A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 122

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

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terms on the school board. No movement calculated to prove of benefit to the county fails to secure his aid. for he cooperates heartily in all measures for the general good.

HARRY VENN.

Among the men of worth in Hutchinson who have long been identified with the city's progress and improvement is Harry Venn, who came to Kansas when the present coun- ty seat of Reno county was a mere hamlet standing in the midst of broad acres which extended for miles in every direction, un- claimed and uncultivated. His business, that of a stone and brick contractor and builder, led to his active identification with the substantial improvement and upbuilding of the city : and on many sides may be seen evidences of his handiwork and skill. But not alone along the line of his business have his efforts been of avail in the promotion of the best interests of Hutchinson, for his co-operation has been given freely and generously to all movements and measures which are calculated to advance the general welfare. Mr. Venn is therefore a valued, respected and honored citizen of the com- munity in which he has now made his home for almost twenty-nine years.

Mr. Venn was born in London, Eng- land. November 7, 1831. His father, Jo- seph Venn, was born in Sussex, England, in 1793 and became a prominent farmer of that locality. He wedded Mary Tulley. who was also born and reared in Sussex and lived to the very advanced age of ninety- eiglit, passing away in 1896, just previous to the death of her husband, who reached the remarkable age, of one hundred and three years. He was a member of the church of England. In their family were thirteen chil- dren, several of whom are still living and all are yet residents of England, with the exception of our subject, the sixth in order of birth.

From a very early age Harry Venn has been dependent entirely upon his own re- sources and whatever success he has

Harry Wenn

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achieved is due entirely to his labors and capability. As soon as he was old enough to work he began learning the plasterer's trade, serving a seven years' apprenticeship in London. On the completion of that term he worked as a journeyman plasterer in almost every section of England, and in the world's metropolis-London-he was married in 1871 to Miss Mary H. Hobbs. a daughter of William Hobbs, who served as gardener to wealthy families there.

In 1873, as passengers on one of tlic steamers of the Cunard line, Mr. and Mrs. Venn came to America, landing at Castle Garden, New York, whence he made his way to Hutchinson. The town had but re- cently been established and two small stores and a boarding house formed the nucleus of the present flourishing city of ten thousand inhabitants. Mr. Venn came to this place at the solicitation of his brother-in-law. James Fuller. He arrived at eleven o'clock in the morning and immediately began work after dinner of the same day. On every side of the small hamlet as far as the eve could see extended the boundless prairie. whereon jack rabbits were almost as numerous as sheep in a pasture, while not far distant herds of buffaloes and antelopes roamed and frequently they came to the very limits of the town, while one or two were shot within its borders. Samuel Slack, one of the oldest and best known of the early pioneers of Hutchinson and yet a ven- erable resident of the city, is usually credited with the honor of having killed the last buffalo that had the temerity to venture within the limits of civilization in Hutchin- son. Indians .would often come down in numbers from Medicine Lodge, but were peacefully inclined. Here and there the prairie had begun to be dotted with the hab- itations of man and cultivated fields to take the place of the rank prairie grass, but there were no trees save one solitary cottonwood, except the newly planted ones not so large around as a man's finger nor as tall as tall as his head.

Mr. Venn has not only witnessed the growth and development of Huchinson as it has taken its place among the thriving

and prosperous cities of the west with all modern improvements, but has done much to assist in the work. He has continuously followed his trade, taking contracts for stone and brick work, and has erected some of the most important buildings in the town, among which are the opera house, the Bap- tist church, the Lyda House and store, a part of the Methodist church and many other buildings. He has resided on Seventh avenue, west, since his arrival here, living first at No. 13. in a brick and frame house of his own construction, which he occupied for seventeen years. Later he lived at No. 15. for four or five years. He has built and owned in all nine houses in the town but has sold all except No. 14. which is now occupied by his daughter. Mrs. St. Clair. After the death of his wife, in April. 1897. he erccted a cottage on the same premises and has since lived by the si le of his daugh- ter. He is still well preserved and active for one of his years and although he has ceased to take heavy contracts he still does some work in his shop at home and else- where, for to one of his energetic na ifre in- dolence and idleness are utterly foreign and he could not content himself with no w rk.

Mr. and Mrs. Venn had but one child, M. Diana, the wife of J. St. Clair, a plas- terer and brick mason. They have three children, Violet. Lillian and Rosa, aged. re- spectively, twelve, eight and two years.

It was Mr. Wenn that once owned the famous greyhound, Nero, having got him when a tiny pup from Charles Row. a bar- ber of Hutchinson. As he grew he devel- oped such tremendous size and strength and speed that he attracted the attention of M. E. Allison, one of the most noted fanciers and breeders of greyhounds in the west. Mr. Allison often asked permission of Mr. Venn for taking his hound out with his pack and trying his coursing qualities and often de- clared that for speed he excelled any hound he had ever seen. Finally he persuaded Mr. Venn to sell him and so added another mag- nificent hound to his kennel. In his social relations Mr. Venn is a Knight of Pythias. and in his political views he has been an earnest Republican since casting his first

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vote in this country. He is also identified with the Presbyterian church and his in- fluence has ever been found on the side of right, of progress and reform, or in im- provement and advancement. He has been the architect of his own fortunes and has builded wisely and well, at the same time gaining the respect and esteem of his fel- low men.

CHARLES J. EVANS.

For twenty-two years Charles J. Evans has been a practitioner at the bar of Ells- worth. He holds distinctive precedence as an eminent lawyer, as a citizen of marked devotion to the general good and as a val- iant and patriotic soldier. He possesses the intellectual mind, the clear reasoning and the powers of close application so es- sential to the successful representative of the bar, and has a clientage that brings to luimi a law business of an important and va- ric.1 character.

Mr. Evans is a native of Indiana, his Firth having occurred in Thorntown, on the 21st of January, 1850. His father. Sammuel N. Evans, was also born in the Hoosier state, and the grandfather, Jesse Evans, was a native of Tennessee, whence he emigrated to Indiana at an early day, passing through the pioneer experience of lite on the frontier. He there cleared a farm in the midst of the native forest and bore his part in reclaiming the wild lands for purposes of civilization. His son, Sam- uel N. Evans, entered Hanover College, and afterward engaged in the Presbyterian ministry in Indiana, Illinois and Minnesota, until killed by lightning at Rochelle, Illi- nois, on the 30th of September. 1858. He was married in Indiana to Miss Mary Woodruff, a native of New Albany, that state. He long survived her husband, and died in Ellsworth, October 7, 1900, when almost seventy-eight years of age. They were the parents of five children, of whom three attained years of maturity, namely : Charles J., of this review ; Mrs. H. A. Tal- bot, of Crawfordsville, Indiana ; and Samuel M., who is living in St. Louis, Missouri.

In taking up the personal history of Charles J. Evans we present to our readers one of the most popular and esteemed resi- dents of Ellsworth. He attended an acad- emy at Waveland, in Montgomery county, Indiana, which his father had aided in es- tablishing, and prosecuted his studies with the intention of entering either the legal or the medical profession. For two years he read medicine under the direction of a lo- cal physician at Waveland, but finally de- cided in favor of the law, and became a stu- dent in the office of the firm of Kennedy & Brush, of Crawfordsville, Indiana. In 1868, however, he came to Kansas and entered the Nineteenth Kansas Cavalry, serving un- der Colonel Crawford. His regiment was at the front under the command of Generals Sheridan and Custer, participating in the warfare on the plains against the Indians. Mr. Evans remained in Kanses for about a year and a half, when he suffered a se- vere illness and returned to Indiana. As he was forced to make his own way in the world he engaged in teaching school in or- der to provide the means necessary to fur- ther prosecute his legal studies. At the same time he devoted his leisure hours to the reading of law, and afterward spent two years in the office of Kennedy & Brush, be- ing then admitted to the bar in Crawfords- ville, Indiana, in 1876.

Subsequently he engaged in teaching school until the summer of 1878, when he decided to again come to Kansas and, in January, 1879, he arrived in Ellsworth, where he opened an office and began the practice of law, in whch he has since con- tinued. His success in a professional way affords the best evidence of his capability in this line. He is a strong advocate with the jury and concise in his appeals before the court. He is spoken of as one of the shrewd lawyers in this part of the state, which means that he allows no point to escape him, is correct in his reasoning and logical in his deductions. His patronage is of a distinctively representative character, and he practices before all the state courts. He has served for two terms as county attor- ney, and when not in that office has filled

L. D. Masters

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the position of city attorney, being the pres- ent incumbent. He stands as a safe conser- vator of the interests of the people, and handles all the intricate problems of juris- prudence with an ease that indicates his comprehensive knowledge of the principles of law and his correctness in applying them to the points at issue.

On the 27th of October. 1888, Charles J. Evans was united in marriage to Isobel M. Wilson, of Bath-on-Hudson, New York. They now have two living children: Lou and Jessie. Mr. Evans is a member of the Ellsworth club, and is a prominent Mason, belonging to Ellsworth Lodge, No. 146, F. & A. M. ; Ellsworth Chapter, No. 54, R. A. M .; Ellsworth Council, No. 9. R. & S. M .; St. Aldemar Commandery, No. 37, K. T .; and Isis Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Mystic Shrine, of Salina. His personal characteristics are such as to win him the confidence, regard and friendship of all who know him. He is a most liberal gentleman, kindness being one of his salient elements. His is a natural discrimination as to legal ethics, and he is so thoroughly well read in the minutiae of the law that he is able to base his arguments upon a thorough knowledge of, and familiarity with, all questions, and to present a case upon its merits, never failing to recognize the main points at issue and never neglecting to give a thorough prepara- tion.

C. D. MASTERS.

C. D. Masters is one of the most effi- cient officers of this section of the state of Kansas, having been the sheriff of Harvey county since January, 1900. The birth of Sheriff Masters occurred in Indianapolis, In- diana, on January 15, 1860, and he is a son of Philo and Sophia ( Billings ) Masters, both of whom were natives of Massachu- setts. The former was a millwright and mechanic by trade, and was employed by the firm of Hill & Wingate, of Indianapolis. Much of the work in this line in his locality was performed by him, several mill struc-

tures in Miami and Howard counties, In- diana, testifying to his skill.

It was in Miami county that he estai) - lished his home, and there he died on Octu- ber 14, 1874, at the age of fifty-three years. His wife died on December 8, 1875, at the age of forty-four years. Her mother was a member of the Morton family, and was a cousin of Governor Oliver P. Morton, with whom Philo Masters was on terms of inti- mate friendship. At one time he was able to render Governor Morton very valuable service in the matter of reporting the move- ments of the secret order of the Knights of the Golden Circle. Six children were born to our subject's parents, and he was the third in order of birth, the others being : Eugene, who is a teacher in the public schools, and resides in Peru, Indiana ; Mary J., the wife of Dr. A. F. Smith, of Waupe- cong, Indiana ; W. Philo, the postinaster of Seymour, Indiana, and also connected with a large wholesale firm in that city, and also was a delegate from the fourth district of Indiana, to the national Republican conven- tion which nominated the lamented Mc- Kinley at Philadelphia ; H. F., who is cou'- ty treasurer of Miami county, Indiana : and Alice, who was formerly a teacher but is now the wife of William Miller, of Peru. Indiana.

The education of Sheriff Masters was received in the public schools of Miami county, and later he began farming on the neighboring farms, while later he began that occupation for himself, continuing there until February, 1885, when he came to Kansas. Here he secured employment with the Frisco Railroad company, and for four years served as a car inspector. Later lie was made marshal of the town of Hal- stead, and on the expiration of his terin in that office he moved upon a farm. There he remained and devoted his attention to ag- ricultural pursuits until January 8. 1900, since which time he has been a resident of Newton. The family sentiments have al- ways been in accord with Republican prin- ciples, and our subject is an active member of that party. In 1892 lie was made a jus- tice of the peace in Lakin township, Harvey

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county, in which he served with credit for four years, and was then made sheriff of Harvey county for a term of two years. He was elected to that office by a majority of over three hundred votes, and at the Republican convention of June 6, 1902, he was renominated with opposition.

The marriage of Mr. Masters was cele- brated in July, 1878, to Miss Ella Hoover, a native of Indiana and a daughter of Rev. Elias and Sarah Hoover, of the United Brethren church, and both are now deceased. They had seven children, six of whom still survive, namely: Mary, the wife of Will- iam Herrell, of Nebraska; William D., of California; E. M., a physician of Hal- stead. Kansas; Mrs. C. D. Masters: Sher- man S., of Washington ; and Edward, who resides in the state of Washington. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Masters are as follows: Alta S., a graduate of the Newton high school, of the class of 1901 ; and Mabel G., William R. and Walter M. Both our subject and his estimable wife are members of the Methodist church. Mr. Masters has won the enviable reputation of being one of the most efficient officers of the county, and in every way is worthy of the high regard in which he is held. His administration has been marked with an observance of law and order that places Harvey county among the best regulated in the state. He is totally unacquainted with fear, and at all times he can be trusted to do his full duty under every circumstance.

JACOB BOLINGER.

Jacob Bolinger, one of the wealthy and influential agriculturists of Kingman coun- ty, is a native of canton Schaffhausen. Sohmingen, Switzerland, his birth having occurred December 1. 1839. He is a son of Lewis and Ursula ( Miller) Bolinger, who were natives of the same locality. Samuel Miller was a school teacher, and the father of our subject was a laborer and farmer, and both he and his wife were members of Dr. Calvin's Reformed church. They became

the parents of ten children, four sons and six daughters, and three of the number now make their home near Trempealeau, Wis- consin.

Jacob Bolinger, the subject of this re- view, attended the schools of his native country until his fourteenth vear, and after putting aside his text-books he engaged in the work of the farm. When twenty years of age he left the land of his birth for the new world, landing in the United States after a long and tedious voyage. After his arrival here he took up his abode on a farm near Pittsburg, in Allegheny county, Penn- sylvania, and eight years afterward he was there married to Wilhelmina Abbott, who was born in Allegheny county in 1849. She is a daughter of Charles and Magdalena (Hetrick) Abbott, the former a native of Saxony, Germany, and the latter of Alsace, France, and both are yet living, making their home in Allegheny county. He died at the age of seventy-nine years and she at seventy-two years of age. They had four- teen children, seven sons and seven daugh- ters, and ten of the number still survive. A son, Lewis Abbott, now resides in Vinita township, Kingman county, Kansas. In re- ligious belief the family were members of the Reformed church, but are now identi- fied with the Presbyterian church. During the terrible struggle between the north and the south two brothers of. Mr. Abbott fought bravely for the Union cause, and a brother of Mrs. Abbott also rendered his country valuable aid during that memorable strug- gle.

In 1886 Mr. Bolinger removed with his family to the Sunflower state, and after his arrival here he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Vinita township, King- man county, fifty acres of which were un- der cultivation, and a small, two-room house stood upon the place. As time passed and success has rewarded his efforts he has been enabled to add to his original purchase until his landed possessions now consist of eleven hundred and twenty acres, and his is now one of the largest and most valuable places in the county. The primitive dwelling, into which the family first moved, has been re-

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placed by a modern and commodious resi- dence, large barns have been erected, his fields have been placed under an excellent state of cultivation and a beautiful grove and orchard further add to the value and attractive appearance of the place. He was the first man in the township to introduce the raising of alfalfa, and he now has twenty acres devoted to that product. Mr. Bol- inger has been eminently successful in his farming operations, and he is now recog- nized as one of the leading agriculturists of Kingman county.

The union of our subject and wife has been blessed with eight children, namely : Mary Morehouse, Carrie, Charles, Maggie, Gosch, Albert, Samuel, Sarah Jane and Fred. Religiously Mr. Bolinger is a mem- ber of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. He is at all times kind and courteous in his manner, and his friends have the highest ap- preciation of his many excellent qualities and all esteem him for a life over which there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil.

JASPER J. GREENLEE.

Jasper J. Greenlee is a well known mer- chant of Sterling, dealing in groceries, con- fectionery and bakers' goods. He was born in Mississippi, February 28, 1838. His fa- ther, Peter Greenlee, was a native of South Carolina, born about 1809, but was reared and married in Mississippi, the lady of his choice being Miss Eliza Beaty, also a native of South Carolina. The father died in Mississippi about 1844. They reared their six children, but our subject is the only one now living. At the death of the father the mother was left without means of support. and in order to aid in providing for the family Jasper Greenlee began working in the cotton fields, hoeing and picking cotton when only eight years of age. Three broth- ers and two sisters assisted him. He lived with his uncle. Mr. Beaty, for two years, and at ten years of age accompanied his mother to Arkansas. In 1860 Mr. Green- lee went north, and at Monmouth, Illinois,

in August, 1861, lie offered his services to the government, enlisting as a member of Company I, Fiftieth Illinois Volunteer In- tantry. He served as a private and on the expiration of his first term re-enlisted. Twice he was in the hospital with fever, and after the declaration of peace he was mus- tered out on the 13th of August, 1865, a: Springfield, Illinois. He was in the battles of Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Pittsburg Landing, Corinth, Allatoona Pass, and was with Sherman on that memorable march to the sea, and took part in the grand military review at Washington.

Mr. Greenlee then returned to his home at Spring Grove, Illinois. He was first married in Arkansas, but lost his first wife. and their only child died at the age of four- teen months. On the 16th of August, 1866. Mr. Greenlee was again married, his sec- ond union being with Rebecca J. Thomp- son, who was born in Ohio, in 1842, a daughter of R. S. and Rebecca Thompson. By this marriage there are ten children, of whom seven are yet living: William, who is married and resides in Pawnee, Kansas : John, who assists his father in the store at Sterling, and has a wife and three children. twin sons and a daughter; Stewart C., who is also living in Pawnee county ; Florence. at home; Emmett, a clerk in Sterling ; Idel- la, who is in school ; and Frank, a youth of fourteen years. The three other children died in infancy.

In 1871 Mr. Greenlee removed to Huntsville, Alabama, where for eight years he was engaged in merchandising, dealing in dry goods and groceries. For seven years he was in business in Ford county, Illinois, and in September, 1883, he came to Kansas, locating first in Newton, where he remained for eighteen months. He then removed to Ness county, and secured a half section of land as a pre-emption and tree claim. For four years he engaged in farm- ing. improving his claim to a large extent. On the expiration of that period he sold his claim and went to Ness City, where he engaged in the bakery business from 1888 until 1893. The latter year witnessed his arrival in Sterling, and here he establishe !

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his present store. He is engaged in the bakery business, and also carries a large line of groceries and confectionery. In the fall of 1900 he purchased his brick store build- ing, which is now well equipped and taste- fully arranged. The goods which he places upon the market are of excellent grade, and he, therefore, receives a very liberal patron- age. During the past five years he has also conducted an eating house in one of his two stores.

In his political affiliations Mr. Greenlee is a Republican, and is now serving as a member of the city council of Sterling. He is deeply interested in the welfare of his adopted city and its progress along substan- tial lines of improvement, and he therefore exercises his official prerogative in support of every measure calculated to prove of gen- eral good. He also belongs to the United Presbyterian church. He has practically made all that he has since coming to Kansas, for when he removed to his claim he had but sixty-five cents. As the years have passed his diligence and unflagging energy, guided by sound judgment, have enabled him to annually augment his income and to-day he is a prosperous merchant of his adopted town.

DALLAS GROVER.

Ellsworth county is fortunate in that in many of her county officials are men of high worth, ability and integrity. Such is Dallas Grover, who is occupying the po- sition of county attorney. He is a well known lawyer of broad learning and prac- tical experience in his profession, and in discharging his official duties has gained high commendation.

For fourteen years Mr. Grover has been a resident of Kansas. He was born in Wap- wallopen, Pennsylvania, July 29, 1863, and was a representative of one of the old fam- ilies of the county in colonial days, his an- cestors locating in America, and his mater- nal great-grandfather served in the war of the Revolution, and in all the wars of the country the family has been represented by

loyal defenders of the old flag. Our sub- ject is a son of Joshua Grover, a native of the Keystone state, where he engaged in the mercantile and lumber business on all extensive scale, operating steam sawmills there for many years. In former days he was a stanch advocate of the Republican party, but his sympathy with the temper- ance movement led him to ally his interests with the Prohibition party. He is very ac- tive in Christian work, holding membership in the Evangelical church, in which he is serving as an officer. He is also a great worker in the Sunday school, and does all in his power to advance the cause of Chris- tianity along the lines of labor prescribed by his denomination. He married Helen Shortz, a daughter of George Shortz, and they became the parents of eleven children.

Dallas Grover, the fourth in order of birth, pursued his preliminary education in the public schools and in an academy of Orangeville, and pursued a four years' class- ical course in Lafayette College, in east- ern Pennsylvania. He won the first ora- torical prize while a student in that insti- tution, and was valedictorian of the class of 1887. From an early age his studies were prosecuted with the intention of mak- ing the practice of law his life work, and with a broad, general knowledge to serve as a foundation upon which to rear the super- structure of professional learning, he took up the study of law. In 1887 he came to Wilson, Ellsworth county, Kansas, and se- cured the position of superintendent of schools, continuing to act in that capacity for several years. He also purchased an in- terest in a newspaper, the Echo, a weekly journal, of which he is still part owner. However, in pursuance of his original pur- pose, he then renewed his preparation for the bar, and in 1895 was admitted to prac- tice. He then opened an office in Wilson. where he remained until 1900, when he was elected county attorney and came to Ells- worth. He has been very faithful in the discharge of his duties, and his . capability is widely acknowledged. He prepares his cases with great thoroughness and precision, is logical in his deductions, sound in argu-

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ment, and while giving due importance to each detail never loses sight of the leading points upon which the decision of the case always rests.

Mr. Grover is a supporter of Repub- lican principles, and on that ticket was a candidate for state senator in 1892. He has taken an active interest in the party work in this portion of the state, has delivered many campaign addresses and is a convinc- ing, entertaining and popular speaker. He lias been a delegate to county and district conventions, and in his senatorial contest lie made a strong race. Socially he is con- nected with Samaria Lodge, No. 298, F. & A. M., of Wilson, and in his religious be- lief he holds membership in the Presby- terian church. His home relations are very pleasant, for on the 5th of July, 1897, he was happily married to Miss Edith Barton, a daughter of S. E. and E. J. Barton, for- merly of Kansas City, but now of Wilson. They have two sons, Dallas and La Motte. Mr. Grover is widely and favorably known in the county of his adoption and has many warm friends.

A. P. JOHNSON.

A. P. Johnson, who is well known throughout Reno county, because of the 1 rominence he has attained as a stockman and farmer, was born in Mineral county, West Virginia, a son of Abraham and Su- sanna (Parker) Johnson, both natives of the Old Dominion. The family are num- bered among the old and honored residents of that commonwealth, and the grandfa- ther of our subject, Okey Johnson, was there born, as was also his father, James Johnson, and the latter was a Revolutionary hero. Abraham Johnson, the father of him whose name introduces this review, became an extensive land owner in his native state, and prior to the war he owned many slaves. He still makes his home on his old farm- stead there, aged eighty-one years, and his wife has reached the age of seventy-five years. They became the parents of nine children, four of whom grew to years of

maturity, and three still survive, namely : Ann R., the wife of Joseph Rinehart, of Mineral county, West Virginia; A. P., of this review ; and Charles E., who owns the old homestead in Mineral county.

A. P. Johnson grew to years of ma- turity under the parental roof. His elemen- tary education was received in the public schools of his neighborhood, and he com- pleted his studies in the Randolph Macon Methodist Episcopal College, of Ashland, Virginia. On putting aside his text books to take up the active duties of life on his own account he assumed charge of the home farm, where he was engaged in general farmning and stock raising until 1886, when he sold his interests in the south and came to Reno county, Kansas. Upon his arrival here he purchased the northwest quarter of section thirteen, but as the years have passed by and prosperity has rewarded his efforts, he has added to his landed posses- sions until he is now the owner of five hun- dred and eighty acres of rich and fertile land. In 1896 he purchased his home place and the same year erected his beautiful and attractive residence and his large and con- venient barn. The latter is one of the most complete and convenient feed barns in the county. It is a roomy structure, all under cover, and in his feed lots he has double cribs one hundred and fifty by thirty-six feet, with a capacity of about tweive thou- sand bushels of grain. His entire farm is devoted to the raising of grain, with the exception of his original purchase of one hundred and sixty acres, which is used for feed lots. Mr. Johnson has earned the reputation of being one of the most careful, systematic and successful stock raisers of Reno county. He feeds from five hundred to six hundred cattle each year, and annu- ally ships from seventy-five to one hundred car loads. His method has been to buy his cattle when two years old, and feed them for a year, when they are placed upon the mar- ket. During the summer of 1891 he shipped one hundred and fifty three-year-old cat- tle of his own feeding, with an average weight of fifteen hundred pounds. He usu- ally buys from fifteen to twenty-five thou-

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sand bushels of grain annually, and one notable fact in connection with his feeding is that during the fifteen years in which he has been engaged in the business he has never been obliged to ship in but one car load of grain, which fact indicates the char- acter of Lincoln township as a grain pro- ducing district. He usually grinds the grain which he feeds, and for this purpose he has a mill which has a capacity of sixty bushels an hour, and which contains a twelve-horse power engine. In addition to the large number of cattle which he feeds he also feeds about five hundred hogs a year. Mr. Johnson has reduced stock feeding to a science. He is a careful student of causes and effects, and in his carefully conducted tests in feeding and the care of cattle under varying conditions and circumstances he has arrived at many conclusions, which he has not only utilized to his own advantage, but has also given to his brother stockmen. He

is a well known contributor to various live stock publications, and is the author of the article on "Cattle Raising and Feeding," in the work entitled "The Beef Steer and His Sister," issued by Secretary Coburn, of the State Agricultural College.

On the 12th of July, 1898, Mr. John- son was united in marriage to Miss Martha Lulu Millar, who was born and reared in Reno county, a daughter of Alexander Mil- lar, of Hutchinson. In political matters Mr. Johnson gives his support to the Democracy. He is a worthy member and active worker in the Methodist Episcopal church, South, in which he has long served as a member of the official board, also as the church choris- ter and as superintendent of the Sunday school. He is recognized as an authority on all questions relating to the stock raising industry, and unquestionably takes the lead in this branch of business in his section of the state.

HECKMAN BINDERY INC.

APR 88 N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA 46962

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 122

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