Biographies of Woodson County, Kansas

WOODSON COUNTY, KANSAS

BIOGRAPHIES

JAMES HAMM (Sister of Sarah Elizabeth Hamm)

James W. Hamm, one of the enterprising young business men of Humboldt, was born in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, February 22, 1865. His father, William B. Hamm, (born 9 Aug 1832 D Clairon PA died 6 Nov 1887 Allen Co, KS) was also a native of the Keystone State, and was a carpenter by trade, following that pursuit for many years in Pennsylvania. In 1878 he removed to Kansas, locating on a farm five miles northwest of Humboldt, in Woodson County, where he carried on agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in 1887, when he was fifty-five years of age. His widow still survives him and is now living in Humboldt. She bore the maiden name of Catharine M. Servey, is a native of Clarion County, Pennsylvania, (b 30 Jun 1885 and died 21 Apr 1909 Yates Center KS) and was married in 1852. By their union were born six children, one of whom died in childhood, while five are yet living, namely: Mrs. Mary Weckerly, of Yates Center, Kansas; John C., one of the leading attorneys of Evanston, Wyoming; Sadie, (Sarah Elizabeth Hamm) now Mrs. (Millard) Kesterson, of Portland, Arkansas; James W. of this review and Albert, who is living with his mother.

James W. Hamm pursued his education in the public schools of Pennsylvania until fourteen years of age and only attended school for six months after coming to Kansas. He was, however, an extensive reader of newspapers, and thus in the evenings, after the day's work was done, became familiar with the events that mark the world's history. He worked upon the home farm until 1886, when, in connection with his brother, J. C. Hamm, he purchased the Allen County Courant, a Democratic paper published in Iola. They continued to issue that journal for two years, when they sold the plant to A. C. and W. W. Scott, who removed it to Oklahoma and established there the Oklahoma Journal. After disposing of his interests in that journal Mr. Hamm spent some time in travel and was for a short time a resident of Evanston, Wyoming, but in 1890 returned to Humboldt, and in that year was married. After his marriage he settled on a farm north of the city, and there still resides, giving a part of his time to agricultural pursuits in connection with other business affairs. He was for some years general agent for the Page Woven Wire Fence Company of Adrian, Michigan. In 1897 he engaged in the ice business, erecting a small plant which he operated in connection with an ice house on the bank of the river, the building having a capacity of seven hundred tons, which he fills with ice sufficient to supply a large patronage through the hot summer months. He has recently added to his manufacturing enterprises a sorghum mill and evaporator, which is operated by steam and has a capacity of two hundred gallons per day, also a hydraulic cider press, the name of the firm now being Hamm Bros. (Transcribed & submitted by Christine Walters)

SAMUEL E. HOFFMAN

Samuel E. Hoffman was born in Pennsylvania about 1835. He came to Kansas from Iowa, locating in Neosho Falls, Woodson county, in 1858, being the first lawyer in the county. He was a member of the Wyandotte constitutional convention in 1859 and was elected to the first state senate. He was also one of the agents appointed to select lands granted to the state by the general government, 1861-62. He is now a resident of St. Louis, Mo., and engaged in banking. (Transactions of the Kansas State Historical Society 1907-1908, Vol. X, edited by Geo. W. Martin, Secretary, State Printing Office, Topeka, 1908, page 239)

CALVIN ARTHUR DAVIS

The superintendent of the Cudahy Refining Company at Chanute, Kansas, Calvin Arthur Davis, is one of the sons of the Sunflower state who has worked his own 'way to position and independence. A product of the farm, when he started upon his career his equipment consisted of ambition, determination and good common sense, and these qualities he directed so well that he soon became recognized as a man from whom large things could be expected. Promotion naturally followed, and his career has since been one of constant advancement.

Mr. Davis was born on a farm south of Fort Scott, in Bourbon County, Kansas, August 24, 1880, and is a son of Calvin and Hattie H. (Peterson) Davis. The family came originally from Wales and settled in Virginia, during the Colonial era, later branching out to Kentucky and other southern states. Luther Davis the grandfather of Calvin A., was born in 1815, in Kentucky, and prior to the Civil war was a planter and slaveholder near the city of Lexington. From Kentucky he went to Cumberland County, Illinois, where he farmed until the spring of 1877, at that time coming to Kansas and homesteading a tract of 160 acres of land in Butler County. There he passed the remaining years of his life in agricultural operations, becoming one of the substantial and highly respected citizens of his community. His death occurred on his farm, in 1885.

Calvin Davis, father of Calvin A., was born on his father's farm near Lexington, Kentucky, and was educated in the public schools of Cumberland County, Illinois, to which locality he was taken by his parents when a lad of seven years. He was reared as an agriculturist and followed that vocation in Illinois until the spring of 1878, when he came to Butler County, Kansas, as a pioneer, and homesteaded 160 acres of land near Eldorado. He remained there for only two years, however, and in the spring of 1880 took up his residence in Bourbon County, near Fort Scott, where he bought a partly-improved property. This he farmed until 1883, when he made another move, this time locating in Woodson, near Toronto, where he has a well-cultivated tract of eighty acres. Mr. Davis is still actively engaged in farming and stock raising and is known as a practical and progressive farmer and as a citizen who takes an interest in the community welfare and assists in beneficial movements. He is a democrat, but has not held office, and his fraternal affiliation is with the Modern Woodmen of America. He has held a number of lay offices in the Christian church, of which he has been a member since youth. Mr. Davis was married in Cumberland County, Illinois, to Miss Hattie H. Peterson, who was born in that county in 1852, and they have had the following children: Luther, who resides in Woodson County and is a farmer; Calvin Arthur; Audrey, who is the wife of John Harris, an oil tank builder of Oilton, Oklahoma; Omar, who is engaged in farming in Woodson County, Kansas; Orian, also an agriculturist there; Louis, who likewise follows the vocation of farming in Woodson County ; and Mabel and Caroline, who reside near Toronto with their parents.

Calvin Arthur Davis received only ordinary educational advantages in the public schools of Woodson County, where he completed the eighth grade course. However, he has made the most of his opportunities, and through observation and reading has made himself a well educated man. He was reared amid agricultural surroundings, remaining on the home farm until he was twenty-two years, of age, but did not care 'for the life of a farmer and, accordingly, in 1902, came to Chanute, where he accepted a minor position with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. During the three years that he was identified with this line he was promoted several times, and in 1905 left the employ of the railroad to enter the service of the Kansas Oil Refining Company, with which he remained two years, gaining a good working knowledge of the refining business. In 1907 he entered the employ of the Chanute Refining Company, and steadily worked his way upward to the position of superintendent, which office he has held since May, 1914. The plant was purchased by the Sinclair Oil Refining Company, in June, 1916, and the name changed to the Cudahy Refining Company, Mr. Davis being retained in the capacity of superintendent, a position for which he is singularly fitted by training and experience. The plant of this concern is situated one and one-half miles south of Chanute, and has a daily capacity of 2,700 barrels, oil coming from the Oklahoma fields. Mr. Davis is the owner of his own residence, at No. 1302 South Forest Avenue, Chanute, and a valuable farm of eighty acres four miles south of Chanute. In politics he is a democrat, but has found his time occupied with his business to an extent that keeps him from taking more than a good citizen's interest in public matters. He is fraternally affiliated with Cedar Lodge No. 103, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and Chanute Camp No. 852, Modern Woodmen of America.

In 1904 Mr. Davis was married at Yates Center, Kansas, to Miss May Austin, daughter of Steve and Rachel (Rhoades) Austin. Mr. Austin, who was a farmer, is now deceased, but the mother still survives and makes her home at Toronto. Mr. and Mrs. Davis have two children: Fay, born April 21, 1907, and Clair, born August 11, 1910. (A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans, By William Elsey Connelley, Submitted by Barbara Ziegenmeyer)