Biographies Index

BUTLER COUNTY, KANSAS

BIOGRAPHIES

PROSSER, EDWARD

Edward Prosser was born in Butler county in January, 1873, and is a son of James and Susana Prosser, pioneers of Butler county, who came here in 1871. They were pioneer settlers of Union township, and two children of the family survive, as follows: Edward, the subject of this sketch, and L. L., of Latham, Kans. The father was a successful farmer and stockman, and died in November, 1914, and the mother now resides on the old home farm with Edward. She is an interesting pioneer woman, and talks entertainingly of early day events; she possesses a rich store of reminiscences. She says that her trip with her husband, from Emporia to Butler county, was her wedding tour, and was made across the plains in a lumber wagon. She recalls the first cyclone which she experienced in Butler county, and says that the next day after the storm everybody began to dig cyclone cellars. Mrs. Prosser bore the maiden name of Anderson, and is a descendant of a prominent family. After the Prosser family settled in Union township, Indians were quite plentiful in that section, and they frequently called at the Prosser home, begging for food, which was a common custom of the noble red man in the early days.

While Edward Prosser is comparatively a young man, he remembers many of the early day incidents of Butler county, which took place when he was a child. At a very early age, he began herding cattle and horses on the home place, and became accustomed to the saddle shortly after he had graduated from the cradle. He remembers when wire fences were introduced, and says the first one he ever saw consisted of just one wire. When he was a boy, they frequently had to go as far as eighteen miles for fire wood. The father bought an acre of timber land on Grouse creek, which was eighteen miles away, and all of the timber which he could not saw into lumber, he hauled home for fire wood. The frequency of early day prairie fires kept the trees killed, and wood was very scarce. The father first settled on 120 acres of land, upon which he built a small house, hauling the lumber from Emporia. He began farming and stock raising in a small way, and gradually prospered, buying more land as he was able, and at the time of his death, he owned 350 acres. Edward bought the home farm after his father's death, and now owns over 800 acres, and is one of the large cattlemen of Union township. He is a progressive business man, and knows the cattle business from beginning to end, having made a life study of that industry.

In April, 1899, Mr. Prosser was united in marriage to Rhoda Bogue, a daughter of L. L. Bogue of Beaumont, Kans. Mr. Bogue came to Kansas in 1878, first settling in Pottawatomie county. In 1891, he came to Butler county, and settled near Beaumont, and now lives at Greenwich. His wife is now deceased. The following children of the Bogue family are living: Mrs. Minnie Canfield, Clare, Mich., and Rhoda, wife of Edward Prosser, the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Prosser received her education in the public schools, and walked three and one-half miles to attend school. That was a time when physical training was unnecessary in the schools, as the pupils got all necessary exercise walking to and from school. To Mr. and Mrs. Prosser, have been born two children: Edith and Wesley, both of whom are attending school. The Prossers are prominent in the community and rank among the leading pioneer families of the State. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 739-740)

ERICKSON, JOHN

John Erickson, owner and proprietor of "The Triangle Ranch," which is located in Union township, is one of the largest land owners, and most extensive stockmen in Butler county Mr. Erickson was born in Gotten-berg, Sweden, May 2, 1851. He received his education and grew to manhood in his native land. One of his ambitions, when he was a boy, was to get into the cattle business. He thought so much about that line of industry that at night he dreamed of it. In 1871 he immigrated to America and settled at Emporia, Kans. A few years after coming to this State, he bought 320 acres of land in Chase county. When he came to this country, he could not speak a word of English and he had only 50 cents in money. He came to Butler county and began to buy land, and engaged in the cattle business extensively. He now owns 7,000 acres, and in addition of that vast tract, he rents 11,000 acres for pasture land. Mr. Erickson handles about 3,000 head of cattle annually, and is probably the largest individual cattle raiser and feeder in Butler county. He generally markets his stock in Kansas City and St. Joseph. His son, R. B. Erickson, is also an extensive cattleman and was in the West, engaged in that business for five years, and is now associated with his father on the "Triangle Ranch."

Mr. Erickson was married in 1883, to Miss Josephine Davis, a daughter of Joseph and Nancy Davis of Indiana. The Davis family came to Butler county in 1876 in a prairie schooner, and settled near Douglass, where the father bought 160 acres of land and engaged in farming. There were seven children in the Davis family, as follows: Mrs Mary VanPearce, Latham, Kans.; Mrs. Harriet Stocks, CJinton, Okla.; Reed R. Davis, Grandfield, Okla.; Mrs. Cynthis Citts, La Fayette. Ind.; Josephine, wife of John Erickson, the subject of this sketch; John Davis, Edmond, Okla.; and Joseph A. Davis, McPherson, Kans.

To Mr. and Mrs. Erickson were born two children: R. B. who is associated in the cattle business with his father, and John G., who is now deceased. He was a capable young man, and seemed to have before him a brilliant career, and was the pride of his parents. He died March 28, 1913 in the fullness of his manhood. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 740-741)

AMLONG, C. G.

C. G. Amlong, a prominent farmer and stockman of Hickory township is a native of Ohio. He was born in Youngstown in 1854, and is a son of James and Mary Amlong, natives of Pennsylvania. The family came to Kansas and located in Butler county in 1886. C. G. bought 160 acres of land in Hickory township. The parents spent the remainder of their lives in Kansas. The father was a Presbyterian minister and preached his first sermon at Hickory Center in the school house. He died in 1905, and his wife passed away in 1910. They were the parents of four children, as follows: C. G., the subject of this sketch; L. W., Braidentown, Fla.; Mrs. Myrtes Young, Los Angeles, Cal.; and Mrs. Wilda Thorp, Winfield, Kans.

C. G. Amlong has made farming the chief occupation of his life, and in recent years has met with well merited success. When he began farming on the home place in Hickory township, the land was unbroken. He lived in a two-roomed house at first and had a hard struggle against adverse conditions. He worked for fifty cents per day and stacked grain for a dollar per day. During the first few years crop conditions were bad and he did not produce enough from his farm to live on, and feed his horses and cattle, but the family managed to get along from the little income from butter, eggs and chickens and with the money that he earned at whatever work he could find to do. Finally prosperity came and for a number of years he has been one of the well-to-do men of Butler county. He raises cattle extensively, as well as following general farming.

Mr. Amlong was united in marriage in 1875, to Miss Idelia Scroggy, a daughter of Israel and Martha Scroggy, of Iowa. The father was a native of New Jersey and the mother of Illinois, and the latter was a relative of the late General Bragg, of Civil war fame. Mrs. Amlong has three brothers living, as follows: Frank Scroggy, Waterloo, Iowa; Butler Scroggy, Wichita, Kans., and Mark Scroggy, Waterloo, Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Amlong have been born the following children: Mrs. Rose Bereman, Leavenworth, Kans.; Mrs. Martha Hall, Rosalia, Kans.; Mrs. Oral McQuirk, Zeal, S. D., and Harry, Latham, Kans. The girls have all been school teachers and the son is at home, associated with his father in the conduct of the home place.

Mr. Amlong is a Republican and for a number of years was active in the councils of that party, and seldom missed attending a convention. He was never too busy to get on his horse and "round up the boys" at election time. His home is known far and wide as one of the hospitable places of Butler county, and is not only a home for preachers but for politicians, as well, and one is just as welcome as the other. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 741-742)

CLARK, WILLIAM A.

William A. Clark, a successful farmer and stockman of Bloomington township, is a Butler county pioneer and has been a resident of Kansas for forty-five years. He is a native of England, and was born in 1842, a son of William and Mary Clark. He received his education in his native land, and in his youth, learned the carpenter trade. In 1864, he emigrated from his native land to Canada. Two years later, he went to Cleveland, Ohio, where he spent about a year. He then went to Chicago where he worked at his trade until 1871, when he came to Kansas and lo-cated on a ranch in Sumner county. This was during the very early pioneer days, in the settlement of that section of the State, and Mr. Clark experienced much of real pioneer life.

The settlers in Sumner county had to haul all their supplies from Emporia at that time ad the trip required six days. Mr. Clark made this trip several times, and it was usually a dangerous, as well as a disagreeable journey. The country was infested by bad men, and not overly friendly Indians; and the winter seasons were susceptible to the treacherous blizzards of the early days. Mr. Clark being a carpenter says that on more than one occasion, he has made coffins for men who were killed by accident or otherwise along this trail. On one occasion a band of about a thousand Indians camped two miles from the freighters' camp, Mr. Clark being one of the freighters. He says they were suspicious of the Indians, and kept their horses saddled all night, ready for a hasty retreat if they were attacked by the Indians, but it seems they were not molested.

In 1880, Mr. Clark came to Butler county, and bought 120 acres of land in Bloomington township, where he engaged in farming and stock raising. He has added to his original purchase, and now owns 453 acres of one of the best improved farms in the county. He is a successful stockman and is an extensive feeder, and is well known in Butler county as a breeder. His place is very advantageously situated for the stock business, the Little Walnut river courses through his farm, and his land is not only mostly bottom land, but the stream affords excellent water facilities. He has over one hundred acres of alfalfa, and usually raises about the same number of acres of corn.

Mr. Clark was united in marriage in 1880, to Miss Margaret Gunn, a daughter of George and Isabel Gunn. Mrs. Clark is one of a family of four children, the others being as follows: Donald, Commanche, Okla.; William, Tonkawa, Okla.; and Mrs. Ella Keena, Mulvane, Kans. To Mr. and Mrs. Clark have been born the following children: William, Augusta, Kans.; Donald, Ringwood, Okla.; George, Augusta, Kans.; Mary B., and Charles, at home. The Clark family is prominent in the community where they reside, and among the representative families of Butler county.(History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 742-743)

BLAKEMAN, SIDNEY

Sidney Blakeman, of Leon, a prominent Butler county farmer and stockman, is a native of Illinois. He was born in Cook county in 1857. When he was a child his parents both died, and he was reared by W. H. Riggs of McLean county, Illinois. With the exception of an uncle who resides in Chicago, Mr. Blakeman has no known relatives who bear his name. When he was eighteen years old, he came to Kansas and located on 160 acres of government land in Elk county and three years later, or in 1878, he went to Wichita to the government land office and proved up on his claim, receiving his title. He immediately began pasturing cattle for numerous parties for which he charged a dollar per head for the season. In 1879, he pastured about 1,100 head of cattle. When he first located in Elk county he had many real pioneer experiences. His nearest neighbor was four miles away and he was fifteen miles from Howard City, which was his postoffice and trading point. His capital was limited and his supplies for the season were bought on credit, to be paid for when he collected from his pasture patrons. The first $10 which he received from his enterprise was from Aaron Plumb who sold ten head of steers and paid a dollar per head for their pasturage. Mr. Blakeman says he thought more of that $10 than of any money he ever saw, and that he put it in the family bible and occasionally would take a peep at it to see if it was still there. On October 10, 1879, he broke up the herd, the men for whom he was pasturing cattle came on that day and all paid for their pasturing, and at the close of the day Mr. Blakeman had $1,090. He invested this in 500 head of sheep. This proved a pro-fitable investment, and he was very successful in his sheep venture, with the exception that he lost a great many from the ravages of wolves, and in 1883, he came to Butler county and the following year sold his sheep and engaged again in the cattle business. He has, perhaps, pastured more cattle than any other man in Butler county since that time. In contrast to the early days it might be stated that instead of receiving $1 per head for the season he now receives $8, and has pastured as many as 1,900 head in one season. He owns 920 acres of land and operates several hundred acres which he rents. He has pastured cattle from Texas, Colorado and Utah. He and his son, on one occasion, went to Utah and loaded 1,400 head of cattle and shipped them to Pontiac and pastured them that season for $6 per head. This was in 1910, and in 1911 he pastured 940 head of cattle from Old Mexico.

Mr. Blakeman was married in 1878 to Miss Clara S. Peabody, a native of Illinois and three children were born to this union, as follows: Mrs. Olive Cline, Danville, Ill.; Guy, Leon, Kans.; and Roy, Danville, Ill. The mother of these children died May 3, 1915.

Mr. Blakeman made two trips to Kansas in the early days. The first time he rode on horseback from Saybrooke, Ill., and the second time, he drove a team of mules to a sleigh. He is one of the pioneers who has seen much development since coming here, and through industry and good business management, has succeeded to a remarkable degree, and is one of Butler county's substantial men of affairs. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 743-744)

CLARK, W.W.

W. W. Clark, a prominent farmer and stockman of Rosalia township, is a Civil war veteran and Butler county pioneer. Mr. Clark was born in London, England, September, 1846, and is a son of William and Dorothy Clark. The family came to America when W. W. was two years of age, and located in Lee county, Iowa. The father was a carpenter and worked at his trade there and in 1850 the family went to Illinois. Here W. W. Clark enlisted, February 29, 1864, and was mustered into the United States service as a member of Company D, Fifty-ninth regiment, Illinois infantry. He served with his regiment until the close of the war, and took part in a number of important battles and a great many skirmishes. After the surrender of Lee, he served in Texas until his dis-charge in 1866.

After returning from the army Mr. Clark located in Missouri where he remained until 1872, when he came to Butler county, Kansas, and homesteaded 160 acres in Rosalia township. He began life in Butler county under the adverse conditions of the average pioneer. He hauled lumber for his first home from Humboldt and was compelled to go fifteen miles for his fuel. The country was wild and unbroken when he came here, and game of all kinds was plentiful. He has seen herds of antelope and deer feeding in his wheat field. In the early days, he has fought prairie fires all night and day, without time to get food. When he settled on his claim here, he was practically without funds, fifty cents being all the money that he possessed. He worked for settlers in the neighborhood, sometimes over in Greenwood county, and took his pay in meal and other supplies, and between times would break a little prairie for himself. The grasshoppers of 1874 destroyed all his crop except a little patch of corn which he saved by setting fire to some dead prairie grass on the windward side of the corn and smoked the grasshoppers out of the corn field. That fall Mrs. Clark returned to eastern Kansas, and spent the winter with her parents, near the old Shawnee Mission in Johnson county. Mr. Clark worked in Kansas City that winter, hauling ice and saved quite a bit of money and in the following spring, returned to Butler county with his family in a prairie schooner, and was five days en route. The adversity of the first few years in Kansas soon became a matter of memory, and Mr. Clark is now one of the prosperous and substantial citizens of Butler county.

Mr. Clark was united in marriage May 10, 1872, to Miss Frances Ekenfelts, a daughter of Andrew and Sophrona Ekenfelts. Her parents were of German descent and died in Texas. They were the parents of the following children: Theodore; Frank; Joseph; and Mrs. Caroline Harnick, all residing in Dallas, Tex.; and Francis, the wife of Mr. Clark, who is the subject of this sketch. To Mr. and Mrs. Clark have been born the following children: C. S., a Methodist minister, Kildare, Okla.; Mrs. Mary A. Owens, El Dorado, Kans.; Edward, Marshall, Okla.; George, a minister of the Christian church, Randall, Kans.; Mrs. Viola McKill, Rosalia, Kans.; Lester, Rosalia, Kans.; Chesley, Springfield, Mo.; Mrs. Nellie Borger, Rosalia, Kans.; Harry, Rosalia, and Tillie May, Rosalia. The Clarks are well known and highly respected and rank among the leading citizens of Butler county. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 744-745)

THOMAS, J. H.

J. H. Thomas, a leading citizen of Hickory township, is a native of Ohio. He was born in Morgan county in 1848, and is a son of James and Margaret Thomas. The Thomas family came from Maryland, and are descendants of Irish ancestors. The parents spent their lives in Ohio, and in 1885, J. H. Thomas came to Kansas. He learned the carpenter's trade in early life, which has been his chief occupation. For a number of years, he has been in the employ of the railroad company, as carpenter, and in 1906, he bought 160 acres of land in Hickory township, which is operated by his sons while he is engaged in working at his trade.

Mr. Thomas was married, in 1875, to Miss Tobitha Johnson, a native of Ohio, and four children were born to this union, as follows: Charles M., who was accidentally killed on the railroad; Harley A., was drowned at Beaumont; Edwin and Edgar, twins. Edgar is in Topeka, employed in the general office of the Santa Fe Railroad Company, and Edwin, is employed by the same company in Kansas City. Ten years after her marriage, Mrs. Thomas died, and in 1889, Mr. Thomas was united in marriage with Miss Henrietta Smith, and they have two children, as follows: Mrs. Lulu M. Ohsner, Latham, Kans., and Clyde, Latham.

Since coming to Butler county, Mr. Thomas has taken an active part in local affairs, and has always co-operated with every movement for the betterment and upbuilding of the community. He has always stood for a square deal, and is regarded by those who know him best as an exemplary citizen. By his thrift and industry, he has accumulated a competence and can, if he so desires, spend his remaining days in ease and comfort. He has served as treasurer of Hickory township one term and refused to accept re-election to the office. He is one of the substantial citizens of Hickory township whose influence is for the better things of life.(History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Page 745)

CORRELL, M. E. MRS.

Mrs. M. E. Correll, of Rosalia township, is a typical representative of that noble band of pioneer women who played their parts so bravely in the early settlement of the then wilds of Butler county. She is a native of Kentucky, born in 1849, a daughter of William and Martha A. Woods, natives of Kentucky, and of Scotch and English descent. Mrs. Correll came to Butler county with her husband and parents in 1869, and they homesteaded 160 acres in Rosalia township. She was married in 1864 to James Correll, and the following children were born to this union: Mrs. Cordelia McGinley, Rosalia, Kans.; William, Loredo, Tex.; Charles, Rosalia, Kans., and Mrs. Myrtle Hurlbert, Hutchinson, Kans.

Mr. Correll was a successful farmer and stockman, and after passing through the early days of frontier vicissitudes and discouragements, he became one of the prosperous citizens of Butler county, and at his death, left a competence for those dependent upon him. He was a musician by natural instinct, and during the pioneer days, played the violin for the numerous dances that were held in the neighborhood in those days. Later he became a member of the Baptist church, and was by nature, a deeply religious man. He was a kind father and husband, and a good neighbor. He believed in the golden rule and appealed to the good that was in other men. He was patient and courageous, and, during the most trying times of the early days of discouragement, he was happy and looked on the sunny side of life. He will long be remembered as one of the pioneers of Butler county and a man of real worth. After her husband's death, Mrs. Correll sold the old homestead, and purchased a home in Rosalia, where she now resides, her granddaughter, Clara Correll, living with her. Her daughter, Mrs. Cordelia Mc-Ginley, owns the old homestead, which is located three and a half miles south of Rosalia. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Page 746)

BLANKINSHIP, D. R.

D. R. Blankinship, an extensive land owner and stockman of Rosalia township, is one of the early settlers of Butler county. Mr. Blankinship was born in Vermillion county, Illinois, February 24, 1844. He is a son of William C. and Almeda Blankinship, natives of North Carolina who removed from that State to Illinois at a very early day. D. R. Blankin* ship came to Kansas in 1869, and the following year homesteaded a quarter section of land in Rosalia township, filing on it May 10, 1870 He built a log house on his claim, 14x16 feet, using in its construction all the logs that he could find. Had he been able to find more logs, no doubt he would have built a larger house. His parents located in Rosalia township in 1870 and the father homesteaded 160 acres adjoining the claim of D. R.

When D. R. Blankinship came here, he was favorably impressed with the country, but his capital was limited and during the first few years progress was slow. He had a team of horses and shortly after coming here one of them died. He had no money to replace his horse, so he sold the other one, or rather traded it, taking a pig and a cow in part payment. During his first year or two here he worked out for other settlers part of the time, taking his pay in provisions. He started in the cattle business by buying calves. He next traded some of his calves for a team of oxen, but fate seemed to pursue his motor power, and one of his oxen was killed by lightning and, resorting to his usual remedy for a broken team he sold the other one the next day. Mr. Blankinship did the first plowing that was done in the township and also built the second house. In February, 1870, he sowed wheat and oats on the burnt prairie and turned it under. From this he reaped eleven bushels of wheat and twenty-five bushels of oats of good quality, to the acre. When the stage line was established from Ft. Scott to Wichita the stage station was established at Mr. Blankinship's place. They paid only after three months' service. A man by the name of Tom Taylor was carrying the mail and just before pay day Taylor skipped the country and failed to pay Mr. Blankinship for taking care of the horses for the quarter. He had his ups and downs in the early days but eventually he began to prosper and buy more land from time to time, until he has become one of the large land owners of Butler county, owning over 4,300 acres. He had been here just forty-three years, when he owned the above stated amount of land which is an accumulation of 100 acres for every year that he has lived in Butler county, which is not so bad. Mr. Blankinship has followed general farming as well as stock raising, and has been very successful in his undertaking. He now has most of his land rented, and is taking life easier than he did, during the strenuous pioneer days in this county.

Mr. Blankinship was married in 1864, to Miss Hannah A. Brown, a native of Indiana, and a daughter of Isaac Brown. Seven children have been born to this union, four of whom are living, as follows: Martin A., Charles A., LeRoy A., and A. Z., all residing in Rosalia township. During all the uncertain days of early Butler county, Mr. Blankinship managed to weather whatever storm or stress came. In 1874, he was made distributor of supplies sent to aid the settlers after the grasshopper devastation. He has always taken a commendable interest in local affairs and for good government of his county and State, but has never aspired to be a politician. He was constable of his township in 1872, and has served for a number of terms on the school board, always taking a deep interest in educational matters. Mr. Blankinship is a man who is held in the highest esteem by his neighbors and his many friends and acquaintances throughout Butler county. He is one of Butler county's substantial pioneer citizens, and is always ready and willing to further the best interests of his community. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 746-747)

GASKILL, MAY

Miss May Gaskill, the present efficient postmistress of Potwin, Kans., is a representative of that type of twentieth century women who are contributing their share to the efficiency of the business world. Miss Gaskill is a native of Pike county, Illinois, and a daughter of Samuel and Alice (Byram) Gaskill, both natives of Illinois. Samuel Gaskill was a son of John and Susanna Gaskill. He came to Kansas in the spring of 1887, and first located in Hamilton county, where he homesteaded land. Two years later, the family removed to Butler county, and settled in Spring township, where they remained about two years, when they located near Potwin, in Plum Grove township. Here they lived on a farm about eight years. The mother died in 1900. The father later removed to Augusta, and is now living retired in El Dorado.

Miss Gaskill is one of a family of four children, as follows: Harvey A., resides at Amber, Okla; Maggie, married R. E. Joseph, El Dorado, Kans.; Nettie, married E. E. McDowell, Verden, Okla., and May, the subject of this sketch. Miss Gaskill was educated in the public schools and worked at the printer's trade in the office of the "Augusta Journal," and later she worked in the office of the "El Dorado Advocate." In 1908 she returned to Potwin and engaged in the millinery business, and, in the meantime, had served as assistant in the postoffice at different times, when C. V. Cain was postmaster. In 1913 she passed the civil service examination, and, on April 4 of that year, was appointed postmistress, and has conducted the affairs of .that office in a manner that reflects great credit upon herself, and to the unqualified satisfaction of the many patrons of the Potwin postoffice. Miss Gaskill is a Democrat, and belongs to the Rebekah lodge, of which she is noble grand. She is one of Butler county's representative women. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 747-748)

COPPINS, CHARLES

Charles Coppins, a Butler county pioneer, now deceased, was born near Canterbury, England, September 7, 1829. He was a son of Thomas and Sarah Coppins, also natives of England, where they were farmers. The Coppins family immigrated to America in the fifties and settled near the town of Conesus, Genesee county, New York. The mother died in New York and the family migrated to Michigan a short time after her death and located near Hudson where the father spent the remainder of his life.

Charles Coppins was united in marriage at Mt. Morris, N. Y. June 4, 1859, to Miss Elizabeth Ather. She was born June 29, 1830, at Windy Nook, a small village in the northern part of England. She is a daughter of William and Jane (Somersides) Ather, both natives of England, and they were born near Durham, where the father was a quarryman in early life. Elizabeth Ather came to America in 1854, locating near Connors Lake, New York, where she met her future husband, Mr. Copptns. In 1866, they removed to Michigan, where they were engagd in farming until 1871, when they came to Butler county, Kansas, and homesteaded a claim in Plum Grove township, where Mrs. Coppins still resides. Charles Coppins, after having passed through the hard experiences of the early years in Butler county, became a successful and prosperous farmer. He was industrious and a valued citizen, honesty being the dominant trait of his character. He died in March, 1913. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and was a life long Republican. He held membership in the Methodist Episcopal church. To Mr. and Mrs. Coppins were born the following children: H. A., resides at Arnold, Kans.; Isadora, married J. M. Worley, Wichita, Kans.

Mrs. Coppins is a representative of the noble pioneer women of Kansas. In the early days it fell to her lot to be of more than ordinary service to the early settlers of Butler county. When a young woman she lived with the family of a physician in New York State for a number of years, and during that time had an opportunity to familiarize herself with the elements of medicine; and under the instructions of the doctor she be-came a very competent trained nurse, and acted in that capacity in connection with his professional work. When she came to Kansas, physicians were few, often from twenty to fifty miles away, and Mrs. Cop-pins was frequently called upon to attend the sick, and her presence was a Godsend in many instances. She has responded to calls at all times of day and night, and in all kinds of weather. She says settlers would frequently come for her with lumber wagons, and that riding over the trails was rough, but that was the order of the day. She built up a wide reputation in her work as a nurse and has frequently been called to El Dorado and even to Kansas City.

Mrs. Coppins deserves great credit for the part that she took in the early days in Butler county. She relates many incidents of the pioneer days, and the hardships that confronted the early settlers on the plains. On one occasion while returning from a visit to a sick neighbor, she was overcome by the cold, but fortunately had almost reached home before she became exhausted and her husband discovered her just in time to save her life, as she had already reached the state of stupor which immediately precedes death by freezing. She is one of the interesting old ladies of Kansas who has performed her part nobly and well in the development of Butler county. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 748-749)

GUINTY, MIKE CAPT.

The story of Captain Guinty, is the story of a boy who was left an orphan among strangers in a strange land at a tender age, and by his industry and personality, made his own way in the world from that time, and has always been a citizen of real worth and has reached a position of wealth and affluence. His record as a soldier is also characteristic of the man. Enlisting as a private in the ranks, his ability was soon recognized and he gradually rose, step by Step, until he became captain of his company.

Captain Guinty was born in Ireland March 19, 1842, and is a son of Patrick and Mary (Hendley) Guinty, natives of Ireland. They left their native land and immigrated to America when the subject of this sketch was a child. The family remained in Vermont for a time, when they removed to La Salle, Ill., where the parents both died, within a few months, from cholera which swept over that section of the country in the early forties. Mike Guinty remained in the vicinity of La Salle until he was eleven years old when he went to Chicago. His first job was a driver on the canal, and while thus engaged he became acquainted with a man named Jerry Dean, of Chicago, who owned and operated a number of canal boats. Mr. Dean became attached to the boy and took him to his home, and young Guinty attended school for two or three years in Chicago, making his home with Mr. Dean. At about the age of fourteen he left the Dean home and became a driver on the canal again at $15 per month. He says driving on the canal was not a bad place for a boy who was compelled to earn his own living. He next went to Rock Island, Ill. Times were very hard in that section then and work was scarce at even 75 cents per day.

Young Guinty remained in Rock Island and that vicinity until the Civil war broke out, and on July 15, 1861, he enlisted in Company D, Twelfth regiment, Illinois infantry. His regiment was under command of Col. John McCarther, of Chicago, at first. They were immediately sent to Paducah, Ky., under Gen. C. F. Smith, and joined Grant at Fort Donelson, remaining under his command until Grant was transferred to the Army of the Potomac and made commander-in-chief. Captain Guinty was with Sherman on the Atlanta campaign and the march to the sea, and immediately after the fall of Atlanta he was made second lieutenant. About that time, the sixteenth army corps, to which he belonged, was consolidated with the fifteenth and placed under the command of General Logan. September 7, 1863 Mr. Guinty was commissioned first lieutenant, and the following summer was commissioned captain, and took command of his company in that capacity before he was twenty-one years old. After participating in the grand review at Washington, he was mustered out of service and returned to Illinois.

A few years after the war he went to Iowa and was engaged in farming there until 1871, when he came to Kansas and settled on a claim in Butler county, locating on the northwest quarter of section 14, Fairmount township. He had saved quite a little money and came to Kansas with considerably more capital than the average settler had in those days. When he came he was accompanied by a man named Henry Robison. They came as far as Emporia by rail and they and another man drove southwest from Emporia to look the country over, with a view of locating, and on the entire trip from Peabody to where Wichita now stands they saw only one human habitation and that was a dugout. Wichita at that time had not attained the dignity of being called a town. It was a rough little frontier settlement of about 150 people, and this population was mostly made up of gamblers and a few wandering cowboys and frontiersmen. After locating his claim in Butler county, Captain Guinty re-turned to Iowa, and shortly afterwards came back to Butler county, which has since been his home. He started in the cattle business in a small way, first buying a herd of cows and engaged in the dairy business, and raised calves for a few years. He then engaged in the stock raising business and abandoned the dairy and fed for the market, usually handling from 200 to 500 a year. He bought land as opportunities presented, and now owns 960 acres of some of the best land in Butler county.

Captain Guinty was married in January, 1866, to Miss Sophia S. Wood, a daughter of W. A. and Sophia (Smith) Wood, natives of Cortland county, New York, who settled in Illinois at a very early date, the father removing to that State with his parents in 1835, when he was three years old. To Mr. and Mrs. Guinty have been born the following children: H. A.; Bessie E., married John Speir, Marion county; W. II.; Grace, married J. V. Leydig; Charles S.; Lena B. deceased; Hattie E., married Elmer D. Lambert, all of whom are prosperous and reside in Butler county, except Bessie E., who resides in Marion.

Captain Guinty has always taken an active interest in political affairs and has served as county commissioner of Butler county, and in the exercise of the duties of that office, the business of the county was given the same careful attention and efficient management that Captain Guinty gives his private business. Captain Guinty has many friends throughout Butler and adjoining counties, friends who hold him in the highest esteem. (History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 749-751)

KING, JOSEPH

Joseph King, of Plum Grove township, is one of the most extensive farmers and stockmen of Butler county. He belongs to that type of men who have built up a reputation for Butler county, as one of the prosperous and progressive counties of the great State of Kansas. He came to Butler county in the spring of 1886, with approximately $2,500 in cash, which he invested in a quarter section of land, and stocked it with a few head of cattle. He went in debt considerably, and met with more or less adversity, during the first year or two in Butler county; and in 1888, two years after coming here, he was $1,500 worse off than nothing. However, he was not discouraged, but continued to buy land. In 1889, he raised a good crop, but cattle and grain scarcely brought any price. Cows were worth only $15 a head, and two-year-old steers sold for $12 per head; and during that year he raised 14,000 bushels of corn. He has paid as high as eighteen per cent, interest on money which he borrowed. He now owns 2,400 acres of some of Butler county's best land, and his home is on the first quarter section that he purchased in Plum Grove township.

Joseph King was born in Springfield, Ohio, April 4, 1854, and is a son of William and Nancy (Hatfield) King, natives of Ohio and both descendants of old American families. The father was a school teacher in early life. In 1854, the King family removed to Tazewell county, Illinois, where the father engaged in farming and teaching school, and the parents spent their lives there. In his youth, Mr. King's oppor-tunities to obtain an education were limited. However, he succeeded in picking up the rudiments of an English education, but most of his time was devoted to the farm and stock.

Mr. King was married, April 1, 1879, to Miss Mary Roberts, a native of Missouri, who was reared and educated in Illinois. She is a daughter of Ellis and Nancy Jane (Musick) Roberts. To Mr. and Mrs. King have been born the following children: Clarence, Merton, Melvin, and Paul, all of whom are associated with their father on the ranch where they have all worked in harmony to one common end, which, no doubt, is one of the strong elements of success which has crowned their efforts. The King ranch is famous for its high grade horses and cattle. They usually have a large herd of shorthorn cattle and a great many Percherori horses are raised here.

When Mr. King was forty-two years old, he became affiliated with the Christian Church of Potwin. He is a man of deep, religious conviction and carries his Christianity into his daily life. He is a liberal supporter of the church. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Masons, Knights of Pythias, Royal Neighbors, Modern Woodmen of America, Rebekahs and politically is a Republican, although inclined to be independent.(History of Butler County, Kansas, by Vol. P. Mooney, 1916 Pages 751-752)