ALLENDORPH, ARTHUR STELLE
Arthur Stelle Allendorph, who was
practically a life resident of Kansas was born at Boonesville, Missouri, October 17, 1867, and died at Alma, Kansas,
December 20, 1929. His father, Charles Wesley Allendorph was born in New York City, March 26, 1837. He was a civil
engineer who surveyed and built the Piasa Bridge, one and a half miles from Delhi, Illinois in 1862. The bridge
still stands in an excellent state of preservation. His death occurred at Kansas City, Missouri, March 7, 1923.
Martha Stelle, wife of Charles Wesley
Allendorph, was born in Delhi, January 20, 1845, and died at Kansas City, Missouri, August 13, 1930. She was of
Irish and French descent.
Arthur Stelle Allendorph attended public school at Lawrence, and was graduated from high school there in 1886.
The following two years he attended the University of Kansas. Following his schools days he came to Alma to take
charge of his father's pastures northwest of that city, and until his death made his home there. After some years,
he purchased this pasture land and engaged extensively in the cattle business. At the time of his death he was
one of the largest land owners and cattle operators in the state.
Outdoor life particularly appealed to him and although he came to Alma as a city boy, he became an expert cow-puncher.
He was never so happy as when his favorite cow horse and he could make their daily trips. He was keenly interested
in all the affairs affecting his community and took an active part in the Commercial Club in the Congregational
Church and in the Masonic order.
On June 18, 1901, he was married to Mamie Flinton, at Lawrence. Mrs. Allendorph, who was in business with her husband,
was born at Hyde Park, Vermont, October 23, 1871, of French and English ancestry. She resides at Manhattan.
Mr. Allendorph was a Republican. He served for two years as worthy master of the Masons, and was a member of the
Alma Commercial Club, and Modern Woodmen of America.
Quoting from the Alma Enterprise of December 27, 1929, we read: "The passing of A. S. Allendorph leaves a
vacant place in Alma that will be very hard to fill. He gave steady employment to six men and many more at special
times. Whenever the farmers northwest of town had an excess of feed of any kind they knew where to get the cash
for it. The small pasture owner could always lease to him at a fair price and he would see that their pastures
were filled. While his property and his activities were in the country, his home was in town and he never hesitated
to dig down in his pocket to help in every civic enterprise, and he always did it cheerfully and generously. He
was a citizen who did not shirk his responsibility in any way. While he was with us, we took all this for granted
and seldom gave him the credit that was his due. Now that he is gone, we will realize in the days to come just
what he meant to the community and how much he was really worth to the town and to the country about us. Men like
Art Allendorph are the exception and are not be found every day. We shall all certainly miss him."
Mr. Allendorph was the first man in Wabaunsee County to bring cattle to fatten in that section. He owned five thousand
acres and rented as much more, pasturing as many at 16,000 head in a season. He started feeding cattle in 1886.
He built the first rural telephone line out of Alma in 1904 and in that year established the first rural free delivery.
(Illustriana Kansas, by Sara Mullin Baldwin & Robert Morton Baldwin, 1933, pages 28 & 30)
JOSIAH M. HUBBARD
Josiah M. Hubbard, was born in Connecticut July 16, 1832. He was educated in the public schools and in 1856 came
to Kansas, a member of the famous Beecher Rifle Company. He was president of the first town company of Wabaunsee,
where he settled, and was a member of the first state senate. When the civil war came on he enlisted in the Eleventh
regiment of Kansas volunteers and was mustered in September 15, 1862, as first lieutenant of company K, serving
until the company was discharged, September 13, 1865. he left Kansas immediately thereafter, returning to Connecticut,
where he has since resided and where he has held various public offices, being a trustee of the State Agricultural
College for many years; he was also a member of the state legislature of 1886, serving as chairman of the committee
on agriculture and a member of the committee on judiciary. He is now member and secretary of the State Board of
Mediation and Arbitration. Mr. Hubbard has been twice married, first to Miss H. E. Fairchild, July 6, 1863, who
died in 1867. His second wife died in California in 1899, after prolonged ill health. He resides at Middletown,
Conn. (Transactions of the Kansas State Historical Society 1907-1908, Vol. X, edited by Geo. W. Martin, Secretary,
State Printing Office, Topeka, 1908, page 238)
FRED SYMES
Fred Symes, for a number of years a farmer and
cattleman, and now a real estate dealer, was born near Topeka, August 9, 1869, son of Edwin and Adella (Miller)
Symes. The father, who was born in Somersetshire, England, October 30, 1844, came to America in 1860. He crossed
the Atlantic five times. He served with the 76th Illinois Volunteer Infantry during the Civil war, and died at
Harveyville, Kansas, January 3, 1923. Adella Miler who was born at Long Point, Illinois, August 8, 1851, died at
Harveyville, on November 14, 1882. She was descended from early German settlers in Pennsylvania.
Fred Symes attended public school and business college, and on May 18, 1892, was married to Ella McMillen at Harveyville.
She was born in Washington, Pennsylvania, April 20, 1862, and is of Scotch-Irish extraction. There are the following
children, neva Jane, born July 22, 1894, who is married to L. R. Shackelford; Don Edwin, February 20, 1898, who
is married to Addie Nunemaker; Quinn, December 6, 1901, who died November 30, 1913; and Clad, July 10, 1904, who
died January 3, 1909. For 12 years, Neva was associated with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. Don Edwin
is a graduate of Kansas University and for the past five years has been connected with the budget department of
the state of Kansas.
A Republican, Mr. Symes, has been mayor of Harveyville for three terms. From 1896 until 1906 he was a member of
the district school board and for the past five years has been a member of the Masons. He is a former member of
the Young Men's Christian Association and the Red Cross. He is a present member of the Wabaunsee County Commercial
Association. He is a Protesant. Residence: Harveyville. (Illustriana Kansas, by Sara Mullin Baldwin & Robert
Morton Baldwin, 1933, page 1140)
