A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 12

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 12

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Frank H. Foster remained under the parental roof until ten years of age, after which he spent three years in the home of the Rev. W. Y. B. Pierce, a Baptist minister of New York. He then returned home and later was employed as a farm hand. Sub- sequently he took charge of a livery barn, which he conducted for a time, when he ac- cepted a clerkship in a store. He followed different lines of business until 1883, when he went to Nebraska, where he worked on a cattle ranch until the spring of 1884. when he removed to Colorado, being there em- ployed on a ranch until the following July. In that month he came to Rice county, Kan- sas, and was first employed in connection with the operation of a threshing machine. Subsequently he secured a situation as a salesman in a store, and in March, 1888, he was made a deputy sheriff, occupying that position for four years, after which he was elected sheriff for a term of two years and re-elected for the same period, so that he was connected with the office for eight consecu- tive years, filling the position with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. During their long service no complaint was ever made and no prisoners escaped. While filling the position Mr. Foster purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, and in 1896 took up his abode thereon. There were

only a few improvements and after a time his barn was destroyed by fire. He then erected a very large barn, remodeled his house and has placed his farm in excellent condition. his fields being under a high state of cultivation. He also purchased another quarter section of land and is now giving much attention to the growing of stock of all kinds, including short-horn cattle and Per cheron horses. He has a fine Percheron stallion, also a saddle-bred stallion and roadsters. The stock produced on his farm is among the best to be found in Kansas, and in this direction he has gained a very. enviable reputation.

Mr. Foster was united in marriage at Chase, to Miss Minnie M. Smith, who was born in Madison county, Iowa, the wedding taking place January 20, 1892. The lady is a daughter of O. F. and Nettie (Compton) Smith, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Iowa, in which state their mar- riage was celebrated. During the Civil war her father joined the army and was in many hotly contested battles. He received what was supposed to be a mortal wound, the top of his head being torn away. He was left to die, but his strong constitution enabled him to recover. A portion of his skull was torn off and he lost the sight of one eye. He has always been a sufferer since the war, but life was spared to him. Later he received an honorable discharge and is now granted a small pension. He afterward engaged in the meat market business and in buying and selling stock. In 1880 he removed to Chase, Kansas, where he conducted a meat market until his retirement to private life. He and his wife are now living in Chase, where they are held in warm regard. In politics he is a strong Republican, has served as township trustee and in other positions. He was the eldest of seven children, the others being James, Thomas, Howard, William N. M., a physician, and Mary, who married Rev. A. Hestwood, a Methodist minister. He also had a half-brother and sister by his mother's first marriage, namely, Rufus and Mrs. Martha Rowe. Unto O. F. Smith and his wife were born eight children. Charles

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

O. is a resident of Hutchinson. Minnie M. is now Mrs. Foster. C. E. was in Colorado when the Spanish-American war broke out. He there enlisted, was sent to the Philip- pines and ultimately was discharged as quartermaster, being now a merchant at Chase. Ernest is proprietor of a meat mar- ket at Iola. Carrie is at home. George W. served with the Twentieth Kansas Regiment in the Philippines. Flora and Albert are still at home. The parents are devoted and loyal members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. and Mrs. Foster also belong to the same church and he is identified with the Masonic fraternity, the Knights of Py- thias lodge and the Sons of Veterans. He was reared in the Republican party and has frequently attended the county, state and congressional conventions and is a most ardent advocate of the party principles.

GEORGE T. DAVIS.

A man who has won for himself a prom- inent place among the successful agricul- turists of Galesburg township, Kingman county, is George T. Davis, who resides on section 27. He is a native of Callaway county, Missouri, his birth having occurred here on the 9th of April, 1849. His father, James Madison Davis, was a native of Ken- tucky, and in 1810, when a little lad, came to Missouri and was reared and educated on his father's farm, the family being one of the first settlers in Callaway county. Mr. Davis was married in Missouri to Mary Ely, who was born in Virginia. Her father, Harry Ely, was also a native of the Old Dominion. Mrs. Davis died in Callaway county, Missouri, at the age of forty-nine, but her husband is still living, at the ad- vanced age of ninety years, in Grayson coun- ty, Texas. They were the parents of five children, of which our subject is the young- est. as follows: Sally: Benjamin, who served in the war; Molly; Amanda; and George T. Mr. Davis was married a second time, and by this union were born six chil-

dren, namely : Cynthia, Nancy, James, Emma, Lizzie and Charles. During his en- tire life, Mr. Davis followed the occupation of farming. He gave his political support to the Democratic party and held member- ship in the Baptist church.

George T. Davis was reared to farm life on the homestead in Missouri, and there learned lessons of thrift and perseverance. His literary education was received in the schools of his native county, and early in life was thoroughly acquainted with the duties and labors of farming, as well as having laid a good foundation for later knowledge in the school room. When twenty-six years of age he led to the altar Miss Martha Ste- venson, who was a native of Kentucky, but was reared and educated in Missouri. She was a daughter of James R. and Sarah R. (Givens) Stevenson. The latter was born in Kentucky, where she was reared, and died October 8, 1901, at the great age of over ninety years. In 1878 Mr. Davis removed with his family to Kansas and they. were numbered among the Missouri valley settlement families. Here he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of Osage Indian land to which he has added from time to time until he has four hundred acres of high- ly cultivated property, constituting one of the finest farms in Kingman county. A sub- stantial residence and well built barns and sheds, together with a fine grove and or- chard, are among the salient features of this well kept farm, while well tilled fields and rich pasture lands show the careful work of cultivation.

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Davis has been blessed with three girls: Sallie; Mrs. Jennie Endicott; and Eva, the last two of whom are twins. They lost one child, Ro- salie, in infancy. Politically Mr. Davis is a faithful adherent of Democratic principles ; and has served as road overseer, and also as a member of the school board. He is a member of the Court of Honor, and he and his family hold membership with the Cum- berland Presbyterian church, of which the father serves as elder. He has always lived an upright and honorable life, and is inter-

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ested in every movement which will promote the welfare of his community along relig- ious and educational lines.

W. W. HILL.

This well known farmer and honored citizen of Kingman county has throughout his active business career been prominently identified with agricultural interests and for a number of years has resided upon his pres- ent farm. He was born in Essex county, New Jersey, in 1840, and in that state his father, W. R. Hill, also had his nativity, as did his parents, Ed and Elizabeth Hill. The grandfather was a loyal soldier in the war of 1812. W. R. Hill attained to years of maturity in the state of his birth and was there married to Caroline Harris, a native daughter of New Jersey, where her parents, John Harris and his wife, were also born. She was the mother of eleven children, eight of whom grew to years of maturity, namely: Eliza, Mary, Abraham, William IV., Catherine, Charlotte, Uriah and Mar- tha. The first named passed away in death at the age of sixty-one years, but the remain- ing seven are all still living. In 1856 the family left their New Jersey home for Taze- well county, Illinois, and two years later they located near Lincoln, Logan county, that state, where the father passed to his final rest at the age of seventy-eight years. He followed both farming and carpentering as a means of livelihood, and his political support was given to the Democracy, while religiously he was a member of the Method- ist church. His widow survived until her eighty-sixth year, and she, too, passed away in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church.

W. W. Hill, whose name introduces this review, remained in the state of his birth until his fifteenth year of age, receiving his education in its public schools, and he then accompanied the family on their removal to Illinois. The year 1868 witnessed his ar- rival in the Sunflower state, and for a time

thereafter he made his home near Quenemo, Osage county. Later he became the owner of a claim on One Hundred and Ten Creek, which he improved and made his home thereon until 1883, when he sold that place and purchased his present farm on section 30, White township, Kingman county, one hund.ed acres of which had been placed under cultivation. His homestead now con- sists of one hundred and sixty acres of ex- cellent land, where he has a fine bearing or- chard of nine acres, devoted to the raising of small fruits of all kinds. He has carried forward with success the work of an agri- culturist and fruit-grower, and is to-day ac- counted one of the well-to-do and prosper- outs citizens of his community. His capable management, enterprise, well directed efforts and honorable dealing have been the important factors in his prosperity and have brought to him a very handsome compe- tence.

On the 15th of March, 1869, Mr. Hill was united in marriage to Mary A. Hay- wood, who was born in Cass county, Illi- nois, in 1845, and received her education in the city schools of Burlingame, Kansas. Her parents, James and Eliza Haywood, were born near. Sheffield, England, where they were married, and there they remained until after the birth of their first child, Fredrick, when, about 1843, they emigrated to this country, settling in Illinois. The father had learned the blacksmith's trade in the old country, but after his arrival in America he took advantage of the cheap land and en- gaged in agricultural pursuits, becoming a successful and well-to-do farmer. In 1858 he sold his possessions in Illinois and came to Kansas, where he spent the remainder of his life, dying in Osage county, at the age of seventy-five years. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Eliza Farrar, died in that county at the age of sixty-six years, in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church. She was a daughter of William and Mary (Wilkerson) Farrar. Our subject and wife are the parents of six children, namely : Uriah, of Alvaretta, Oklahoma ; Fred, who also makes his home in that territory ; Laura,

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

who was formerly a popular teacher in Kingman county; Walter; James; and Pearl. Mr. Hill gives his political support to the "Third party," and socially is a mem- ber of the Ancient Order of United Work- men. Mrs. Hill is a worthy and acceptable member of the Methodist church, and the family is one of prominence in the locality in which they reside.

JAMES RANKIN.

James Rankin is a representative of the honored pioneers of a great commonwealth who have served faithfully and long in the enterprising west. He claims Pennsylva- nia as the state of his nativity, his birth hav- ing occurred in Indiana county, June 27, 1839. His father, Isaac N. Rankin, was a well known citizen of that county and was a son of Andrew Rankin, who was born in Ireland, of Scotch-Irish parentage. An- drew Rankin married Ann Stitt, who was also born of Scotch-Irish parents, and they were members of the Presbyterian church. Isaac N., the father of our subject, was reared to manhood in his native county and was there married to Jane Alcorn, a daugh- ter of James Alcorn. They were the parents of the following children: Andrew, a resi- dent of Bedford, Iowa: James, our subject ; John, a twin brother of James and a resi- dent of Oklahoma : William, who resides in Rice county, Kansas. Two of their children are deceased,-Robert Johnson, who died at the age of eighteen months, and Mary, who died in Ringgold county, Iowa. In 1874 the parents came to Rice county, Kansas, where the father died in Harrison township, at the age of sixty-seven years. He was a carpenter and joiner by trade and was iden- tified with the Democratic party. The mother, who was born in 1800, survived her husband until 1888, dying at the age of eighty-eight years. They were members of the Presbyterian church.

James Rankin, whose name introduces this review, was reared in his parents' home

in Pennsylvania. He accompanied the fam- ily on their removal to Hancock county, Illi- nois, locating near Laharpe, and later they removed to Des Moines county, Iowa. A settlement was made near Middletown, and he was there married to Cynthia Duke, who was born in Henry county, Iowa, and was there reared and educated. Her father. James M. Duke, was born in Kentucky, of which state the grandfather, John Duke, was also a native. James Duke was but a boy when he removed with his father to Iowa. He was a sawyer by trade and operated many sawmills in Iowa, Missouri and Ar- kansas. His wife bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Williams and was a native of Ohio, a daughter of Nehemiah and Eliza- beth (Borden) Williams. James and Eliz- abeth Duke became the parents of five chil- dren, but one, Francisca, died in childhood. The living are: Cynthia ; David W., a resi- dent of Victoria township. Rice county : and Mrs. Harriet Holmes, of Lyons, Kan- sas. The father of this family died in Weiner, Arkansas, at the age of seventy-six years. In early life he affiliated with the Greenbackers, but later was an advocate of Democracy. His widow now resides with her children in Rice county, Kansas, and is a worthy member of the Baptist church, with which her husband was also identified.

In the year 1875 Mr. Rankin took up his abode in the Sunflower state, casting in his lot with the pioneers of Rice county. He first secured a timber claim, containing cot- tonwood, box-elder and mulberry trees. He now owns a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres, known as Grove Land, and this is one of the beautiful country seats of Vic- toria township. The place is located a half mile from Pollard, and is highly cultivat- ed, the productive fields yielding a golden return for the care and labor which he be- stows upon them.

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Rankin has been blessed with three children, name- ly: Andrew J., who married Miss Lizzie Grumbine, and is a grain buyer, railroad agent and postmaster of Pollard: Hattie F .. who is employed as a clerk in a store in Pol-

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lard ; and Estella H., a successful and popu- lar teacher of Rice county. The children re- ceived excellent educations in the Normal College at Great Bend. In his political views Mr. Rankin was formerly a Democrat, but now affiliates with the Populist party, but he has never been an office seeker, pre- ferring to give his time and attention to his business interests. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and his wife and daughters hold membership in the Re- formed church. In his social relations he is connected with the Modern Woodmen of the World. He is imbued with fine sensibil- ities and clearly defined principles. Honor and integrity are synonymous with his name and he enjoys the respect, confidence and high regard of the community.

DEWITT C. JOHNSON.

DeWitt C. Johnson, a conductor on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, and a resident of Hutchinson, was born at Wayne, Wayne county, Michigan, on the 23d of August, 1843. His father, Stephen R. Johnson, was a native of the Empire state, and when a young man began work on the Erie canal, in which he continued until the advent of the railroads rendered that business unprofitable and he then be- came identified with railroading. He was first employed in furnishing telegraph poles to the Michigan Central Railroad Company, and was later made general roadmaster of the division between Chicago and Detroit, where he had charge of all construction and building. He remained with that company for thirty years, or until the time of his death, and during that period the road was completed from Chicago to Ypsilanti, he purchasing and paying for all material used in its construction. After the completion of the road to that place Mr. Johnson removed to Niles, Michigan, where he spent the re- maining years of his life, passing away on the 20th of March, 1872. He was an ardent Republican in his political views and was

active in the work of his party. He was married in New York, his native state, and the union was blessed with ten children, but our subject is the only representative of the family in the Sunflower state, the others re- siding in Niles and Detroit, Michigan.

DeWitt C. Johnson was only about six years of age when he accompanied his par- ents on their removal to Michigan, in which state he was reared and educated, the first school which he attended having been held in a log house, but that was about the last of those primitive structures. On first locat- ing in Wayne county the family lived in a log cabin, and many a time our subject has hauled a fire log into the cabin with horses and wagon. When but sixteen years of age he began his identification with railroading, and his father, who was much opposed to his entering the service, would not assist him in obtaining a position, but by his own efforts he secured the position of a brake- man, which he followed for two years. For the following four years he had charge of a construction train, and was then made road- master of the division between Niles and Kalamazoo, but, preferring road work, he resigned that position after one year. In 1870 he came west and for a time had charge of repairs and building on the Coun- cil Bluffs road, from Corning to Council Bluffs, after which he was again employed as roadmaster, continuing in the latter posi- tion until 1884. In that year he began work on the Santa Fe Railroad, first as brakeman, but a year and a half later was given charge of a train in the construction department, assisting in building the different branches of the road in western Kansas. After their completion he became a member of the oper- ating department and has the exceptional record of running one train on the main line for fourteen consecutive years, or up to the present time, his run being from New- ton to Jetmore, a distance of three hundred and six miles, and during that long period he has been absent from duty only on three occasions, one having been to visit 'the World's Fair. Mr. Johnson has invested to a considerable extent in residence property

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in Hutchinson, where he has built and re- paired several buildings, and his beautiful residence is located at No. 219 Fifth avenue. On first coming to the Sunflower state Mr. Johnson located in Topeka, where he resid- ed for about two years, and then took up his abode in Burdette. While there residing he took the first train to Jetmore, where they were met with bands of music and many other public demonstrations. Nine years afterward Mr. Johnson removed to Nicker- son, where he was among the first to plant trees and flowers, and during his residence there the town was visited by a severe hail storm, rendering it impossible for one to venture out of the house for three days. His home was located on the boulevard in that city. In July, 1897, he took up his abode in Hutchinson, where he now owns much valuable property, and during his absence from home his wife looks after their .inter- ests and has proved herself a capable busi- ness woman.

The marriage of Mr. Johnson and Miss Isabella Frost was celebrated on the 17th of April, 1873. The lady was born in Iowa, and is a daughter of Thomas D. Frost, who was also connected with the Michigan Cen- tral Railroad. He was born in Fredonia, New York, in 1819, and in early life was engaged in the lumber business, selling the lumber and rafting it down the Ohio river to Cincinnati. He located in Niles, Michi- gan, in a very early day, and there spent many years of his life, having been princi- pally engaged in bridge work. In 1890 he came to Kansas, but he was not long per- mitted to enjoy a residence in this state, as he passed away in death one year later, and his remains were interred in a cemetery in Niles, Michigan. He was married in the latter city to Irene M. Merritt, and three children graced their union, but Mrs. John- son is now the only survivor of the family. Her maternal grandfather, Captain Daniel Hicock, was a Revolutionary hero, and many of his descendants now reside in Cleveland, Ohio. In his political affiliations Mr. Johnson is a Republican, and although he takes an active and commendable interest

in all matters pertaining to the public wel- fare he has never sought political prefer- ment, as his entire time is devoted to his railroad interests. His social relations con- nect him with the Order of Railway Con- ductors, No. II, of Newton. His life has been a busy and useful one. He is a man of high intellectuality, broad human sympa- thies and tolerance ; honor and integrity are synonymous with his name, and he enjoys the respect, confidence and high regard of the community.

JAMES WINSOR.

Since 1878 James Winsor has been a citizen of the great state of Kansas, and since 1880 he has occupied his present fine farm of eighty acres, located on section 36, Grove township, Reno county, near the town of Turon. His birth occurred in Rensselaer county, New York, on June 16, 1816, a son of John and Lydia (Boardman) Winsor, the former born in England about 1749 and the latter in Scotland. John Winsor was apprenticed to the carpenter trade in his na- tive land, and so faithfully did he perform his duties that his employer permitted him to leave six months before the contracted date, and Mr. Winsor immediately emigrat- ed to America. After locating in the new country he displayed his loyalty to it by en- tering the Patriot army and fighting with them to the close of the Revolutionary war, and was one of its pensioners until his death. He married Lydia Boardman, and they reared four sons and three daughters. By trade he was a cooper, and he also owned land at the time of his death, which occurred in 1829, in the town of Brunswick, Rensse- laer county, New York, in the eightieth year of his age. The Winsors belonged to the yeomanry class in England, all respected for their industry and honesty.

James Winsor is the only survivor of his parents' family, of which he was the sixth child and youngest son. From the age of twelve years he lived away from home, earn-

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ing his own living by working for farmers and then learning a trade, and he was per- mitted by his parents to use his wages, this being contrary to the general usage of the time. In 1838, at the age of twenty-two years, James Winsor was united in marriage to Charity Feathers, in Peekskill, New York, and seven of the eight children born of this marriage grew to maturity, and those still surviving are as fol- lows: George; David, who lives near To- peka, Kansas; and Mrs. Lydia Ann Austin and Mrs. Mary Burr, both of whom reside in Rensselaer county, New York. Their mother died about 1859, and the father then married Amanda Burr, whose death oc- curred on March 29, 1897, in the fifty-sixth year of her age. She left these children : William, who has one son and one daugh- ter ; Wesley, single, living at home; Cather- ine, who married Benjamin Bush, a farmer of Reno county, and they have three chil- dren; and Jennie, who married Cyrus Huff, has one daughter, and they reside in the Sand Hills, in this county.

Mr. Winsor entered the service of the Union army early in the progress of the Civil war, enlisting in the Fourteenth New York Infantry as a private, later becoming a corporal. In 1862, at Antietam, he was wounded in the hip by a shell, this necessi- tating a sojourn of fourteen weeks in the hospital at Camp Curtin. The injury was so serious that he still receives a pension of twelve dollars a month from the govern- ment. For three years he lived the life of a soldier, but gladly returned to peaceful times.

used them for a time to enable him to do his plowing. He is now retired from activity, his son cultivating the land. In politics he is a very pronounced Republican, and he was one of the charter members of Fremont Post, of Turon. Mr. Winsor, with his sec- ond wife, attended the Methodist church, with which they had long been connected, the former wife having been a member of the United Brethren denomination.

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 12

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