A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 119

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 119

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indefinitely. The paper under Mrs. Honey is the best ever." The Concordia Kansan has the following : "Dr. Honey will have to quit doing so good a job of editing the Mankato Advocate or the editor-in-chief, her husband, never will come back. She is mak- ing such a good paper out of it, and Henry. being a thoroughly good newspaper man, will make almost any sacrifice for the im- provement of his paper, and will not want to return to disturb her."

WILLIAM M. WARD.

William M. Ward, who has valuable landed possessions in Barber county, and · who for ten years has served as deputy sheriff and constable, has made for himself a creditable record as an agriculturist and as an official. He was born in Henry county, Ohio, January 3, 1856, and is a son of Will- iam Ward, who was born in the same state in 1816. Upon a farm in Henry county he was reared and later he was married in Hancock county to Elizabeth Austin, also a native of the Buckeye state. He engaged in agricultural pursuits in Henry county until 1867. when he removed with his family to St. Joseph county, Indiana, where he pur- chased and improved a farm, making it his home until 1870. He then sold that property and, accompanied by his family, including nine children, of whom Albert and George were married, he made the overland trip to Kansas, bringing with him three teams and two wagons, the latter loaded with house- hold goods. He located in what was then Howard county, and secured a homestead claim of one hundred and sixty acres, while his married sons entered adjoining claims The county was wild and new and the set- tlers were widely scattered. There was an abundance of game, including deer, ante- lope and turkeys. While residing upon his farm Mr. Ward was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife who died in 1874 in the faith of the Christian church in which she held membership. They were the parents of ten children, but their daughter Mary re-

mained in Indiana where she had married prior. to the removal of the parents to Kan- sas. In 1876 the father again married, his second union being with Anna Phelps, a native of Illinois and a daughter of Luke Phelps, a soldier of the Civil war. Her death occurred in 1880, and later Mr. Ward wedded Elsie Smith, who is still living. In 1883 he sold his Kansas property and re- moved to Newton county, Missouri, where he purchased a farm which was his home for three years. He then returned to St. Joseph county, Indiana, locating in the city of South Bend, where he is now living re- tired at the age of eighty-six. For ten years, while in Henry county, Ohio, he served as constable and his life has ever been an active and useful one. In politics he has been a Republican since the organization of the party and is a zealous worker in its be- half. He is also an active and consistent member of the Christian church. The chil- dren by his first marriage were: Lewis, a farmer and stockman of Sun City, Barber county ; Mary J., the wife of Joseph Rickey, who was a soldier in the Civil war, and now operates a hotel in Garrett, Indiana ; George. in the railroad service and located at Crom- well, Indiana; Albert, who for the past eleven years has been employed in the Studebaker Wagon Works at South Bend, Indiana; Sarah, who married Noah Host- ler, of South Bend, Indiana, who was form- erly a farmer; Milton, who is employed on the Hostetter ranch in Barber county, Kan- sas; William M., the subject of this review; Martha, the wife of John Young, who is very extensively engaged in stock raising, owning a large ranch in Turkey Creek township, Barber county; Ira, a farmer of Logan county, Oklahoma; and Sylvester, a farmer and stockman of Chautauqua couli- ty, Kansas. The children by the second marriage were three in number: James, who died in childhood : Noah, who is living with his father in South Bend, Indiana, and follows the trade of a stone and brick ma- son ; and Emma, the wife of a Mr. Cole, of Cowley county, Kansas. To the third mar- riage was born but one son. Eugene, who is still at home.

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William Ward was a lad of eleven years | ried Sylvester Ward, a farmer and stock- when his parents removed from Ohio to In- man of Chautauqua county, Kansas; Ru- ben, engaged in the stone quarry business in Butler county, Kansas ; Samantha, the wife of James Wilkinson, a farmer and stock- man of Chautauqua county, Kansas; Thom- as, a farmer and stockman of the same coun- ty: Joseph, who was killed by accident in 1901 ; Rosa V., the wife of Samuel Wilkin- son, who is engaged in farming and stock- raising in Chautauqua county, Kansas ; and Arthur, at home. diana, and with them he came to Kansas, remaining under the parental roof until sev- enteen years of age, when he began work- ing by the month as a farm hand. He was thus employed for five years, being the ser- vice of Dave Fay and later of Jolin Dos- baugh. At the end of that period he went to what was called No Man's Land-the southwestern part of Clark county, Kan- sas, adjoining Indian territory. For two years he followed the arduous life of a cow- boy on the ranch of L. A. Chote and then returned to Chautauqua county, where he began farming on his own account.

While there Mr. Ward was married, March 12, 1882, to Clara Blankenship, who was born in Macon county, Tennessee, a daughter of Hiram and Melbina ( Hender- son) Blankenship, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Kentucky. They were married in Kentucky and lived there upon a farm until 1876, when they came by team to Chautauqua county, Kansas, locat- ing in Harrison township. The father is now a well-to-do and leading citizen who is living retired. He is filling many of the local offices, and fraternally he is an Odd Fellow, while both he and his wife are mem- bers of the Baptist church in which he is an earnest worker. His father was a native of Virginia and was of German descent. Removing to Tennessee, he there spent his remaining days. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Ward was Ira Henderson, who was of German and Irish lineage and was prob- ably a native of Kentucky. He served in the Civil war and was wounded in battle. For forty years he served as a minister of the Baptist church, both on the circuit and as a local preacher. Removing to Kansas. he died in Chautauqua, in 1891. In the family were eleven children: Denton, who passed away in Chautauqua county, Kansas, in 1888: Mrs. Ward; Sadie, the wife of C. C. Hockett, the proprietor of a hotel and station on a stage route in New Mexico: William, who is engaged in the lumber business in the state of Washington, being located on the Oregon line : Susie, who mar-

After his marriage Mr. Ward remained iu Chautauqua county until 1884, when he took up his abode in Kiowa county, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land upon which a few improvements had been made. There he engaged chiefly in stock-raising, having brought fifty head of cattle to his new home. His first residence in Kiowa county was a stockade house, the logs being set in the ground and covered with dirt. A few years after his arrival there he erected a good house and greatly improved his surroundings. although for some time his life was one of strenuous toil. He also increased his herd of cattle to one hundred head. In 1892 he sold his home farm removed to Barber county, where he purchased two hundred and forty acres of land in Sun City township, adjoining the village of that name. This was partially improved and was under fence. Two resi- dences had been built thereon and one of these Mr. Ward moved until it stood next to the other, making a very comfortable and commodious fresidence. He has given his attention to farming and stock-raising and for five years was also engaged in the breed- ing of thoroughbred Poland China hogs. He now cultivates one hundred acres of his farm for forage crops in order to feed his stock, keeping from sixty to one hundred head of excellent domestic cattle which are a good grade of short horns. Each year he sells a large number as feeders. In addition to his own farm he utilizes eleven hundred acres for grazing purposes.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ward have been born six children: Minnie L., the wife of R. O. Ward, who is employed on a cattle

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ranch in Elm Mills township, Barber coun- whence he came to Kansas, after his son, Albert, took up his abode here. The father i did not remain long, however, but removed ty. Kansas: Goldie, who resides at home and is attending school; a son who died in infancy ; Montie, at home; Sylvia E., who | to Iowa, where he resided until he was called died in infancy; and Merl, at home. Dur- ing his residence in Barber county, Mr. Ward has served for two years as deputy sheriff and for eight months as constable, being re-elected again and again-a fact which indicates his faithful performance of duty. In politics he was originally a Re- publican, but of late years he has supported the People's party. He is a past grand of Sun City Lodge, No. 262. I. O. O. F., and his wife belongs to the order of Rebekah. Both are members of the Baptist church and Mr. Ward is identified with Lake City Camp, No. 4673, M. W. A. He is a man of sanguine temperament. but just and gener- ous, is a kind and devoted husband and fa- ther and is strong in friendship. He has done his full share for the development of the community and he richly merits the splendid success which has crowned his ef- forts. He is to-day the owner of some of the best land in this portion of the state and has a pleasant home surrounded by a beauti- ful grove of evergreens. There is also a vineyard and orchard upon his place and all modern equipments.

ALBERT BANFIELD.

Albert Banfield long devoted his time and attention to the business of farming, stock raising and threshing and made his home on section 14, Black Wolf township, Ellsworth county, until September, 1901, when he removed to the town of Ellsworth, where he is now living retired from active business, though he still retains his landed estates. His life demonstrates the power of industry and unremitting diligence in the active affairs of life. He was born in Bradford county. Pennsylvania. September 4. 1844. His father, Benjamin Banfield, was a native of Chemung county, New York, whence he removed to the Keystone state and afterward came west to Illinois,

to the home beyond, having passed the sev- entieth milestone on life's journey. He was united in marriage, in New York, to Miss Phoebe Robinson, and they became the par- ents of eleven children. The paternal grand- father of our subject was born in New York, where he lived and died, and he had attained the age of ninety-nine years at the time of his death.

Albert Banfield, the ninth in order of birth of his father's family, was reared on the home farm and was about eight years of age when his parents removed to De- kalb county, Illinois, then a frontier region. There was no school within nine miles and the first school in the district was conducted in his father's home. The father and elder brothers of our subject were active in the work of development and progress there and assisted in the building of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad as far as Dixon. Four of his brothers went to Chicago and enlisted for service in the Civil war. When the draft was made Albert Banfield had just attained his majority and was the only one in his township who went to the war on a draft out of six who were chosen. The township paid one thousand dollars for each of two substitutes and when our sub- ject returned he had to help pay that amount in taxes. He was a member of Company B, Thirty-second Illinois Infantry, which pro- ceeded through Ohio and Pennsylvania to Baltimore and was in the severe engagement at Five Forks, North Carolina. The family was fortunate in that the five sons who were upon the field of battle were never injured. Four of the number served throughout the severe engagements at Bull Run, Antietam and Shiloh. Mr. Banfield of this sketch par- ticipated in the grand review at Washing- ton, where wave after wave of bayonet- crested blue passed by the stand upon which the president watched the return of the vic- torious army. When the war was over, Mr. Banfield made his way westward, being em- ployed near Columbia, Nebraska, on the

more mos, Du Banfield.

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construction of a pontoon bridge over the Platte river. With troops he then returned to Fort Leavenworth, where he received an honorable discharge.

Mr. Banfield afterward purchased a farm in Illinois, where he remained until 1878, when he came to Ellsworth county and, after looking over the country, pur- chased a claim on section 14 Black Wolf township, upon which he continued to make his home until his removal to the county- seat. His original claim was a tract of tim- ber land upon which no building had then been erected. He brought the windows, sills and frame for his house with him from Illi- nois and at once erected .his residence and began the improvement of his property. He broke most of the fields with oxen and cul- tivated some of his corn by the use of ox teams. After he had placed his first quarter section under cultivation he purchased an- other quarter, of pasture land, and began raising some stock. He to-day owns four hundred acres of land and also some prop- erty in Ellsworth, and has aided his son in making a start in life by providing him with one hundred and sixty acres. His en- tire place is under the plow with the excep- tion of abont one hundred and fifteen acres. He keeps on hand quite a large number of cows, horses and hogs, and in addition to the cultivation of his farm and the raising of stock he operates a thresher, having in the period that he has carried along this line in Kansas purchased seven new thresh- , ers. He has engaged in threshing for forty years and threshed from fifty to sixty thou- sand bushels of grain annually and some times as high as seventy-five thousand bush- els. The hogs which he raises are of the Poland-China breed and all of his stock is of good grade. His barn is very commodi- ous, being forty by eighty feet and having a stone basement under the entire struc- ture. His farm is found on both sides of the river and thus includes rich bottom land and affords an excellent water supply for the stock. His life has been characterized by diligence and his efforts have been dis- cerningly directed along well defined lines of labor so that he is now regarded as one

of the most successful agriculturists of the community.

On the 8th of March, 1869, occurred the marriage of Mr. Banfield and Miss Ellen Veale, who was born in England, a daugh- ter of Olive and Mary .Anna ( Bailey) Veale. Our subject and his wife have had six chil- dren: Fred, who is farming south of his father's land; Frank, who was killed at the age of seventeen years by being thrown from a horse; Olive, who died in infancy ; and Warwood, Mary and Albert, who are still with their parents. Mr. Banfield ex- ercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party, but is not an office-seeker. He is a member of Ellsworth Post, G. A. R., and is to-day as true to the duties of citizen- ship as when he followed the stars and stripes upon the battle-fields of the south.

LAURENCE BURKE.

The Laurence Burke stock farm is one of the attractive features of the landscape in Rockville township, Rice county, and the owner occupies an enviable position in busi- ness circles by reason of his honorable meth- ods and unflagging industry and his close application to the duties which devolve upon him. More than a quarter of a cen- tury has passed since he came to Kansas, and throughout this period he has made Rice county his home.

A native of the Emerald Isle, Mr. Burke was born in County Tipperary, in January, 1849. His father, Henry Burke, was an hon- orable and representative citizer. of that community and married Anna Ryan. Both were natives of Ireland and have now passed away, the fatlier having departed this life at the age of fifty-eight years, while the mother was called to her final rest at the age of sixty-three. They had six children: Julia, of New York : Mrs. Ellen Ritmar, of Louis- ville, Kentucky: Mrs. Mary De Laney, of Kansas City, Missouri; Lawrence, of this review ; Anna and Bridget, who are now de- ceased.

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In the green isle of Erin Laurence Burke spent the first nineteen years of his life, during which period he attended school and assisted in farm work. He then crossed the Atlantic to the new world, making his way to Louisville, Kentucky, where he had a sister living. He there learned the trade of marble cutting and became an expert in that line, but he found that the pursuit did not agree with his health and was thus forced to turn his attention to other busi- ness interests. Making his way westward to Kansas, he secured a tree claim and built a sod house, in which he kept bachelor's hall for some time. The period of his residence in the Sunflower state has been an era of prosperity, and to-day he is one of the most successful farmers of central Kansas. The Laurence Burke stock farm, of which he is the proprietor, comprises eleven hundred acres of valuable land and is equipped with splendid buildings and everything necessary for the successful conduct of his business.

In 1877 Mr. Burke returned to Louis- ville, Kentucky, to secure a helpmate for the journey of life, and was there married to Miss Kate Fahey, a lady of intelligence and good family, who was born in Sandusky, Ohio. Her parents were Michael and Ellen (Egan) Fahey, the former a native of Coun- ty Galway. Ireland, the latter of Dublin. They were the parents of nine children, one son and eight daughters, namely: Mary, Michael, Kate, Elizabeth, Ellen, Maggie and three who died in infancy. For many years the father has been in the employ of a gas company in Louisville, Kentucky, and is a most reliable business man, honored and respected by all who know him. Mrs. Burke pursued her education in the schools of Louisville, and by her marriage she has be- come the mother of six children, namely : William H., twenty-two years of age: Ed M., who is now nineteen years of age; Lau- rence, aged seventeen: George, Mary and Thomas, aged respectively fourteen, eleven and nine years. There is a fine grove and a large orchard upon the home place, and am- ple provision has been made for the shelter of stock by the erection upon a rock founda- tion of a large barn, forty by sixty-four feet,

with twenty-foot posts, and also he is build- ing an addition to his house with all modern improvements, which will be one of the largest and, most commodious farm resi- dences in the county. Mr. Burke prosecutes his business affairs with vigor and energy, and his labors have returned to him a hand- some competence. In his political views he was a stalwart Republican for many years and earnestly labored for the growth and success of his party. In 1890 he was the nominee on that ticket for the position of county commissioner and was elected by a large majority, serving for three years with credit to himself and satisfaction to his con- stituents. He was then renominated. but was defeated by the combination of the Populist and Fusion forces. He later be- came a Free Silver Republican and in 1896 and 1900 supported Bryan. Mr. Burke is recognized as an active force in the party, being a good speaker, a logical reasoner and a forceful advocate of the principles in which he believes. It would be difficult to find many residents of this portion of Kansas who are more popular or more highly es- teemed than Laurence Burke. He possesses the versatility and the enterprise so charac- teristic of the Irish race, and at the same time he is a loyal son of his adopted coun- try, local advancement and public progress both being causes dear to his heart.

AARON KUNKLE.

Among the representative farmers and extensive land owners of Ellsworth county, Kansas, none is better known than the sub- ject of this sketch. who, living within the limits of the city of Ellsworth, is the owner of about two thousand acres of land in Ells- worth county and four hundred acres more across the line in Rice county.

Aaron Kunkle was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, February 2, 1848, a son of Daniel and Catherine ( Myers) Kun- kle, both of whom are natives of the Key- stone state. His father, who was a farmer and carpenter, was a well-to-do man who

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was highly esteemed by his fellow citizens. Young Kunkle grew to manhood on his fa- ther's farm and was given a good education for the time and locality, in the common schools and at Dempsey Academy at Lan- disburg, Pennsylvania. He was a member of his father's household until he was twen- ty-three years old. September 26, 1871, he married Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel and Catherine (Sprusa) Seirer, a native of Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, and be- gan life for himself by renting a farm of his father on which he remained for one year. During the succeeding five years he lived on another rented farm, and March 25, 1879, in company with his wife's parents, lie came to Ellsworth county, Kansas, bringing their goods in a chartered car and arriving March 28, in Wilson, Kansas. Mr. Kunkle at once bought a timber claim of one hun- dred and sixty acres located in section 28, in Columbia township, for which he paid eight hundred dollars. Twenty-five acres of this land had been broken, but it was not im- proved otherwise. As there was no resi- dence upon the property, the family re- mained at Wilson, until provision could be made for its accommodation. On Tuesday, May 10, 1879, the men of the family took to the farm a load of lumber and a load of household goods. They were joined by the "women folks;" and children, and all par- took of a picnic dinner and during the afternoon they built a shed in which they slept that night. Afterward Mr. Kunkle built a house and used this shed for a stable. In 1899 he removed to section 10, in Ells- worth township, where he remained until August 7, 1900, when he removed to his present residence within the city limits of the city of Ellsworth, which was erected in the summer of 1900 and is one of the neat- est and most comfortable homes in that part of the city. The place is provided with a barn covering a ground space of fifty-six by forty-six feet, a granary covering a ground space of fifty by thirty-two feet. commodious corn cribs and other necessary outbuildings.

Mr. Kunkle has given his attention to general farming, but has made a specialty

of wheat. He is fond of stock and usually keeps about fifty head of cattle. His model city home, nicely adapted to the uses of prac- tical farming, contains ten acres of land which was platted as Casper's addition to Ellsworth. A careful, thorough farmer, by nature industrious and frugal and possessed of trained business judgment, his success has been won in such a manner that it should be an encouragement to honest and intelligent young men to persevere in well- doing. Mr. Kunkle has one son, Harry Kun- kle, who makes his home with his parents and assists his father in looking after his extensive landed interests.

In politics Mr. Kunkle is an independent Republican. He is a member of Ellsworth Lodge, No. 109, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His son Harry is also a member of that lodge and holds membership in Gold- en Belt Encampment, No. 47, and is an officer in both bodies and is a member also of the auxiliary order of Daughters of Re- bekah.

M. W. FORWARD, M. D.

Dr. M. W. Forward, who for thirty- four years has been a resident in Kansas and since 1894 has engaged in the practice of medicine in Frederic, was born in Jef- ferson county, New York, in September, 1844. His father, W. G. Forward, was a well known and successful physician of Jef- ferson county, New York, where he prac- ticed for many years. Subsequently he came to the west. His wife, the mother of our subject, died in Paola, Kansas, but Dr. For- ward, Sr., is now living in Chicago, at the age of seventy-nine years. They were the parents of five children, three sons and two daughters. Of this number Masteen For- ward served as a soldier in the Civil war with the Second Michigan Cavalry and is now living in Kansas City, Kansas.

In taking up the personal history of Dr. M. W. Forward we present to our readers the life record of one who has a wide ac- quaintance and many friends in various sec- tions of the Sunflower state. In his youth

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he enjoyed good educational advantages and the pleasant surroundings of a cultured home. When the country became involved in Civil war over the attempt at secession of the one side and the preservation of the Union on the other, he stood by the govern- ment and manifested his loyalty by service in Troop I, Eleventh New York Cavalry. He enlisted in 1862 for three years, and served for two years with the Army of the Potomac while for one year he was with the Department of the Gulf and participated in the Red River expedition. He took part in several important engagements and skir- mishes and was true and loyal to the old flag.

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 119

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