A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 102

Author: Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: New York Chicago: The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 970

USA > Kansas > A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I > Part 102

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In September, 1900, in connection with Paul Peters, he opened up a large agricul- tural implement business under the firm name of Miller & Peters, and in the spring of 1901 the present partnership was formed, the members of the firm being P. D. Miller, Paul Peters and A. H. Schmidt. The com- modious buildings occupied by this firm con- tain a complete stock of groceries, dry goods, hardware, farm machinery, harness, eic., and is a leading house in fine wagons and buggies and vehicles of all kinds.

Mr. Miller has been identified with the 1 usiness interests and public affairs of this locality very prominently ever since his lo- cation here. In politics a stanch Republi- can. in 1889 he was elected township trus- tee, and was re-elected in IS90; served as

township clerk in 1893-4 and for the past two years has been a member of the school board. The religious connection of the fam- ily is with the German Baptist church, to which he is a liberal and generous contrib- utor. Mr. Miller is justly regarded as one of the representative citizens of Ellsworth county, where he is held in the highest esteem.

J. S. ENDICOTT.

One of the enterprising and successful farmers of Galesburg township, Kingman county, is J. S. Endicott, who was born at Stanford, near Bloomington, in McLean county, Illinois, on the 17th of March, 1876. He is a descendant of an old southern fam- ily, his grandfather, Joseph Endicott, hav- ing been born in Kentucky and early in the history of Indiana emigrated to Posey county with his family and founded a home in the unbroken forest. His son, Henry Endicott, was also a native of Kentucky. but was reared in Indiana. He married Jane Calvert, who was a native of the Iloosier state and a daughter of Patrick Cal- vert, who was born in Vanderburg county, Indiana. Ten children were born to Henry and Jane Endicott, five sons and five daugh- ters, namely : Melinda; James C. ; Nancy ; Patrick ; Rebecca ; Henry; Mary Ann, since deceased ; Caswell; Samuel; and Sarah E. After the mother's death, which occurred in her fiftieth year, the father removed west, locating in Shelbyville, Illinois, and thence . he settled in Arkansas City, Cowley county, Kansas. He passed away at Ponea City, Oklahoma, at eighty-nine years of age. His political support was given the Democracy, and he was ever earnest and zealous in all inovements which tended toward the welfare and progress of the community in which he resided.

James C. Endicott, the father of our sub- ject, was born December 23, 1832, in Posey county, Indiana, and was reared on a farm, and in the schools of this county received his early education. He removed to McLean county, Illinois, and here married in 1856,

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at the age of twenty-three, Miss Elizabeth Neal, also a native of Posey county, Indiana. She is a daughter of Thomas and Nancy Neal, who make their home in McLean county, Illinois. Mrs. Endicott was the mother of four children : Thomas H., a resident of Galesburg township; Jenny, the wife of E. B. Long, also of Galesburg town- ship; Mattie Abbelena, who married Will- iam Wallace, of the same township; and James S., the subject of this review. The father came west in 1877 and purchased a tract of land in Galesburg township, King- man county, and is numbered among the pioneer settlers of this part of the state. The mother passed away in 1879, at the age of fifty years, in the faith of the Presby- terian church. In 1882, in McLean county, Illinois, J. C. Endicott was married a sec- ond time, to Martha E. McReynolds. She was born in Posey county, Indiana, and is a daughter of L.conard and Nancy Mc- Reynolds, both of whom are now deceased. Mr. Endicott has been prosperous during his life of labor, and the property now in possession of himself and children comprise seventeen hundred acres of highly cultivated land, modern residences, substantial barns and outbuildings, and groves and orchards of flourishing trees. The father was at the head of a Christian household, and all the family are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, whose lives are con- sistent with its teachings.

J. S. Endicott was reared and educated in Galesburg township, where early in life he learned lessons of honesty and industry. When twenty-two years of age he chose for a companion on life's journey Blanch L. Taylor, who has been to him a most helpful and loving wife. She was reared and edu- cated in Galesburg township, her parents being C. F. and Mary C. (Willingham:) Taylor. Mrs. Endicott was one of eight children, three sons and five daughters. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Endicott has been born one child, Bernice P. T., who was born De- cember 7. 1899.

Throughout his entire life Mr. Endicott has been a man of honor and integrity, and his present success is due to his energy, his

close application to duty and his upright dealings with all with whom he has been. as- sociated. The cause of education has always found in him a loyal supporter, and he has held the office of township clerk, also has served on the township board, and in every way lending his aid in the advancement and progress of his adopted county. In the political world he is identified with the Dem- ocratic party, and takes an active interest in the issues of the day. The homestead of three hundred and twenty acres, of which he is the owner, is one of the fine farms which beautify the county of Kingman. Everything about the place, from the com- fortable residence and substantial barns and sheds to the well tilled fields and verdant pasture lands, plainly indicate that a master hand has directed the operations of the farm and that success and prosperity will surely be the result of such well guided la- bor. Mr. and Mrs. Endicott have many friends in Kingman county, and are alike rc- spected and esteemed for their hospitality, geniality and high worth.

WINFIELD SCOTT FARIS.

Winfield Scott Faris, who is a member of the firm of Faris Brothers, farmers and stockmen, is one of the prominent citzens of Ellsworth county, Kansas, and resides on sections 4, 16 and 7, owning a ranchi con- sisting of fourteen hundred and eighty acres.

The Faris family originated in Scot- land, from which country some of its mem- bers fled to Ireland on account of religious persecution. About 1770 the family records tell of William Faris, who was the great- grandfather of our subject, taking his three sons-John, David and Adam-from Coun- ty Down, Ireland, and emigrating to Amer- ica, where they located in West Virginia. With William came two brothers, but ob- scurity has settled both upon them and their movements. Adam Faris became prominent in politics and was a member of the Virginia legislature, although the family has always

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been agricultural .. John Faris, who was the grandfather of our subject, was born in 1759 and married in Virginia, Agnes Stuart, who claimed ancestry from the noble line of that name in her native Scotland, where she was born in 1758. Her family came to America about the same period as did the Faris family. She was the eldest in a fam- ily of eleven children, and she reared twelve of her own.

Grandfather John Faris took an active part in the Revolutionary war. The chil- dren born to him and wife were as follows : Mary G., who married John Gaston ; Martha B., who married Gilbert Potter and was born at Fort Williamson, whither her mother had fled to escape the Indians ; Will- iam, who was born in 1793; Dorothy, who was born in 1796 and married William Gas- ton : Samuel, who was born in 1798; Nancy, who was born in 1800 and married Daniel Maxwell; Robert, who was born on Decem- ber 6, 1801, and was the father of our sub- ject; Sarah, who was born in 1803 and married Zephaniah Bell; John, who was born in 1805: Jane, who was born in 1807, married Joseph Finley ; Rosanna, who was born in 1812, married Samuel Maxwell; and Adam, who was born in 1813.

Robert Faris, who was the father of our subject, married first Margaret J. Irwin, and four children were born of this union: Nancy A., who married Silas Emmerson, both of whom are deceased, their descend- ants still living in Delaware county, Ohio; Arthur Irwin, who came to Kansas in 1859 and located in Ellsworth county in 1860 and died in June, 1872, from the effects of hydro- phobia ; Mary G., who married P. S. Cun- ningham, of Ellsworth county ; and Eliza J., who died in infancy; and the mother died in 1836. The second marriage of Mr. Faris was to Esther Maxwell, who was born in Ohio county, now in West Virginia, on July 29, 1805, and was married on April 6, 1837, the children of this marriage being as fol- lows: Henry V., one of the pioneers of Ellsworth county: George W., who was born on August 12, 1839. and was a soldier during the Civil war, being connected with Company I, Fourth Ohio; William H. H.,

of Faris Brothers, associated with our sub- ject in business, served during the Civil war in the Ninety-sixth Ohio Volunteers; Amzi, a farmer in Ellsworth county, was also a soldier in the Civil war, belonging to the Eleventh Illinois Cavalry; Margaret J., who married Theodore Ruth, lives in Pomona, California; Elizabeth, who married Samuel B. Holler, of Manhattan, Kansas ; and Win- field Scott, who is the subject of this biog- raphy.

Mr. Faris remained in Virginia until after his second marriage, in 1837, and then moved, by team, to Delaware county, Ohio, and located there, amidst the heavy timber. Here Mr. Faris cleared up a farm and until 1863 was engaged in farming. At that date he removed to Marshall county, Illinois, and there he died, in April, 1867. He was a mian of more than average ability, of pleas- ant personality, a fluent speaker and was active in public affairs. In politics he was formerly a Whig and then became a stanch Republican. He held to the old family re- ligion and during the greater part of his life was an elder in the Presbyterian church.

Until he had attained his majority our subject remained on the home farm, in Dela- ware county, where lie was born on Janu- ary 15, 1847. At the age of sixteen years the family removal to Illinois took place. and after the death of the father, Winfield and his brother William remained on the Illinois farm until 1872, when they fol- lowed their three brothers, H. V., Amzi and Irwin, who had gone to Kansas some time previously.

Our subject and his much attached brother started together with one covered wagon, drawn by six horses, crossed the Mississippi river at Burlington, Iowa, and the Missouri at St. Joseph, Missouri. After a journey of five weeks they reached the home of their brother Henry, and they im- mediately took up claims on Clear creek, but they never proved up on them. They soon became interested in live stock, herding and grazing, starting in a small way,-with but a few cattle.

At that period the early settlers took life much easier than was possible in later years.

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Then the complex elements which confuse social life and the economic problems which now cannot be ignored were unknown, and existence had a simplicity which was almost Acadian. While each was interested in the other, the pettiness and strife of later days were absent. Many of the first claims taken were allowed to revert to the government and this was the case with our subject and brother. In 1877 they located a claim on sections 28, 15 and 7, which our subject later "homesteaded." as the transaction was called, and there erected a house and broke seventy acres. He improved this property in many ways and lived there until coming to his present home in 1893, purchasing it in association with his brother, W. H. H.

Upon this fine property the brothers engaged in grazing and feeding and also in agriculture, cultivating some two hundred and fifty acres. They keep one hundred and fifty head of cattle, raising the most of them, their herds being of high grade, prin- cipally Herefords. They ship for them- selves some fifty or sixty head every year. Mr. Faris and his brother have an excellent stock farm on the Smoky Hill river. The residence, outbuildings and stockyards arc situated on a level tract of bottom land, some rods in width, lying between the river and a high, rocky bluff. In the solid rock of this' cliff, some sixty feet in height, are exca- vated three rooms, and one of these is util- ized as a spring house, with a never-failing spring, while one of the others is at present in use as a school-room. This excavation was not a natural formation, but was done by the former owner, who was an English miner and artisan. On account of this pos- session Mr. Faris is facetiously called "the cliff-dweller," and it was made the text of a very readable, if not a very truthful, article for a prominent newspaper at one time and was copied into many publications.

The surroundings are worthy of more than passing note, and are unique and inter- esting. The time may come when some learned scientist will decipher the many strange Indian hieroglyphics which cover the faces of the rocks and probably tell tales of Indian history never before revealed.

Mr. Faris was united in marriage, on March 30, 1886, to Miss Jessie Iludson, who was a daughter of Robert and Sarah (Redpath) Hudson, these parents having also been pioneers in this county, a sketch of whom appears in another portion of this volume. One son, Robert W., was born to this union, on June 11, 1891.

Mr. Faris is an enthusiastic Republican. but he is best known in the Presbyterian church, to which he has devoted much time and means. He was one of the organizers of the Fort Harker church, the first meet- ings being held in the surrounding school- houses. The church was built in 1884, and our subject has worthily filled the office of elder, and has been an active worker for the Sunday-school. His interest is always en- gaged on educational matters and he is justly considered a representative man of Ellsworth county.

CHARLES F. BOY.

Among the earnest men whose depth of character and strict adherence to principle excite the admiration of his contenmpo- raries, Mr. Boy is prominent. He is now the esteemed and capable clerk of Raymond township and is also connected with the business interests of Raymond. He first opened his eyes to the light of day in Bu- chanan county, Missouri, near Rushville, in February, 1877. His father, Albert Boy, was born, reared and educated in Germany. He was married in Atchison, Kansas, to Miss Theresa Miller, also a native of the fa- therland, born in Australia. The father is now one of the enterprising farmers of Rice county, honored and respected by all who know him.

Charles F. Boy, one of a family of eight children, six sons and two daughters, at- tended the public schools of Rice county, Kansas, graduating June 1, 1895, and sup- plementing his knowledge there gained by study in the State Normal. at Emporia. Kansas. After putting aside his text-books he became a salesman for the Fair & Shaak

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Mercantile Company, dealers in hardware, lumber and grain at Raymond, one of the reliable firms of the community. Mr. Boy is now superintendent and manager of the firm, and his unfailing courtesy and pleas- ant manner have gained for the company many patrons and won for him the friend- ship of all with whom he has come in con- tact. Mr. Boy is also a prominent and act- ive worker in the ranks of the Democratic party, and in November, 1898, he was the choice of his party for the office of township clerk. He proved one of the strongest men on the ticket. receiving a majority of thirty votes, and in this position he is now serving with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. Mr. Boy is also well versed in music, performing on both the violin and piano, and is thus able to while away many pleasant hours. In the Wooster Business College, of Ohio, he received a diploma in penmanship in the Bixler sys- tem.

Mr. Boy has been a resident of Rice county for fourteen years, and althoughi young in years he is well known in business circles and is regarded as a progressive citi- zen and a popular young man, whose circle of friends is extensive. October 31, 1901, at Hutchinson, Kansas, he married Miss Katherine Willett, of Alden, Kansas, a daughter of Thomas J. and Sarah Willett, her father a prominent farmer of Valley township.

REV. E. C. COOPER.

Rev. E. C. Cooper, whose life has been consecrated to the cause of Christianity and whose influence is of no restricted order, has become widely known as a minister of the United Presbyterian church, but is now incapacitated by disease and age. He came to central Kansas in the pioneer days as a traveling missionary, while there were yet many Indians in the state. His arrival here was in the year 1867, when all was new and wild, and since that time he has been an im- portant factor in the educational and re- ligious development of this portion of the state.

Rev. Mr. Cooper was born in Randolph county, Illinois, in October, 1832, and is of Scotch-Irish parentage on the paternal side. His grandfather, John Cooper, was proba- bly born in the North of Ireland and emi- grated in early life to North Carolina, re- maining there a short time. Thence he re- moved to Chester district, South Carolina, remaining there until his death. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, loyally aiding in the cause of independence, and his son, John Cooper, Jr., was a soldier. in the war of 1812, serving under General Andrew Jackson. The family is one in which strong purpose has ever been manifest. Its mem- bers have been identified with the Scotch Covenanter (the Presbyterian) church through many generations, and has given an unfaltering support to the principles in which they believe. Andrew Cooper, the father of our subject, was born in North Carolina, and when small moved with his parents to Chester district, South Carolina, and was there married to Margaret McKel- vey, who was born in that state. Her fa- ther, Hugh McKelvey, was born in Ireland. His death occurred in Illinois. Andrew Cooper and family, consisting of wife and eight children, emigrated in 1830 to Ran- dolph county, Illinois, and there he engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was about five feet eleven inches in height and well built. Brave and fearless in defence of what he believed to be right, he was an earnest champion of the Abolitionist cause, and in religious faith was a Scotch Covenanter. His wife belonged to the same church and was an ardent Christian woman, greatly beloved for her kindness. She died at the age of sixty-one years, while Andrew C. was called to the home beyond at the age of seventy-five, in the year of our Lord 1863. They were the parents of ten children : Sally, Mary, John, Hugh, Martha and Margaret. all deceased; while Elizabeth, Nancy and Ebenezer C. are the only remaining mem- bers of the family. Andrew J., the youngest of the family, was a soldier of the Tenth Missouri Infantry and was killed in the Civil war in 1862.

Rev. Cooper was reared among the re-

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fining influences of a good Christian home, and in the common schools acquired his early education, which was supplemented by study in Sparta Union Academy, and in the Indiana State University, where he completed the freshman and sophomore years. He then entered Monmouth Col- lege of Illinois, where he was graduated with the class of 1862. He had deter- mined to devote his life to the cause of the ministry and preparatory to this work he entered the theological seminary at Xenia and was later ordained as a minister of the gospel, being licensed to preach and ad- minister the ordinances. His first pastor- ate was at Ottawa, Kansas, where he was in charge of the United Presbyterian church for five years. He was then pastor at Neodosha, Kansas, for one year, after which he was appointed traveling missionary for central and western Kansas, travers- ing these sections of the state many times in pioneer days. The Indians had not yet all left for reservations further west and south, and the buffaloes were fleeing before the advance of civilization. Rev. Cooper often slept upon the plains in the primitive dugouts and cabins, which were the homes of the early settlers. He forded the streams, for bridges were not then built over the creeks and rivers, and he endured all the hardships and dangers incident to frontier life. He organized many churches and Sunday-schools on the frontier, and was most faithful and zealous in the cause of Christianity. In 1877 he organized the United Presbyterian church in Kingman county, and the members urged him to re- main with them as their pastor. This he consented to do, and, taking a claim, he built thereon a sod house in 1878. He acted as pastor of the church for six years and in this time he also wrought a great trans- formation in his farm. He set out a large orchard of apple and peach trees planted a vineyard and berries and engaged in the raising of cereals best adapted to this' cli- mate. He now has a valuable tract of land of one hundred and sixty acres and a good residence in Kingman.

bands of matrimony in 1862, in Winterset, Madison county, Iowa, to Nancy A. Brit- ton, a lady of intelligence and culture who was reared and educated in Ohio. Her fa- ther, James Britton, was born in Ireland and died at Redfield. Dallas county, Iowa, while his wife, who bore the maiden name of Mary Bell, and is also deceased, was born in Ohio, her parents having emigrated from the state of Maryland. Mr. and Mrs. Cooper have become the parents of five children : Mrs. Lillie Ola Gillespie, of Loveland, Colorado; Mrs. Lelia Ula Rey- nolds, of Witchita, Kansas : Mrs. Annie Liz- zie Friend, of. Alexandria, Louisiana; Othio C., of Chicago, Illinois, who held an im- portant position inder Governor Leedy; and Arthur V. who is a graduate of the Kingman high school of the year 1901, and is now a successful teacher. Mr. and Mrs. Cooper have lost two children. Rosa Linn. who died at the age of thirteen months, and a son who died in infancy.

Rev. Cooper became identified with the Republican party on its organization, vot- ing for John C. Fremont in 1856, and for many years he gave his support to the men and measures advocated by that party. He was a strong Alliance man and served as county lecturer and organizer in Kingman county for one year. A man well informed on political history and upon all questions of general interest, he keeps in touch with the progress of the world, and has marked influence upon the past development of central Kansas, lending his aid and support to every measure calculated to prove of general good. His life, consistent with its professions, has been a powerful factor for the promotion of Christianity among his fellow men.

FRED J. CLOUD.

Through no medium other than its newspaper press can the specific prestige and character of any community be defi- nitely determined, and thus it is ever

Rev. Cooper was united in the holy gratifying to all enterprising and loyal citi-

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zens when they can point with justifiable pride to ably managed and journalistic, en- terprises which exploit the interests of the community and conserve its progress and prosperity. In the thriving little city of Norwich, Kingman county, Kansas, is pub- lished the Norwich Herald, a weekly jour- nal which is under most capable and pro- gressive management and which has thus proved a popular and potent exponent of local interests, standing alike creditable to its publisher and the territory which it rep- resents. It is clearly incumbent that in a compilation of this nature there should be incorporated a review of the. career of the publisher and editor of this excellent paper, and this we are pleased to present herewith.

Fred J. Cloud is a native of the state of Missouri, having been born near the city of Springfield, Greene county, on the 17th of March, 1877, being the son of John J. and Mary J. Cloud, natives of Missouri. The subject of this review was but one year of age at the time of his parents' removal tu Kingman county, Kansas, and thus he has passed practically his entire life in this state and is thoroughly imbued with the progress- ive spirit of the west, while his career has been such as to retain to him uniform con- fidence and esteem. As one of the repre- sentative young men of Kingman county he is well worthy of consideration in this con- nection. Mr. Cloud was reared to the sturdy discipline of the pioneer farm in Kingman county, and his early experiences were such as were typical of the time and place, so that he is able to recall many inter- esting incidents and episodes touching life on the frontier. His preliminary educa- tional discipline was secured in the district school in the vicinity of the parental farm- stead, and after the founding of the present city of Norwich and the establishing here of excellent public schools he here continued his studies, devoting himself carefully to his educational work and making such ad- vancement that at the age of eighteen years he was enabled to put his scholastic acquire- ments to practical use, then giving inception to his career as a teacher and continuing in pedagogic work for a period of five years,

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 102

Author: Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago Publication date: 1902 Publisher: New York Chicago: The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 970

Author: Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: New York Chicago: The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 970