A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans, volume
4, written and compiled by William E. Connelley, Secretary of the
Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka. Chicago: Lewis Publishing
Company, copyright 1918, Transcribed by Marsha Pruitt
Samuel C. Varner, a retired banker and merchant at Moran, is a
veteran of the Civil war, and was one of the earliest business men to
locate in Moran.
His paternal ancestors came out of Germany and were colonial
settlers in Pennsylvania. Samuel C. Varner was born in Pennsylvania at
Monongahela on December 10, 1845. His grandfather, John Varner, was
born in the eastern part of that state at Lancaster, was a cabinet
maker by trade, was a soldier in the War of 1812, and spent most of his
years at Monongahela City and at Pittsburg. He married Elizabeth
McKnight, of Maysville, Kentucky. She died at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.
John McKnight Varner, father of Samuel C., was born at
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, March 26, 1817. He spent his early life at
Pittsburg, was married at Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, and then lived
for a number of years at Monongahela City. In early life he was a glass
blower by trade, subsequently became a merchant, and in March, 1857, he
came west and located at Canton in Fulton County, Illinois. After
coming to Illinois he followed the trade of painter. In 1867 he went to
Bushnell, Illinois, and that city was his home the rest of his life.
However, he died while on a visit to Moran, Kansas, in October, 1895.
He was laid to rest at his old home in Bushnell. Though quite an old
man at the time he did a gallant service as a soldier in the Union army
during the Civil war. He enlisted in 1862 in the One Hundred and Third
Illinois Infantry and was in service three years, three months. He was
with his regiment in the hard fought battles of Missionary Ridge,
Lookout Mountain, Chickamauga and Kenesaw Mountain and was present for
duty at all times with his regiment until detailed to take charge of a
hospital in Chattanooga. This service prevented him from marching with
Sherman to the sea. He was a loyal republican, in early life belonged
to the Methodist Church, and was affiliated with the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows. John M. Varner married Lucinda Collins. She was of
Welsh ancestry, the family having located in Virginia in colonial
times. She was born August 27, 1819, and died in Bushnell, Illinois,
November 10, 1901. The children of these parents were: William Hughs,
who died in infancy; Elizabeth Frances, who lives at Freeport,
Illinois, is twice a widow, her first husband, Henry Shoup, having been
a merchant, and her second husband, Jacob Weaver, was a farmer and
later served as city marshal, and game warden at Bushnell, Illinois.
Wilson Thompson, who died at Bushnell, Illinois, was a veteran of the
Civil war and afterwards a coal mine owner and operator. Samuel C., who
was the fourth in age; Melissa, who died in 1915, wife of W. T. Bell, a
carriage maker living at Canton, Illinois; Edward, a painter and
merchant, who died at Colony, Kansas; Thomas, who died in infancy; John
J., a merchant and now serving as mayor of Iola, Kansas; Anna Virginia,
wife of George Seldomridge, a merchant at Seattle, Washington; Homer
M., who has a restaurant at Moran, Kansas; and Olive June, wife of
William Morgan, a painter living at Wichita, Kansas.
Samuel C. Varner lived in his native city of Monongahela City,
Pennsylvania, until he was about twelve years of age. He began his
education in the public schools there. After that he lived in Canton,
Illinois, until he enlisted in May, 1862, in the Sixty-seventh Regiment
of Illinois Infantry. During that enlistment he served four months and
was mustered out. In 1864 he returned to the army, this time as first
lieutenant of Company B, One Hundred and Forty-eighth Illinois
Infantry. He then remained in the service until finally mustered out
September 5, 1865.
After the war Mr. Varner became a merchant at Kirkwood,
Illinois, and in 1867 removed to Bushnell, where he continued
merchandising for one year. He spent three years as a merchant at Des
Moines, Iowa, was a farmer in Adair County in that state five years,
and returning to Illinois continued farming in McLean County for about
five years.
Mr. Varner came to Kansas and located at Colony in April, 1880.
He was in the lumber and hardware business there until 1883 and since
the latter year his home has been at Moran. He established himself in
the lumber and hardware business, built up a large trade, and his
successful efforts as a merchant brought him many close connections
with the business and civic life of the community. He established and
owned the People's State Bank, served as its president, but retired
from that office in 1912. Mr. Varner owns his home at the corner of
Cedar and Third streets, and is now enjoying a well-earned leisure.
He is a member of the Christian Church. He has always taken much
interest in Masonry, and organized the Marmaton Lodge No. 245 and the
Colony Lodge, and was the first master of each of these bodies. He also
belongs to Zion Chapter No. 24, Royal Arch Masons, at Garnett, Kansas,
and to Esdraelon Commandery No. 49, Knights Templar. Another fraternal
relationship is with Moran Lodge No. 240, Ancient Order of United
Workmen.
In the intervals of his service in the Union army, on September
27, 1863, at Farmington, Illinois, Mr. Varner married Miss Annie
McCord, daughter of Thomas Jefferson and Mary (Layton) McCord. Her
father was a farmer in Knox County, Illinois.
