Sumner County, Kansas
Obits
WELLINGTON---Pearl McBride, 91, homemaker, died Thursday. Service 2 p.m. Monday, Frank Funeral Home.
Survivors: husband, Charles; son, Dean of Mayfield;
daughters, Pauline Crawford of Wichita, Mary Tallman of Oxford. Memorial has been established with First United
Methodist Church, Wellington, Building Fund.
(Wichita Eagle-Beacon ~ Sunday ~ 25 October 1981)
Word was received by relatives in this area Saturday that Mrs. Ada Hartley Stambaugh had passed away on that day, March 11, at a Nurshing Home in Wellington, Kansas, at the age of 83 years.
Mrs. Stambaugh, a former Astoria resident, was the daughter of Ely {Eli} and Matilda Hartley. She was married to Frank B. Stambaugh, who is deceased.
Surviving are a daughter, two sisters, Lucy Van Antwerp of Knoxville and Mrs. Berta Pyle of Ozark, Mo., several nieces and nephews. Three brothers and two sisters preceded her in death. (Astoria Argus clipping, Astoria, Il. abt. March 11, 1958, submitted by Sara Hemp)
Died: - Sunday morning May 17th, after one days
illness, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. E.E. Crouch, aged 2 years and 2 months. This is a very severe blow to these
worthy people who located in our midst only a few months ago. The sympathies of the entire community are with them
in their sad bereavement. (Belle Plaine News, Sumner County, Kansas), June 2, 1883)
MENDENHALL,
MRS. HIRAM
Mrs. Mendenhall, wife of Hiram Mendenhall, died Monday morning last and buried in the Zimmerman cemetery Tuesday afternoon. A large concourse of relatives, neighbors and friends followed her to her last resting place. She was 54 years of age and had been ill more or less for a year past. (Belle Plaine News, Sumner County, Kansas), June 2, 1883)
SPACE, CHARLES DILL
Charles Dill Space was born in Sussex county, N.J., on January 12, 1848. He grew to manhood in the east, coming
west to Kansas for the first time in 1873. Shortly afterward he returned east for a while, but the lure of the
west was too strong for him and he came back to the great middle-west, locating in Missouri.
He was united in marriage to Ollie Haley on October 15, 1888, at Belton, Mo., where the home was made for 5 years,
then moving to Sumner County, Kansas, where the home has since been established. To this union seven children were
born, all of whom are still living, and were present at the funeral services.
Mr. Space was converted, baptized and united with the First Baptist Church of Wellington on February 11, 1915,
in which church he was a member to the time of his death. He had been in failing health for the past two years,
and the end came suddenly on Thursday, May 27, 1926, at the age of 78 years, 4 months and 15 days.
He is survived by the widow, Mrs. Ollie Space and the seven children: Earl W. Space, Belen, N.M.; Frank C. and
Robert H. Space, both of Kansas City, Kans.; Otis J. Space, Hutchinson; Mrs. C.E. (Maude) Shafer, Milan; Dewey
Space and Juanita Space, Wellington. There are ten grandchildren and one niece, Mrs. Frank Ellis, Bayonne, N.J.
Funeral services were held at the home on North Jefferson Saturday afternoon at 4 o’clock in charge of the Rev.
James Fisher pastor of the First Baptist church. A mixed quartet made up by Mrs. H.L. Claytor, Mrs. A.W. Lynn,
Arthur Dinan and Hugh S. Englehardt sang by request “The Old Rugged Cross” and “Beautiful Isle of Somewhere.” Mrs.
C.P. Bauer played at the organ. (Submitted by Della M. Shafer)
SPACE, MRS.
OLLIE A.
(From a Wellington, Kansas newspaper. Died 23 December 1957)
Aged Wellington Woman Dies Monday
Mrs. Ollie A. Space, 88, of 305 E. Harvey avenue, a resident of Wellington for 57 years, died in a local hospital
Monday afternoon about 2:30 o’clock following an extended illness.
She was born March 6, 1869 in Junction City, Kas., and was a member of the first Baptist church of Wellington.
Survivors include two sons, Robert of Sacramento, Calif., and Dewey of Dallas, Tex.; two daughters, Mrs. Robert
Hill, 339 N. Hydraulic, Wichita, and Mrs. Clifton Shafer, Milan, Kas.; also 18 grandchildren and 40 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday at 10 a.m. from the Frank funeral home with the Rev. Bruce Currier, pastor
of the First Methodist church, officiating. Burial will be in Prairie Lawn cemetery.
Friends may call at the funeral home on Wednesday evening.
Interment followed in the Prairie Lawn cemetery, the pall bearers being members of the Baptist Church: J. Harris
Carr, J.W. Palmer, J.M. Gressel, Dr. C.B. Mendenhall, Geo. H. Hitchings and Joseph M. Hitchings. (Submitted by
Della M. Shafer)
SHAFER, A.
W.
A. W. SHAFER OBITUARY
A. W. Shafer, pioneer Kansan of Milan, Kas., who was laid to rest in Milan cemetery Thursday afternoon, May 17,
following an impressive service in the Baptist Church at :30 o'clock. Conducting the service was Rev. A. B. Kirk
of Wichita, pastor of the Conway Springs Baptist Church. Good old-fashioned hymns, which Mr. Shafer loved, were
used in this service.
Miss Nellie Hussey, Miss Thompson, Dr. Gillis and Rev. Mordy sang a quartet arrangement of "Where We Will
Never Grow Old," "Death Is Only a Dream," "The City Four-Square." Miss Dola Hussey was
at the piano. Friends of long standing carried him to his last resting place. Theo. Sappenfield, Claude Smith,
W. J. Wood, I. B. Zook, Elmer Hussey and Chas. Jeffries were the pall-bearers.
Alonzo Wallace Shafer was born in Monroe County, Iowa, November 1, 1851, and died May 15, 1928, at the age of 76
years, six months and 14 days. He was married to Lozina Elizabeth Watkins, November 11, 1875. To this union were
born seven children, three having passed away in childhood.
Mr. Shafer was converted and united with the Pleasant Corners, Iowa, Baptist Church in 1876. They came to Kansas
in the spring of 1878, settling on the farm east of Milan, although at that time there was no town here and the
closest railroad town was Wichita. The lumber for their first house was hauled from Wichita. In the early days,
Mr. Shafer carried mail by horseback from Caldwell to Milan. Vivid impressions of the grasshopper year and Indian
raids and signs of the buffaloes formed part of his memories. His friends often heard him tell of these things
and certainly enjoyed it too, hearing of these early events.
The Milan Baptist Church was organized at Mr. and Mrs. Shafer's home and they were charter members. The following
relatives survive: his wife, Lozina Elizabeth Shafer; his children: Mrs. Eva M. Holman, Sharon, Kas.; Joseph Elmer
of Conway Springs; Clifton Edgar of near Milan; Miss Emma at home; eight grandchildren: Alden Shafer, Conway Springs;
Lloyd Shafer, Milan; Lozina, Josephine, Victor, Vernon and Vade Holman and Mrs. Lena Holman Rucker of Sharon; and
two brothers, George of Leoti, Kas., Joseph of Vernon Center, New York, and a sister, Mrs. Rose Walker, Turlock,
Calif. (Submitted by Della M. Shaffer)
ORR, MARY JANE
The Wichita Eagle, Monday Morning February 19, 1923
Dies AT AGE OF 83
Mrs. Mary Jane Orr, Pioneer Kansan, Passes Away Here Sunday
Mrs. Mary Jane Orr, 83 years old died at the home of her son George Orr, 309 South Sycamore street, at 10:30 o'clock
Sunday night. George Orr is the owner of Orr's Book Store, 307 East Douglas avenue. Two other sons survive her,
Fred Orr, Conway Springs, Kan., and Frank Orr, 585 Maple Street, Wichita. Mrs Orr has been a resident of Kansas
since 1878. She was born in Richland Center, Wis. The body will be sent to Conway Springs for burial. Funeral services
will be held at the home of her son there Tuesday afternoon. (Submitted Della M. Shafer)
ORR, FRED CALVIN
The Wichita Eagle, December 1952
Fred Calvin Orr Funeral Thursday
(Special to The Eagle)
CONWAY SPRINGS, KAN., Dec. 30.-- Funeral services for Fred Calvin Orr, 86, who died at his farm home near here
Monday will be held at the home Thursday at 2 p.m. Rev. Charles Reagan, pastor of the Baptist church will officiate.
Burial will be in Spring Hill cemetery with Ebersole mortuary in charge.
Mr. Orr was born in Cisne, Ill., Jan. 24, 1867, and came to Kansas 74 years ago. He had spent the entire 74 years
on the farm where he died Monday.
Survivors include his wife, Margaret; two sons, John of Conway Springs and Howard of Detroit; one brother, George
Orr of Englewood, Calif., six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. (Submitted Della M. Shafer)
ORR, FRANK
G.
Conway Springs Star - May 1949
FRANK G ORR DIED IN WICHITA
Frank Gates Orr, aged 75, of 150 North Pershing, one of Wichita’s leading merchants and a resident for 50 years,
died at 7:40 p.m. Thursday, May 19, in Wesley hospital after an illness of a week.
He was founder and owner of the F.G. Orr Book and Stationery company, 118-20 North Topeka, and Orr’s College Hill
Book store, 2220-26 East Douglas. Born in Richland Center, Wis., Aug. 4, 1873, he was brought to Conway Springs,
Kan., as a child of two.
He grew up at Conway Springs and graduated from Cronin (should be Crane) college, moved to Wichita in 1899, and
soon became associated with the Tanner Book store. He went into the book and stationery business for himself in
1907.
The first Orr store was at 520 East Douglas. In later years he was in business in the third block on East Douglas
and the first block on North Broadway before locating at the present downtown site on North Topeka.
The College Hill store was opened in 1926. Both stores have been enlarged and improved several times since they
were started.
Mr Orr was a member of the Chamber of Commerce and of the Wichita Independent Business Men’s association. Active
in numerous civic affairs, he spent considerable time helping to establish and operate the Wichita Historical Museum
in the Forum.
He was reared on the farm 2 miles west and 1 ½ south of Conway Springs which was the home farm of his parents,
Mr and Mrs Gates Orr and on which was located the Cisne postoffice, one of those many rural postal stops established
over the country and served by pony star routes in those early days. The home is still occupied by Mr and Mrs Fred
C Orr.
Frank Orr once stated that he made the first purchase when a store was opened up in Northfield, now the southwest
part of Conway Springs, before the Mo. P railway came this far to establish the town of Conway Springs. The store
was located in what was also the Northfield postoffice at the place which was so long the Dautrich place where
Mr and Mrs T I Guest now live, two blocks south of the present band shell and across on the west side of the street.
Mr Orr, at his death still owned land southeast of Millerton where his wife was reared and where she also owns
some land. Mr Orr personally ran his big business in Wichita and made the trips to eastern markets to buy the big
variety of merchandise he carried.
Although always busy in the down town store, he delighted at any time to take time off to talk with his old friends
from this locality who dropped in to see him.
Surviving are his wife, Sarah Ethel, at home; a son, Leslie M. Orr, 233 North Holyoke; a daughter, Mrs. William
V. Hirth, 157 South Pinecrest; two brothers, Fred C. Orr, Conway Springs, and George Orr, Los Angeles; and four
grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Monday. (Submitted by Della M. Shafer)
ORR, MARGARET
(MRS. FRED C.)
The Conway Springs Star, Thursday, January 30, 1964
Mrs. Fred C. Orr dies at age 86; was pioneer here
The death of Mrs. Fred C. (Margaret) Orr, 86, at the county nursing home, Wellington, Monday evening marked the
passing of another of the pioneer citizens of the Conway Springs community.
She was born to Mr. And Mrs. George W. Thorpe [should be Thorp] January 14, 1878 in Wellington where the Wellington
Monitor-Press is now located. Her father operated a blacksmith shop less than a block of that home.
The Thorpes came to Conway Springs in 1886.
Margaret attended Mrs. Whitmore’s subscription school on North 8th street here, then the Conway Springs public
schools graduating with the first one-year high school class in 1892.
She attended Sumner County Normal at Wellington, and received her teaching certificate. She also attended Crane
College in Conway Springs. She was a popular teacher, first in the Leddy school, then at old Milton, and later
in the local public schools.
She was married April 14, 1894 [should be 1904] to Fred C. Orr, of another pioneer family who came here in 1878.
He died December 29, 1951 [should be 1952.]
Survivors include two sons, John C. Orr, Conway Springs, and Howard Orr, Royal Oak, Mich. The couple also reared
L. H. Hutchinson from the time he was five years of age. Also among survivors are seven grandchildren and 12 great
grandchildren; and her sister, Mrs. H. T. (Frances) Bentley, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Services for Mrs. Orr will be conducted by the Rev. Charles M. Fullinwider and the Rev. Seth Smiley from Ebersole
Mortuary chapel at 10:30 a.m., this Thursday, Jan. 30.
Music will be by Mrs. Charles Hanson, pianist; and Mrs. Melvin Shafer and Mrs. Richard Orr, singers. Casket bearers
will be Arthur Jones, Richard Orr, Charles Hanson, Melvin Shafer, Clarence Seiwert and Lloyd Goble. Interment will
be in Spring Hill cemetery, southwest of Conway Springs. Ebersole Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. (Submitted
by Della M. Shafer)
Hazel Walton Cleaver, , age 99, was born near Belle Plaine, Kansas on the farm homesteaded by her grandparents, Goldsmith Chandlee and Sarah Walton. She was the youngest of the seven children born to Jesse and Minnie (Kraft) Walton. An early memory was that of going to the polls with her mother and sister for the first national election in which women could vote. She moved to Wichita as a young adult and began her working career at Mrs. Stover's Candy Store. She soon took an opportunity to work for an independent oil operator and at the same time earned a degree from Franklin Business College where classes could be taken in non-working hours. Her thirty-seven year career in the oil business was spent working in independent oil companies and Superior Oil Company of California. When Superior moved its headquarters from Wichita to Denver in 1953 she went with the company and remained in Denver into retirement. She was a member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority and the Order of the Eastern Star. In Denver she was active in the Desk and Derrick Club and in the Women's Fellowship at the First Plymouth Congregational Church. Her free time was spent in travel, dancing, playing bridge, and following the Denver sports teams. Her conversation was laced with humorous anecdotes. In 2003 she moved to Georgetown Retirement Village in Wichita. She died on Jan. 12, 2009 at Harry Hynes Hospice Center, St. Francis Medical Center, Wichita. Graveside is 10:00 am, Saturday, Jan. 17 at Council Hill Cemetery where her parents, grandparents and all but one sibling are interred. Memorial to follow at Council Hill Christian Church in Peck, KS. Survivors include a niece, three nephews, three nieces by marriage and a number of great, great-great, and great-great-great nieces and nephews. Memorial in lieu of flowers with Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, 313 S. Market, Wichita, KS 67202. (Submitted by Kyle M. Condon)
Samuel Price is a native of Ohio, and was born in 1827. Was reared in the agricultural profession and obtained an academic education. He began farming on his own responsibility, at the age of eighteen and continued thirty years. In the meantime he was preaching, as local preacher. He came to Humboldt, Kan., in 1878, where he preached regularly three years, after which time he moved to Haysville, where he preached one year. He then came to Wellington, Kan., and took charge of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which capacity he has since acted as pastor. He has established two churches in Ohio and was instrumental in paying the debt of $3,000, which the Humboldt Church owed. The Methodist Episcopal Church at Wellington is now being improved by Mr. Price. He was married to Miss C. S. Alder, of Virginia, in 1849, by whom he has eight children - Alice F., S. Kate, Charles W., Viola V., Bertha C., Cora A, Maud A. and U. Fletcher. Mr. Price owns eighty acres of land in Greenwood County, Kan. Started even in life. He was at one time part owner and associate editor of the Barnesville Enterprise, acting in that capacity nearly three years. (Submitted by Kyle M. Condon)
Maude A. Price is head of the English Department of Southwestern College at Winfield, and had been active in educational and religious work in Kansas and elsewhere for a number of years. Her home had been in Kansas the greater part of her life though she was born near Barnesville, Ohio. She attended public schools in Ohio, but her higher education was obtained during her study in the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, and in the universities of Kansas, Wisconsin and Chicago. She is the daughter of Samuel S. Price. (Submitted by Kyle M. Condon)
Well Known Farmer Ends Life
S.O. Bishop, Pioneer Sumner County Orchardist Hangs
Self, Tuesday
This community was greatly shocked when it learned Tuesday that S.O. Bishop, 56 year old farmer and orchardist,
had committed suicide by hanging.
Ol, as he was known to everyone, was found hanging from a rafter of a barn at his home on the Pat Sutherland farm,
shortly after 9 o'clock, by his son, Oliver.
No reason could be advanced for the apparent suicide , except to say Mr. Bishop had been depressed over financial
matters and was not in the best of health. He moved about his home earlier in the morning and went out to the supposedly
to look after livestock. He was dead when discovered a few minutes later.
Mr. Bishop is survived by his wife and 10 children, seven boys and three girls. He was a native Kansas, having
been born near Mulvane.
In addition to his immediate family Mr. Bishop is survived by a sister, Mrs. Rose Duvall of Pensacola, Fla., a
brother, Net, who lives near this city, and another brother, Peter, whose address is not known at present. The
relatives have the sympathy of the entire community.
Funeral services will be held this afternoon (Thursday) at 2:30 o'clock from the Presbyterian church, conducted
by Rev. W.M. White. The Hatfield Funeral Home will be in charge. (Belle Plaine News, Sumner County, Kansas November
23, 1933 Submitted by Kisha Blair)
BISHOP, MARY JANE
Bishop Rites Set Today
Funeral services for Mrs. Mary Jane Bishop, 92, of Wichita will be held today (Thursday) at 2:30 p.m. in Hatfield
Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Gail Cross as officiating minister. Interment is to be here.
Soloist will be Rosalie Elston, with Seva Cheek, organist.
Acting as pallbearers will be George Shipman, Russell Bishop, Byron Smith, Robert Nelson, Kenneth Bishop and Harold
S. Bishop.
Mrs. Bishop died Monday, Oct. 6
She was born north of Belle Plaine on July 15, 1883, the daughter of James and Mary Sutherland.
She was married to S.O. Bishop on June 3, 1901, and they farmed for many years in this area. Mrs. Bishop moved
to Wichita during World War II to make her home.
Survivors include five sons, James of Belle Plaine, Everett of Sedgwick, Kan., and George, Marvin and Harold of
Wichita; and three daughters, Mrs. Rose Shipman of Belle Plaine, Mrs. Mary Nelson and Mrs. Hallie Norris, both
of Wichita. (Belle Plaine News, Sumner County, Kansas October 9, 1975 - submitted by Kisha Blair)
BISHOP,
STEPHEN OLIVER
S.O. Bishop Burial Here
Funeral Services for Stephen Oliver Bishop, 68, Maize, Kan., farmer, were conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday at Resthaven
Mortuary Chapel, Wichita, with the Rev. Leslie Heisz of the Maize United Methodist Church officiating. Burial was
in Belle Plaine Cemetery.
Mr. Bishop died June 1. He was born Mar. 4, 1907 at Belle Plaine.
Bishop was a member of Sedgwick Blue Lodge 139, Sedgwick Kan., the Wichita Consistory and Midan Shrine.
Survivors include his wife, Geraldine; a daughter, Mrs. Marcia Woodard, Wichita; his mother, Mrs. Mary Jane Bishop,
Haysville; five brothers, Jim, Belle Plaine, George, Everett, Marvin and Harold, Wichita; three sisters, Mrs. Rose
Shipman,. Belle Plaine, Mrs. Hallie Norris and Mrs. Mary Nelson, Wichita; and four grandchildren.
A memorial has been established with Riverside Christian Church, 1001 Litchfield, Wichita. (Belle Plaine News,
Sumner County, Kansas June 12, 1975 Submitted by Kisha Blair)
Copyright © 2009 to Kansas Genealogy Trails' Sumner County host & all Contributors
All rights reserved
