BUTLER COUNTY,
KANSAS
BIOGRAPHIES
BUTTS, W. M.
W. M. Butts, a prominent farmer and stockman of Glencoe township, is a native of Kentucky, born in 1873, and is a son of J. S. and Cora (Sweeney) Butts, both also natives of the "Blue Grass State." They were the parents of the following children, who are now living: Mrs. Alice Squier, Mrs. Leola Rumsey and Mrs. Anna Hopp, all of Beaumont, Kans., and W. M., whose name introduces this sketch. The Butts family came to Kansas in 1879, when W. M. was six years of age, and the father preempted a quarter section of Government land in Glencoe township, where W. M. now resides.
W. M. Butts was reared on the home farm in Butler county, educated in the public schools, and has made farming and stock raising the principal occupation of his life. His father was quite an extensive sheep man in the earlier days. Shortly after settling in Butler county, he went to Butler, Mo., and bought 200 head of sheep, which he drove through to Butler county, and on their way here with the sheep, Mr. Butts was forced to guard them every night to prevent them from being stolen by the ambitious denizens by the wayside. Thus, it will be seen that, in the early days of Kansas, sheep had other enemies besides wolves, dogs, etc., for there was sometimes a human element in the disappearance of a sheep. When W. M. Butts was a boy, his father gave him a sheep, and by the time he had reached the age of twenty-one, his sheep had multiplied, until he had 300 head. This sounds almost incredible, but if you'll take your pencil and figure it out, you will find that it is only another case of the blacksmith and the horseshoe nail. Each fall the Butts family loaded their household goods in a wagon and drove their sheep to the bottom lands of the Arkansas river where they would spend the winter, returning to Glencoe township in the spring. W. M. Butts was married in 1900 to Miss Bernice Blankenbaker, a daughter of S. A. and Mattie (Dunlap) Blankenbaker. The Blankenbaker family were early settlers in Butler county, and when they came here, they settled on a quarter section of land, about a mile west of where they now live in Glencoe township. To Mr. and Mrs. Butts have been born the following children: Glencoe; Melvin; James; Ila, and Leatha, all living at home with their parents.
Although a young man, Mr. Butts is quite an old pioneer of Butler county, from the fact that he has spent most of his life here. He was only a small boy when he came here, however, he has a distinct recollection of many of the hardships and inconveniences,, experienced by the early day settlers. He has seen many devastating prairie fires sweep over the plains, which was one of the great menaces to life and property during the early days in Butler county. Through his thrift and industry, Mr. Butts has succeeded to a very satisfactory degree, and is now one of the substantial men of Butler county. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 686-687)
William Hutton, of Beaumont, Kans., is one of the pioneer railroad men of Kansas, and has been identified with the Frisco Railroad, as division foreman for thirty-five years. Mr. Hutton was born in Illinois in 1859, and is a son of James and Charlotte (Snyder) Hutton. His father now resides in Los Angeles, Cal. They were natives of Ohio and came to Kansas in 1877, and settled on the plains where the father built a tar paper house in which he lived for two years. The varying Kansas winds toyed with this frail structure in a way that did not add to its appearance, and at the end of two years it was a dilapidated and ragged looking domicile, but had served its purpose and had sheltered the little family of pioneers from the wintry blasts of Kansas zephyrs, and the scorching heat and hot winds for two years. The father took up a claim and did his little farming with a yoke of oxen, and made many long drives with this primitive motor power of the plains, for with oxen the drives were always long regardless of the distance.
William Hutton came to Kansas in 1874, as he says, to see the grasshoppers, which shows the kind of courage that he had in the early days. Soon after coming, he settled on eighty acres, where he built a sort of a combination sod house and dugout. He dug about eighteen inches below the surface, which he covered with poles, and made a roof of sod. This was his home for the first few years in Kansas. Shortly afterward he entered the employ of the Frisco Railroad Company, and as above stated, has been division foreman of that railroad for the last thirty-five years.
Mr. Hutton was married in 1887, to Mrs. Susan S. McPaul, of Neodesha, Kans., and eight children have been born to this union, as follows Mrs. Martha R. Axtell, Beaumont, Kans.; William A., Beaumont; Wilbur J., Beaumont; Mrs. Mabel Wason, Fredonia, Kans.; James, Beaumont; Gladys, Beaumont; Adaline, Beaumont, and Marion T., Beaumont. Mr. Hutton is the oldest male resident of Beaumont, and is hale and hearty, and takes a keen interest in all that concerns the welfare of Butler county. He is justly proud of his large family of intelligent children and is constantly planning for their future welfare. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 687-688)
L. D. Himebaugh is one of the pioneer settlers of Butler county. The cabin was built in the early spring of 1870. In 1872 the southwest quarter was pre-empted by Miss Watson, which later was merged into one farm at a meeting held in Waukesha, Wis., in August, 1882. In September, 1884, the cabin was vacated for the more modern home and has been occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Himebaugh for twenty-four years. In March, 1908, they moved to Wichita, their son, R. W. Himebaugh and family, succeeding them on the farm.
L. D. Himebaugh is a native of Ohio, coming to Kansas soon after reaching his majority, in the early spring of 1868. via a river transport, being nearly three weeks en route from Marietta, Ohio, to Kansas City, from which point he paid ten cents per mile over the Kansas Pacific railroad to Topeka, his destination.
Being then about
financially stranded, he spent the summer in the employ of a practical farmer near Topeka at twenty dollars per
month. He taught a four-month term of School in district No. 9 that winter, and spent the following summer in the
employ of the county superintendent, P. Kirby, near Burlingame, Osage county.
At the close of his winter term of school in district No. 3, he came direct to Butler county, locating on and pre-empting
the land which he still owns, un-incumbered to date (forty-six years) other than an oil lease recently given, in
compliance of which a test well is now being sunk (March, 1916) by the Merchants Oil and Gas Company, of Wichita,
with hopes and favorable prospects of a gusher when the oil sand is struck. Pages 688-689)
C. F. Shriver, owner of the well known "Craigton Farm" of Glencoe township, belongs to a Butler county pioneer family. Mr. Shriver was born in Indiana in 1869, and is a son of Joshua and Nannie E. (McGuffin) Shriver, the former a native of Indiana and the mother of Virginia. The Shriver family located on a farm in Towanda township, Butler county in 1871, and were among the very early settlers of that section where the parents still reside. The following children were born to Joshua and Nannie E. (McGuffin) Shriver: C. F., the subject of this sketch; John W., Pine Bluff, Ark.; Ed A., Towanda, Kans.; Mrs. Ella Otten, McPherson, Kans.; Mrs. Bertha C. Stewart, Benton, Kans.; James L., El Dorado, Kans.; F. G., Towanda, Kans., and Mrs. Nellie M. Bishop, Amarilla, Tex.
Mr. Shriver was reared in Towanda township, and educated in the public schools, and has practically spent his life in this county. Farming and stock raising has been his chief occupation.- He has a splendid farm of 300 acres in Glencoe township which is known and legally registered as "Craigton Farm." He makes a specialty of raising white faced cattle, usually keeping between eighty and one hundred, and is one of the successful stockmen of Butler county.
Mr. Shriver was united in marriage in 1903 with Miss Vida Mac-Ritchie. She is a daughter of John and Adelia (Learning) MacRitchie. They were pioneers of Kansas, coming to this State in the early seventies. There were three children in the MacRitchie family, as follows: Mrs. Christian Hardie, Wichita, Kans.; William D., Winnemucca, New; and Vida, the wife of C. F. Shriver, the subject of this sketch. To Mr. and Mrs. Shriver have been born five children, as follows: John M.; Charles F. Jr.; William D.; James L.; and Margaret H. Mrs. Shriver's father was a native of Scotland, and was born in Edinburgh. The Mac-Ritchie family is connected with the Reid-Robertsons family of Stralock, Scotland, and related by marriage to many of the prominent families of Scotland and England. Mr. Shriver is one of the prosperous and progressive farmers of Butler county, and owned the first automobile in Glencoe township. He is well posted and takes a keen interest in cur-rent events, and is a representative Butler county citizen. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Page689-690)
J. W. Vinson, a prominent farmer and stockman of Logan township, is a native of Illinois, born November 21, 1864, He is a son of James C. and Mary Ellen (Vickery) Vinson, both of whom came from England with their respective parents at an early age. J. W. Vinson is one of a family of six children, as follows: Mrs. Ella Eyers, Aurora, Ill.; Mrs. Emma Devereaux, Yorkville, Ill.; Walden, Yorkville, Ill.; Mrs. Elydia Heap, Minooka, Ill.; Richard, Yorkville, Ill.; and J.W.., the subject of this sketch.
Mr. Vinson was reared in Illinois and received a good common school education. He was married, in 1889, to Miss Anna M. Bundy, a native of Illinois and of English descent. To Mr. and Mrs. Vinson have been born seven children, as follows: Mrs. Florence Dunn, La-tham, Kans.; Clarence, Latham, Kans.; Clara Kelly, Atlanta, Kans.; John, Latham, Kans.; J. C, Latham; Frank, Latham; and Alva, Latham.
In 1908, Mr. Vinson came to Butler county with his family, and bought 240 acres of land in Logan township, where he has since been successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. His place is known as "Vinson Ranch," and is one of the best farms in Butler county. It is well watered by natural springs and an ideal stock farm. Mr. Vinson has his place well stocked with cattle and hogs, and is quite an extensive alfalfa raiser. His land is easily worth $100 per acre, and in conformity with the general trend of land values, is gradually increasing in value. Mr. Vinson is an enthusiastic Butler county booster, and belongs to that progressive class of agriculturists who are meeting with well earned success by the application of combined practical and scientific farming methods, and who are neither faddists nor fogies. He is a strong advocate of the value of sweet clover, as a suitable crop for semi-arid districts, and is of the opinion that in the near future it will be a boon to that section of Kansas, which receives an uncertain and meager amount of moisture, although he contends, that the soil in this section of Kansas will hold moisture much longer than the average soil. He is a strong advocate of good roads, and is one of the progressive and substantial citizens of Butler county. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Page 690)
W. S, Martick, a leading farmer and stockman of Logan township, is a native of Illinois, born in 1868. He is a son of Joseph and Nancy (O'Dell) Martick, who were married about 1865. Joseph Martick was born in Pennsylvania, November 20, 1837. When the Civil war broke out, he was a resident of Missouri and cast his lot with the lost cause, enlisting March 9, 1862, in Company A, Sixth regiment, Missouri infantry. He distinguished himself as a soldier and was awarded a gold medal for gallantry on the field of battle which his son, W. S., cherishes in sacred memory of his father, keeping it in a safety deposit box in the Butler county State Bank. W. S. Martick came to Butler county in 1897 with eleven dollars in his pocket, which was the extent of his earthly possessions. He was a veterinary surgeon, but there was nothing to be done in his line of professional work. He therefore found employment, feeding a hay press at 50 cents per day, and boarded himself. His first few years in Kansas were difficult ones. It was hard to get a start, under the then existing conditions. His first venture in the cattle business was disastrous, and he lost heavily on account of the black leg; money was scarce and he has sold hay as low as ten cents per ton in order to get a small amount of necessary money. However, after passing through all these days of adversity, the time came when he prospered, and he now has 240 acres of land in Logan township, which is considered one of the best farms in Butler county for stock raising and general purposes. The place is unusually well watered with natural springs, located in a beautiful section of the country, and is known as "Martick Ranch."
Mr. Martick was married in 1895 to Miss Alzina Wood, a daughter of Zachariah and Harriet (Jones) Wood, the former a native of England and the latter of Ohio. Mrs. Martick is one of a family of six children. Mr. and Mrs. Martick have two children, Archie and William Sherman.
Mr. Martick was one of the pioneer kafir corn men of southeastern Butler county. At an early day in the introduction of this crop, he bought a pound of seed from John A. Selzer, which he planted and the following years peddled it out to his neighbors at ten cents per bushel. Like all other adyanced movements, Mr. Martick met with strong opposition in the introduction of kafir corn, which has since proved to be a great boon to the semi-arid agricultural districts of the West. About the first year that he introduced kafir corn one of his neighbors had fed some of it to his hogs, and afterwards, a few of his hogs died from some cause or another, but the neighbor insisted that the kafir corn was the cause of losing his hogs. He reasoned that his hogs did not die until after he had fed them kafir corn, therefore, kafir corn killed them. This was a difficult line of logic to overcome, but time and experience have overcome it. The hogs are still dead, but kafir corn is going on, and is one of the leading products of Butler county, that is making it the great county which it is.
Mr. Martick was the first man to advocate the building of concrete bridges in his section of the county, and today they are practically the only bridges being constructed there. He is progressve and public spirited and one of Butler county's best citizens. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 690-691)
J. J, Gctz, a prominent farmer and cattleman of Logan township and Butler county pioneer, was born in Pennsylvania in 1847, and comes from Revolutionary ancestry. He is a son of Thomas and Barbara (Wise) Getz, both natives of Pennsylvania. The great grandfather of Thomas Getz served in Washington's army in the Revolutionary war. The parents of Barbara Wise were Germans, and came to this country from Wurtemburg, settling in Pennsylvania. The Getz family consisted of nine children, as follows: Mrs. Ellen Shaffer, Jer-sey Shore, Pa.; Mrs. H. E. Myers, New York; Mrs. Regina Dice, Lock Haven, Pa.; Mrs. Mary Myers, Lock Haven, Pa.; T. J., Hope, Kans.; M. E., Jersey Shore, Pa.; George W., Lock Haven, Pa.; George B. M., Lock Haven, Pa.; and J. J., the subject of this sketch.
Mr. Getz has been twice married, first in 1876, to Miss Anna Probst, and his second wife, to whom he was married in 1909, bore the maiden name of Virginia F. Smith, of Boonville, Mo. Mr. Getz came to Kansas in 1878, and preempted a quarter section of land in Logan township. He encountered many features of pioneer life that made a lasting impression on his mind. When he came to Butler county, like many other early settlers, he was not abundantly supplied with this world's goods, and was actually barefooted. When he came, money was scarce, and there was no demand for labor. The average price paid to labor, whenever there was any employment, was less than twenty-five cents per day. Mr. Getz broke the first prairie on his claim with a team, which was composed of the odd combination of a horse, ox and a cow. This statement should furnish the present age material for reflection, when we consider that we have advanced from this primitive mode of motor power and transportation to the point where some people fear that they will be held up to ridicule if they own an automobile, manufactured by a certain peace advocate, costing less than a thousand dollars. After the horse, ox and cow, Mr. Getz's next team was a yoke of Texas steers, which won a reputation as "The Runaway Texans." They would run away every chance they got, and were considered pretty speedy for oxen. Mr. Getz tells of running a race with Fred Frank, who drove a team of Indian ponies, and the oxen won, although they never had any special track training. He was breaking prairie one day with these Texans and another yoke of cattle, with the Texans in the lead, and all of a sudden, the leaders took a notion that they wanted a drink of water, and they headed straight for the creek and with the other yoke of oxen, plow and all, went over a twelve foot embankment into six feet of water. Mr. Getz had many experiences with these cattle, their pranks furnishing him much amusement, and some excitement at times, when there was not much else happening on the frontier. A prairie fire was approaching one day, being fanned along at a lively rate by a high wind, and when Mr. Getz saw the fire approaching, he turned his Texans loose, and they outran the fire, a feat that would require a very good horse.
Mr. Getz not only
had to fight prairie fires, but was a victim to other forces that lurked in the elements. While plowing with his
Texans one day, he was struck by a cyclone, and after the twister had hurried past, Mr. Getz was left unconscious
on the field. He received a very severe, internal injury, causing a hemorrhage of the lungs, but as usual, the
Texans escaped, unscathed. Mr. Getz lived in Butler county during the halycon days of the "Bad Man" of
the plains, when horse stealing and- other outlawing was a business, and Mr. Getz had occasion to look into the
dangerous end of a shot gun or other weapon of destruction at times. After passing through the pioneer days of
hardships, he began to prosper, and has successfully carried on general farming and stock raising to the present
time.
Mrs, Getz is a chicken fancier, and one of the successful poultry women of Butler county. She specializes in the
blue Andalusian breed of chickens, and has about 700, the income of which, in eggs, averages about $50 per month.
Mrs. Getz is an expert wing shot, and is almost sure death to chicken hawks, having shot over thirty on the wing.
(History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 691-693)
William Skaer, one of the successful and well known farmers and stockmen of Spring township, is a native of Illinois. He was born in 1861, and is a son of George Skaer. Willam Skaer came to Butler county in 1876. He drove from Illinois with two younger brothers to this county, and the trip required three weeks. The father bought 320 acres of land in Spring township and engaged in farming and stock raising. A part of the first house which they built on the claim is still standing. Mr. Skaer now owns 680 acres of land, which is one of the valuable farms of Butler county. He was an extensive wheat grower in the early days and when the price of wheat declined some few years ago, he engaged more extensively in the cattle business. In whatever Mr. Skaer has specialized, whether it has been wheat or cattle, his efforts have always been marked by success.
Mr. Skaer was married in 1886 to Miss Genevieve Brooks, a daughter of William C.and Katherine (Donnell) Brooks, natives of Kentucky. Mrs. Skaer is one of a family of the following children: Mrs. Mary Warner, Augusta, Kans.; Mrs. Ada Black, Winfield, Kans.; Mrs. Kate Hutton, Kansas City, Mo.; George Brooks, Kansas City, Mo.; Paul Brooks, Kansas City, Mo.; and Genevieve, the wife of William Skaer, whose name introduces this sketch. Mr. and Mrs. Skaer have four living children, as follows: Stanley W., Augusta, Kans.; George, Ingerson, Okla.; Mrs. Opal Hyde, Augusta, Kans.; and Pauline, Augusta, Kans.
Mrs. Skaer's parents were very early settlers in the territory of Kansas. They came here prior to the Civil war and settled near Lawrence, and resided in that locality at the time of Quantrill's raid. They experienced all the dangers and trials, not only of pioneer life but the border war was raging in all its malicious details, during the early years that the Brooks family lived in the Kaw valley. The family came to Butler county when Mrs. Skaer was a child ten years of age and drove from Lawrence in an old time prairie schooner. Mrs. Skaer was one of the pioneer school teachers of Butler county, and taught for several years prior to her marriage.
Mr. Skaer is familiar with much of the early history of Spring township, and relates many interesting incidents in an entertaining way. He recollects the old time prairie fires that swept over the plains like a seething furnace, and at one time, saw a hundred tons of hay destroyed by one of these visitations of destruction. The spring, from which Spring township takes its name, is located on Mr. Skaer's farm, and the story goes that Henry Moyle and others held a sort of preliminary meeting at this spring where arrangements were made for the organization of Spring township.
Mr. Skaer's father was a "forty-niner." He went across the plains to California with .a party of gold seekers in 1849. The train with which he went, was made up of ox teams and after a few years on the coast, he returned home, bringing with him about $1,500 worth of gold. Mr. Skaer is one of Butler county's representative citizens, and has a wide acquaintance and many friends. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 693-694)
H. C. Morgan, a prosperous farmer and stockman, and pioneer of Spring township, was born in New York in 1848. He is a son of Bradford and Sylvia (Gillette) Morgan, both natives of New York. Bradford Morgan's grandfather was a soldier in the American army during the Revolutionary war, and served throughout the entire period of seven years of that great conflict for independence.
H. C. Morgan has two brothers and one sister living, as follows: Mrs. Cora Smith, Smith Center, Kans.; Isaac, El Dorado, Kans.; and Frank, Smith Center, Kans. The Morgan family migrated to Missouri in 1865, and later the father came to Butler county. H. C. Morgan, the subject of this sketch, came to this county in 1871, and therefore has spent forty-five years of his life here. He settled on a quarter section of land in Spring township, and has since resided in that part of the county. He was favorably impressed with this country from the first. He says he could notice considerable advancement over Missouri, and even at that time there were iron bridges in the county. He raised a good crop the first year, and built a comfortable cabin, and for the first three years here "batched/1 as did most of the homesteaders in those days. He says, he always had money in the early days, and the way he managed to do that, was that he carried a twenty-five cent piece for a pocket piece, which he refused to spend under any circumstances, which accounts for his always having money. He did his own cooking and daily menu consisted of hot corn bread for breakfast, corn meal cakes for dinner, and cold corn bread for supper.
When Mr. Morgan settled on the plains, there was not a church nor a schoolhouse in sight, and the nearest railroad was fifty miles away. However, Mr. Morgan has seen all this changed, and the marvelous advancement and improvements that have been made in Butler county since he came here would seem almost an impossible accomplishment within the scope of a lifetime. He has been extensively engaged in general farming and stock raising since locating here, and is one of the progressive agriculturists of this section of the State. He owns 720 acres which are well improved with good buildings, and well watered, The place is known as the "Cedar Circle Farm," and is one of Butler county's best farms. The following is approximately the product of one year, from Mr. Morgan's farm; $3,000 worth of hogs, twelve to fifteen thousand bushels of kafir corn, and $500 worth of cattle.
Mr. Morgan was married in 1875 to Miss Eudora Starrett, a native of North Carolina, and a daughter of Alexander and Nancy (Gray) Starrett, natives of North Carolina, the former of Scotch descent and the latter of Irish ancestry. Alexander Starrett and wife were the parents of the following children: Preston, Standberry, Mo.; Thomas G., Rober-son, Kans.; Samuel W., New Raymes, Colo.; Mrs. Luella L. Reed, Lawrence, Neb.; and Eudora, the wife of H. C. Morgan, the subject of this sketch. To Mr. and Mrs. Morgan have been born the following children : Cora, Godhra, India; Emily, Kingman, Kans.; Mrs. Annie Colter, Leon, Kans.; Ada, Leon, Kans.; Elbert, Leon, Kans.; Grace Eckle, Leon, Kans.; George, Florida; Alex, Leon, Kans.; Edna Calbeck, Blackwell, Okla.
Mr. and Mrs. Morgan are real pioneers of Butler county, and they can relate many interesting reminiscences of the early days, and with all the hardships they also cherish many pleasant memories and fond recollections. All of the Morgan children received the advantages of very good education. Five of them are graduates of the Southwestern College of Winfield, and all of the others are high school graduates. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan and all the children are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 694-695)
I. G. Morgan of Spring township has witnessed the great growth and development that has taken place in Butler county, within the last forty-five years, and he has been a potent factor in building this county up to the point where it ranks as one of the foremost political subdivisions of the State of Kansas. Mr. Morgan was born in New York in 1851, and is a son of Bradford and Sylvia (Gillett) Morgan. The Morgans are an old American family of Welsh descent, and a direct ancestor of I. G. Morgan fought in the Continental army during the Revolutionary war.
I. G. Morgan has two brothers and one sister living, as follows: Henry Morgan, Leon, Kans.; Mrs. Cora Smith, Smith Center, Kans.; and Frank Morgan, Smith Center, Kans. The Morgan family came west and settled in Missouri in 1865. In 1871, I. G. Morgan came to Butler county, Kansas, and he and his brother each took a claim in Spring township, and he still lives on the place which he homesteaded at that time. He has followed general farming and stock raising, and has met with well merited success, having been ably assisted by his faithful wife.
However, when Mr. Morgan first located on his claim, he was unmarried, and he and his brother "batched" for a number of years. They were young and strong, and really enjoyed the wild free life of the plains. They had plenty of buffalo meat at times, and Mr. Morgan had the reputation of making the best corn bread in the neighborhood. He relates one of his cooking experiences, which he kept a secret for a number of years. He had a rooster all dressed and ready for the pot one day, and sat down to rest a little while before getting dinner, while his brother went to a neighbor's place on an errand. While resting, Mr. Morgan fell asleep, and the hogs came into the house and ate the rooster. Upon awakening, Mr. Morgan saw the situation and hastened to kill a hen which he had ready for dinner by the time his brother returned, and it was six years after this incident that he told his brother. He felt a little ashamed of himself for sleeping at the switch, and letting a dead rooster escape, at a time when roosters were so scarce.
After proving up on his claim, Mr. Morgan returned to New York State, where he was married to Miss Margaret Smith, a native of England, who came to America with her parents, when she was eleven years of age. She is a daughter of Richard Smith, a contractor and builder. Soon after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Morgan came to the home, which he had prepared in Butler county. They are the parents of the following children, all of whom are living: Mrs. Ethel Wheeler, Saskatchewan, Canada; Mrs. Louise Kenyon, Augusta, Kans.; Frank, Augusta, Kans.; Mrs. Susie Jones, Augusta, Kans.; Mrs. Jenet Gamble, Leon, Kans.; Joseph, Brawley, Cal.; Isaac, Jr., Brawley, Cal.; Mrs. Margaret Steviec, Des Moines, Iowa; Sadia B., El Dorado, Kans.; Lois, El Dorado, Kans.; and Willard, El Dorado, Kans.
Mr. Morgan does not boast of a finished education, but the fact is that he is one of the best informed men in Butler county. He is a great reader, and keeps himself well posted on the world's current events. He is a progressive and thrifty citizen, who has made a success in life; he has a broad acquaintance in this section of Kansas, and is one of the substantial citizens of Butler county. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 695-696)
B. C. Gamble, of El Dorado township, is a representative Butler county farmer and -stockman. Mr. Gamble is a native of Indiana. He was born in 1843, and is a son of Dr. John and Jane (Thompson) Gamble, natives of Ohio. The father was a practicing physician and spent his life in Indiana. B. C. Gamble is the only surviving member of his family.
Mr. Gamble was united in marriage in 1872 in Indiana to Miss Susan J. Harshman, a native of that State. She is a daughter of Moses and Elizabeth (Everding) Harshman, natives of Indiana. The Harsh-man family consisted of the following children: Taylor, Frankfort, Ind.; Mrs. Sarah Thompson, El Dorado township; Mrs. Amanda Knapp, Frankfort, Ind.; J. N., El Dorado township; Mrs. Alice Thomas, South Pasadena, Cal.; Mrs. Bell Tillotson, El Dorado, Kans.; Ida Harshman, El Dorado, Kans.; and Weaver, Blackwell, Okla.
Moses Harshman, the father of Mrs. Gamble, was a miller in early life in Indiana and came to Kansas in 1880. He settled on a half section of land in the southern part of El Dorado township, and followed farming the remainder of his life. He was an industrious and thrifty citizen and became well to do, and one of the prominent men of the community.
B. C. Gamble and his wife came to Butler county at the time her parents came, in 1880, and Mr. Gamble bought 120 acres of land in the southern part of El Dorado township where he has since been successfully engaged in general farming. His place is well improved and his land is under a high state of cultivation. He is also quite an extensive stock raiser and has met with success, generally, in his undertakings. To Mr. and Mrs. Gamble have been born the following children: Mrs. Mary Maxwell, Potwin, Kans.; Mrs. Nora B. Shoots, Bellefontaine, Ohio; B. F., El Dorado, Kans.; Charles H., Leon, Kans.; Mrs. Louisa McDowell, Haverhill, Kans., and Mrs. Kate Bales, Augusta, Kans. All of the children received good education in the public schools, and the girls all attended the El Dorado High School, and all were teachers prior to their marriage.
Mr. Gamble has always taken a praiseworthy interest in local affairs and in the well being of the community. He has held a number of offices of trust and responsibility, and is now serving as trustee of El Dorado township. The family are members of the United Brethren church. Mr. and Mrs. Gamble are of that genial type of people who make many friends, and they are highly respected among their neighbors and acquaintances. Their children are all grown up and prosperous, and are splendid representatives of that high type of citizenship which makes for the betterment of the State and Nation. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 696-697)
W. B. Thompson, a representative Butler county farmer, of El Dorado township, is a native of Clinton county, Indiana. He was born November 3, 1848, and is a son of Samuel and Sarah (Byers) Thompson, natives of Ohio. W. B. Thompson's mother died when he was a child, and his father died a few years later. The boy was reared in Howard county, Indiana, and in early life, followed the occupation of stationary engineer, but in recent years has followed farming. He came to Kansas in 1883, and since that time, has been a resident of Butler county.
Mr. Thompson was married, August 12, 1880, to Miss Sarah. Harshman, a daughter of Moses and Elizabeth (Everding) Harshman, the former a native of Green county, Ohio, and the latter of Frederick, Md. The Harshman family are of German descent. Peter Harshman, Moses Harshman's great-grandfather, was born in Germany in 1742, and came to the United States In 1769, and fought in the Revolutionary war under General Washington. His son, Peter Harshman, served in the War of 1812. Moses Harshman and his wife were the parents of the following surviving children: J. N. Harshman, Mrs. B. C. Gamble, Mrs, C. E. Tillotson, and Mrs. W. B. Thompson, the subject of this sketch. In early life they resided in northern Indiana and Michigan, where the father followed his trade, which was that of a miller. The Harshman family came to Kansas in 1880, and the father bought the place where Mr. Thompson now lives, in El Dorado township. Here he was successfully engaged in farming and stock raising until his death, November 11, 1902. His wife survived him a few years, and died March 24, 1907.
To Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have been born the following children: Earl, born in Clinton county, Indiana, married Anna "Leedon of Butler county, and they have four children: Eldon, Elwood, Effic and Esther; Everett Virgil, born in Butler county, married Clara Arnold, a Butler county girl, and they have three children: Vadna Ruth, Virgil Pauldine and Albert Wayne. The Harshman and Thompson families are among the representative pioneers of Butler county, and are well known and highly respected. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 697-698)
U. G. Kennedy, a well known farmer and stockman of El Dorado township, and a member of a Butler county pioneer family, is a native of Pennsylvania. He was born in Jefferson county in 1864, and is a son of H. H. and Mary M. (Shirley) Kennedy, both natives of Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, and descendants of old Pennsylvania stock. The father was a school teacher in early life in his native State, and in 1872, the Kennedy family came to Kansas. They spent the first winter at Manhattan and the following spring came to Butler county, and settled in the southern part of El Dorado township, where the father preempted 160 acres of land, and followed general farming and stock raising until his death, which occurred in February, 1911, and the mother died in No-vember of the same year, the former being seventy-four years of age and the latter seventy-three. They were the parents of the following children: Alice, married T. M. Hopkins, Cushing, Okla.; U. G., the subject of this sketch; E. M., Harlem, Mont.; M. W., Oklahoma City, Okla.; T. H., Harlem, Mont.; Belle, married George Leedham, Spring township, Butler county; Blanche, married William Glaze, Grandee, N. M., and Erma, deceased.
U. G. Kennedy was about eight years of age when the family located in Butler county, and many of the events of pioneer days made a lasting impression on his mind. Butler county was then comparatively a wild and unbroken country, and considered well on the border, or in the vanguard of the westward march of civilization. Mr. Kennedy remembers seeing deer and antelope in the vicinity of his home, and recalls many other native conditions of the West. He received his education in the pioneer public schools and remained at home until he was twenty-three years of age, when he engaged in farming and stock raising for himself and now has a fertile and productive farm of 240 acres and he also operates the home place of 290 acres, in which he has an interest, where he successfully carries on general farming and stock raising and is one of Butler county's most progressive and prosperous farmers and stockmen.
Mr. Kennedy was united in marriage in 1889 to Miss Alda H. Berner, a daughter of J. G. Berner, a Butler county pioneer, now residing on his old homestead in El Dorado township. To Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy have been born five children, as follows: Vesta, married Ben Smith, Leon, Kans.; Frank G.; Katie; Alice, and Icy, all at home except the married daughter. Mr. Kennedy is independent in politics and takes a keen interest in public affairs, and is one of Butler county's representative citizens.
His place is located about half way between the recent oil development of the El Dorado and Augusta fields and promises a profitable future. This land is leased and, no doubt, operations will begin in the near future. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 698-699)
W. H. Irwin, a prominent farmer and stock raiser of Prospect township, Butler county, is a native of Missouri. He was born in Jackson county, and is a son of W. H. and Catherine (Yost) Irwin. The father was a native of Missouri, also, and was born in Cape Girardeau county, March 15, 1833. W. H, Irwin and Catherine Yost were the parents of six children, as follows: Charles W., Boyce City, Idaho; Mrs. Ida E. Freeman, El Dorado, Kans.; George H., Augusta, Kans.; W. H., the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Sophia M. Carter,, El Dorado, and Mrs. Ella Kate Milburn.
The Irwin family came to Butler county, Kansas, in 1883, and the father bought 230 acres of land in Lincoln township, nine miles north of El Dorado, and was successfully engaged in farming and stock raising until the time of his death, November 15, 1903. The wife and mother departed this life shortly after the family came to Kansas. She died in 1884.
W. H. Irwin, whose name introduces this sketch, was reared on his father's farm in Butler county, and received a good common school education. In 1903, he purchased his present place of 480 acres in Prospect township where he has since been successfully engaged in farming and stock raising, and is one of Butler county's prosperous and most progressive citizens.
Mr. Irwin was united in marriage in 1899 to Miss Minnie Fox, a native of Morgan county, Indiana, born December 18, 1878. To Mr. and Mrs. Irwin have been born two children: Hazel and William H. Hazel is a student in the public school, and William H. bears the distinction of having won the silver loving cup at the kafir corn carnival, held at El Dorado in 1912, as the prize baby. The cup, which is of beautiful design, bears the following description, "To William Harold Irwin, Prettiest Baby, Kafir Corn Carnival Parade, October 18, 1912."
Mr. Irwin's generous spirit and courteous manner have won for him many friends. He has spent most of his life in Butler courfty, and those who know him best are his staunchest friends. He is public spirited and enterprising, and is always willing and ready to co-operate with any movement for the good of the general public. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Page 699)
Peter Johnson, now deceased, was a Butler county pioneer, and one of the successful farmers and stockmen whose thrift, industry and foresight have built up a reputation for Butler county as one of the foremost stock counties of the State. Peter Johnson was a native of Denmark, born at Easter Keeping, Denmark, October 30, 1841. He was left an orphan at a very early age, his mother dying when he was about two months old, and his father died a few years later. He grew to manhood in his native land and for a time served in the Danish army, and in 1867 immigrated to America and first went to Oshkosh, Wis., where he worked for a man by the name of Powell for two years. In 1869 he came to Kansas and for a time worked in the mines at Burlingame, Osage county,- and while there he met William Jones and John and Henry Peters, and they decided to equip themselves with a traveling outfit and look for suitable government land for future homes.
Mr. Johnson bought a yoke of oxen and the other three men bought the wagon, and with this pioneer outfit they drove through to Butler county in 1870, and preempted claims in Prospect and Rosalia townships in this county. Their original intention was to get adjoining claims, but this they were unable to do. The first claim upon which Mr. Johnson settled was taken away from him by early day "claim jumpers." In those days it was not considered good judgment to argue over a little matter, like 160 acres of land, with a bad man who held a good gun. The next place on which Mr. Johnson located, proved to have no other claimants, and he settled where the present Johnson homestead is located in Prospect township. He walked to Humboldt, the nearest land office, which was about 100 miles distant, to file on his claim and he carried his shoes most of the way in order to save them, for shoes were scarce in Kansas in those days.. He engaged in farming with his ox team, and kept the team for a number of years.
During the first few years in Butler county, Eureka was the nearest point at which he could get any milling done, and he frequently hauled a load of grain to the mill there with his ox team, the trip requiring two days. He worked hard and prospered in spite of bad years and other discouraging features of early life on the plains. He added to his original holding and at the time of his death owned 800 acres which now constitutes the family homestead. He was a successful stock raiser as well as general farmer, and was quite extensively interested in raising horses of a very high class. He was a great lover of the Morgan type, and bred and raised a great many of them, and he kept his cattle up to a high standard, the Red Durham being his favorite. Mr. Johnson was what might be called a successful and high class farmer and stockman, whom many others might do well to emulate. He took a keen interest in local affairs and served as treasurer of Prospect township, and was also school treasurer. Politically he was a Republican. He died January 16, 1903.
On March 7, 1882 Peter Johnson and Miss Lidia Heape were united in marriage. She was a native of Tamaroa, Perry county, Illinois, and a daughter of Levy and Lizzie (Knight) Heape, both natives of Somersetshire, England. The Heape family removed from Perry, to Jackson county, Illinois, and in 1879 removed to Montgomery county, Kansas, where they remained about six months when the parents went to Nowata, Indian Territory, where the father died in 1897, and where the mother now resides. Mrs. Johnson did not go to Indian Territory with her parents, but remained in Montgomery county, Kansas, about three years, when she came to Butler county, and was later married to Mr. Johnson, as above stated. To Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have been born five children, as follows: Anna, married M, P. Hanson; who, lives in Boone county, Illinois; N. W., lives on a part of the homestead farm in Prospect township; Olaf R., Walter, Okla; and O. B., on the home place with his mother.
Since her husband's
death in 1903, Mrs. Johnson has conducted the farm, which consists of 800 acres of productive land, under a high
state of cultivation. She specializes in white faced cattle, and usually has on hand about a hundred head. Mrs.
Johnson has also met with unusual success in raising corn, having raised as high as eighty-five bushels per acre,
and she, also, ranks among the successful alfalfa growers of Butler county. Mrs. Johnson is a Democrat and takes
a keen interest in State and National politics, as well as in local affairs. She is a member of the school bqard,
and belongs to the Enterprise Grange. Her husband was also active in the Grange Lodge, during his life time. Mrs.
Johnson is recognized as one of the capable business women of, not only Butler county, but Kansas.
T. W. Holderman, one of the progressive young farmers and stockmen of Butler county, is a native of Illinois. He
was born September 29, 1880, and is a son of A. J. and Josephine Virginia (Bashaw) Holder-man, the former a native
of Illinois, and the latter of Virginia. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 700-701)
A. J. Holderman, the father, came to Butler county with his family in 1885. after spending about six months in Emporia. He bought 780 acres of land in Chelsea township, and since that time, has added 480 acres to his original purchase, and is one of the extensive stockmen and farmers of Chelsea township. A. J. Holderman was one of the leading horse breeders of this county for a number of years, and brought some of the best horses here to be found. However, he gradually drifted into the cattle and the hog industry, which he found to be very profitable. In addition to his extensive farming and stock operations, A. J. Holderman is an important factor in other industrial and financial ventures in this county. He is president of the Farmers and Merchants Bank at El Dorado, and is president of .the Butler County Telephone Company. He resides on High street, El Dorado, in one of the best residences in that city.
A. J. Holderman married Miss Joseph Virginia Bashaw, March 1, 1877, and the following children were born to this union: Mrs. Mary Ramsey, El Dorado, Kans.; T. W., the subject of this sketch; Grace, El Dorado; A. J. Jr., El Dorado, and Curtis, El Dorado.
T. W. Holderman was reared and educated in Butler county, and has been more or less identified with farming and the stock business all his life. He now owns and operates a 160-acre farm in Chelsea township, where he carries on farming, and is quite extensively engaged in stock raising, and is one of the successful farmers in that section of the county.
Mr. Holderman was married July I, 1907, to Miss Mattie Lee Hunt, a daughter of Joseph and Sarah Belle (Wood) Hunt. The father was a native of Ohio, and came to Kansas with his parents when he was a mere boy. The mother, Sarah Belle Wood, was born in Kentucky. Mrs. Holderman was one of the following children born to her parents: George, El Dorado; Mattie L., wife of T. W. Holderman, the subject of this sketch; Effie, El Dorado; Leonard, El Dorado, and Hazel, El Dorado, Kans. Mrs. Holderman's parents reside in Chelsea. To Mr. and Mrs. Holderman has been born one child, Alfred Donald. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 701-702)
N. B. Coggshall, a Butler county pioneer and successful farmer and stockman of Chelsea township, is a native of Indiana. He was born in Wayne county in March, 1841, and is a son of Caleb and Mary A. Coggshall. The Coggshalls came from an ancient and honorable English family, and trace their lineage back to 1144. The direct lineal ancestors of N. B. Coggshall, beginning in 1144, are as follows: Matilda, the oldest daughter of the Grand Duke of Normandy, Sir William, First Abbott Coggshall Abbey, Lord Odo, Third Abbott. Lord Peter, brother of Stephen, Chancellor of Lincoln. Lord Thomas, Monk of Valle Dell, eleventh year of the reign of King Henry, third son of King John. Lord Ralph, Monk seventh, Lord Ralph De Coggshall, a Monk of the Cistercian Order, sixth Abbot of Coggshall. Sir Thomas, Knight. Sir Ralph, baron. Sir John, baron. Earl Henry, baron. Sir William, baron. Sir Thomas, baron. Lord John. Sir Thomas, baron. Lord John of Herndon. Sir Rodger, Knight. Lord John. The American line of descent is as follows: John. Joshua, aid-de-camp to Lafayette. John, commander in navy, Revolution. Caleb, major, War of 1812. John, captain in Mexican war. Tristram, farmer. Caleb, merchant. Nathan, lieutenant in Civil war, 1861-1865. Mary J., daughter of Caleb, and Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Mary Jane.
Mr. Coggshall was reared and educated in Indiana and when the Civil war broke out he enlisted at Richmond, Ind., August 8, 1862, in Company E, Sixty-ninth regiment, Indiana infantry, and served with his company throughout the Civil war, and was mustered out of service July 5, 1865, and received his honorable discharge. Mr. Coggshall came to Kansas and located in Butler county in 1868, and was one of the pioneers of Chelsea township. He practiced law for six years in El Dorado and for twenty-five years held the office of justice of the peace, although farming has been his chief occupation, and he has been an extensive cattle raiser. He and his wife now own 560 acres of land and rank among the prosperous farmers of Chelsea township.
Mr. Coggshall was married at Cottonwood Falls, Kans., December 22, 1867, to Miss Mary Ann Ellis, daughter of Archibald and Ann Ellis, natives of County Mayo, Ireland. The Ellis family were among the very earliest settlers in Butler county. They came here in 1869. For a more complete history of the Ellis family, see sketch of John Ellis in this volume.
Mrs. Coggshall is one of the pioneer women of Butler county. She came here when a young girl, and at first she felt as though she never would be able to adjust herself to the conditions of the frontier, as she found them in those primitive days, but she became accustomed to life in the great West and became very much attached to this section of the country after being here a very short time. She was one of the pioneer school teachers of Butler county, and in the early days taught school in a log school house in Chelsea township. Mrs. Coggshall has been actively identified with the life and development of Butler county almost since its beginning, and she and Mr. Coggshall rank among the leading pioneers and first families of Butler county. They were an estimable couple and number their friends in legion.
For years Mr, Coggshall was a supporter of the policies and principles of the Republican party, but in recent times he has been inclined to be liberal and independent in his political views. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 702-703)
D. R. Rodwell, a well known farmer and stockman of Chelsea township, is a Butler county pioneer. Mr. Rodwell is a native of California and was born December 15, 1858. He is a son of John and Sarah (Hodgen) Rodwell, both natives of England. The parents were married in their native land, and shortly afterward immigrated to America, settling in Wisconsin. The father was a miner and followed that occupation in Wisconsin for a while and later went West. He followed mining on the Pacific coast and in the mountains, and was engaged in that line of work in Montana at the time of his death.
Shortly after the father's death the mother and D. R. Rodwell, the subject of this sketch, came to Kansas and located at Great Bend. In 1884 they came to Butler county and settled on 160 acres of land in Chelsea township, which is the present family home. They were poor and went into debt for their home and the first few years in Butler county were years of hardship and privation. At that time all their supplies had to be hauled from Emporia.
After having passed through the first few lean and uncertain years, they began to prosper and soon became numbered among the most substantial people of Butler county. The mother, Sarah Rodwell, is one of the Butler county pioneer women who endured many hardships in the early days of Butler county's history. During the hard times of the early years and uncertain crops, she at times found it difficult to maintain the home, but by good management and industry and with the cooperation of her son, they succeeded in getting a start in life. Soon after coming to Butler county, D. R. Rodwell engaged in stock raising, which has been his chief occupation to the present time, and he is one of the successful men in that line in Butler county. Mr. Rodwell was married in 1896 to Miss Julia Graham, a daughter of Henry Graham. Mrs. Rodwell died, leaving one child, Daisy, who married Oscar Garabrandt, a native of Ohio, who now resides in Butler county. Mr. Rodwell is one of Butler county's substantial citizens and one of the Chelsea township pioneers who has contributed his part to making Butler county what it is today. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 703-704)
F. W. Seward, a prominent farmer and stockman of Glencoe township, Butler county, is a native of Illinois. He was born March 14, 1872, and is a son of W. C. and Rebecca (Williamson) Seward, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Illinois. W. C. Seward, the father, was a stockman, and came to Kansas in the spring of 1876, when F. W., who name introduces this sketch, was four years old. The family located in Ford county, Kansas, and in 1884 came to Butler county. The Sewards are an old and prominent American family. W. C Seward was a cousin of Secretary of State Seward, of President Lin-coln's cabinet, and Elizabeth Windsor, mother of W. C. Seward, traced her ancestry back to the Mayflower.
F. W. Seward is one of a family of eight children born to W. C. and Rebecca (Williamson) Seward, the others being as follows: Samuel, Laird, Colo.; Mrs. Elizabeth Fowler, Bridger, Mont.; F. M., Mountain Home, Ark.; Mrs. Anna Marks, Leon, Kans.; Mrs. Amy Bush, Tonkwa, F. W. Seward came to Butler county with his parents in 1884, and remained on the home farm until he reached his majority. In 1898 he removed to Glencoe township and has since that time been successfully engaged in stock raising. He has 600 acres of land and is one of the extensive stockmen in that section of the country.
Mr. Seward was married in 1900 to Miss Cora Parker, a daughter of Joel Parker, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume. To Mr. and Mrs. Seward have been born the following children: Ruby, born in 1901, a student in the Leon High School; Ivan, born in 1902; Wayne, born in 1905, and Freeman, born in 1907, attending the public schools.
Mr. Seward is a Republican and frequently takes an active part in local political issues. He has served as assessor of Glencoe township, having been appointed for one year and elected to serve four years. The Seward home in Glencoe township is a splendid residence of beautiful and commanding appearance, and has all modern improvements such as are found in the modern residences of the city. Mr. Seward has installed a gasoline engine, which is used for pumping the water supply to a tank, which affords sufficient water pressure to maintain a perfect water system for the residence, and the same power is used for the laundry, cream separator, etc. He has combined the freedom of the country with the conveniences of city life.
Mr. Seward is one of the successful farmers and stock raisers of Butler county and a public spirited and substantial citizen of the community. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 704-705)
W. J. Case, one of the leading farmers and stockmen of Chelsea township, is a native of Michigan. Mr. Case was born at Coldwater in 1864, and came to Butler county from Michigan in 1879. Shortly after coming to Kansas, W. J. Case entered the employ of Judge Harrison and worked for him on the Doornbos place. Young Case saved his earnings and began to invest in a small way, his first investment being in a mule colt, which he later traded for a mare and gave $40 to boot, and later traded the mare for a team, paying the difference. He and a brother, C. H. Case, then rented the Holderman farm in Chelsea township for six years. They carried on general farming and stock raising, and prospered.
Mr. Case was married in 1894 to Miss Allie T. Zuel, of Prospect township, and a member of one of the old pioneer families of Butler county. Soon after his marriage, Mr. Case went to Oklahoma and filed on a quarter section of government land and remained there until until 1900, when he sold his claim and returned to Chelsea township. Here he bought 240 acres of land and engaged in farming and stock raising, and in 1908 he bought the Jim Taylor place, which consists of 160 acres. He did not stop buying land at that, but in 1912 he bought 400 acres in Lincoln township, and is one of the large land owners of Butler county. Mr. Case has been uniformly successful in his business, and is one of the prosperous and progressive men of the county. He is a self-made man, and has earned every dollar that he has. He is a typical representative of that class of men who do things. He came to Butler county when a boy and has seen much of the development of this section, from a great unpeopled plain to one of the important counties of the State, and has done his part in the great work of development. Mr. Case has built up a reputation for honesty and straight-forward business methods. He has never permitted any desire to make money to be the dominant factor of his nature. He regards a reputation for integrity of more value than a reputation for money making. And yet he has been fortunate in that he has always kept his word and at the same time prospered.
Mr. Case is a Democrat and has always supported the policies and principles of that party, and takes a keen interest in the welfare of the community. Mr. and Mrs. Case have one daughter living, Gladys, who resides at home. Jessie T. is deceased. The Case family is well known and prominent in the community. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 705-706)
C. E, Tillotson is a Butler county county pioneer and belongs to a Kansas pioneer family. He was born in Delaware county, New York, December 29, 1856, and is a son of McDonough and Sarah M. (Carpenter) Tillotson, both natives of New York State and descendants of prominent New York families. C. E. Tillotson has one sister living, Mrs. Lucy Ralston, of Augusta, Kans. Mr. Tillotson came to Kansas with his parents in 1869. They settled in Linn county, where the father bought 280 acres of land. After remaining there about five years they spent about two years in Illinois, when they returned to Kansas. This time they located in Cherokee county, where the father bought 240 acres of land. Three years later he exchanged that property for 800 acres of land in Butler county. Here he was successfully engaged in farming and stock raising for a number of years and finally removed to Augusta, where he died.
C. E. Tillotson, the subject of this sketch, began life for himself when twenty-three years of age on a quarter section of land which he had received from his father. He followed general farming and stock raising and has met with success. He sold his first farm and bought 270 acres southwest of El Dorado, and in 1905 he sold that place and bought 240 acres near Potwin. Two years later he sold that farm, when he bought 200 acres in El Dorado township, where he now resides.
In 1876 Mr. Tollotson married Miss Lizzie Ruark, a daughter of John Ruark, of Linn county, Kansas, and five children were born to this union, as follows: D. L., Ponca City, Okla.; David E., Groom, Texas, Coila E. Smith, Gage, Okla.; Sadie, Potwin, Kans., and Marion, El Dorado. Mrs. Tillotson died December 17, 1899, and Mr. Tillotson was married the second time, in 1909, to Isabelle Everding Harshman, a native of Michigan, born in 1860. She is a daughter of Moses afnd Elizabeth (Everding) Harshman. The father was a substantial farmer and stockman of Butler county, who came here with his family ill 1880. He was born in 1821, and his wife was also born that year. They were married in 1844 and the father died in 1902 and the mother passed away in 1906. Mr. and Mrs. Harshman were the parents of the following children: Taylor, Frankfort, Ind.; Mrs. Susan Gamble, El Dorado township; Mrs. Sarah Thompson, El Dorado township; Mrs. Amanda Knapp, Frankfort, Ind.; Jasper H., El Dorado township; Mrs. Alice Thomas, South Pasadena, Cal.; Ida, El Dorado, Kans.; Weaver, Black-well, Okla,; and Isabelle, now Mrs. Tillotson.
Mr. Tillotson is a member of the Grange, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. and Mrs. Tillotson are widely known throughout Butler county and are held in very high esteem by their many friends and acquaintances. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 706-707)
J. P. Ramsey, of Chelsea township, came to Butler county with his parents, when a small boy, and has therefore spent most of his life in this county. He was born in Coles county, Illinois, in 1865, and is a son of John Ramsey, a native of Ireland. John Ramsey came to America when he was about eighteen years of age, first locating in New York State. He was engaged in railroad construction work after coming to America and worked on the construction of one of the first railroads that were built in the State of New York. He came to Illinois at a very early day, and located in Douglass county, where he bought 160 acres of land, which he exchanged for 400 acres in Butler county, and in 1876 came to this county with his wife and family of five children, as follows: Henry, Dewey county, Oklahoma; J. P., the subject of this sketch; Bernard, El Dorado; Samuel, Elm Creek, Neb., and Mrs. Maggie Ford, who resides in Colorado. J. P. Ramsey was reared on the home place in Chelsea township, and was educated in the public schools. Farming and stock raising have been his chief occupation, and he began on his own account in a small way when he was still a youth. He first bought some cattle and later, when he had quite a herd, he rented a quarter section of land, which he afterwards bought. He now owns 440 acres of valuable land in Chelsea township, and is one of the prosperous and enterprising agriculturists of that section of the county.
Mr. Ramsey was married in 1898 to Miss Abbie Kenedy, a daughter of Thomas and Mary Kenedy. To Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey have been born five children, as follows: Elva, John, Clara, Ray and Joe.
There are still fresh in Mr. Ramsey's memory many interesting incidents in the pioneer life of Butler county. He recalls a time when most of the supplies were hauled from Emporia. There were a great many deer and antelope here when the Ramseys first came, and Mr. Ramsey remembers a pet deer which his folks had and which frequently wandered away over the plains and in a day or two would return, ac-companied by a herd of wild deer, and Mr. Ramsey has killed a great many deer that had been inveigled into the range of his rifle by his deceptive pet.
Mr. Ramsey is a Democrat and for a number of years has been active in the councils of his party in Butler county. He has served as trustee of Chelsea township three years, and has been a member of the school board for twenty years. He is one of the substantial and progressive citizens of Butler county. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 707-708)
A. F. Peas, of Chelsea township, ranks among the well known and successful farmers and stock raisers of Butler county. He was born in Boone county, Iowa, in 1861, and is a son of J. A. and Catherine (Johnson) Peas. They were the parents of the following children: A. J., Elk City, Okla.; Harvey, Boone, Iowa; Mrs. Phidelia Pritcherd, Boone, Iowa; Henry, Pasadena, Cal.; and A. F., the subject of this sketch.
A. F. Peas came to Kansas in 1885, and settled in Chelsea township, Butler county, where he bought 160 acres of land, and later bought another quarter section. He has been extensively engaged in general farming and stock raising, and has been especially successful in raising Shorthorns. He is also quite an extensive alfalfa grower, and alto-gether is one of the prosperous and successful farmers of Chelsea township. His farm is well improved and he has an unusually fine farm residence, which he built in 1905, and his place presents a well kept appearance with every indication of a prosperous owner.
Mr. Peas was married to Miss Mary Jane Diller, a daughter of John and Dorothy Diller. Mrs. Peas is one of the following children born to her parents: John Diller, deceased; Mrs. Dorothy Hoy, deceased; George Diller, Morrowville, Kans.; Henry Diller, Cassoday, Kans.; Mrs. Sarah C. Hoy, Burns, Kans.; William Diller, Whitewater, Kans. The Diller family came to Butler county in 1873 and the mother purchased 760 acres of land in Sycamore township and engaged in general farming and stock raising and made a success of her undertakings until the time of her death, which occurred in 1877. The Diller family were Butler county pioneers and suffered the hardships incident to the early years of pioneer life here. Mrs. Peas says that when they came here game of all kinds was plentiful.
To Mr. and Mrs. Peas have been born two children, as follows: Mrs. Eva L. Moore, Acres, Kans.; and Glayds. The younger daughter, Gladys, is a highly accomplished musician of unusual ability. She is a graduate of the Western Conservatory of Music of Chicago, having completed her studies in that institution in 1912, and now resides at home with her parents. The Peas family are members of the Lutheran church, and are well known and prominent in Butler county. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Page 708)
J. L. Hunt, a prominent farmer and stockman of Chelsea township, is a native of Ohio. He was born in Warren county, on November 16, 1864, and is a son of George W. and Sydney (Phillips) Hunt, the former a native of Canada and the latter of Ohio. The Hunt family came to Kansas in 1879, and located in Butler county, where the father bought 200 acres of land and engaged in general farming and stock Raising. He was successful in his undertakings and became one of Butler county's substantial citizens. He and his wife are now deceased.
J. L. Hunt was about fifteen years of age when he came to Butler county with his father, and he has a distinct recollection of the conditions that existed in Butler county in the early days and can relate many interesting incidents of pioneer life. He came here at a time when Butler county was in its early formative period and saw much of Butler county's history in the making, as it were. When he was a boy he worked for fifty cents a day, hauling rock. He had his experiences with the early day prairie fires and other elements of destruction and annoyance which seemed to beset the pathway of the early pioneers. With all the hardships and inconveniences, he experienced many amusing and enjoyable occasions, however. There was an abundance of game here when the Hunt family settled in Butler county, and Mr. Hunt tells of seeing a deer one day while he was deer hunting, as he supposed, but when he saw the deer, he not only forgot that he was deer hunting, but also forgot that he had a gun until the deer was out of range.
Mr. Hunt was married December 5, 1883, to Miss Sarah Davidson, and the following children were born to them: G. R., El Dorado, Kans.; Mrs. Mattie Holderman, El Dorado; Effie, an accomplished musician and a graduate of music, having received a course of instruction under Miss Alta Carter; Leonard, El Dorado; and Hazel, attending school. The wife, and mother of these children, died October 8. 1915. The Hunt family is well known and highly respected in the community, and Mr. Hunt is one of the progressive and substantial citizens of Butler county. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 708-709)
In studying the development of any locality there is always to be found a leading spirit, a dominant factor, a personal force that has been the chief element in the progress and development of that community. James C. Henrie, whose name introduces this review, belongs to that type of men. To his initiative and public-spiritedness is largely due the fact that the town of Benton has a place on the map and is one of the thriving little business centers of Butler county. When the Missouri Pacific railroad was built, Mr. Henrie donated thirty acres of land for the location of the depot and he gave the ground to the city which is the present site of the public school building, and every movement that has been inaugurated for the upbuilding and betterment of Benton has had the unqualified support and co-operation of Mr. Henrie.
James C. Henrie was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, June 8, 1844, and is a son of Joseph and Mary Henrie, natives of Pennsylvania. There is one other child of Joseph and Mary Henrie besides James C, now living, viz.: Mrs. Martha J. Rand, of Riverside, Wash. The parents came to Butler county in 1884, where the father died No-vember 18, 1892, aged ninety-one years, and the mother passed away in 1913, at the age of ninety-seven.
When James C. Henrie was a child about one year old the family removed from Columbia county, Pennsylvania, to Kane county, Illinois, and here young Henrie grew to manhood and received a good common school education. He lived the peaceful life of the average farmer boy until the life of the Nation was threatened by the spirit of secession and breeders of rebellion in the early sixties.
Young Henrie had just passed the age of eighteen and on August 9, 1862, enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Twenty-fourth regiment, Illinois infantry, and for three years and six days bore arms in defense of the Union in the Southland. His first military service was under Grant in the Army of the West, and he was with his regiment on the march from LaGrange, Tenn., to Yacana, Miss. They returned to LaGrange in December, 1862, and in the following January were on a campaign to Memphis, and from there to Lake Providence; thence to Millikin's Rend and Port Gibson, participating in the battles of Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hills, siege of Vicksburg, Fort Hill, Monroe, Brownsville, and was on a campaign in Mississippi, and with Sherman's division on the Meridian expedition, Yazoo City, Benton, Jackson Cross Roads, White River, Memphis, Mobile, Montgomery, and the storming and capture of Spanish Fort.
During its period of service this regiment covered a distance of 4,100 miles, including the expeditions both by land and water. They participated in ten battles, fourteen skirmishes and two sieges, one siege occupying forty-seven days and nights, and the other, thirteen days and nights. They were under fire eighty-two days and sixty nights. At the close of the war and after having made a military record of which any man might be justly proud, he was honorably discharged August 15, 1865.
After the war was over, Mr. Henrie returned to his Illinois home, and on April 15, 1872, came to Butler county, Kansas, locating on the northeast quarter of section 21, where he homesteaded, and he also bought 320 acres of school land on the deferred payment plan, and he says, even at that, the payments were not deferred enough. When he came to this county he was better equipped than many of the pioneers to begin life in a new country, and yet he had his ups and downs, the downs appearing to be more frequent than the ups. He had three horses to begin with, and earned his first money in Butler county by breaking prairie for a neighbor.
Mr. Henrie was a pioneer, in many ways, in Benton township. He erected the first windmill there, and built the first barn. He owned the first spring wagon in that locality, which was considered a real luxury in those days. This was in an age before there was any rivalry as to who should own the highest priced automobile in the neighborhood, and Mr. Henrie's spring wagon became a sort of neighborhood property. Any-boy who wanted to put on style for a day, took the wagon and no questions were asked, and then kept it until some other neighbor wanted it, and when the time came that Mr. Henrie wanted to use his wagon, all he had to do was to go and get it. He used the first barbed wire that was shipped into Wichita, paying nineteen cents per pound for enough to fence ten acres. In the early days he kept a "half way house," where travelers made themselves at home whether they had any money or not; and at times the place was filled to its capacity, the weary wayfarers lying about one deep on the floor.
Mr. Henrie erected the first store building in the town of Benton and conducted a general mercantile business for a number of years, and served as postmaster there from 1872 to 1886, for which he received $1 per month, the Government being very considerate of its employees at that time and did not encourage extravagance. When Mr. Henrie came here there was a great deal of large game in this section, including deer, and antelope. He remembers when money was scarce and the early settlers practically had no market for their produce. He tells of selling corn at Wichita for ten cents per bushel, and after hauling it there he finally succeeding in finding a market for it in a saloon for fuel purposes, as corn in those days was a cheaper fuel than wood.
Mr. Henrie was married in 1868 to Miss Frances A. White, a daughter of Solomon White, of Illinois. To this union were born the following children: Mrs. Mary Luta Parks, now deceased; Joseph and Cull, both farmers and stockmen in Benton township, the father having given each of them 160 acres of good land, in 1906, and they are now successful and prosperous farmers. The wife and mother died in 1903, and in 1906 Mr. Henrie married Mrs. Leo Lawton, the widow of Dr. Lawton, of Kansas City, Mo.
Mr. Henrie has the finest residence in Benton and is now living retired. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows/and one of the men whose ability, foresight and industry have given them a place among the builders of Butler county, which should be an inspiration to the present and future generations. Mr. Henrie is a courteous and genial gentleman who has many friends and a large acquaintance in Butler and adjoining counties. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 709-711)
C. A. Glancey, of Benton, is a Butler county pioneer and Civil war veteran. He was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, in 1841, and is a son of Jesse and Jane Glancey, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of New York. Mr. Glancey has a brother and two half-sisters living in Ashtabula, Ohio.
Mr. Glancey was reared on a farm, and after receiving a common school education, was living the peaceful life of the average boy of the early sixties when the great Civil war broke out, and about the time he reached his majority, in 1862, he enlisted in the One Hundred and Fifth regiment, Ohio infantry, and served until the close of the war. He saw much hard service and participated in a number of important battles and a great many skirmishes and engagements of lesser importance. He was at the battles of Perryville, Chickamauga, Bentonville, Missionary Ridge and many others. At the close of the war he was honorably discharged and mustered out of the service and returned to Ohio.
On October 7, 1866, Mr. Glancey was united in marriage with Miss Jane Fish, a daughter of Lyman and Elizabeth Fish, natives of New York. After their marriage, Mr. Glancey and his wife followed farming in Michigan until 1870, when they came to Kansas, locating on Dry creek, Butler county, where they pre-empted 160 acres of government land. Here they proceeded to establish a home on the wild and unbroken plains. Mr. Glancey had very little capital when he came to this county, and he earned his first money by digging wells, digging the first one for Thomas Harper. Mr. Glancey managed to support his little family and make a living in this way while his first crop was growing. He had two horses when he came here, but had the misfortune of losing one shortly after coming here. He could do very little with one horse and was forced to make a strong effort and considerable sacrifice to secure another. He had sufficient money with which to buy lumber for his little home when he came, but he built it himself, and narrowly escaped losing all his lumber in a prairie fire as an introduction to Butler county. His first house was built of one thickness of rough boards and shingles, but there was no ceiling, either overhead or on the side walls. The only heat they had was furnished by a small cooking stove in which they burned wood, and with this frail shack and the inadequate heating facilities the family suffered much with the cold during the first winter. However, as time went on, he made additional improvements and soon had a comfortable home for his family. In those early days Mr. Glancey did his trading at Augusta. Game was plentiful, and it was not a difficult matter for the early settlers to obtain all necessary meat and it only required a short time to go out and kill any number of prairie chickens or any other kind of wild game, which could be found in abundance. Mr. Glancey went on two buffalo hunting expeditions in the early days, and secured an ample supply of buffalo meat on both occasions.
When Mr. Glancey and his wife came to Butler county they had two children, who had been born in Michigan, Mary and Jesse, and after coming to Kansas two more children were born to them, Edith Estelle and Lyman. Their children are all now married and in com-lortable circumstances.
Mr. Glancey is a Republican and has taken a keen interest and a prominent part in local politics for a number of years, and has often been a delegate to Republican conventions, and for years he has been treasurer of his school district. . He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 711-712)
William C. Waldorf, a prosperous farmer and stockman of El Dorado township, is a Kansas pioneer. Mr. Waldorf is of New England parentage. His father, William Waldorf, Sr., was a native of Vermont and of German ancestry. William, Sr., father was a native of Germany, and when a young man immigrated to America and settled in Vermont, where he lived for a time and was married. Later he migrated to Pennsylvania and from there to Putnam county, Ohio, where he and his wife spent their lives.
William C. Waldorf's mother bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Hensel and was a native of Richland county, Ohio. Her father was of Pennsylvania Dutch parentage and died in Richland county, Ohio. William C Waldorf's parents first settled in Putnam county, Ohio, but later removed to Morrow county, and from there to Holmes county, that State, where the mother died. The father, William Waldorf, Sr., was a soldier in the Civil war, as was also William C, the subject of this sketch. The father served in Company I, Sixteenth regiment, Ohio infantry, and died while in the service in a hospital at Milliken's Bend, La., in April, 1863.
William C. Waldorf was one of a family of ten children, the following of whom are living: Samuel, a sketch of whom appears in this volume; Mrs. Mary J. Cramer, Mansfield, Ohio; Mrs. Anna N. Apple-man, Corsica, Ohio; Mrs. Sarah E. Wrenn, Boston, Mass.; William C, the subject of this sketch, and Mrs. Elvira E. Gilbert, Hutchinson, Kans.
When William C. Waldorf was about fourteen years of age, he left home and went to live with the family of a stockman in Wayne county, Ohio. Mr. Waldorf was born September 14, 1845, and enlisted August 7, 1862, in Company H, One Hundred and Second regiment, Ohio infantry, and thus it will be seen that he lacked just one month and seven days of being seventeen years old when he elected to bear arms in defense of his country. He served until the close of that great conflict, and endured many hardships and privations, as well as the dangers incident to the life of a soldier, and at the close of the war, received his honorable discharge. He then returned to Ohio, where he followed farming for a time, when he went to Shelby county, Illinois.
Four years later he went to Iowa county, Iowa, and after spending about a year there, returned to Shelby county, Illinois, where he remained until 1870. He then came to Butler county, Kansas, with a colony of people from Maringo, Iowa, numbering twenty-four in all. They drove from Iowa to Butler county with a train of seven wagons, and made the trip between September 6 and November 6, 1871. Mr. Waldorf and some of the others of the party settled in Fairview township, Butler county, and about a year later, he went to McPherson county, where he was successfully engaged in farming and stock raising until 1902, when he returned to Butler county and bought a farm in El Dorado township, one mile south of the city limits of El Dorado. Here he owns 175 acres of some of Butler county's most valuable land. Mr. Waldorf resides on his place, but rents the land to his son, and Mr. Waldorf is practically retired.
October 21, 1873, William C. Waldorf and Miss Phoebe Apple-man were united in marriage. She is a daughter of John R. and Mary (Waldorf) Appleman, and was born in Wood county, Ohio, December 14, 1855. The Appleman family came to Butler county in 1870 from Maringo, Iowa, when Mr. Waldorf came, and located in Fairview town-ship. Later the parents removed to Great Bend, Kans., and from there to St. Louis, Mo., where they died. To Mr. and Mrs. William C. Waldorf have been born ten children, as follows: Jessie V., who married Charles E. Parks, El Dorado township; Samuel J., who lives at Dexter. Cowley county, Kansas; Charles A., who is engaged in the grocery business at El Dorado; Harry R., who was a railroad man and was killed in Denver; John M. operates the home place; Gertrude married Gus Benjamin, Kokomo, Ind.: Emma and Mamie reside at home; Burton and Louis died in infancy.
While living in McPherson county Mr. Waldorf took quite an active part in politics and served as township trustee and held other offices of trust and responsibility. He has been a life-long Republican, and is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic; Lew Wallace Post, El Dorado; and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is also a member of the Christian church. Mr. and Mrs. Waldorf are one of the pioneer couples in Butler county, and can relate many interesting incidents of pioneer life on the plains when they first came here in 1870. At that time the country was new and frontier conditions prevailed to a great extent. Wild game was plentiful and wild turkey and prairie chickens were just common every day articles of food. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 712-714)
S. Shaffer, a prominent stockman and farmer of Benton township and early settler in Butler county, is a native of Ohio. He was born in Starke county, and is a son of Conrad and Sarah Shaffer. His father died in early life leaving four children, two of whom are now living: S., the subject of this sketch, and Oliver, who now resides at Forgan, Okla. The mother married again in Ohio, to M. W. Priest, and in 1870 the family came to Kansas and located in Benton township, Butler county, where they pre-empted 160 acres of land. When they came here Emporia was the nearest railroad point, and Wichita was just in its initial stage There were only two little stores there and only two long cabins between Benton and Wichita.
Mr. Shaffer began life for himself in 1877 when he bought a claim of 160 acres, for which he paid $50. After farming for a short time he sold his place at a good profit, and bought 160 acres in Towanda township, and now owns 320 acres, which constitute one of the finest farms in Butler county, and which is known as the "Shaffer Stock Farm." Mr. Shaffer is considered to be one of the most successful farmers and stockmen in Butler county, having met with uniform success in that field of endeavor.
Mr. Shaffer was married in 1881 to Miss Sophrona Dunmire, a daughter of George and Anna Dunmire, of Illinois. Mrs. Shaffer has five living brothers, as follows: Robert, Seattle; James lives in Oregon; George, Iowa; Denton, Chandler, Okla., and William, Tulsa, Okla.
To Mr. and Mrs. Shaffer have been born the following children: Mrs. Elsie Poorbaugh, Zelma, Okla.; Edna, Mabel, Albert B. and Mrs. Ethel Boedecker, all living in the vicinity of Benton, Kans.
Mr. Shaffer lived alone on his claim in Benton township for the first five years, and endured all the hardships and inconveniences of pioneer life, and yet with it all, he enjoyed himself. Buffalo hunting was his favorite sport, and he has killed a great many buffalo on various hunting expeditions. Like all experienced buffalo hunters, he under-stood the habits and traits of those animals, and it is very interesting to hear him tell of some of the clever things which he gives the buffalo credit for knowing and doing. He says that large herds of buffalo were guarded by the buffalo bulls, after the plan of the picket line of an army, and sometimes this guard would be composed of several of these animals, who would frequently take up a position five or six miles from the herd, and when they saw any one approaching they apparently gave some sort of an alarm signal, and the whole herd would immediately sweep across the plains like the wind. One of the difficult problems, he says, of the buffalo hunter of the early days was to get by these guards or sentinels and get within the range of the herd to begin his execution.
Mr. Shaffer has
taken a commendable interest in local affairs and has given especial attention to the public schools, always having
been an advocate of good schools, and all his children have obtained good educations, and Edna and Mabel are teachers.
Mr. Shaffer served on the school board of his district for twenty-five years. (History of Butler County, Kansas,
by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 714-715)
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