purchased land whereon to engage in the occupation of his life. In 1819 he came to Missouri with his family, and settled in Cooper County, where he entered land from the Government, and lived six years. Later he located in Clay County, where he also entered Government land, and made a home for his family upon a portion of the farm where our subject now resides. This pioneer citizen was a member of the Primitive Baptist Church. Politically, he was a Democrat. He died at the age of eighty-six years. Arriving in Missouri in the very early days, Milton Corum had but the most primitive advantages for an education. He received about two years' instruction in the old log schoolhouse with puncheon floor, split logs for seats, a slab on one side for a writing-desk, and a log cut out for windows, and with mud and stick chimney. Having a taste for reading books containing valuable information, our subject has educated himself in matters of vital importance, and self-reliantly gained a stock of general knowledge, useful and highly instructive. When Mr. Corum and his good wife were children, they were obliged to spin flax and wool and assist in making the clothing. Among other pioneer experiences, Mr. Corum was obliged, when he first came to Missouri, to travel sixteen miles to the nearest mill, then run by horse-power. Our subject was one of six children who gathered in the home of his father and mother so many years ago, as follows: Thomas, John Kearney, Milton; Nancy, Mrs. Dennis H. Boggess, deceased; Wilkerson; and Susan, wife of Jackson Estes. In 1837 our subject married Miss Margaret T. Young, who was born in 1819, and is a daughter of Thomas and Abigail (Stroud) Young, all natives of Kentucky. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Corum have been born ten children, one of whom died in infancy, the others surviving to become worthy and upright citizens. They are: John; Nancy A., wife of John M. Moore; Mary E., wife of Chrissman Johnson; Thomas, deceased; Alice J., who married William Pancake; Lucy, wife of William J. Wilkerson; Samuel; Stephen and Robert, deceased; and Samantha M., Mrs. D. Best. At the time for our subject's marriage he received as a gift from his father eighty acres of wild prairie land, and the home prepared for his bride was sixteen feet square, and rude in construction. Mr. Corum and previously worked by the day and month, and being an expert cradler, profitably continued his outside work in the harvest season for many years, while at the same time he judiciously managed his farm. He now owns two hundred acres of finely improved land, which annually yields an abundant harvest, and thus rewards the patient cultivation long continued. In political affiliation Mr. Corum is, as was his father before him, an earnest Democrat, and interested in local and national issues. He and his wife are members of the Christian Church, and are liberal supporters of that religious organization, and ever ready to assist in worthy social, benevolent or religious enterprises. Long-time residents of the county, they enjoy the confidence and esteem of a large circle of friends.