A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 110

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 110


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study. He prepares each case which is en- trusted to him with marked care and pre- cision and is well equipped to meet the op- posing arguments. In his political views he is a stalwart Democrat, being regarded as one of the leaders of the party, wherein his counsel carries weight. He was considered a popular candidate for the position of coun- ty attorney on the fusion ticket in 1900, but lost in the great landslide of Kansas in that year, the Republicans carrying the entire state. Socially he is identified with the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows. That the friends who have known him from boyhood are numbered among his warmest admirers is an indication that his career has been an honorable and upright one, worthy of high regard. He has always resided in Rice county, and his success sets at naught the old adage that a prophet is never without honor save in his own country. He has al- ready won distinction by his legal skill and ability, and is now enjoying a good business as one of the capable young lawyers of the community.


JOHN STEPHENSON.


John Stephenson is the owner of a valu- able tract of land in Evans township, King- man county. Many years of his life have been passed in this locality, and he is there- fore widely and favorably known to its set- tlers. He was born in Greene county, Ohio, in 1839. His father, John Stephenson, Sr. was also a native of that county, to which place his father had removed in a very early day. The latter was a captain in the war of 1812, and became an influential and val- ued resident of the locality in which he made his home. He was of Scotch-Irish ancestry. John Stephenson, Sr., grew to years of ma- turity in the county of his nativity, and was noted for his great physical strength, he having been one of the strongest men in Greene county and was also an excellent wrestler. He followed the tilling of the soil as a life occupation. At the age of twenty- four years he was united in marriage to Margaret Batdorf, a native of Pennsylvania,


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and of Dutch descent. They became the parents of eight children, five of whom are now living, namely: George, who was a soldier in the Eighty-ninth Indiana In- fantry during the Civil war and now resides at Wabash, Indiana; John, the subject of this review; Mary Reynolds, of Urbana, Illinois ; Rebecca Dawson, of Rantoul, Illi- nois ; and Almira, who makes her home at the same place. Those deceased are : Sarah Jane Tyner, who died in Wabash county, Indiana; Amanda Dawson, who died in Rantoul, Illinois ; and William, who passed away at the age of thirty-nine years. In 1870 Mr. and Mrs. Stephenson removed from In- diana to Champaign county, Illinois, lo- cating in Rantoul, where the father still re- sides, aged ninety years. The mother is still living, now aged eighty-two years. In po- litical matters he gave his political support to the Democracy until 1856, since which time he has upheld the principles of the Re- publican party. He is a prominent and wor- thy member of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which denomination his wife also held membership relations, although she was reared in the Lutheran faith.


John Stephenson, the immediate subject of this review, was reared in both Greene county, Ohio, and Wabash county, Indiana, and was early inured to the labors of field and meadow. In 1865 he removed from Indiana to Champaign county, Illinois, where he made his home until he came to Kansas, that event taking place in 1886. Shortly after his arrival here he purchased a tract of one hundred and sixty acres, and his son now owns an adjoining one hun- dred and sixty acres, so together they now have a farm of three hundred and twenty acres. As time has passed by the land has been placed under a fine state of cultivation. thic necessary buildings erected, and this is now one of the finest homesteads of the lo- cality.


When twenty-four years of age Mr. Stephenson was united in marriage to Ellen Stoker, who was born in Madison county, Indiana, a daughter of William Stoker, now deceased. Her mother died when she was but a babe, and she was reared in the home


of Squire John McGuire a prominent citi- zen of Wabash county, Indiana. Five chil- dren have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Stephenson, two sons and three daugh- ters: Cora Belle, wife of H. H. Saunders, of Kingman ; Grant W., who, at the age of thirty-one years, is still at home, and is a prominent member of the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows fraternity : Bertha Pin- son, who resides in Harper City, Kansas : Grace Pipkin, of Garden Plain; and Earl. who is only seventeen years of age and weighs three hundred and twenty pounds. The average weight of Mr. and Mrs. Stephenson and their five children is two hundred and fifteen pounds each. Mr. Stephenson exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party. Although a public-spir- ited and loyal citizen at all times, he has never sought or desired the honors or emolu- ments of public office, preferring rather to give his undivided time to his business inter- ests.


LEONARD WALTERS.


Among the prominent citizens of Kan- sas contributed to this state by Indiana is Leonard Walters, who was one of the early settlers of Richland township, Kingman county, coming here in 1878. He has been one of the successful and progressive farm- ers of this locality and is one of the most widely known.


The birth of Leonard Walters was in 1857, in Bartholomew county, Indiana, his ancestry reaching back to a great-grand- father who was born in Germany. His grandfather, who also was Leonard Walt- ers by name, was born in Ohio, the family having moved to that state from Pennsyl- vania. Thomas Walters, the father of our subject, was born in Ohio but now re- sides in Jasper county, Indiana, where he carries on farming. Thomas Walters married Miss Lucinda Quinn, a most esti- mable woman, who was beloved by all who knew her. She was a daughter of William Quinn, who was born in Indiana, and was


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of Scotch ancestry. Mrs. Walters died in early life, her years numbering only thirty and some months, and she left three chil- dren, namely: Martha J., of Greenwood county, Kansas; Leonard, of this record; and Charles, of Indiana. By a second mar- riage Thomas Walters reared eight chil- dren.


The early life of Leonard Walters was passed on a farm, where he became thor- oughly acquainted with the practical necessi- ties of an agricultural career, selecting farm- ing as his vocation. He secured a good common-school education in the district schools of Indiana, became a practical farmer and took his place among the prom- ising young householders of his native coun- ty. In 1878 he was united in marriage to Miss Jessie Day, who was born in Jasper county, Indiana, and who was a daughter of Wilbur and Margaret Day and also a sister to Hon. John Day, of this county. After marriage Mr. Walters came with his bride to Kansas, and he took up a claim of one hundred and sixty acres in the Osage tract, in Richland county, and here he has continued to follow farming ever since. Mrs. Walters died April 18, 1894, at the age of thirty-four years, leaving three chil- dren, viz .: Clyde W. who is twenty-one years old ; Orth, who is eighteen years old : and Ralph, who was born October 22, 1892. The second marriage of our subject oc- curred in March, 1901, when he wedded Mrs. I. A. Dehority, who was the widow of George W. Dehority and the daughter of William and Elizabeth J. (Cline) Cook, both of whom were born in Ohio and be- came residents of Belmont township, King- man county, Kansas, in November, 1884. They had eleven children, named : Jeffer- son, Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah, I. A., Hattie, Oscar William, Phebe, Susan, Dora and Tina. Mrs. Walters was reared in Illinois, and was educated in Will and Livingston counties in that state. After her marriage to George W. Dehority they came to King- man county, in 1882, and here he died, in 1892, at the age of thirty-four years. Fra- ternally he was connected with the order of Woodmen. Two children survive hin.


namely : Mrs. Mand Lees, of Kingman county, Kansas; and Eliza, who was born the 21st day of October, 1891.


Success has attended the agricultural efforts of Mr. Walters and he is now the owner of one of the best farms of the town- ship, consisting of two hundred and forty acres, while Mrs. Walters owns a tract of one hundred and sixty acres in Belmont township. A comfortable residence and all the first-class improvements which testify to the efficiency of a farmer may be noted here, the attractiveness and evident prosperity showing conclusively that a thorough farmer has the management of this estate.


In politics Mr. Walters is a Populist, and he is a man of influence in his locality, well read and posted on all current topics of interest. He has taken a deep interest in the educational advancement of this section and has done no small part in aiding meas- ures in that direction. Mrs. Walters is a member of the Methodist church, and she ably aids her husband in offering a gener- ous hospitality to friends and neighbors, this beautiful virtue being found nowhere more flourishing and general than among the old settlers of Kansas. Many changes have taken place in this state since Mr. Walters first made his home here, and he has been a factor in much of the agricultural develop- ment.


J. A. McCONNELL.


J. A. McConnell is the proprietor of the Little River stock farm and is one of the most prominent representatives of stock raising interests in central Kansas. He is engaged in the breeding of shorthorn cat- tle and has done much to improve the grade of cattle raised in this portion of the state, so that his efforts have been of wide-spread benefit, for through the improvement of the stock its market value has been increased and added prosperity has therefore come to the community. Mr. McConnell came to Rice county in 1881, and has since been num- bered among its prominent, intelligent and prosperous citizens.


MR. AND MRS. J. A. McCONNELL.


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Almost half the width of the continent separates him from his birthplace, for he was born in Juniata county, Pennsylvania, June 25, 1842, a son of William McConnell, whose birth occurred in the same county in 1804. and he represented one of the old and highly respected families of the com- munity. The McConnells, however, were of Scotch descent, the grandfather, Thomas McConnell, having been born in the land of hills and heather. After arriving at years of maturity William McConnell married Catherine Morthland, who was born in York county, Pennsylvania, in 1812, and was a woman of many estimable qualities. They became the parents of nine children, of whom seven are yet living, namely : El- len. James A., Mary, Nancy, William, Mar . garet and Marshal. In the year 1857 the family removed to Henry county, Illinois, locating near Woodhull. They were early settlers of that locality, taking up their abode there when the country was wild and the work of progress and improvement seemed scarcely begun. The father opened up a good farm of two hundred acres and vigorously prosecuted his agricultural pur- suits until he had developed an excellent home and surrounded his family with all the necessities and many of the luxuries of life. In his farming operations he was quite successful and as the years passed gained a handsome competence. In poli- tics he was a Democrat and in religious be- lief was a Presbyterian. He died at the age of sixty-seven years, but his widow is still living and now resides in Henry coun- ty. Illinois, at the age of ninety years. Her many excellent characteristics have won for her the love and friendship of all with whom she has been brought in contact.


J. A. McConnell, whose name forms the caption of this review, spent the first fif- . teen years of his life upon the old family homestead in the Keystone state and then accompanied his parents on their removal to Henry county, Illinois. Lessons of in- dustry, economy and integrity were early instilled into his mind and his literary train- ing was received in the public schools of his native state and of Illinois. He is a man of excellent memory and has a good practi-


cal education. Reading and observation have largely added to the knowledge ac- quired in school, and he is particularly well informed on general history and on all mat- ters of interest at the present time. He as- sisted in the work of the home farm until twenty-two years of age, when he started out in life on his own account, and in the usual manner of most young men entering on a business career he sought a companion and helpmate on the journey of life, be- ing married in 1864. to Miss Margaret Stitt, who was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and spent her girlhood days in that state and in Illinois, her parents, William and Margaret Stitt, both passing away in Henry county.


Mr. and Mrs. McConnell began their domestic life in Illinois, and unto them six children were born, namely: Frank, a stock dealer of Little River, Kansas; Mrs. Lotta A. Duvall, whose husband is the editor of the Inman Review, of Kansas ; Russell M., a successful attorney in Oklahoma; Minnie, wife of George Annabel, editor of the Cen- tral Democrat, a weekly paper issued at Lyons, Rice county, Kansas; David, editor of the Rice County Eagle, published in Ly- ons ; Lillie Dale, who died aged one year ; and William, who is living in McPherson county, Kansas. The mother of this fam- ily was called to her final rest in 1873. She was a devoted wife and mother and a kind neighbor and enjoyed the unqualified re- gard of all with whom she came in contact. In 1876 Mr. McConnell was again married, his second union being with Mary Connor, a daughter of R. F. and Jane ( Roach) Con- nor, both of whom died in Clarinda, Page county, Iowa. Their daughter. Mary, was born near Savannah, Missouri, but when only one year old she was taken by her par- ents to Clarinda, Iowa, where she received her education in the high school of that city. After graduating therein she taught in the same school for about eight years, after which she accepted a position in Amity College, a Presbyterian institution at Col- lege Springs. Page county. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. McConnell was celebrated in Clarinda, Iowa.


From the time of his first marriage un-


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til 1881, Mr. McConnell resided in Illinois and was identified with the agricultural in- terests of that state. He then came to Kan- sas, taking up his abode in Rice county, where he has since made his home. The pe- riod has been one of success to him. for in his farming operations he has prospered and is now the owner of five hundred and sixty acres of valuable land, on which is a good residence, barns and other improvements. He is one of the most prominent and suc- cessful stock dealers and breeders in this portion of the state and keeps on hand two hundred head of cattle, together with a large number of horses and hogs. For a num- ber of years he has been prominently known as a breeder of shorthorn cattle, and his herd is a very fine one, including some very fine high grade animals. His business ability is indicated in his diligence, his prominence and trustworthiness, qualities which have won him continued advancement and which insure him success. In his political views he is a Democrat and religiously is con- nected with the Presbyterian church. His life has been an active, busy and useful. one, and Rice county numbers him among its most valued and worthy citizens.


M. T. HEDGES.


Prominent among the loyal, public- spirited and esteemed citizens of Newton, Kansas, is M. T. Hedges, who has been a resident of this state since 1885, was for- merly engaged in agricultural pursuits, but is now justice of the peace and is located in the city. The birth of Mr. Hedges was in Brooke county, West Virginia, on June 6, 1842, and he was a son of Moses and Nancy A. (Jones) Hedges, the former of whom was born in Virginia and the latter on the eastern shore of Maryland.


Moses Hedges was born on May 19. 1795, and was eighteen years old when he became a soldier in the war of 1812. Our subject has his commission in which he was made an ensign in that war. Mr. Hedges was a farmer all his life and was one of


the leading members of the Methodist church in his neighborhood, for forty years Leing steward and class-leader. The words that told of his death, which occurred on August 13, 1871, resound with loving praise and affectionate tribute to a worthy Chris- tian who had lived for years as an example of the highest type of manhood.


The mother of our subject was born July 12, 1804, and her death occurred in Octo- ber, 1864. From girlhood she had been a member of the Methodist church, and she was the embodiment of all that was good, lovely and womanly, and was the personifi- cation of a truly Christian character.


M. T. Hedges, who is our subject, was the youngest of seven children, and four of the family still survive, these being, aside from our subject : Mary A., who is Mrs. L. B. Gould; Aaron; S. E., who is the wife of William Ward,-and all of them reside in Nebraska.


Our subject was pursuing his studies at Bethany College, in West Virginia, when the Civil war interrupted them, and in Feb- ruary, 1861, he removed to Illinois, and on December 30 of the same year he enlisted in Company K, Twenty-sixth Illinois Volun- teer Infantry, and took part in the battle of Corinth, on May 28, 1862. Then followed that long list of battles which brought sor- row into so many homes, both in the north and in the south,-the long struggle at Vicksburg, then Jackson, Mississippi, and then Missionary Ridge. After this battle the regiment went to the relief of General Burnside at Knoxville, in 1863. After this came the seventy-two days and nights when they were under fire in a part of the siege of Atlanta, and then the regiment followed Hood back to Gadson, Alabama, continu- ully engaged in skirmishing. With General Sherman on his never-to-be-forgotten march to the sea, thence to Goldsboro, North Caro- lina, and with his regiment at the time of the surrender of General Johnston, Mr. Hedges was a witness of some of the most memor- able events of that time. The regiment went then to Washington, by way of Rich- mond. Virginia, and there took part in the grand review of the victorious troops. The


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night prior to this Mr. Hedges slept soundly on the stone steps of the capitol in the capi- tal of the country he had gallantly served, and was honorably discharged on July 20, 1865, at Louisville, Kentucky, after a serv- ice of three years, seven months and twenty- two days. He had re-enlisted on January I, 1864, and during the whole time was neither wounded or taken prisoner, and served a large part of the time as commis- sary sergeant. From 1877 to 1880 Mr. Hedges was the captain of Company E, Sev- enth Illinois National Guards.


After the close of the war Mr. Hedges returned to Illinois and engaged in farming there until 1880, when he came to Nebraska, where he engaged in farming and took part in public affairs and was appointed justice of the peace there. In 1885 he removed to Kansas and in this state followed clerking and farming, and for the past six years has been holding his present responsible posi- tion, that of justice of the peace, which in this state involves much administration of the law.


The first marriage of Mr. Hedges was on December 5. 1865, to Miss Margaret Panghorn, who was born December 8, 1845, and passed out of life on July 8, 1883. She was born in Ohio and was a daughter of John and Sarah Panghorn, the former of whom was a soldier of the war of 1812 and a witness of the fight between Commodore Perry and the British fleet. His death was on July 25, 1883, at the age of eighty-seven years. The second marriage of Mr. Hedges was on October 1, 1890, to Mrs. F. E. Shaver, a native of Illinois, and a daughter of G. Raymond.


Both Mr. and Mrs. Hedges are consist- ent members of the Methodist church, in which he is superintendent of collections and a trustee, and both. are socially con- nected with the Knights and Ladies of Se- curity, while he is a member of the G. A. R., and she is connected with the Relief Corps. In politics Mr. Hedges has been a life-long Republican. He is one of the citizens of Newton who has found friends on every side, his own pleasant, genial personality being the cause. In every relation of life


Mr. Hedges has shown himself a true, loyal, honest man, and as such hie possesses the es- teemn of all who know him.


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JOSEPH F. MCKENRY.


Joseph F. Mckenry, a farmer of 10 little prominence in Burrton township, was born December 12, 1854, in Greenbrier county, West Virginia. He was one of nine children, his father being Madison Mc- Kenry, who also was a native of Green- brier county, West Virginia, born in 1812. He passed away on his sixty-fifth birthday, May 4, 1877, in Jefferson county, Illinois. His wife, Margaret Dihel, was also born in the same. county as her husband, in 1813. The parents were married February 19, 1835, and shortly afterward removed to Ohio, near Springfield, and subsequently re- turned to Virginia, thence going to Indiana in 1856. They remained there until the spring of 1866, when they went to Madison county, Illinois. Here they rented a farm, upon which they remained thirteen years. At this home the father passed away, leav- ing his wife and seven children, they having lost two children previous to the father's death. The paternal grandfather of our subject was born March 10, 1768, and for his first wife wedded Deborah Reynolds, who was born February 4, 1769. This fam- ily was a splendid type of a simple colonial household, and were much devoted to eaclı other. The mother passed away, however, and in time the father took unto himself a second wife. He died March 18, 1826, and his widow survived him seventeen years, her death occurring on the fourteenth day of January, 1843. Our subject has now but two living brothers, George William, born December 29, 1844, residing in Owen coun- ty, Indiana, with his wife and two children ; and Samuel A., a resident of Jefferson county, Illinois, who has nine children.


Mr. Joseph F. Mckenry received his early education in the common schools of Illinois, after which he remained at home until his mother's death, making a pleasant


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home for her during her life. On March 28, 1879. the mother, with her sons James Madison and Joseph F., started for Kan- sas from Illinois. They journeyed in a "prairie schooner" and en route the eldest son was stricken with pneumonia, which proved fatal, and he passed away at Stock- ton, Cedar county, Missouri, at the age of forty-four years, leaving no family. The bereaved mother and brother resumed their journey, arriving at Halstead, Kansas, April 30, 1879. Here they rented a farm, and after nine years of labor thereon Joseph F. left home for Washington territory, where he worked out by the month, but after two years returned to his home. During his stay in Washington he voted for its admis- sion as a state, and was deeply gratified when this act was accomplished. On the 13th day of October, 1885, his mother was rendered partially helpless by paralysis, and until the time of her death was tenderly cared for by her son and his wife.


On the 4th day of October, 1884, Mr. Mckenry was united in marriage to Miss Susie Franklin, who has been to him a help- ful and sympathetic companion. Her fa- ther, John H. Franklin, is a resident of Burrton township, having settled in Kansas early in the history of the state, and is num- bered among the pioneers of the community. Her mother, whose maiden name was Mar- garet J. Hollen, has reached the age of sev- enty-five years, yet is able to perform her household duties without assistance. The living children of this venerable couple are : Susan, wife of our .subject ; Benjamin, a traveling man; Erastus, who lives at home unmarried : Samuel, a resident of eastern Kansas; Charles Edward, living at home; and L. I., a stone-mason and plasterer. They have lost four other children, three of them in early childhood. Unto Mr. and Mrs. McKenry have been born two chil- dren: John M., born March 19, 1887; and Frances Leona, born October 16, 1891. Both of the children are attending school.


In the spring of 1889. while in Wash- ington territory, Mr. Mckenry purchased from Frank Long, who was in Washington at that time, eighty acres of land, which he


still owns, and for which he paid fifteen hun- dred dollars. Upon a portion of this land he erected a comfortable dwelling, and in 1900 made alterations and additions, and now his residence is one of the most pleas- ant of the country homes which are now characteristic of this part of the country. The land proved to be of great fertility, and from fifty acres sown with wheat he receives from twenty to twenty-five bushels per acre, which plainly indicates how thor- oughly he understands the cultivation of the soil and shows the extent of his labor. A fine large orchard is another evidence of his well guided labor, and his well filled barns and sheds prove that his life is one of industry.




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