Biographies Miami County, Kansas

BIOGRAPHIES FOR MIAMI COUNTY, KANSAS

MORRIS CUNNINGHAM

Morris Cunningham, a thoroughly practical and enterprising general agriculturist and a pioneer settler of Kansas, cultivating a valuable and extensive farm, desirably located upon section 20, Osage Township, Miami County, Kan., handles upon his broad acreage some of the best stock in the state. Mr. Cunningham is, in the fullest sense of the word, a self-made man, who has with earnest purpose, untiring industry and sterling integrity made his way upward to a position of useful influence, commanding universal respect and esteem. Born in County Kerry, Ireland, in 1835, our subject was the son of honest, hard-working and upright ancestors, who, generation after generation, had lived and died in their native land, Old Erin. He received his education in the common schools of Ireland, and being in humble circumstances in life, early began to earn his livelihood. Although young in years, he developed ambition and a determination to rise in the world. America, the land of promise, was drawing to her shores the energetic and enterprising sons and daughters of old Ireland, and when Mr. Cunningham was only about fifteen years of age he, in 1850, embarked for the land beyond the sea. Safely crossing the broad Atlantic, our subject was in due time landed upon the shores of the shores of the Canadian Dominion.

After spending about two weeks in Quebec, Mr. Cunningham determined to make his way speedily to the United States, and crossing over into New York, remained in Ogdensburgh for some six months, finding ready employment in that locality. Continuing for about three years in the Empire State, our subject removed from Ogdensburgh to Elmira, where he worked as a laborer for a railroad corporation during the remainder of his sojourn in New York. In 1853, journeying to Indiana in the hope of receiving more profitable employment, Mr. Cunningham worked as a section hand upon a railroad and made his home in New Castle, Henry County, until October, 1857, when he emigrated to the farther west and located in Miami County, Kan. For some length of time he lived in Osawatomie Township and worked at any employment which he could find. With frugality and industry he managed to accumulate a small capital, and in 1857, buying a claim in Osage Township for the sum of $30, laid the foundation of his future success. In 1858 our subject settled upon his claim and with zeal entered into the cultivation and improvement of his land. After bringing a portion of the land under profitable cultivation, Mr. Cunningham sold one-half of his homestead for the eighty-acre tract where he now resides.

To the original acres of his valuable farm our subject, financially prospered, has since added until he now owns two hundred and thirty-three acres of some of the best land in Kansas, whose fertile soil annually returns him an abundant harvest. The farm has been liberally improved with excellent buildings, a comfortable and attractive dwelling, large and substantial barns and granary. While in New Castle, Morris Cunningham married Miss Mary Collins, a native of County Limerick, Ireland. Five children have blessed the union. George was the eldest born; Emma J. is the wife of John Chamberlain; William H., Annie and Kate complete the list of sons and daughters who gathered in the pleasant home. Independent in both local and national affairs. A participant in the struggles and privations of the early days in Kansas, Mr. Cunningham has lived to realize prosperity and to behold the rapid advancement of His adopted country and home state. Together with his good wife and intelligent family our subject enjoys the regard of the surrounding community, and is widely known as an excellent business man, a kind neighbor, sincere friend and loyal citizen. (Portrait and Biographical Record of Southeastern Kansas, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County, Chicago, Biographical Publishing Co. 1894, Page 171 - 172, Transcribed by Lisa Smalley)

JOHN HANNA

John Hanna, of Lykins (now Miami) county, was born at Indianapolis, Ind., September 3, 1827. He was the son of James Parker Hanna, who died August 312, 1839. The mother died in 1844. In 1846 John Hanna walked to Greencastle, Ind., with four dollars in his pocket. He graduated in June 1850 having worked his way through doing janitor and other service. He served three years as mayor of Greencastle. In 1857 he moved to Kansas. At the October election of that year he was elected to the house from Lykins (now Miami) county. He returned to Greencastle and resumed the practice of law. In 1860 he was a Republican presidential elector for the seventh district of Indiana, and voted for Abraham Lincoln. He was appointed United States Attorney for that state in 1860, and re-appointed in 1865, when removed by Andrew Johnson. He was a very vigorous lawyer and made much reputation in enforcing draft laws, revenue laws, and punishing acts of treason. He was a member of the Forty-fifth Congress. Mr. Hanna introduced the bill abolishing slavery in the territory of Kansas. He died October 24, 1882. (Transactions of the Kansas State Historical Society 1907-1908, Vol. X, edited by Geo. W. Martin, Secretary, State Printing Office, Topeka, 1908, page 211)

DAVID SIBBET

David Sibbet Miami county, was elected to fill the seat made vacant by the death of Hiram B. Standiford, and took the oath of office February 1, 1868. He was a native of Pennsylvania, and was born about 1829; was an early settler in Brooklin Scott township, Linn county, owning, in partnership with Zebulon W. Leasure, a general store there in 1855. Mr. Sibbet was the first postmaster appointed in Linn county, and served at Brooklin from 1866 to 1870, when the office was discontinued there and moved three miles east, to the railroad station of Barnard, now Boicourt. He went with the office and continued as postmaster until removed in 1898; elected county treasurer of Linn county October 6, 1867. He was a sergeant in company F, Second Kansas infantry, three months' service, and participated in the battle of Wilson Creek. (Transactions of the Kansas State Historical Society 1907-1908, Vol. X, edited by Geo. W. Martin, Secretary, State Printing Office, Topeka, 1908, page 207)

SIMPSON, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

Benjamin Franklin Simpson, was born in Belmont County, Ohio, in 1836. He received an academic education and took up the study of law, being admitted to the bar in 1857. In the spring of that year he came to Kansas, locating at Paola, where he opened a law office. He was elected county attorney in 1858, was a member of the Wyandotte constitutional convention, 1859, and a member of the territorial legislature of 1860. He was the first attorney-general of the state, but served only from February to July, 1861, when he resigned to enlist in the Fifteenth Kansas cavalry, where he served as captain of company C, and was promoted to Major June 7, 1865. He was a member of the senate of 1867-68 and 1877, and speaker of the house of representatives in 1871. He resigned from the senate in 1877, and in 1878 was appointed United States marshal for the district of Kansas, holding the office about eight years. He served as one of the Supreme Court Commissioners from 1887 til 1893. He was married in paola, March 23, 1862, to Augusta L. Redfield, of New York. (Transactions of the Kansas State Historical Society 1907-1908, Vol. X, edited by Geo. W. Martin, Secretary, State Printing Office, Topeka, 1908, page 268)

GREASON, WILLIAM D.

William D. Greason, editor and proprietor of the "Miami Republican," Paola, Kan., was born in Plainfield, Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, Aug. 20, 1859, a son of Thomas and Mary J. (Hale) Greason, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. The Greason family is an old established one in America, and was originally of Scotch-Irish descent. The Hale family is descended from German ancestors, the name having been originally spelled "Heil." Thomas Greason brought his family from Pennsylvania to Kansas in 1870, and located in Paola, Miami county. He was there engaged in the mercantile business until his death, in 1872. He was twice married. Two daughters survive from the first union. To him and Mary J. Hale were born four sons, all of whom are living.

William D. Greason was educated in the public schools of Pennsylvania until his family's removal to Kansas, and thereafter continued to attend school in Paola, until sixteen years of age, or in 1875, when he entered the office of the "Miami Republican," to learn the printer's trade. After having mastered the trade he began work as journeyman printer, also doing editorial work. In 1882 he bought a half interest in the "Miami Republican," and three years later bought the remaining interest; since when he has been its editor and proprietor. It is a weekly paper Republican in its politics, and has been so since it was founded, in 1866 It has been. very successful from both a financial standpoint and from its character as a carefully edited newspaper. Mr. Greason and his mother, now eighty-one years of age, reside together in Paola. In politics he is a Republican. He served as postmaster of Paola from November, 1889, to April, 1894, and from July, 1898, to April, 1903. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Woodmen of the World, and is now serving as a member of the state conservation committee. (Kansas Biography, Part 2, Vol. III, 1912, Page 837, Transcribed by Millie Mowry)

SPONABLE, FRED THATCHER

Fred Thatcher Sponable, president of the Miami County National Bank of Paola, was born at Gardner, Johnson county, Kansas, Jan. 25. 1866, a son of John Warren Sponable (see sketch). When he was seven years of age his parents removed to Paola, where he was educated in the public schools, and in July, 1887, when twenty-one years old, entered the employ of the Wyandotte National Bank, at Kansas City, Kan., as a clerk. Later he was promoted to the position of assistant cashier and continued in that capacity until 1889, when he went to Kansas City, Mo., and was engaged in the banking business there until 1891. He then came to Paola and served as assistant cashier of the Miami County National Bank until the death of his father, when he succeeded to the presidency, assuming the duties of the office on Jan. 9, 1900. The Miami County National Bank has been doing a successful banking business for over thirty-seven years and is recognized as one of the strong financial institutions of eastern Kansas. Mr. Sponable has served as its president continuously from 1900 to the present, and is also interested in other banks in Kansas and Missouri. His long experience in financial affairs, with a natural talent and foresight, has qualified him for the position he holds. He is conservative without being non-progressive, knows when the bank's interests require him to say "no" to a proposition, and is always on the alert to advance the interests of the stockholders and depositors, realizing that their welfare mutually depends upon a well conducted financial institution. Politically he is a Republican, but has not been an aspirant for public honors and is liberal in his views. Genial in disposition and reliable in business affairs, Mr. Sponable commands the friendship of a large number of people in Miami county and the confidence and esteem of all who know him. (Kansas Biography, Part 2, Vol. III, 1912, Pages 897-898, Transcribed as written by Millie Mowry)

SWATSZEL, WILLIAM HUDSON

William Hudson Swatszel, president of the Inter State Mortgage Trust Company, at Parsons, was born Dec. 7, 1858, at Westport, Mo., now a part of Kansas City. His father, Alfred B. Swatszel, a Tennesseean by birth, was the son of Peter Swatszel, who was born in Germany and immigrated to America, settling first in Tennessee, from whence he removed to southwestern Missouri, where he spent the remainder of his days in the town of Sarcoxie. Alfred Swatszel was reared on a Missouri farm. In 1856 he located at Westport, Mo., where he married Miss Anna Hudson, a daughter of Selah Hudson, a native of Ohio. Mr. Hudson was a pioneer resident of Westport, where he served as postmaster for a number of years, and where he died. In 1861 the parents of our subject removed to Kansas and located on a farm in Miami county, two miles south of Paola, where they spent the remainder of their days, the father's death having occurred when sixty-four years of age, and that of the mother at the age of forty-five. Three of their children grew to maturity, William H. being the eldest. He was reared on the Miami county farm and obtained his education in the country school near his home and at the normal school at Paola.

He initiated his business career as a clerk in a drug store at Paola, where he remained two and a half years and then, in January, 1884, became special agent for the Home Insurance Company, with headquarters at Parsons, where he has since resided. In 1885 he engaged in the real estate business, which line of endeavor claimed his attention until April, 1893, when he was appointed by President Cleveland as deputy internal revenue collector for the Third Congressional district of Kansas and the Indian Territory, which position he held until August, 1897. In 1898 he took charge of the Inter State Mortgage Trust Company's business at Elreno, Okla., where he remained two years. He then returned to Parsons to become manager of the company and soon afterwards was elected president. He is a stanch adherent of the Democratic: party and is a prominent worker in that party's behalf in Parsons. He affiliates fraternally with the Knights of Pythias, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He has taken a prominent part in the affairs of both the Knights of Pythias and Elks orders in Kansas. In the former fraternity he has served in all the chairs of the local and grand lodge, and was grand chancellor commander of Kansas in 1896. He has also served in all the offices of the Elks order for Kansas, and has served two terms as a member of the national committee on appeals and grievances.

In 1883 Mr. Swatszel married Miss Flora E. Quinn of Paola, Kan. They have one son; Erle M., who is married and resides in Parsons and travels in the interest of the Inter State Mortgage Trust Company. (Kansas Biography, Part 2, Vol. III, 1912, Pages 845-846, Transcribed as written by: Millie Mowry)