USA > Kansas > A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I > Part 16
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Mark Warrell was left an orphan at an
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early age, and his youth and early manhood were spent on a farm in Ohio, the educa- tional privileges which he enjoyed being those afforded by the common schools of his locality. From a very early age he was obliged to make his own way in the world, and the high position which he now occu- pies in tite business world is due entirely to his unremitting toil, his perseverance and his close attention to duty. In 1883 he removed from the Buckeye state to Kansas, taking up his abode on a farm in Dale township, where he made his home until 1893. In that year he came to the farm which is yet his home, where he owns a tract of two hundred and forty acres of excellent and well improved land, and here he is extensively engaged in farming and stock-raising.
In 1871 Susan Wilson became the bride of Mr. Warrell. She was born near Ed- wardsville, Madison county, Illinois, and is a daughter of William and Agnes Wilson, both natives of Scotland. The father has passed to his final rest, but the mother is still living and now makes her home with our subject. Unto this worthy couple were born six children, four of whom are living, namely : James, Susan, William and Peter. Eight children, five sons and three daugh- ters, have been born unto the union of Mr. and Mrs. Warrell,-John W., James Ed- ward, Mrs. Flora Ellen Calhoun, Isaac C., Maggie Ann, Edith Belle, Frank and Albert Grover. The Democracy receives Mr. War- rell's hearty support and co-operation, and socially he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
WILLIAM VOLKLAND.
As a representative of that class of sub- stantial builders of a great commonwealth who served faithfully and long in the enter- prising west, we present the subject of this sketch, who is a pioneer of central Kan- sas and who has nobly done his duty in establishing and maintaining the material interests, legal status and moral welfare of his community. Whatever tends to benefit
his state and promote the welfare of his community is sure to elicit his interest and co-operation, and thus his name is insepar- ably interwoven with the history of Rice county during the past twenty-three years.
Mr. Volkland was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, September 27, 1864, a son of William Volkland, who was born in Wei- mar, Germany, where he was reared and educated. There he learned the carpenter's trade and for one year he served in the Ger- man army. In 1848 he came to the United States and was here married to Pauline Roehr, who also was a native of Weimar, Germany. For a number of years the father engaged in contracting and building in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and afterward came to Rice county, being identified with the agricultural interests of Farmer town- ship until his death, which occurred in 1888, when he was sixty-three years of age. He was honored and respected for his integrity and upright life and to his family he left the priceless heritage of an untarnished name. His widow still resides in Farmer township. In his political views he was a Republican, unswerving in his advocacy of the principles of the party, and in religious belief he was a Methodist, his wife being also a member of the same church. They had seven children, and those living are: Mrs. Ottilla Stehwien, of Bushton; Will- iam ; and Albert, postmaster of Bushiton and the partner of William in the hardware busi- ness. He is one of the well known and lead- ing business men of the town. He was born in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, February 15, 1867, and acquired his education there and in Kansas. He married Matilda Korf, of Bushton, who was born in Illinois, a daugh- ter of Frederick Korf, deceased. Her mother, however, is still living. Unto Al- bert Volkland and his wife have been born four children : Nettie A. P., Otto F. W., Oscar and Mabel. In his political views the father is a Republican and in religious faith is identified wth the Methodist church. His prominence in business circles in Bushton is widely acknowledged and in his life he ex- emplifies the enterprising spirit of the west.
William Volkland, whose name intro-
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duces this review, spent his youth in his na- tive state, and by improving the educational advantages afforded by the public schools there he became a well informed man, well fitted for the practical and responsible du- ties of life. In 1878 he accompanied his parents to central Kansas and here became familiar with farm work through actual ex- perience in the labors of field and meadow upon his father's farm. In 1888 he became a factor in the business interests of Bushton by establishing a hardware store, which he still conducts in connection with his brother Albert. They have a fine store, occupying a building twenty-four by ninety feet. Their stock is extensive, embracing a large line of heavy and shelf hardware, and their patron- age is continually increasing, owing to their reliable business methods, their earnest ef- forts to please their patrons and the moder- ate prices which they ask for their goods, desiring only to make a fair and legitimate profit.
Mr. Volkland is also president of the Bushton State Bank, one of the solid finan- cial institutions of this part of the state, designated as the county depository of Rice county. A fine bank building has recently been erected, twenty-four by forty-eight feet. It is suitably and tastefully furnished and everything is in excellent condition for carrying on the enterprise. They conduct a general banking business, buy and sell ex- change, pay interest on deposits and, in fact, conduct a banking business which is profit- able and worthy of patronage. The officers are popular and reliable business men, name- ly: William Volkland, president ; William Schmidt, vice-president ; George F. Hauser, cashier ; and George Cramm. Frank Shon- yo. William Schmidt and William Volkland, directors.
When twenty-five years of age Mr. Volk- land was married to Miss Sophia Roehr. of Bushton, a daughter of Fred Roehr, de- ceased. They now have six children. two sons and four daughters : Ella Viola : Will- iam F., Maud G., Florence. Pauline Selma and Paul Albert. Mr. Volkland exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party and
labors earnestly and effectively in its behalf. but he is not a politician in the sense of office seeking. He and his wife hold mem- bership in the Methodist Episcopal church and he is filling the position of trustee of the church. For thirteen years he has been closely identified with the history of Bush- ton as a representative of most important business interests. He is a man of keen dis- crimination and sound judgment, and his executive ability and excellent management have brought to the concerns with which he is connected a large degree of success.
HON. JOHN DAY.
Since early pioneer days John Day has resided in Kingman county, the year of his arrival being 1878, and through many years has watched with interest the progress and advancement of this section of the common- wealth. He has ever borne his part in the work of improvement as a loyal citizen and as one whose public spirit has been manifest in his active co-operation with many meas- ures that have contributed to the public good. He was born near Bluffton. in Wells county, Indiana, on the 29th of September. 1849. The family trace their ancestry through many generations to England. to two brothers who came from that country to the United States prior o the Revolution- ary war. They were silk merchants in their native land. Wilbur Day, the father of our subject, was born in North Carolina, and was there reared and married. Miss Mar- garet Sale becoming his wife. She was also a native of North Carolina, and both she and her husband were members of prom- inent old southern families of that state. After their marriage, in 1841, they located near Bluffton, in Wells county, Indiana, where they were among the pioneer settlers, and there they made their home for the fol- lowing eight years, on the expiration of which period, in 1853, they took up their abode in Jasper county, that state. There they were also among the early pioneers, and during their residence on the western
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frontier they suffered all the privations and hardships known only to the settlers of a new and unsettled country. Unto this worthy couple were born fourteen children, seven sons and seven daughters, namely : Lewis, who died at Nashville, Tennessee, in 1864, while serving as a soldier in the Civil war; William, who was a soldier during the Civil war, and is now a resident of Indiana ; Amanda; John, the subject of this review; George; Martha; Jesse, deceased; Louisa; Lizzie, deceased; Charles; and four who died when young. The father of this family passed away in death in Jasper county, In- diana, on the 4th of March, 1892, at the age of seventy-two years. He followed the till- ing of the soil throughout his entire business career, and in all life's relations he was ever found true and faithful to duty. His wife has reached the ripe old age of seventy-nine years. She is amember of the Christian church, as was also her husband.
John Day, of this review, was reared to manhood on an Indiana farm, both in Wells and Jasper counties and in addition to at- tending the common schools of his locality he was also a student in the Battle Ground Academy, where he enjoyed superior educa- tional advantages. After putting aside his school books to take up the active duties of life on his own account he chose as a life occupation that to which he had been reared, namely, farming, which vocation he followed in his native state until 1878. In that year he came to Kansas, first securing a tract of Osage Indian land and for a num- ber of years after coming to this state the family resided in a sod house. As prosperity attended his efforts he has added to his land- ed possessions until he is now the owner of eight hundred and eighty acres of excellent and well improved land, on which he has erected a large and comfortable dwelling, barns and other outbuildings, and has now one of the finest homesteads in this part of the county.
In Rensselaer. Jasper county, Indiana, on the 4th of March, 1873, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Day and Miss Mary Ann Burns, who was born in Jasper coun- ty, Indiana, July 30, 1849, and was reared
and educated in the Hoosier state. Her pa- ternal grandparents were James and Delilah ( Barnes) Burns, and the former was a sol- dier in the war of 1812. Her father, Will- iam Burns, was born in Champaign county, Ohio, and was there reared until eighteen years of age, when he removed to White county, Indiana. He was there married to Susanna Barnes, a native of Virginia, and a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Rigor) Barnes, natives also of the Old Dominion. The father served as judge of the courts in Indiana, and was a very prominent man in his locality. Mr. and Mrs. William Burns became early pioneers of Jasper county, In- diana, and at that time only four families resided within the boundaries of the county and Indians were still very numerous. They became the parents of ten children, eight of whom grew to years of maturity, namely : James I., deceased; Francis Marion, who served as a soldier during the Civil war, and who died in a hospital at Nashville, aged twenty-two years; John M., who died at the age of twenty-one years; Vilena, also de- ceased; Mary A., the wife of our subject ; James M., who resides on the old home farm in Indiana; Margaret, now Mrs. J. W. Groom; William, who resides with his brother on the Indiana farm. The father of this family died at the comparatively early age of forty-nine years, his death resulting from exposure. He was a Republican in his political views, and was a progressive and public-spirited citizen. His wife survived until sixty-eight years of age, when she joined her husband in the home beyond, both dying in the faith of the Christian church. The union of our subject and wife has been blessed with two sons, the eldest of whom, Ernest F., is a popular and success- ful physician of Arkansas City, Kansas. He is a graduate of the Medical University of Kansas City, a member of the class of 1900, which was the largest ever graduated from that institution. The youngest son, Ev- art C., is now twenty-one years of age, and is a resident of Oklahoma. He married Lettie Hobson, of Kingman county, and a daughter of Newton Hobson. Mrs. Day is a member of the Christian church. Mr. Day,
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of this review, gives his political support to the Populist party, and on its ticket he was elected to represent his district in the legis- lature of 1891, discharging the duties en- trusted to his care in a manner highly satis- factory to all concerned. He has, however, never sought or desired public honors, pre- ferring to give his undivided time to his business interests.
ALEXANDER M. SWITZER.
Alexander M. Switzer, a prominent farmer, stockman and fruit-grower of Reno county, was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, March 7, 1849, a son of John and Elizabeth (Anderson) Switzer. The father was a native of Switzerland but when only five years of age he accompanied his parents on their removal to the United States, the family locating in Ohio, where he spent the remainder of his life. He engaged in the tilling of the soil as a life occupation, and as a supporter of Republican principles he took an active part in the public affairs of his lo- cality, having served for many years as a county commissioner and as a trustee. His death occurred when he had reached the age of seventy-six years. His wife was a native of the Emerald Isle, but she was brought to the United States in childhood, also locat- ing in Ohio. She passed away at the age of sixty years. Unto this worthy couple were born seven children, four of whom grew to years of maturity, and three of the number, Robert, Eliza and Thomas, remained in the Buckeye state. The last named owns the old family homestead in that commonwealth.
Alexander M. Switzer, whose name in- troduces this review, was reared to manhood in the place of his nativity, and in the dis- trict schools of the neighborhood he received his educational advantages. In 1864, when but fifteen years of age, he enlisted in the one-hundred-day service as a substitute for his father, becoming a member of Company D, One Hundred and Sixty-first Ohio Na-
tional Guards. During his military career he served four months in the Shenandoah valley, under Hunter, Sigel and Sheridan, and on the expiration of his term of enlist- ment he re-enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Eighty-fifth Volunteers. Go- ing with his command to Kentucky, he was engaged in guarding Cumberland Gap and in suppressing guerrillas. During their first campaign in the Shenandoah valley the regi- ment started out complete, but they returned with only about one hundred men. Mr. Switzer still has in his possession a treas- ured memento of President Lincoln in the form of an autographic letter which was presented to each of the one hundred sur- vivors of his regiment as a personal recog- nition of their gallant service.
After the close of hostilities Mr. Switzer received an honorable discharge at Camp Chase, Columbus, and returned to his home with a most creditable military record. In March, 1866, in Ohio, he was married to Jennie Knee, and in the following Septem- ber he removed to Champaign county, Illi- nois, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits for the following five years. In the spring of 1872, with his wife and two sons, he came with a team and wagon to Reno county, Kansas. The family left their Illi- nois home in March, and in the following April they arrived in the Sunflower state. Their first residence here was a combination of a sod house and a dug-out, located in a rather low spot and excavated to a depth of about two feet. During the first heavy rain the house was flooded and everything within was set afloat, and they were thus compelled to move to higher ground. Mr. Switzer ac- cordingly erected a small box house, eight by twelve feet, which was their place of abode during that season, and although it was only partially enclosed it proved a com- fortable residence during the pleasant sum- mer weather. In the following fall a snug little box house, ten by twelve feet, was erected, which at that time was the finest residence in the neighborhood. In that early day game was plentiful and buffaloes could be secured by going only a short distance
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from their home. There were no clearly defined roads across the prairie from one town or settlement to another at that time, and to mark the way Mr. Switzer during the first year of his residence here plowed a fur- row nine miles across the prairie to Castle- ton. By arduous labor he soon succeeded in placing about ten acres of the place under cultivation, which he planted with corn, and in order to secure money he was also obliged to break sod for his neighbors. He was one of the first in this section of the state to en- gage in the fruit and nursery business, hav- ing as early as 1876 about forty acres of his farm devoted to that purpose, and for some years he made that line of work a spe- cialty, raising all kinds of the larger fruits, but during the past few years he has devoted his attention to the raising of small fruits, principally grapes and strawberries. He supplies the Hutchinson market with the choicest fruits, and in this enterprise he fur- nishes employment to many young people during the fruit season.
There are few men better known in Reno and adjoining counties than Alexander Switzer, for during his entire residence in the Sunflower state he has been actively and prominently identified with the affairs of his township, county and state. He has served in all of the township offices, was the first overseer of highways of his township, and from 1879 until 1885 was an efficient county commissioner. Upon his retirement from that position he was presented with a beau- tiful gold watch by the citizens of Reno county, as a recognition of the efficiency with which he had discharged the duties de- volving upon him while in that office. He was a member of the town board when the present bridge across the Arkansas river was built at this point, and it was largely through his persistent efforts, in the face of much opposition and adverse criticism, that it was built at that time, but those who were among the most bitter adversaries now ad- mit that the undertaking was a profitable one. In 1896 he received the Republican nomination for the thirty-sixth senatorial district, but with tlfe rest of the ticket was
defeated. No citizen of Reno county has rendered more faithful or efficient service to his party than Mr. Switzer, and he is widely recognized as a Republican leader who has labored earnestly for its success. He was one of the organizers and for many years president of the Reno County Horticultural Association, and was also one of the prin- cipal organizers and the first president of the Farmers' Institute. He holds membership relations with Joe Hooker Post, No. 17. G. A. R., with the Court of Honor and with the Sons and Daughters of Justice. He is also a member of Reno Lodge, No. 140, A. F. & A. M .; Reno Chapter, No. 34; Hutchinson Council, No. 13 : and Reno Com- mandery, No. 26, K. T., and is also a Scot- tish-Rite Mason and a member of the Shrine and Eastern Star. He has been a command- ing officer in all of these bodies with the ex- ception of the Scottish Rite, and lias attend- ed the Knights Templar conventions for the past fifteen years. His religious preference is indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church. He was one . of the organizers of the Elmer Sunday- school and for fifteen years was its efficient superintendent, while for one year he was president of the County Sunday-school As- sociation.
Mrs. Switzer passed away in death on the 18th of January, 1885, leaving two sons, Lawrence P., of Pueblo, Colorado; and Percy E., a resident of Oklahoma. On the 30th of January, 1886, our subject married Annie Ingham, a daughter of William and Sarah Ingham. She was born in Massa- chusetts, but in childhood she came with her parents to Kansas. She was reared near Topeka and experienced all the horrors of the border troubles. This union has been blessed with two children, Gladys and Ethel. Mr. Switzer is a man of strong mentality, keen discernment, great tact and resolute purpose, and is therefore well fitted for the political honors which have been conferred upon him. He is ever a generous friend and warm advocate of those who are battling for the right and of principles and policies for the public good.
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HUTTON & OSWALD.
The field of business is limitless and op- portunity is only hampered by the inability or negligence of the individual. The man who is energetic, determined, honest and persevering can always win success and it is such qualities that have placed the firm of Hutton & Oswald in their present enviable position. They are proprietors of a laundry business which was conducted by ten com- panies or individuals before they took hold of it,- this being between the years 1886 and 1891, but when these gentlemen assumed the management there was straightway a change in the outlook. They determined to succeed, went about getting patrons in a business-like way that inspired confidence and retained their trade through the excel- lence of their workmanship, their prompt- ness and reliability. The story seems simple but in it lies the secret of enviable success.
The proprietors are Emmett Hutton and Charley W. Oswald and the enterprise is known as the American Steam Laundry of Hutchinson. They began business here April 20, 1891, in a small building, twenty- five by seventy feet, and started as successors to ten different parties who had previously made a failure of the work. They combined the plants of the American Steam Laundry and the Hutchinson Steam Laundry. The plant had been shut down for three or four months, but Mr. Hutton took a mortgage on it and began business in connection with Willis Brothers. Six months later he and Mr. Oswald bought the plant, and from the start both gentlemen gave their entire time and attention to the business. It was not long before they needed more space and doubled the capacity within the first three years, renting the room on the east. It was about two years later when they took an up- stairs floor of the same size, giving them three times the space they first had, but still their business grew, demanding more com- modious quarters, until now their plant occu- pies ten times the original space in which they began business. In January, 1898, they purchased the building in which they are lo-
cated and by building a large addition in the rear have more than doubled their space. They first employed four hands, now they have an average force of seventy-five em- ployes and on rush occasions increase the number by ten. They have the reputation of paying the help better salaries than are elsewhere given in the same line of business and thus they are enabled to retain their em- ployes, some of whom have been with them for nine years, while the majority have been continuously in their service for five years. Both Mr. Hutton and Mr. Oswald have given their entire attention to the business and their close application has been an im- portant factor in their prosperity. They have often worked at midnight and some- times later, so that their business has never got the start of them and they never disap- point customers by not having the work ready at the time promised. Now they make it a point to close the laundry at six o'clock, employing a sufficient number to make this possible and the majority of the time the work of the day is over at the time designated.
From the first they sought trade in the surrounding towns and this has grown until it is now limited only by express charges. They are in receipt of applications almost daily for agencies at different points and their business reaches as far east as Herring- ton and equal distances to the north, south and west. In fact it extends into Oklahoma and Texas and they are now doing business in one hundred towns outside of Hutchin- son. They have gained their reputation solely on the excellence of the work. In their building they have a concrete floor twenty-five by one hundred and forty-five feet. The building is also specially lighted and ventilated. Condensed steam is used and no colored goods are washed in anything but distilled water; steam, water, light and power come from the Hutchinson Water, Light & Power Company, and throughout Kansas there is no more flourishing laundry business than that conducted by the enter- prising firm of Hutton & Oswald. To such a degree has success attended their enter-
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